I Want to Fly Military Helicopters!

boB wrote:


Warrant Officer would be best. Regular Officers, as we called them, only
flew for a few years before they were assigned to non-flying positions.

Bob you are right, I offered the option just because some people like
the glory of being a line officer, regular officer, whatever you call
them. I agree with you because for the first time in my life I have seen
a O3 quitting her duties (S3) to go warrant. Flying was a passion for
her that she went backwards in the promotion table.

I wouldn't be a source of current information since I retired in 1995
but talk to a recruiter and see what your options would be. When I
joined the Army back in 1970 I had no idea I could be a pilot. I could
kiss the recruiter for pushing me toward that goal. I flew for 25 years,
it was great.

A warants job is TO FLY, FLY, FLY, yes they have some additional duties
such as fire prevention officer, safety officer, but those are side
duties not their job that it prevents them from flying actively.

What types did you fly?


If the recruiter tells you flight school is an option have him put it in
writing and go for it. You will never regret it.

If you do see a recruiter let us know how it turns out.


So much crap those recruiters give to kids when they want to go civilian
to warrant, hard to find one recruiter that would work with you for that
specific route. I always suggest getting in the Army as enlisted and
then applying Warrant as the best route but it has its disadvantages also.

John Yasar wrote:
boB wrote:


I wouldn't be a source of current information since I retired in 1995
but talk to a recruiter and see what your options would be. When I
joined the Army back in 1970 I had no idea I could be a pilot. I could
kiss the recruiter for pushing me toward that goal. I flew for 25
years, it was great.

A warants job is TO FLY, FLY, FLY, yes they have some additional duties
such as fire prevention officer, safety officer, but those are side
duties not their job that it prevents them from flying actively.

What types did you fly?



UH-1B,D,H of course, transitioned into OH58A's in 1972 and I love that
aircraft. Even though I transitioned into Cobra's in 1974 I was able to
maintain currency in the scout throughout the 25 years of flying. Flew
OH58C's until 1988 then went to Stuttgart where we trained the unit in
the OH58D's and deployed to Desert Shield/Storm in Dec 1990. These
OH58D's were not Kiowa Warriors, we were unarmed. I did fly most of the
Cobra models as a maintenance test pilot/evaluator. AH-1G, Q (1st TOW
Cobra), S modified, S ECAS, and S Modernized. But the scout was always
the best. I retired in 1995 and went to the Grand Canyon and flew Bell
206's over the Canyon for a season. That's it for helicopters. Flew
some SEL's and a Sprint II Microlight and want to buy an enclosed
gyrocopter if I am able sometime in the future. The medication I take
now would not allow me to fly legally. A sport pilot legal Gyro would
be great.




So much crap those recruiters give to kids when they want to go civilian
to warrant, hard to find one recruiter that would work with you for that
specific route. I always suggest getting in the Army as enlisted and
then applying Warrant as the best route but it has its disadvantages also.


I discourage that because I've written many letters of recommendations
for great crew chiefs, who would make great pilots, (we already taught
them to fly) but watched all the rejections because they were in a
critical shortage MOS. Right now I believe all jobs in the military are
critical and I don't think many Warrant packets will get approved until
it gets better. That may be a long time.

But a person has an advantage as a civilian. The recruiter has a quota
and if he/she won't work with a person to get through the requirements
and guarantee flight school, I say there's another recruiter in the next
town. Don't listen to a recruiter that advises going in first and then
apply, you will be disappointed.

--

boB
Wing 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)

boB wrote:

Quite flying experience Bob, ever made it to Korea? That is where I am
right now though heading back to stateside soon. The once glorious Cobra
is on display here at Humphreys now. Koreans are still flying it though.

I discourage that because I've written many letters of recommendations
for great crew chiefs, who would make great pilots, (we already taught
them to fly) but watched all the rejections because they were in a
critical shortage MOS. Right now I believe all jobs in the military are
critical and I don't think many Warrant packets will get approved until
it gets better. That may be a long time.

Bob, every other month about 60 to 70 enlisted soldiers are being picked
up. That is still a good number. Last board however selected a great
number of E-6s and only 2 E-3s. I will applying as an E-4 most likely
and they still pick at least 15 SPCs everyboard. I am though an aircrew
member, but just an armament guy and am sure that not in a shortage MOS,
again I have heard from our medevac guys that they are in need of crew
chiefs.

John Yasar wrote:
boB wrote:

Quite flying experience Bob, ever made it to Korea? That is where I am
right now though heading back to stateside soon. The once glorious Cobra
is on display here at Humphreys now. Koreans are still flying it though.


Hey John.... I feel for you over there. My first tour in Korea was in
1974, Camp Casey, 2ID flying Cobras. I know you still have those
practice alerts still, especially with the tension up north. But just
after I made PIC I was down in the Ville when the sirens sounded. Back
then we didn't stop to get in a uniform, hell, most guys brought their
beer with them. I ran straight to the airfield thinking it would be a
roll call and that's that. Instead they threw me my logbook, told me a
new Captain would be my front seat and they were arming the Cobras. I am
SOOOO lucky. A North Korean gunboat was being chased up the coast and
we were ordered to go sink it. Now how in the hell they thought we could
even see a blacked out boat but the weather was too bad, we couldn't get
over the mountains. If not for that I would be dead I think. All cocky
and bold then, I realize now there was more than ego required.


2nd tour in 1981 with the 4/7 CAV when we were at that prison of a
place, Camp Stanton. I don't know if it still exists but it was hell on
earth. Later they moved to Uijongbu (sp) and Camp Stanley.

Lost a wife after both tours. As it turns out, it was a good thing.


I discourage that because I've written many letters of recommendations
for great crew chiefs, who would make great pilots, (we already taught
them to fly) but watched all the rejections because they were in a
critical shortage MOS. Right now I believe all jobs in the military
are critical and I don't think many Warrant packets will get approved
until it gets better. That may be a long time.

Bob, every other month about 60 to 70 enlisted soldiers are being picked
up. That is still a good number. Last board however selected a great
number of E-6s and only 2 E-3s. I will applying as an E-4 most likely
and they still pick at least 15 SPCs everyboard. I am though an aircrew
member, but just an armament guy and am sure that not in a shortage MOS,
again I have heard from our medevac guys that they are in need of crew
chiefs.

That is great.... maybe there were more applications for Warrant when I
was in but there were many packets disapproved, and they were good
soldiers. Take care over there.....

--

boB
Wing 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)

Bob, in my opinion, not much action left here in Korea, they say they
can defend themselves now. Most of the exercises we participate, us AVIM
guys sit in tents all day and play PSP. Stanley already moved a lot of
units down to Humphreys, I spent a month in Stanley last year. Yongsan
is coming down to Humphreys also, Koreans wants Yongsan under their
control I guess. There will still be Army posts, few but large.
Humphreys is expected to expand larger than Ft. Hood.

John Yasar wrote:
Bob, in my opinion, not much action left here in Korea, they say they
can defend themselves now. Most of the exercises we participate, us AVIM
guys sit in tents all day and play PSP. Stanley already moved a lot of
units down to Humphreys, I spent a month in Stanley last year. Yongsan
is coming down to Humphreys also, Koreans wants Yongsan under their
control I guess. There will still be Army posts, few but large.
Humphreys is expected to expand larger than Ft. Hood.

Damn.... It's sure changed a lot. I wouldn't recognize it now but what
am I saying???? I don't ever want to see it again. It seems you
are doing OK but I know you would come home tomorrow if you could.....

Take care...... One day when I dig my pictures out I'll put the Korea
ones on a web site somewhere. It'll probably give you a big laugh......

--

boB
Wing 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)

boB wrote:


Take care...... One day when I dig my pictures out I'll put the Korea
ones on a web site somewhere. It'll probably give you a big
laugh......


Haha.... Kamsa Hamidaaaa....

John Yasar wrote:
I am though an aircrew
member, but just an armament guy and am sure that not in a shortage MOS,
again I have heard from our medevac guys that they are in need of crew
chiefs.

12 birds out here, 24 crew chiefs and a supervisor, only 6 flight
medics though... you can bet your balls they're picking up everyone and
their uncle from our unit to be warrants, they need pilots more than
they need brand new 15Ts coming out of AIT.

We just got an E3 picked up out of flight ops last month, an E5 fueler
the month before, and maybe 5 or 6 guys in the last 6 months from
various positions.

When I first got in, they almost wouldn't give me enlisted aviation
because the slots were so full... ended up waiting 4 months just for a
slot. Qualified people willing to go through the BS to be a warrant,
now thats another story....

Enlisted to warrant seems to be the best path in my eyes; work hard and
you'll have every warrant and RLO in the unit writing sparkling
recommendations in a heartbeat.

-Mike

Enlisted to warrant seems to be the best path in my eyes; work hard and
you'll have every warrant and RLO in the unit writing sparkling
recommendations in a heartbeat.

-Mike


If it's changed that much since I was in and more pilots are needed I
would think a recruiter would be happy to set a person up for flight
school. I don't understand how going enlisted first would be a better
road than going straight to flight school after basic training.

--

boB
Wing 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)

John Yasar wrote:
boB wrote:


Warrant Officer would be best. Regular Officers, as we called them, only
flew for a few years before they were assigned to non-flying positions.

Bob you are right, I offered the option just because some people like
the glory of being a line officer, regular officer, whatever you call
them. I agree with you because for the first time in my life I have seen
a O3 quitting her duties (S3) to go warrant. Flying was a passion for
her that she went backwards in the promotion table.


A warants job is TO FLY, FLY, FLY, yes they have some additional duties
such as fire prevention officer, safety officer, but those are side
duties not their job that it prevents them from flying actively.

If the recruiter tells you flight school is an option have him put it in
writing and go for it. You will never regret it.

If you do see a recruiter let us know how it turns out.

So much crap those recruiters give to kids when they want to go civilian
to warrant, hard to find one recruiter that would work with you for that
specific route. I always suggest getting in the Army as enlisted and
then applying Warrant as the best route but it has its disadvantages also.


Ok, so here's my update. I've been talking to my local recruiter and
he seems really helpful. He tells me that if this is what I want to do
that he will put all the "foot work" in to help me that's necessary
(scheduling physicals and tests, getting my application together,
etc.). It seems like he's done his homework, talking to various people
who have gone high school to warrant/pilot and seems to think there is
a pretty solid chance I will get in. I am told that I don't have to
sign anything until I am actually accepted into the program, which
seems like a major plus to me. I haven't had anything to make me
suspicious so far, and everything seems to be exactly as I would have
hoped. Maybe it seems a little too perfect. What might he not be
telling me, or is it as good as it seems??

Thanks for all your advice.