I've got a few ideas running around in my head for when I come back from Iraq next year. I am currently an E3 in the USAFR as a flight line avionics technician. By the time I come back from Iraq I'll be a 2a352 e4 reservist with 120 days in the sand box, and about 1.5 years experience (full time) on 16's. In addition I'll have an FCC license, CCAF degree of AAS in avionics, although not the desired degree it is closely related. I'll only be 21 years old. My goal is to get off the maintenance side of the flight line and into the cockpit.
The reason I state this is not to boast, but to give an idea of my standings for anyone who has knowledge on this subject.
One of the options I was considering is the rotary wing aviator (chopper pilot) in whatever branch would pick me up (prefer active duty). I had a few questions regarding this career field.
1) Do my qualifications meet Army / Navy requirements for this position? (I was reading some topics on CG and it looked like only SNCO's became warrant officers, please correct me if I'm wrong)
2) How would you rate this job? Some categories could be job satisfaction, complexity/stress, ability to promote, safety, life experiences, etc.
3) If your were in my shoes what would you do? The options I am looking at are either warrant officer when I get back, or full time school and pursue the officer route (preferably pilot for whoever would pick me up).
4) Anything you would like to add.
5) Please include your current rank / career field so I can weigh opinions accordingly.
(I was reading some topics on CG and it looked like only SNCO's became warrant officers, please correct me if I'm wrong)
Correctamundo. To become a Chief Warrant Officer in the Coast Guard, you must have at least 8 years of service, be at least in pay grade E-6 (Petty Officer First Class). If you are a First Class, you must be in the upper 50% of the advancement list for Chief Petty Officer E-7. You are commissioned as a CWO2 if selected.
Only the Army allows warrant officers to be pilots and you can do that program with no prior service. You won't find that program in any other service. You will have to be a commissioned officer. The only exception to that besides the Army is the Navy's test program where they have some senior enlisted members, about 30, who became warrant officers and currently fly. Other than that you will need a Bachelor's degree or in your case some active duty time and some college. How much college you need depends on the service so you will have to look that up yourself. But the active duty/ some college deal is usually within your own service. I.e. if you are AF you will have to try in the AF. But there are exceptions. Again, you will have to look into that yourself.
