High School to Flight School

[Desult]

Did anyone here go the civilian route?

I'm actually a junior in college, but took a break just so that I could enlist or what have you.

Trying to get a WOCS packet in while dealing with a difficult recruiter. So, in the meantime while I shop around I'd be interested to hear anyone's experience going that route.

[Sammy Sandbag]

You might want to talk to Christian Soldier: http://www.aisforarmy.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2306

Although he's going to WOCS from AD, he might have some pointers. If you have any specific questions I might be able to answer them. I have one high school to flight school WO1 in my class.

[SWATJester]

Did anyone here go the civilian route?

I'm actually a junior in college, but took a break just so that I could enlist or what have you.

Trying to get a WOCS packet in while dealing with a difficult recruiter. So, in the meantime while I shop around I'd be interested to hear anyone's experience going that route.

Civilian route as in how?

I got my civilian private pilots license (rotorcraft), in my junior year of college, but I've got no military flight experience and to be perfectly honest, I probably never will.

[Desult]

I appreciate it, I'll keep him in mind and you as well. I'll think about questions first then ask once I get them all together.

I am kind of frustrated with my recruiter because he's trying to make me enlist first before letting me take the FAST. I at least want to see if I qualify to even apply for WOCS, first.

[Desult]

SWAT, here ya go:

http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/

Now, I'm not sure of what my chances are, but why the hell not? All they can do is tell me no and I could always try again later or enlist first then try again.

[SWATJester]

Lol ok I get it now, you want to enlist (I guess thats the term) directly into WOCS.....or rather enlist with a guaranteed WOCS in your contract?

[Sammy Sandbag]

I am kind of frustrated with my recruiter because he's trying to make me enlist first before letting me take the FAST. I at least want to see if I qualify to even apply for WOCS, first.

Yeah, get a new recruiter, or call Rucker direct. You enlist with follow on orders to WOCS and IERW, there's no enlist then hope you get picked up.

[Desult]

Sorry, guess I wasn't clear.

I meant he wanted me to enlist, first, into any MOS. Then he was telling me that once I was in I then can attempt to put a packet together for WOCS.

In other words he wasn't going to assist me in taking the FAST first or the packet, he just wants me to go in and enlist.

Regarding my next plan of action: I was planning on talking to a new recruiter. I have a feeling though that no one is going to want to help me through this, with the WOCS packet anyway. Our retention rates, from what I understand, are some of the lowest in the country.

With that knowledge, I highly doubt a recruiter is really going to help me through the process. I appreciate the advice too, btw.

[Aries]

the Army is in need of WO's for flights. I walked into the recruiter and they handed me a packet (this was last summer). get a new recruiter, tell them exactly what you want to do and that they need to make it happen.


come on, use your powers of suction.. i mean, persuasion to get them to listen

[Birddog]

Sure he wants you to enlist... He gets credit for an enlistment and your packet never gets past the "circular round file"

Talk to the National Guard in your area. Although the Guard doesn't have a High School to Flight School option, you can do the same thing on a gentleman's agreement.

My brother leaves for basic this fall and he is doing this very thing. Right after basic he will leave for WOFT. He will be an AH-64 Pilot in the Missouri Army National Guard.

On the other hand, the Army's WO number's suck and you should submit a packet if you want. The Big Army gave a large number of flight seats to the Guard this year because they didn't fill them...

[SWATJester]

Uh except for the basic knowledge that if you don't get it guaranteed in your contract, you won't get it.

If you want to go to WOCS, get it guaranteed in your contract, or don't enlist. Otherwise you're going to have to wait until you get E-4 (Actually I think some promotable E-3's can get it too), or even E-5 before your application will be considered.

Pick up any copy of the Army Times and look at the WOCS acceptance lists and WOCS graduation lists....60% of them are E5's,a handful of them are E4's, and the rest are E6's and up.

[SWATJester]

Essentially what I was trying to say is that a gentleman's agreement with a recruiter is like having a serial rapist watch your children.