WOFT, High School to Flight School packet questions

For the OP,

Sounds like you have alot going for you. If you don't make it the first time around keep at it and do something productive in the mean time. Don't enlist unless that's something really want to do.

I was accepted in to WOFT three months out of flight school. I faced alot of resentment from some aviators, especially ones who have spent several years enlisted who didn't see me as paying my dues. Looking at the maturity level of most of the 23-24 year old pilots coming in now I couldn't imagine what I was like at 20 showing up at my unit. I am pretty sure I was the bane of our troop's 1SG's existance.

What ever you do don't pick Kiowa's. They're the worst aircraft in all of military aviation.

Best of luck.
 
Ian J said:
Better suited? Not at all. Although 4 year degrees are becoming the norm in the WO corps - at least for promotion to CW4 and above. A degree will probably help you get selected, though.


My real down and dirty opinion:

Commissioned - Pros

- Lead, manage and fly.
- More marketable in the civilian market for non-flying positions
- More money
- More responsibility (could be a con ;))
- More diversity in experiences
- The ability to have a positive affect on a greater number of soldiers

Cons

- Don't fly as much as WOs over your career - years 1-4 you'd probably be equal, then commissioned guys start getting staff jobs that take them out of the cockpit.
- Jack of all trades, master of none (this covers a lot of the cons)
- Very unlikely to specialize in something - for example, commissioned guys generally don't become instructor pilots.
- As you get higher in rank you become more removed from the tactical flight units and your peer base becomes smaller and smaller.
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I'm suprised having to put up with warrant officers insn't in bold text on the Cons list.
 
Ian J said:
Sure it is! Since you want to serve in the Army anyway, apply for an ROTC scholarship. If you don't get that because of your grades, enlist and then use the GI Bill to pay for college or apply for a Green to Gold Scholarship which lets you out of your enlistment contract, pays for your college, and commissions you as an officer.

I joined the Army at 17, served as an enlisted Infantryman for 5 years, then earned a Green to Gold scholarship and was flying helicopters as an officer by 26. No reason you couldn't do the same.
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So, the WOCs were doing a carwash last weekend. I roll my big old Blazer in to get a wash and drop them a $20 donation. One of the female WOCs collecting the money, I get to talking to. I ask, out of curiousity, what type of helo she is interested in; only to get back, "None. I'm a warrant candidate for supply."

Doh.

I was under the impression that only aviation Warrants went through WOCd here, and that non-aviation ones went somewhere else, like Ft Benning, for instance.

Guess I was wrong. :D
 
The Warrant Officer Career College as they call it now is at Fort Rucker. Its usually a 50/50 split between "walking warrants" and aviation warrants.

What are you doing at Rucker anyway sir?
 
Low_Level_Hell said:
The Warrant Officer Career College as they call it now is at Fort Rucker. Its usually a 50/50 split between "walking warrants" and aviation warrants.

What are you doing at Rucker anyway sir?
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Am going through UH-1H rotary-wing transition here at Cairns for the AF Reserve, as I've transferred to an Reserve unit from the active duty AF/ANG. Strictly a part-timer/Traditional, to keep my mil time going. And convenient as the unit is right down the road from my BP Air Branch at Davis-Monthan in Tucson.

I drive by the Warrant career college on Fifth street daily, as I navigate around this banana-shaped post!
 
MikeD said:
Am going through UH-1H rotary-wing transition here at Cairns for the AF Reserve, as I've transferred to an Reserve unit from the active duty AF/ANG. Strictly a part-timer/Traditional, to keep my mil time going. And convenient as the unit is right down the road from my BP Air Branch at Davis-Monthan in Tucson.

I drive by the Warrant career college on Fifth street daily, as I navigate around this banana-shaped post!
Click to expand...

That's pretty cool gig. Assume non-deployable?
 
Low_Level_Hell said:
That's pretty cool gig. Assume non-deployable?
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Nah, the rescue unit is a CSAR unit, so deployable (its an HH-60 unit. The UH-1 training is only rotary-wing transition......but oddly enough will transfer over to my BP gig). But the frequency and length of those are dependant now on what goes on with troop levels in the current OIF/OEF theaters.
 
MikeD said:
Nah, the rescue unit is a CSAR unit, so deployable (its an HH-60 unit. The UH-1 training is only rotary-wing transition......but oddly enough will transfer over to my BP gig). But the frequency and length of those are dependant now on what goes on with troop levels in the current OIF/OEF theaters.
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Does that fall under USAFSOCOM?
 
That is exactly where I am getting mixed messages and drawing a lot of confusion. A lot of people say that being enlisted is easier to get into the flight program, but I have heard just as many say that you should never let the recruiter talk you into that and that if you want to fly just do the packet. I don't know what to think, but I know what I'm doing and have done and that's my packet completion and the small hell it was, and now I'm submitting it. I hope that if I am select that I will not be looked upon with resentment by older guys who've as was stated "paid their dues." However, I'm just chasing a dream and if they wanted to score high and submit a competitive packet they could have as well. Low_level_hell, I'm curious in response you said that you were accepted to WOFT after flight school. Did you attend a civilian flight school? I know that there was a 29 year old guy with some flight time and prior service who just got in here and also another guy about his age with a mess of misdemeanors who got in. I'm just finding it odd that the guy with the record was selected and the guy my age who had no priors was turned down. I'm assuming his packet was missing something, because his recruiter had never processed a WOFT packet before. I'm going to be nervous until the board on the 11th of January worrying hahaha. I've done everything now, it's time to wait.
 
I can feel those wings already. haha So, I had some minor juvenile defenses, like having a BB gun on base that showed up from an MP blotter, and I wrote a statement of admittal about them. Should I worry about those?

I hear that everyone want to fly the Apaches. The way I see it, you would get more flight time in something like a UH-60 wouldn't you? I'm taking that from the fact that it has so man different uses, and the Apache is a combat helicopter. I just want to fly and fly a lot, so I'd go for whichever flies most. Hopefully it's not the • little Kiowa lol that's just a joke, I'd be happy to fly anything, but do certain pilots get more flight time?

-Seth
 
Ian J said:
Better suited? Not at all. Although 4 year degrees are becoming the norm in the WO corps - at least for promotion to CW4 and above. A degree will probably help you get selected, though.


My real down and dirty opinion:

Commissioned - Pros

- Lead, manage and fly.
- More marketable in the civilian market for non-flying positions
- More money
- More responsibility (could be a con ;))
- More diversity in experiences
- The ability to have a positive affect on a greater number of soldiers

Cons

- Don't fly as much as WOs over your career - years 1-4 you'd probably be equal, then commissioned guys start getting staff jobs that take them out of the cockpit.
- Jack of all trades, master of none (this covers a lot of the cons)
- Very unlikely to specialize in something - for example, commissioned guys generally don't become instructor pilots.
- As you get higher in rank you become more removed from the tactical flight units and your peer base becomes smaller and smaller.
Click to expand...

Is all of the same basically true in the Guard/Reserves? I guess I could use the money, and I want to be in a leadership position, but not if it means less flying over the course of a career.
 
sethmeredith said:
I can feel those wings already. haha So, I had some minor juvenile defenses, like having a BB gun on base that showed up from an MP blotter, and I wrote a statement of admittal about them. Should I worry about those?

I hear that everyone want to fly the Apaches. The way I see it, you would get more flight time in something like a UH-60 wouldn't you? I'm taking that from the fact that it has so man different uses, and the Apache is a combat helicopter. I just want to fly and fly a lot, so I'd go for whichever flies most. Hopefully it's not the • little Kiowa lol that's just a joke, I'd be happy to fly anything, but do certain pilots get more flight time?

-Seth
Click to expand...


I'm jumping in a little late here, but I feel comfortable saying that we all equally don't fly enough. Focus less on the aircraft and more on the mission when it comes to selecting. I "want to just fly and fly alot" just as much as the next guy! However this is just not the case, in fact sometimes it can be challenging managing a few additional duties (I.E. Unit armorer, UPL, HAZMAT Officer,etc.) while remaining proficient in your Aviation duties,

Your scores seem pretty good, but the Army is very reactive when it comes to its staffing methods. We are very over-strength so days of 90% pickup rates are over.


-S
 
sethmeredith said:
I can feel those wings already. haha So, I had some minor juvenile defenses, like having a BB gun on base that showed up from an MP blotter, and I wrote a statement of admittal about them. Should I worry about those?

I hear that everyone want to fly the Apaches. The way I see it, you would get more flight time in something like a UH-60 wouldn't you? I'm taking that from the fact that it has so man different uses, and the Apache is a combat helicopter. I just want to fly and fly a lot, so I'd go for whichever flies most. Hopefully it's not the • little Kiowa lol that's just a joke, I'd be happy to fly anything, but do certain pilots get more flight time?

-Seth
Click to expand...

Everyone does not want to fly Apaches. At flight school I was supprised to see that lift slots were the most popular. I don't know if its cause everyone says they don't get the flight time, the lifestyle sucks, or when its time for selection everyone's burnt out and want the quickest way out of flight school.

As far as not flying as much on the Apache side the recent wars reversed that trend. Apache/Kiowa guys are racking up more flight time than anyone else. A line pilot will get 800-1000 hours a year deployed.

Doesnt help that on the Cargo and Utility side they are way over strengh in number of pilots.
 
Low_Level_Hell said:
Everyone does not want to fly Apaches. At flight school I was supprised to see that lift slots were the most popular. I don't know if its cause everyone says they don't get the flight time, the lifestyle sucks, or when its time for selection everyone's burnt out and want the quickest way out of flight school.

As far as not flying as much on the Apache side the recent wars reversed that trend. Apache/Kiowa guys are racking up more flight time than anyone else. A line pilot will get 800-1000 hours a year deployed.

Doesnt help that on the Cargo and Utility side they are way over strengh in number of pilots.
Click to expand...

Yes, seems like here that the CH-47 is a popular desire.

Was watching a -58D (with no ball atop) practicing autos the other day at a stagefield. Man, those damn things fall out of the sky, far faster than my Huey. Very low-inertia rotor system?
 
MikeD said:
Yes, seems like here that the CH-47 is a popular desire.

Was watching a -58D (with no ball atop) practicing autos the other day at a stagefield. Man, those damn things fall out of the sky, far faster than my Huey. Very low-inertia rotor system?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the Blackhawk and Apache fall like a rock too. Never flew the Huey but I heard how well they auto.
 
Low_Level_Hell said:
Does that fall under USAFSOCOM?
Click to expand...

Nope, active duty HH-60's fall under PACAF, ACC, or USAFE. Guard/Reserves fall under their respective commands (ANG/AFR). A few years back the active stateside units were transitioned to AFSOC (not USAFSOCOM), however it was short lived, I don't even think it lasted a year or two.

The only airframes that fall under AFSOC now are MC/AC-130 units, i *think* CV-22, and a few assorted small aircraft that we do not speak of.
 
Hey everyone,

I just interviewed with the company commander here. So, now I have nothing else to do before I'll go to the battalion board on the 22nd of December. She said she was trying to prepare me for the battalion board and really was grilling me. I felt like I did well except I would have like to answer a couple questions differently. I was wondering if anyone here can give me any tips or pointers about the battalion board other than the obvious dress nice and be confident but not cocky. Any little pointers, would be much appreciated.

Oh and on a side note, I talked to a sergeant who told me that the way they select pilots at USAREC, is by taking all of the applications and putting them into separate piles, and that I'd be in the pile with all of the other of the street guys and they may select fewer pilots from that pile but they will always select some. That sounds less intimidating. Does anyone know if that's true? One last thing, it's okay to ask some one to call to Rucker and put in a good word right? Thanks.

-Seth
 
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