I am currently an 11B and am scheduled to ETS in October 2009 if I don't reenlist. Either way, I will be done with the Infantry after October. I have an opportunity to go to OCS this summer, but apparently the only aviation jobs available to Army officers is flying. I will be 40 next month and I also wear glasses so flying is not an option for me. There aren't any other officer branches/positions in the Army that interest me so I will probably not go to OCS.
I know that people say anything is waiverable, but I have been constantly trying to get a flight slot for over 15 years now and nobody will sign a waiver for me, so that rumor is not true.
Anyhow, I am an instrument rated ASEL/AMEL Commercial pilot and was wondering if there are any UAV operators here that could tell me what that MOS is really like. No recruiting BS, just straight up what it's like and how it compares with actual flying. I've heard that Army UAV operators are enlisted and I've heard that they are WOs, so which is it? Both/either? Can an officer be a UAV operator? Do the operators just fly the UAVs or do they also maintain them? How long is a typical shift? Is there a vision and age restriction to UAVs? Is 15W only for the Shadow? Can I request to fly the Warrior? Is that a different MOS?
I am within one year of ETS, so any other information you may have about this MOS would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: modernicarus,
I can try to answer some of your questions. I perform maintenance on Shadow and Hunter UAVs for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Training Battalion. This unit is responsible for the Army's UAV training. The 15W MOS covers the operation of Shadow, Hunter, and Warrior. Most students are assigned Shadow, but some are randomly selected to fly Hunter. Positions also open up for a soldier to learn Warrior if they are assigned to a Warrior unit (such as C Co UASTB). The operators are enlisted. I have only heard of WOs being used to fire ordnance from a UAV. Operators perform basic maintenance. The rest of the maintenance is performed by either 33W's or 52D's that have a Shadow or Hunter ASI.
I am a MP getting read to reenlist and re class to 15W but am wondering about the details of our job, as far as what my job is, cause i want to fly, but dont want to get stuck doing something completely different than what i enlisted for. I have been in four 7 years as a MP and am ready for something more challenging and the fact i love computers and electronics. If you have any information that you think i could use, please let me know, thanks!
Like BioRetard there I am one of the few 35Ts that have a ASI to work on the Hunter UAV. What I can say unless you are a external operator (the guy that takes-off/lands the Hunter like a RC plane), the flying of a UAV is more like playing a video game for the Hunter and Shadow system. You click your mouse on heading, airspeed, or altitude and the UAV responds.
Anybody know of any ARNG phone, or email contacts for this MOS? I am scheduled to ETS in October 2009 and would like to get lined up to enter this field. You can drop me a PM or an email.
I am in Oregon but have sent a couple soldiers to the UAV AIT. I have one there right now but is on standby to start so that won't help you much. feel free to email me and I might be able to help you locate a unit in your state or get you on the phone with one of our operators that's actually doing the job so he/she can give you the scoop. kathryn.pritchard@us.army.mil
