I spoke with an Army recruiter today by chance. I hadn't spoken with an Army recruiter at all in my deliberation on what service to join, it happened kind of on the spur of the moment as I went to visit my USAF recruiter who was out of the office. I struck up conversation with a soldier outside the officer about baseball and he invited me into the office.

Long story short, we ended up talking about the Army and he asked me what I'm looking for and some other questions. I told him that I really want to fly, that's my main goal, as well as earning my degree. Ideally, I want to join the Marine Corps and apply to OCS. I want to be a USMC Pilot and its a dream of mine to pilot a V-22.

At any rate, he tells me that it's rather quick and easy in the US Army to become a pilot, granted only flying helios. He told me that I could sign up for a four year enlistment and apply to be a Warrant Officer with two years TIS and, with pilot recommendations, I would be allowed to pilot a helicopter as an enlisted man.

I was curious if there is truth to this? It would be a fantastic bump for my chances to be a Pilot after OCS if I actually get some flying experience whilst enlisted.

tyler the only enlisted I ever saw in helicopter was in Viet Nam and they were only allowed to hover and that was very rare. No enlisted will ever be allowed to fly a helicopter in the army, not sure about the other branches but I doubt they will let that ever happen. Yes you can apply for wobbley school but it is a hard school. I spent 21 yrs in the army and I ain't never seen any enlisted chopter pilots in that time I don't want to say he lied but I will. IMHO he is just trying to make his quota, Go back to see the Marines if you want to pilot the V-22 then apply your self and go for it. I have always hated that recruiters lie to young people, hell you go in under his plan there is no telling what you will wind up doing. Run don't walk away R U N.

Coachman's correct. Enlisted do not pilot aircraft, they get to ride in them.
Enlisted folks are either maintainers or cargo.

This is all true.

I really hate it when these young people get lied to, IMHO the only honor some of the recuriters have is very little, It is a shame to fill the ranks they have to lie.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Coachman,

Thank you for the responses, folks, I really appreciate it.

A reserve recruiter contacted me today from the same office with some information about going reserves and working as crew member on a Chinook. He also said that the Reserves will pay for me to attend an aviation school nearby the base. However, upon learning of the 8 year commitment the Army Reserves requires, I would be too old at the end of my commitment to be a pilot for any branch of service. So that's not going to work, either.

I'm a bit bummed about that, but it looks like it's back to work trying to get in touch with the AF and get that stuff finally worked out. six voice mails and three fruitless office visits to the Air Force recruiter have left me a bit frustrated and bummed about my opportunity to enlist.

Tyler any school you pick is gonna require you to spend time and some schools will require a greater commitment than it seems you are willing to pay. You will be required to do the time if you do the crime as it were. You were lied to by one recruiter and that was wrong, there are more out there and you need to learn to read the truth in what they say. You want to be a pilot and fly then you will have to do the required time, you are not gonna go in any branch on monday and be a pilot and an officer on friday. Think about it son is this what you really want to do?

It's not an issue of not wanting to put in the time, I can finish my degree within the next three to four years on Active Duty and be good to go. The issue I'm referring to right now is the fact that if I were to go the route that would make earning my degree exponentially easier, being going the Reserves route, the commitment of eight years would put me at thirty years old, which is above the maximum age to earn a commission by any branch and still be allowed to enter their aviation program.

It has nothing to do with wanting or not wanting to put in the time, I don't think there's any question that I'm willing and wanting to put in the time. I'm trying to figure out how I can put in the time at a pace that would still put me in an eligible position to become a pilot in our military. I find it rather condescending to assert that I'm so foolish as to believe becoming an officer and a pilot is as easy as getting through it in a week. That's rather unfair as everything I've said here is simply how I can get to that point before I'm no longer eligible. Not "How can I get to that point right this second?" It's how can I attain this lofty goal before it's too late.

I did not mean to have you get upset, I guess I got mixed signals from you.

1. You can not finish a degree in 4 years doing active duty, its hard enough to finish a degree in 4 years going full time to school
2. You need the degree to become an officer or you can go to one of the academys period.
3. If you finish your degree and did not go to the academy you still will have a hard time getting picked up for a pilot slot, also FYI it is highly preferable (ie required) to have a 4 year BS in engineering or hard science to apply for a pilot slot through OCS/OTS (exception being the academy), it is also highly preferable (not required) to have your fixed wing pilots licence prior to applying to OTS.
4. You will need to talk to an officer recruiter not just any joe blow recruiter at the mall and if they give you the time of day you may be able to get the paper work and see the check list of what you need to apply
5. Different officer recruiters specialize in different carrer fields so you may need to seek a recruiter out of state at least this was the case with the air force marine officer recruiters may be better equip to handle different officer carrer paths in one recruiter.
6. You will have to take an AFOQT or the equivalent in what ever brach you choose you will have to take a FAST test for the army or a BAT test for the air force, if they are not taking FAST or BAT then they are blowing smoke.

Flying for the military is like the lotto, you get all your numbers lined up and put them in the machine and see if you won, if not you have a degree in engineering and a pilots licence and are probably in the best shape of your life, so if you shoot for the moon and miss at least you are amongst the stars.

What ever you do dont try to do some kinda hookey short cut by thinking you can finish a degree in 4 years while on active duty, in fact the reserves might be your best bet becasue they will pay for a portion of your school and you only go once in a while but I would wait and see what obama does with the wars before you join because you wont be finishing a degree in iraq, the democrates may even create a non broken FAFSA system so people can actually use it without having to manipulate the system like I did to get money for school

Having to declare your parents income is the single largest barrier to people getting an education. You are not your parents and your parents income has no baring on what they are actually willing to pay to put you through school nor does it take into account your bills or tax burden. If the FAFSA program were properly funded young people would not have to resort to extreme measures like joining the military in hopes of getting an education, we are a first world nation and we need to start acting like it but making sure people that are qualified to go go school (ie accepted by the university, do well on an SAT, etc) can go. Anyways that my soap box, it makes me sick that people have to consider the military to pay for school, miliary should not be used as a scholarship program in fact they should not even tell people about it, it should just be there and when you get out they can say oh BTW you have this school money so you can live in a condo while you go to school on your FAFSA instead of a dorm.

quote:

the democrates may even create a non broken FAFSA system so people can actually use it without having to manipulate the system like I did to get money for school

I trust your not too proud of that?

HE'S BACK, guess time out didn't work as well as it was thought to

Reckon the other boards put him in time out there as well?

Wouldn't surprise me much.

I figured sufficient time had passed and I dont think I posted anything offensive. I would not say im proud or not proud I just did what I had to do to get through school.

rppearso

Time changes everything huh? Did time change your opinion of us?

I guess I just want people to know the no bull shit assesment of what it takes to fly for the military. As far as my opinions I will never understand why you defend the injustices in the military, I dont have anything against any of you personally I just think what I think and its different than what you think. I see alot of the US military in the german army of WW2, go watch Valkrie sometime. Im not saying the leadership is going to start concentration camps but what if it did would there be enough people in the military with a back bone to pull off what the german officers could not.

One man's spoiled milk is another man's cottage cheese. You just do not understand the people in the military and you never have.

Geez, now you are equating us to NAZI's?

though I do know exactly what it takes to become a pilot in the military thats why I post on these types of theads to make sure people understand it is a very uniquie path and is not done through the enlisted ranks