So here I am a man with 2 differnt dreams. One is to be in the Airforce and go into the OSI program as an officer and be a special agent.
The other is to be a military aviator and I can do that in the Army. I am 26 years old, I have a degree in criminal justice, and I am a pilot with 130 flight hours. My GPA is a rough 2.75. Yeah I could have done better, hindsight is always 20/20. Anyhow I am torn. I don't know which route to take. IF I go airforce I would have to enlist first and apply OCS from within. If I go Army I could apply for WOFT but it would be about a 7 yr enlistment. IF I didnt make pilot for whatever reason I would be ****ed. So I don;t know what to do. I have thought about going airforce first because they don't take priors. IF I dont seem to like it then I could go to Army because WOFT is open till 33 yrs of age. Any advice?

opps my bad woft is open to 30 yrs...33 is the age for officer canidates.

You have until 28 1/2 to make it before an AF OTS board.

You can apply for WOFT up to 33 without an age waiver. AF OTS non-rated slots are open up to 35. Rated OTS slots are as Bushmaster stated. There are differences in the branches for sure, but the end result of being in the cockpit versus paper pushing made my decision easy. The AF lifestyle will be pretty cake, but if you want to challenge yourself and put it on the line go WOFT. BTW: A friend of mine was AF OSI and made the same transition. He literally said "I got bored; OSI was not what I thought it was". Look at how many people want WOFT. It's a competive program for sure, but you can do it if your heart is there. I have great respect for the AF, but needed the change.

I haven't met anyone who regreted going WOFT.

Good luck.

Mcgunther

Are you sure the AF can guarantee you OSI out of OTS? I would check on that. But the AF will guarantee you a pilot slot and OTS if selected just like WOFT.

Why not submit a WOFT and AF OTS/Pilot application at the same time. AF moved up the date for submiting your OTS/Pilot package to the age of 28 vs 28.5. You can not be 30 yrs old or older on your first day of pilot training unless previously rated as a pilot in another military service.

Then, you can decide on which way to go. OSI as an AF Officer may be a crap shoot regarding selection.

There is no guarantee with either path. Seems to me you need to decide if you want to be a military Criminal Investigator or military Aviator.

And keep in mind, you could always do one full-time and the other part-time. How about being an Army Reserve pilot and civilian GS-1811 (that's what I did)? Or maybe a full-time OSI agent and take flying lessons?

The world is your oyster...

Is it possible to apply for WOFT while in the Airforce? My biggest thing right now is I need to get in to start makeing money and get the militray life going. I can't sit around any longer. I heard the biggest part of the WOFT is getting seleceted. IT may just be me but I really would not want to be in the Army for anything else. Dont mean to insult anyone either, just how I am. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Mcgunther:
Is it possible to apply for WOFT while in the Airforce? My biggest thing right now is I need to get in to start makeing money and get the militray life going. I can't sit around any longer. I heard the biggest part of the WOFT is getting seleceted. IT may just be me but I really would not want to be in the Army for anything else. Dont mean to insult anyone either, just how I am. Thanks.

Your GPA, in my opinion, is kind of low compared to the competition you would face for an AF OTS pilot slot. Have you taken the tests, AFAST, AFOQT? Study for those, take them and see how you fare... Yes these jobs are going to put you in the cockpit but AF and Army flying are not always the same.

bushmaster that is why I was thinking of enlisting in the AF first. I want to go back to school get my GPA up and get the feel for the military. I know I am not qualified for an AF slot. I want to get the most competive package possible. My main concern is that if I apply for WOFT and don't get it, I don't want to be thrown into something else. I want to have something to fall on. I am confident, just trying to play this smart. I would be around 28 then to put an a really strong package and would already have a career going if it failed. I am unemployed at the moment working for my dad.

BTW I am one of hell of an Alaskan Bush Pilot.

I have looked at the AFAST, and I think I could fare well on it. I got a GT 111 on the ASVAB( I know not the greatest but good enough). Well thanks for any more advice.

Really OSI is that lame? I always thought it would be like FBI special agent? Of course most law enforcement and investigation stuff is glorified by the media.

One hell of a bush pilot with 130 hours????

quote:

Originally posted by Mcgunther:
...Well thanks for any more advice.

Advice... Study and prepare for the AF OTS Pilot selection! Everything you need for this is @Baseops.net. Once you hit 28 and put a packet for OTS, and get selected, well done. If not, you will still have enough time that would allow you to try for WOFT... How's that?

Yeah 9435465--Heh well I think I am a natural anyways. I do a lot of mountain flying and gone through several mountain ranges to remote places in alaska. Thanks bushmaster..I guess my biggest concern was enlisting first and being able to apply for woft from a different branch.

quote:

Originally posted by Mcgunther:
Really OSI is that lame? I always thought it would be like FBI special agent? Of course most law enforcement and investigation stuff is glorified by the media.

OSI is a much smaller agency, and deals with cases that the typical FBI agent will never see. Why? Because rarely are person on person crimes, such as rape, assaults, murder, etc, federal crimes, but if they involve military personnel OSI can and does investigate those crimes.

OSI agents will get a mix of being a small town detective and doing big federal cases. OSI, like the other Military Criminal Investigative Organizations (MCIO), NCIS, Army CID, and CGIS, are unique in fed LE that way.

However, there are many similarities between OSI agents and other fed LE criminal investigators, including the FBI. In fact civilian OSI agents are GS-1811 Criminal Investigators, which is the job code for most federal criminal investigators, including FBI Special Agents.

If someone has formed their ideas of being an investigator from TV and movies, then being an OSI agent (or FBI agent, or DEA agent, etc, etc) might possibly seem "lame" but that is only because that person has no concept of what law enforcement, and especially investigations is really like.

BTW I am one of hell of an Alaskan Bush Pilot.

I have looked at the AFAST, and I think I could fare well on it. I got a GT 111 on the ASVAB( I know not the greatest but good enough). Well thanks for any more advice.[/QUOTE]


Yeah. Speaking as a guy who's stick buddy was also a bush pilot/flight instructor from Alaska with a few thousand hours, multiple degrees (one in Aerospace Engineering), and awesome scores/PT you need to first take the tests and see how you do. WOFT is just a wee bit competitive and trying to make that jump later from another service, with a miniscule ammount of time on the job, isn't the best plan in my opinion.

Remember you'd also need a DD368 conditional release (a.k.a. permission slip to quit and go Army) to cross over from the Air Force. Go get a job to pay the rent, put in a packet (sometimes it takes 13 attempts ) and if it still doesn't pan out then weigh your options. You have plenty of time. I got in at 33. Heck, a guy I went through with was 42. Stop rushing everything, save studying for the AFAST. Try to keep telling yourself this little fact..everybody is "going to put a packet in" but few will actually do it.

First things first..take the AFAST

I don't think the Air Force has plans to expand. The Army does. So that edge goes to the Army.

But a thing to remember about the Army. Hot showers, porcelian pots, hot food and sleep ain't promised on a daily basis. Soldier first, officer 2nd, pilot 3rd.

If I was in OSI I'd kill myself. But to each his own...

OSI might not be the most exciting job, but it is a good stepping stone to a civilian 1811 career.

Thanks salty. I actually did not realize how competitive it was until comeing to these forums. I don't think just getting a reg job to pay the rent is something I want to do. I want to go into the military. I am itching bad. I think airforce will probably be the best option for me right now. I want to be an officer. I think my path will work it's way out. I am going to keep up on my flying, and if for whatever reason I get steered back towards army aviation I will diff have more refrences and experience if I apply again down the road.

If you can take the AFOQT and TBAS the air force does not count GPA in the packet anymore and you can apply as still a civilian. Their age cut off is 28 but you can get that waivered and they have several boards through out the year.