I am a prior, in the AF Reserves for 2 years. I have over 60 hours in college credit. My recruiter told me the best way to get into the WOFT is to enlist for a year, and work in an aviation related field. Something I am too afraid of doing. He also mentioned that I am eligble to start the a state ocs program. I asked him if it was possible for me to start the OCS program to get my foot in the door and then to apply for Warrant Officer Flight Training and drop OCS.
My recruiter said that this would be a "negative mark" on my packet and ruin my chances of getting into flight training. Is this true? Has anyone tried this? Does the OCS program allow me to stop and apply for something else?
Man this should be stickied, if it isn't already...
NO, you do NOT have to enlist first before applying to WOCS/WOFT. From what has been posted on this topic already, being enlisted first doesn't score you any additional points when applying for WOCS/WOFT. If you enlist first, you will have to be in that MOS for as long as it takes for you to go through AIT (technical training), then get to your first unit and have your CO get to know you well enough to recommend you for the program. Additionally, no CO is going to let a brand new soldier run off to WOCS as soon as s/he walks in the door.
The Army is and has been hurting for junior officers, so I'm guessing that's why your recruiter mentioned OCS as well. If you start OCS, the only way you're going to get out of it is to fail (which you don't want to do). If you're talking about State OCS, no unit is going to give you a slot only for you to back out because you want to do something else.
Figure out what you want to do, and then get going on it. Don't let anyone try to dissuade you from what YOU want to do (providing you qualify for it).
Not without it looking like you washed out of OCS. Don't take one of the slots with the intent of doing that, it wont work. It also takes the slot from someone who really wants a commision.
So I dont have to enlist prior to making a packet to fly for the National Guard? How would I submit a packet, I have no recruiter to help me at all then, becuase the only one I have swears that there is no other way.
My recruiter told me the best way to get into the WOFT is to enlist for a year, and work in an aviation related field.
It may be the best way, but not the only way. Are you talking to a regualar recruiter? If so, get in touch with the "officer strength manager" for your state instead.
It depends. If you're talking about the National Guard, as your subject implies, then you do have to enlist first to apply to WOFT, but not for Active Duty. The NG has no provision to allow for WOCS to be guaranteed in your contract... Trust me, I know! I've just been through this with the Guard. I've spoken to several different state's Warrant Officer Strength Managers and an assistant to my state's State Aviation Officer -- the Gate-keeper to NG WOFT. You can either apply to AD, enlist in the Guard and drop a packet, or go OCS and hope they branch you aviation.
Ice....I did what your trying to do -- as close as it could be done -- in the Guard. That is, come in off the street and into a WOCS / WOFT slot. It wasn't easy and it contained a good bit of risk, but it ended up working out.
I would urge you to contact the State Aviation Officer of whatever state you live in. Make an appointment and arrive on time with your game face on. Your going to have to basically sell yourself to them with everything you have to bring to the table. You're essentially asking them to consider you over other currently enlisted, qualified, Soldiers within their Command. Some will consider it and some justifiably wont.
Discuss their willingness to consider your packet and send you to flight school if you enlist, attend basic, attend AIT and return ready to take the first slot offered. Hopefully near the beginning of the FY.
When I showed up for this meeting, I produced a completed and accepted active duty WOFT packet from the active duty recruiters, a complete work history including working as a State Patrol Officer and a FAA Pilot's license. In 2002, I enlisted, left for basic in May, attending AIT in Sept, arrived home in late Oct and start WOCS two weeks later. I drilled as an enlisted Soldier, once.
Just as a reminder, should you decide to do this and something falls through, you will be "stuck" in that enlisted career for the length of your service obligation.
I don't know if this is correct or not, but this is what I have been told thus far by a NG recruiter:
He told me I could apply for NG as an Aviation Officer, not a Warrant Officer, due to having a degree and I would have in my contract flight training. I am not sure if this is accurate and I'll know more hopefully on Friday.
Having a degree does not preclude you from being a Warrant Officer -- many CW's have their degree, some their masters. You can to NG OCS, but there is no stipulation they have to branch you AV. They can branch you wherever they like. AV officer slots vary from state to state
Jeeze, this is intense. I have contacted officer strength. They directed me to a CW2 Pilot, who is being very helpful. He has told me that he is helping me get my AFAST, Flight Physical, and everything else I need. He told me his intentions are the same as mine, to get me straight over from the AF Reserves into WOFT. There is risk involved, lots.
