Questions about becoming a Pilot/Officer

[USMC 2571]

Just as an aside, congratulations to djj34 on his promotion to Captain. I did not know about that until I saw this thread. Congratulations!

[Tennessee Top]

Warrant Officers, from all the branches, come from the enlisted side as they are not commissioned officers. Can't speak for the Army but in the USMC one has to be at least a Sergeant to apply for the Warrant Officer Program. No idea what the acceptance rate is but speaking for me personally, I was eligible, applied 5 years in a row, and obviously never got accepted. Point is, you'd be looking at some enlisted time with no guarantee of being accepted into the program (and you don't appear willing to gamble with anything). It normally takes 3-4 years to become a sergeant in the USMC. May be faster in the Army, don't know.

My feeling is, you're not flexible enough with your demands, nor willing to put the needs of the USMC above your own, to be a Marine aviator. Seems you need to have everything your way or you're not interested. Marines rarely get their way with anything (we call that "embracing the suck"). Chances are, the USMC is going to through too many curves in your direction, things won't go exactly as you want, and you'll never reach your full potential (or be completely happy). No attack on you and I may be wrong (seems we are having some communication issues). The USMC and yourself are not a good fit. Since flying is your #1 priority, you should switch your focus/efforts to the Air Force since that's their primary mission and the reason they exist (aviation is NOT the Marine Corps' primary mission - our primary mission is to be the nation's expeditionary amphibious force).

Good luck.

[crazymjb]

The army has a little known program called street to seat. You come right in off the street to fly with no prior service. If selected you will go through Boot, WOCS, and then the whole flight package (WOBC, dunker, SERE, IERW, etc). If your primary goal is to fly as much as possible as soon as possible the army WO program is hands down the best option. There are very limited fixed wing slots, and you will start on helicopters. Airframe selection is all based on order of merit lists unless you go Guard, in which case you'll know before hand, but it's much less straightforward than active and will vary greatly state to state. Also, very few classes have fixed wing even as an option. As I said, I'm very familiar with this program now.

That said, I'll reiterate they are hurting for pilots NOW. It's almost a guarantee if you meet all the qualifications and interview well they'll select you.

[USMC 2571]

Good post. OP, I would certainly look into what he just said.

[TolzerVman]

Easton, I just checked Regular Army and Reserve Components Enlistment Programs, AR 601-210, dated 31 August 2016. In order to enlist for the Warrant Officer Flight Training option, you cannot be taller than 76 inches. Since you are 6'5" that makes you 77 inches. Looks like that option is out.

[crazymjb]

Think shorter. May be waiverable... everything is waiverable. People with strange bodies sometimes have to go for an anthropomorphic physical... they make sure you can either fit in stuff or reach stuff by actually shoving you in the helicopters.

Mike

[Tennessee Top]

Doubt the OP is interested in applying for any waivers or "almost guarantees". He does not seem willing to gamble much with his future (averse to making any mistakes) which is fine. Appears to need something more concrete than that.

[crazymjb]

Well I guess to be clear the army process basically won't allow him to even go before a board until he is 100% "qualified" to be a pilot. If for any reason he isn't qualified, he won't be eligible to even apply. They will send him to MEPS, give him the ASVAB, SIFT, and Flight Physical and require he write an essay, submit a resume, and get letters of recommendation before the board will even consider an interview. That said, he still risks fulfilling the "needs of the army" should he fail out of flight training or any mandatory training leading up to flight training (WOCS, SERE, Dunker, etc).

This is a Marine Corps forum... and I think it is a little crazy for OP to question how the Marine Corps does stuff. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt since he's a kid here looking for advice and information.

Mike

[Tennessee Top]

Imagine he is on an Air Force (and maybe Army) forum asking the same questions.

[crazymjb]

I havent seen anything on the military aviation board I recommended. That said, almost every question has been answered somewhere on there, so perhaps he's just doing some deep reading.