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Are all army recruiters like this?


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So this is my second recruiter I've went through trying to get my WOFT application process going (first one claimed I wasn't eligible due to not have prior flight experience and/or military service) and refused to believe that civilians could apply.

 

I spoke with the new recruiter on the phone for the first time today (came recommended) and he basically said that I need to commit to him that I will go enlisted if I don't get accepted to the WOFT program. Then he gave me some long spiel about how the army is all about commitment and that I will have a better chance coming from the inside. Am I wrong for thinking he is out of line by forcing me to go enlisted if I get rejected by the board?

 

Also correct me if I am wrong but didn't more civilians get selected by the board in 2016 then people from inside of the army for the WOFT program? It just doesn't seem like the logical thing to do to go enlisted if my goal is to become a warrant officer.

 

I just graduated from college this past December and I really want to find a recruiter that will help me put my packet together and allow me to put my best foot forward. I am located in the Washington D.C. area. Thanks.

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I dealt with a local regular army recruiter when trying to schedule the SIFT (planning to go Guard, but they don't want to set it up until I'm IN the guard as another MOS). He said the same thing... Even if I were to go regular army, he would only work with me if I was willing to give him my word I'd "go army."

I think you could probably be less than honest here and tell him what he wants to hear. You can always go back on your "word" so long as you haven't signed anything committing you to some other army MOS. Or you can keep calling around.

Mike

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If you are looking to go NG, I have heard that some people have had luck with getting in contact with their state's warrant officer strength manager, or having NG officers talk to them to open the door for you.

 

For Army, (as stated above by others) perseverance is key to this whole thing, as I am sure Lindsey can attest to. All of my local recruiters haven't heard of WOFT or told me I had to go enlisted first before i could do anything. It wasn't until my 9th phone call that I found one that is a 2.5 hour drive from me who has put together many successful packets before.

 

Best of luck to you, mezz!

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Thank you all so much, I appreciate everyone's advice.

Keep lookin'. The recruiter should be working for you, this is your life and career you're talking about. You aren't some E-1 he can boss around yet.

I've been calling all morning and I found someone who is willing to help put together my woft packet and isn't requiring that I enlist after if I don't get accepted. He has only done one WOFT packet prior and he said it was very recent so the guy has not been accepted or rejected yet. I'm meeting with him next week, he seems like a pretty stand up guy although perhaps doesn't have a lot of experience, I think he is worth trying. Any thoughts/suggestions are appreciated : )

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Thank you all so much, I appreciate everyone's advice.

I've been calling all morning and I found someone who is willing to help put together my woft packet and isn't requiring that I enlist after if I don't get accepted. He has only done one WOFT packet prior and he said it was very recent so the guy has not been accepted or rejected yet. I'm meeting with him next week, he seems like a pretty stand up guy although perhaps doesn't have a lot of experience, I think he is worth trying. Any thoughts/suggestions are appreciated : )

The biggest thing is that he has done one and he is willing to help you. The experience doesn't matter as much as the willingness. Good luck.

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I don't have numbers to back this up, but no, I very highly doubt there are more street to seaters than prior service being picked up. At flight school I would say it was maybe 1 in 10. I'm sure it fluctuates but I doubt it would fluctuate to the other end.

 

Good call finding another recruiter. You should also ask to speak the the office ncoic or oic and tell them about his conduct. That's not the way he should be doing business.

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As a former recruiter (and a "good" one, but not a "good" one), I can tell you they are all starving for their bottom line enlisted numbers. You don't owe anyone anything even up until the day you have to ship. They fool you into thinking you've actually joined, but you haven't.

I took me FIVE recruiting stations and a 2.5 hour drive to the final one to get a worthwhile recruiter. I even did the whole packet for them, I just needed them to scan it and send it up. Being prior service, I got a lot of crap, and many were like "well, the Army is drawing down, so don't count on it"... Pfft, knocked that board out of the park with my 12 year Army resume compared to some of the street to seat kids.

The 7 week street to seat/prior service/interservice transfer WOCS class (which I ended up getting stuck in) was much larger than the 5 weekers, and from what I overheard they had four iterations of 7 weekers a year. I'd say around 180 (4 x 45ish).

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As everyone has said, find a recruiter that will work with you. Whether or not they have had packet that was accepted is irrelevant. Their job is to get you appointments and make sure your packet is administratively correct. They have no impact on whether or not the person they are putting through gets selected (unless of course, they screw up the packet). My recruiter asked me if I would go enlisted if I didn't get picked up and I told him yes (even though I wouldn't have), but he didn't go much further than asking me.

 

And, there's no way that there were more civilians picked up last year than prior service. The percentage picked up might have been higher, but the amount...definitely not.

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Hey, unfortunately this is a lot of recruiters. I'm on recruiting right now and trying to put my packet in here soon. Recruiters don't receive any training in WOFT or OCS from the school house.

 

With your location though there should be a ton of recruiting centers in your area, so it shouldn't be hard to find someone willing to work with you. I'd be honest with him if you aren't willing to go enlisted if you get rejected then tell him. If he doesn't like it the you candidate d someone that will be ok

 

If you are willing to build your packet yourself, then it's not really that time consuming on the recruiters part except for transport to and from the board and MEPS.

 

If you have any questions about USAREC specific issues, feel free to ask and I'll answer what I can but USAREC units can be different in how they do things. I'm in southwestern Ohio. Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...

If it helps at all, there are recruiters out there willing to help. I got really lucky and the station in my town had a recruiter willing to work with me right off the bat. (We are next to an aviation base so that helps) Continue looking and just be clear with what you want to do! Hopefully it shouldn't take too long too find one who will help.

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My first recruiter made me believe he was really going to help. He did not. So, I called around town and asked if anyone had experience with WOFT packets and was WLLING to see me through the process. Got through about 3 stations before someone was willing to help.

 

You will be able to tell right away whether they want to work with you. I got some BS excuse about needing an appointment and the person putting together my packet would be different each time. The current recruiter I am working with answered my question right away, asked me to come in later that day, and gave me "homework".

 

Hope that helps.

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  • 1 month later...

MEZZ

 

In military recruiting, the Army is the only service where the enlisted recruiters have the burden of not only doing enlistments but also WOFT/OCS contracts as well.

 

The other services have dedicated Officer/NCOs recruiters that only handle Officer recruitment. Obviously more knowledgeable in the process.

 

That being the case, many Army recruiters are not comfortable in doing WOFT/Officer contracts for varies reasons. It is what it is, when dealing with Army recruiters.

 

Good luck in going forward. If running into road blocks, your 4 year degree meets one of the requirements for the other services regarding flight training as you well know.

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