Been tossing this around for a month or so and career wise it just "works".  Little background.  I'm USN.  Reservist on active duty.  I'm mobilized and have been for almost a year and will most likely extend for another year.  I'm aircrew on a C-130.  So I got some email from an army recruiter back in september, basically a bulk email toting the blue to green program.  So I went to the mideast for 3 months and came home and got another but this one talking of army warrant oficer for current military that qualify.  So it piqued my interest and I called the local army recruiter.  He asked a few generic q's and said I might have a slim chance at selection.  So then I tell him I am active USN aircrew, etc.  So then he asks my ASVAB, if I have any college credits.  So I tell him 97 and about 50 credits or so.  Then he asks me to come take some test and bring my service record with me.  So I back him off abit and tell him I'll call him.  I figure I need to talk to someone at my command, so off to our career counselor I go.  Spent about an hour with him.  Reviewed my service record, which is flawless, asvab results, college credits, security clearance, etc.  So he says to me..  No lie, "Be certain you want this, I know 6 or 8 squids that have less quals than you and they got picked up so your chances are highly likely that they will tag you since being aircrew 1/3 of the leg work involved for them is already done."  So I said I have to seriously consider it for a while and when I return from WestPac I come see him as the process has to start in my command.  So I am lucky enough to have a couple pilots in my comand that are former helo drivers, one a former helo instructor.  They told me to jump at it if it is even a remote possibility.  None have expressed any regrets about flying helos and loved every minute of it.

Now I know the caveats.  Fuck up and I am a ground pounding infantry in the army for 5 years, succeed I am a Warrant Officer and will get deployed as soon as they can sign the papers.  Extended time away from home and family..  I am willing to deal with that.  These opportunities or the possibility of them come once in a lifetime.  I can hope to make warrant in USN in about 16 years, IF I make chief..  Moneywise it is a no brainer.  So I am gonna go home next week and starty the peperwork..  What I need is som epointers from anyone who has experience in any of this to help me stay on the ball so to speak!

TIA.  

im a c-130 crew member also, air force flight engineer.  Used to be a helo crew chief.  congrats, go for it.  I know you already know this,  but, IT IS THE ARMY.  that being said, good luck!

have absouletly no advice aside from the couple of guys i know that went warrant and flew they are both making pretty good money as pilots on the east coast now

Just study your material and make sure to be in shape.  I'm going into Armor in May, but the same thing applies everywhere in the Army:  know your instruction material and do good in pt.  Good luck.

I was a commisioned (i.e RLO for you squids) Army Aviator, and I have to say the Army's Warrant Officer flight program is one of the best opportunities that are available in any of the services.  

Most of the Army's aviators are Warrant Officers.  As a WO1, you'll be assigned to a line platoon in whatever type airframe you're flying.  So if you're an Apache pilot, you'll go to an Attack unit, Blackhawk pilot, you'll go to an assault uint, and so on.  Once there, you'll basically just fly your ass off for years.  The only things you'll have to worry about is flying and an additional duty, like Dining Facility Officer, or Piss Test Officer, or some such.  The commissioned (RLO-type) deal with all the paper-pushing and BS that crops up in a unit.  

Three words of advice:  

1)Do whatever your additional duty is as best as it can be done.  Everyone is a great pilot, so that comment doesn't do dick on your OER (Officer Evaluation Report).  The only way for a line pilot to stand out is how well he does his additional duty.

2)Take a good DA picture.  

3)Try to get to Ft Campbell.  Mother Rucker may be the home of Army AV, but Campbell is where it's at for a line pilot.

God Bless and God Speed

Have you taken your flight aptitude test yet? If not you need to study the rotary wing fundamentals manual. I was selected for W01 army flight school at Ft rucker way back in the day.
I walked before reporting, but the 7 year commitment was why i did. I had been in allready 3 years and did the math and figured id be there till retirement so i changed carrers.

But if you are willing to do the commitment its the place to be in the Army. not an NCO not an commisioned Officer (basicly flipping the bird both ways) hehe All most all the privliges of an officer and dont get the crap assingments of an NCO.

But your flight apptitude test is the biggy in regards to acceptance.

Quoted: I can hope to make warrant in USN in about 16 years, IF I make chief..  Moneywise it is a no brainer.  So I am gonna go home next week and starty the peperwork..  What I need is som epointers from anyone who has experience in any of this to help me stay on the ball so to speak!

Actually the USN has just opened up the Warrant Officer Flight Officer program - again, except last time it was the Flying LDO program.

Not a damn thing wrong with going Army Warrant to fly helos.

Navy Establishes Trial Warrant Officer-to-Pilot Program Story Number: NNS060125-08 Release Date: 1/25/2006 12:59:00 PM From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy is seeking applications from highly-qualified and hard-charging Sailors for a pilot program that will place 30 selected Chief Warrant Officers (CWO) in aircraft cockpits as pilots and naval flight officers. The intent is to create flying specialists unencumbered by the traditional career paths of the unrestricted line (URL) community. "The concept is simple," said Cmdr. Steve Knott, head of Aviation Placement, PERS-433. "Replace a percentage of the pilots and NFOs in squadrons that have large junior officer aviator populations and corresponding low department head opportunity with Chief Warrant Officers who can return to these squadrons again and again and perform the same duties they did before, with no career penalty.” Targeted communities include Patrol (VP), Electronic Attack (VQ(P) and VQ(T)) and the HSC and HSL helicopter communities. Targeted enlisted candidates include those between paygrades E-5 and E-7 and also young enough to be commissioned by their 27th birthday (29 for NFOs); they must also possess an associate’s degree or higher, meet aviation physical qualifications, pass Aviation Standard Battery Test (ASTB) minimums and be eligible for a secret security clearance. Enlisted Sailors from the Nuclear, Naval Special Warfare(SEAL/SWCC), Naval Special Operations (EOD/Diver) and the Master-at-Arms communities are not eligible. Selectees will not be eligible for department head (DH) tours and will fill junior officer (JO) billets only. The intent is for flying CWOs not to fill JO billets that are normally considered career milestones for URL officers. Thirty Sailors will be selected for the pilot program, commissioned as CWO2 prior to LDO/CWO indoctrination, and subsequently undergo flight training. Once winged, program CWOs incur an 8-year minimum service requirement for pilots (6 years for NFOs) and complete traditional sea/shore rotations between operational units and shore-based aviation production sources only (FRS, TRACOM, NSAWC, and Weapon schools). The newly-winged aviators will receive Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) training and then report to the fleet. Applications are due to Navy Personnel Command (PERS-432M) no later than March 31. For more information, refer to NAVADMIN 031/06, available at www.npc.navy.mil or contact your Command Career Counselor. For related news, visit the Navy Personnel Command Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/npc/. http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=22072

If I could fly, I'd sign on any branch in existance for any country.

Seeing as militaries dont work that way, I wont sign.

I say GO FOR IT.

Actually the USN has just opened up the Warrant Officer Flight Officer program - again, except last time it was the Flying LDO program. Not a damn thing wrong with going Army Warrant to fly helos. Navy Establishes Trial Warrant Officer-to-Pilot Program Story Number: NNS060125-08 Release Date: 1/25/2006 12:59:00 PM

Link to the NAVADMIN for Navy flying warrant.

I used to know a Snake Driver (AH1) back in the 1990's, he said it was great... and that he played a lot of Golf.

Two years ago today  I was at Warrant Officer Candidate School busting my ass. If you do get selected, get in touch with me for tips on the school. They have changed it a bit in the last two years, but the fundamentals of what it takes to make it have not changed. WOCS is a bitch, but if you want it you will make it.

It will be a PCS move to Ft Rucker, flight school is around a year but it may be several months between when you finish WOCS and start flight school, so during that time you will be doing whatever bitch details they have for you.

2 years afer you pin WO1 will be your promotion to CW2.

Good luck, that’s awesome!

I was Platoon Sgt of an Aero Scout Platoon. I had a few lower enlisted  Aerial Observer  guys who worked for me that applied for and were accepted into flight school. That was the early 90’s and I’m still in touch with one of those guys. Funny to think back on him being a newbie E2 and now he’s a W3!

Army Aviation is kick ass….I know you’ll have fun!

Do it.

Don't even consider what may or may not happen if you fail.

Refuse to fail and, do what you want to do.

Thanx guys!  I have no clue on how the army works..  But I am past the age limit for USN warrant pilot and they are only looking for age 30 or so.  Looks like the best odds are army and even though it will kill me to leave my beloved Navy, I willl still cherish the service I do for our counrty, anyway.... [snickers]It could be the USAF, [/snickers]

Quoted: Been tossing this around for a month or so and career wise it just "works".  Little background.  I'm USN.  Reservist on active duty.  I'm mobilized and have been for almost a year and will most likely extend for another year.  I'm aircrew on a C-130.  So I got some email from an army recruiter back in september, basically a bulk email toting the blue to green program.  So I went to the mideast for 3 months and came home and got another but this one talking of army warrant oficer for current military that qualify.  So it piqued my interest and I called the local army recruiter.  He asked a few generic q's and said I might have a slim chance at selection.  So then I tell him I am active USN aircrew, etc.  So then he asks my ASVAB, if I have any college credits.  So I tell him 97 and about 50 credits or so.  Then he asks me to come take some test and bring my service record with me.  So I back him off abit and tell him I'll call him.  I figure I need to talk to someone at my command, so off to our career counselor I go.  Spent about an hour with him.  Reviewed my service record, which is flawless, asvab results, college credits, security clearance, etc.  So he says to me..  No lie, "Be certain you want this, I know 6 or 8 squids that have less quals than you and they got picked up so your chances are highly likely that they will tag you since being aircrew 1/3 of the leg work involved for them is already done."  So I said I have to seriously consider it for a while and when I return from WestPac I come see him as the process has to start in my command.  So I am lucky enough to have a couple pilots in my comand that are former helo drivers, one a former helo instructor.  They told me to jump at it if it is even a remote possibility.  None have expressed any regrets about flying helos and loved every minute of it. Now I know the caveats.  Fuck up and I am a ground pounding infantry in the army for 5 years, succeed I am a Warrant Officer and will get deployed as soon as they can sign the papers.  Extended time away from home and family..  I am willing to deal with that.  These opportunities or the possibility of them come once in a lifetime.  I can hope to make warrant in USN in about 16 years, IF I make chief..  Moneywise it is a no brainer.  So I am gonna go home next week and starty the peperwork..  What I need is som epointers from anyone who has experience in any of this to help me stay on the ball so to speak! TIA.

not just if you fuck up, but also if you blow out a knee or some accident like that