I can't get a good answer from anyone or out of the regs. Please help if anyone has any legit info. I'm a blackhawk pilot with 5 years left of my 6 yr committment upon completion of flight school. I'm currently in Iraq but about to go home. My husband and I want to have a baby when we get home (we're dual military) but if we did, I would definitely want to get out. I love my job so much, but being a mother is so much more important to me and I'm 30, ready to have a baby. My question is, even though I have a committment from flight school, will I be given the option to get out? Also, I'm a warrant officer, not commissioned, so the Army did not pay for my college. Thank you to anyone who can help or direct me to where to find answers.

JAG.

edit: saw your other post. Don't be talking down the Army as not taking "care of you" when we the Army have only received one year of service from you as an pilot. I'm not thinking the USAF would be any more forgiving for all those lost training dollars / lack of return on "investment".

That said, once again--see JAG. Buh, bye.

Icarian, even when I was enlisted, the Army has a way of taking so much and giving back so little when the time comes. The Army put people all the way through flight school who freaked out at the end or on their first tour because they couldn't handle getting shot at, and now they're in some useless made up position somewhere or either they've gotten out. The Army puts people out for much less understandable reasons than me wanting to have a baby. Thanks for the help...and for the criticism. Hope you feel better.

Simply Unreal.

AR 350-100

1–9. Who incurs active duty service obligations.

a. Generally, officers who complete certain formal education or training programs, undergo a PCS, or certain promotions incur an ADSO.
b. Officers must fulfill ADSOs before they are eligible for voluntary separation. The ODCS, G–1, may grant nonstatutory exceptions.

2–7. Military schooling.

Officers who attend any military course of instruction of 60 days or more, producing an academic evaluation report, incur an ADSO through the scheduled school graduation date or through the date on which consecutively scheduled education is to be completed, whichever is later...

e. Officers who attend initial entry flight training on or after 30 September 1990 will incur a 6-year ADSO on completion of the course or voluntary termination of attendance (see AR 611–110).

http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r350_100.pdf

The "O" in ADSO stands for "Obligation," not "Optional."

Hey I just bought a brand new car using a 6 year term auto loan. I don't feel like paying the loan anymore, but I want to keep the car. Is there a way I can get what I want while screwing over the people who loaned me the money?

Matt
SPC, US Army
15U

I hope you get what you want, Ma'am. Would you mind keeping us posted.

Here's the deal. You can choose to have a baby any time you want. The Army can't regulate that. The Army will treat you the same way they treat every other pregnant female. They will let you out if that is your desire. However, if you choose to do so, you may NEVER EVER, say that women are the same as men, and can do anything a man can do and should be granted the same access to all jobs in the military.

As far as the Army not taking care of you, I find it truly hilarious that you think the Air Force takes better care of its people because women can wear ponytails. Your priority is obviously not the military, it is being a mom. That is fine, but don't tell everyone you are being treated unfairly because YOU no longer want to fulfill your contract.

I do wish you luck and hope you and your family prosper.

Thank you for the info and for all who responded. I never said that women were equal to men, nor have I ever thought they were. Anyone who thinks the Army takes as great of care of it's servicemembers as they promise are lying to themselves. The Army screws people every chance it gets. I didn't say the airforce is better because chicks can wear ponytails, I was simply offering my $.02 to that particular female based on her question and which branch would be better for her. I have learned enough through 5 years of service to make an honest assessment of the way the Army treats people, and I realize it's not the same for everyone. Rijjid, if it's so unreal that I want to get out and have a family, you should ban every female from any program requiring a service obligation simply because she has a uterus. At least I didn't get knocked up before I deployed to get out of it like many females I've seen. It's the nature of our being to bear children, and although I voluntarily signed my 6 yr obligation, people change, their lives change, and decisions change. The Army wastes so much money it makes my head spin, so the $500K they spent sending me through flight school won't be missed...especially after they let people out for more ridiculous reasons. $500K is nothing to this Army when we're spending a billion dollars a week in this war in Iraq when we should probably be leaving.

Thanks again for all who helped. I'm still not sure if the option of getting out will even be offered to me, but I'll see if I can talk to JAG and figure it out before conceiving.

quote:

Originally posted by Mad_Matt:
Hey I just bought a brand new car using a 6 year term auto loan. I don't feel like paying the loan anymore, but I want to keep the car. Is there a way I can get what I want while screwing over the people who loaned me the money?

Matt
SPC, US Army
15U

Matt, forgive me for believing my offspring and family is a little more important than your piece of fiberglass.

Women are not the same as men, but that's irrelevant. Some people will look for any justification to reneg on their personal commitments, whether they suddenly proclaim that they're gay, wake up as a conscientious objector one day, or decide not to bother with a family care plan.

I appreciate that the OP has at least made it through her deployment without getting pregnant. But I have to ask you, NightFlyer60: did you ever think about your priorities in life BEFORE you applied for WOFT? There's nothing wrong with wanting to be a mother. There's something absolutely wrong with taking a flight school slot away from someone who really wants it, though.

quote:

Originally posted by NightFlyer60:
the Army has a way of taking so much and giving back so little when the time comes.

What's that saying about the pot calling the kettle black...?

quote:

Originally posted by NightFlyer60:
The Army screws people every chance it gets.

I disagree. I've personally been given some great opportunities in the Army, and I'm proud to serve out the obligation I've incurred.

Nightflyer,

Do you recall the old saying "it is better to be considered a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"?

You just removed all doubt. Your last comments show you as a whiny, I want it my way and screw everyone else type person. Do you really want to justify your decision to leave the service by saying the Army won't miss the money it spent on you for flight school because it is spending money on a war that it shouldn't be in?

You are still an Officer in the US military so you don't get an opinion about whether we should be fighting the war or not. You only get to execute the mission. Plus, you are talking like a child who had her feelings hurt. The truth is, there is nothing stopping you from having your child and remaining in the service.

YOU choose not to HONOR your COMMITMENT. Nobody forced your hand to join the military and nobody told you that you had to become a pilot. Does the Army always take care of its people? No. But you knew that before you signed up for flight school. You have nobody to blame but yourself.

How many males do you think changed their mind after making a 6 year obligation of flight service? Thousands. but they, unlike you honored their commitment. Even when they knew that they now had children they would have to leave as they deployed to war. That is why it is called a service obligation and not a service leave when you want.

My advice to you is to act like an officer, do what you plan to do and quit making excuses. Above all else, I would stop posting your excuses as you will only weaken your standing on your position.

I respect the fact that you want to be a full time mother. I myself am very happy that my wife decided to stay at home and raise our children. Technically, there is no real reason why you can't finish your service obligation and then get out. However, I don't think I would want you in my unit and I certainly don't think I would fly with you. So you should just get out ASAP and free up that duty position for someone worth a s**t. The Army takes better care of it's people than any other large organization I've ever seen, and if you think otherwise than get out and go experience the other side then get back to us. Oh and remember to ***** and complain the whole time the Army pays for your pregnancy and child birth about how terrible you're treated.

Did it ever occur to any of you that I didn’t get on here to ask for your criticism, or whether you think I’m right or wrong? I came here to ask if it was possible. I care very little that you’d “never fly with me” or if you think I’m not worth a s**t. I know that it would be extremely selfish for me to bring a child into this world only to deploy again in 11 months and have to pawn my child off on my parents who didn’t ask for that. Since my question can’t get answered in a civil manner without personal attacks which I prefer not to expose myself to anymore, I’ll cease to check for responses. Bash away.

No bashing here. I'm still jaw-on-the floor about the scenario; hard to recant in recent memory a more "me-me-me" mentality. It took me seven years to get to flight school; and I finish soon.
If I wanted to have a child after a year of having my fill of the priviledge I was lucky enough to enjoy (man or woman) and skirt my obligation of six....which is a very fair deal considering the $$$ it takes to make an aviator...I'd rightly feel like an as-hole. Just like any other reasonable person.
This whole thread can benefit others by serving as an example of "Be very careful and prepared for what you wish for...you just might get it."

Lt. Anybody

quote:

Originally posted by NightFlyer60:

quote:

Originally posted by Mad_Matt:
Hey I just bought a brand new car using a 6 year term auto loan. I don't feel like paying the loan anymore, but I want to keep the car. Is there a way I can get what I want while screwing over the people who loaned me the money?

Matt
SPC, US Army
15U

Matt, forgive me for believing my offspring and family is a little more important than your piece of fiberglass.

I guess you didn't "get" the parallel example, ma'am...

If it makes a difference, I'm married, 39, and have two children (5 and 12) at home. Oh, and also currently deployed. Please spare me about how much you value family.

Matt
SPC, US Army
15U

OK. I totally GET the issue about $$ spent on flight training and so forth for a female pilot (or female anything). Legitimate point.

I also GET the point about considering priorities BEFORE signing on the dotted line ... but have to ask, how many 17-year-old enlistees or cadets KNOW what their priorities will be when they are 30, as is the OP? How many servicemembers at age 30 can state their what their priorities will be at age 40? Life changes you, people.

Finally, to bring the sexual differences into my post, why is it OK for males to sire child after child - as long as you can support them - without repercussion or significant criticism, whereas female servicemembers are crapping out on their obligations, taking advantage of their anatomy or any of a hundred different lame excuses I've heard to let men off the very same hook? What if this were her HUSBAND posting - asking if he could get out in order to be a stay-at-home Dad taking care of HIS child?

What would be your responses then?

The SAME Alpha. She need not denigrate my/our Service, while she is wanting to forfeit her obligation WITHIN ONE YEAR of receiving it (if it is over a year, it IS within months of it).

I know for a fact that we've told *******s (male type) to pound sand for the same behavior. MULTIPLE TIMES.

So don't come in here as the female cavalry to the rescue. She doesn't need rescuing...she dug her own hole.

This is the reason I think the military should give an OTH and recoup the cost of education for anyone who voluntarily chooses to renege on their ADSO.

"The Army treated me so unfairly, they sent me to flight school, and now I want to get knocked up and not do 5 of my 6 year obligation. They are so mean. They just take take take. I can't even wear a ponytail"

And people wonder why so many still think women have no business in competetive MOS's, or in the service at all.

I know you're not going to come back and read this, but if I had my way you wouldn't have any resistance to leaving at all...but you would have a six-figure debt to the federal government.