I'm about to make the jump from National Guard to Active Army, after eight years of service.  I've been leaning strongly towards becoming a Sapper, which is sort of like a combination Ranger/Combat Engineer.  

Well, my current boss is a Captain who is an Apache/Blackhawk pilot.  He is pushing me pretty hard to go Aviation, and become either a Warrant Officer or a Commissioned Officer, and fly helicopters.

The benefits to me include:

1) cool job, flying helicopters
2) able to stay active Guard, in this area
3) significantly better pay, either as a CO or WO (minimum $8,000 per year raise)
4) chicks dig the flight suit


I could use some opinions from anybody in the know about this.  What kind of piloting jobs are available to civilians?  What kind of training can I expect?  Should I go Warrant or Officer?  I'm leaning towards Warrant right now on this because they are purely pilots, and don't have to leave the control stick to take command of a unit down the road.

Thanks.

Go learn to fly.  There's a HELL of a lot more jobs as a helicopter pilot than there are as EOD tech.  Plus it's a hell of a lot more fun.  I have NO earthly idea why anyone would volunteer to find mines, but that's just me.

Examples of jobs flying helos: Medevac, news, corporate transport, pipeline patrol, offshore rig supply, construction, FAA, NASA, test pilot for Boeing, Bell, Sikorsky, etc.

"Sapper" is a course, and, a slang term for Engineer.  It's not an MOS(job).  If you can find a "Sapper" MOS title anywhere, let me know and I'll stand corrected.  They don't even get a tab or badge for the Sapper course, which, is a shame, becasue I hear it's very demanding.

If you have a legit choice of being a chopper jock, or an engineer, you'd be a fool not to become a pilot.....Unless you REALLY like pounding green picket posts into the ground and stringing barbed wire.

Quoted: Go learn to fly.  There's a HELL of a lot more jobs as a helicopter pilot than there are as EOD tech.  Plus it's a hell of a lot more fun.  I have NO earthly idea why anyone would volunteer to find mines, but that's just me. Examples of jobs flying helos: Medevac, news, corporate transport, pipeline patrol, offshore rig supply, construction, FAA, NASA, test pilot for Boeing, Bell, Sikorsky, etc.

+1.  In the Cav, we used to have a saying/joke:

"What will mark the breech in the obstical?"
"Dead engineers!"

Quoted: "Sapper" is a course, and, a slang term for Engineer.  It's not an MOS(job).  If you can find a "Sapper" MOS title anywhere, let me know and I'll stand corrected.  They don't even get a tab or badge for the Sapper course, which, is a shame, becasue I hear it's very demanding. If you have a legit choice of being a chopper jock, or an engineer, you'd be a fool not to become a pilot.....Unless you REALLY like pounding green picket posts into the ground and stringing barbed wire.

Actually, there IS a tab awarded now for Sapper school - the change was just made within the past year.  You are correct, there is no Sapper MOS, however, there are dedicated Sapper units, which are much closer to being infantry with C4 than to construction workers.  

Thanks for the advice about piloting, though.  You know, I know logically it is a better choice to become a pilot, it's just that I really, really want to set a claymore ambush some day.  

Beat the air into submission.

Just make sure you study hard, there is a world of long studying coming your way.

"Two dots offset on your HSI means you are how far off course..." etc...

Quoted: Quoted: "Sapper" is a course, and, a slang term for Engineer.  It's not an MOS(job).  If you can find a "Sapper" MOS title anywhere, let me know and I'll stand corrected.  They don't even get a tab or badge for the Sapper course, which, is a shame, becasue I hear it's very demanding. If you have a legit choice of being a chopper jock, or an engineer, you'd be a fool not to become a pilot.....Unless you REALLY like pounding green picket posts into the ground and stringing barbed wire. Actually, there IS a tab awarded now for Sapper school - the change was just made within the past year.  You are correct, there is no Sapper MOS, however, there are dedicated Sapper units, which are much closer to being infantry with C4 than to construction workers.   Thanks for the advice about piloting, though.  You know, I know logically it is a better choice to become a pilot, it's just that I really, really want to set a claymore ambush some day.

Cool.  I got out in '98, so, I'm behind the times a bit.  Just understand that you may NOT get assigned to a Sapper unit, and, wind up stringing barbed wire or finding mines for a living.  Go be a pilot.

You'll put your eye out with that thing.

What do YOU want to do?

If flying isn't in your blood, then don't do it.  If you would truly enjoy it and be 100% dedicated to it - then flying would the way to go.

Get the pilot cert. And Rmember, helicopters are the only aircraft in which one wing is moving faster than the fuselage...


GT
Stupid neuromuscular disorder keeps me from doing anything fun...

I like the idea of a Ranger/Combat Engineer, but flying choppers are cool!

man, i remember a whole buncha years ago, the south africans were paying $100,000 for helo mercs to fly shit around for unita...

lotta civvie helo jobs around the world that don't involve dodging strela's and 12.7!