I'm currently trying to get into the Army's WOFT program to become a pilot.  It is competitive and assuming I don't make it into the Army or Guard as a pilot, what enlisted position should I look into that will give me the most valuable aircraft knowledge and experience so I can keep reapplying?  So far, just a mechanic seems to be the way to go but I'd like to be on the aircraft and part of the aircrew, like the soldiers in the rear of the utility helos (UH 1, UH 60).  I can't figure out what their job is called.

I started looking at the Air Force because they have many enlisted aircrew positions but I am prior USMC and they only offer about 6 jobs to prior enlisted.  I don't know why, that's just what they told me today.

Maybe there's a crew chief here that can point me in the right direction.

I'm prior service USMC too.

I reenlisted in the Army as a 15U (CH-47D repairer). I don't know what your USMC MOS was, some of them transfer over and some don't, so you might have to go to AIT (the Army's version of "A" school).

If you go that route, you will do a year or so in Maintenance Platoon pulling 400 flight hour phases
(think of it as an overhaul). When you prove that you know what you are doing (don't be afraid to dig into the helicopter -10 and TM's, or to ask the flight engineers and crew chiefs questions, we're always looking for fresh meathelp) , and if you can get through getting a big finger up your arsepass a flight physical, ground school, and getting drowned for a week straightswim qualifications, you'll be pulled up to Flight Platoon. After your initial qualifications with the Standards guys, you will be assigned to a Flight Engineer who will beat the shit out of you until you shape up go further in depth with you on the helicopter systems and capabilities.

I was an 0311/8152 so I will have to start over as far as training.  It hasn't been 2 years yet since I left the Corps so at least I don't have to go to WTC.

I'm working hard to get into WOFT.  High ASVAB, GT, and flight scorew and I passed the flight phys.  I can run a perfect PFT or whatever they call it in the Army (simple compared to the MC PFT).  I just don't have any flight experience so I don't know what to expect.  We'll see!

Thanks for the pointers, I'll probably end up going that route if I get shot down the first time around but, from what they tell me, I can keep applying every 6 months so I'll get in eventually.  I'm determined to!

Quoted: I was an 0311/8152 so I will have to start over as far as training.  It hasn't been 2 years yet since I left the Corps so at least I don't have to go to WTC. I'm working hard to get into WOFT.  High ASVAB, GT, and flight scorew and I passed the flight phys.  I can run a perfect PFT or whatever they call it in the Army (simple compared to the MC PFT).  I just don't have any flight experience so I don't know what to expect.  We'll see! Thanks for the pointers, I'll probably end up going that route if I get shot down the first time around but, from what they tell me, I can keep applying every 6 months so I'll get in eventually.  I'm determined to!

LOL. Well, I did my time as an 0311, too, many moons ago. 4/1 BLT out of Pendleton (now 2/1, IIRC).

If your WOC application is approved, you will go straight to Ft. Rucker for the Warrant Officer Candidates Course, and then you will continue on for your flight training. Sounds like you've got some of the quals out of the way, so you're a leg up.

Army PFT's are called PFT's, too, or PT tests, for short. LOL. Everything was easy when I was 26, too.

If for whatever reason you don't get accepted right away, don't sweat it, keep applying. If you go in as enlisted again, you won't have to go through boot camp or anything again, you'll just go to Ft. Eustis to D. Co for AIT.

Um, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you were Infantry in the Corps and you don't get WOFT, you will be Infantry in the Army.

When I crossed over from the Corps to the Army in '99, they allowed me to pick a new job because my MOS in the Corps (0842) wasn't critical in the Army.

However, things have changed. We now have a war going on so if you were ANY combat arms in the Corps, you can forget about re-classing. You will be an 11B, period, no other options.

I just ended 4 years of Recruiting (God it feels good to say that!) When I started, we could let prior service be picky, but in the last 2 years, unless your prior MOS is locked up in the Army, you will not re-class.

You may want to clarify a few things with your Recruiter. Sounds like you aren't getting good dope.

Quoted: Maybe there's a crew chief here that can point me in the right direction.

Well I’ve been out of the Army for quite some time now (ETS’d 1992) and a lot of things have changed since then but I was a 67V Observation Scout Helicopter Repairer also called Aero Scout Crew Chief. Back in the 80”s when I enlisted Scout Crew chiefs also flew with the aircraft and were on flight status. With the retirement of the OH-58A and C models this position went to the way side and I don’t believe current OH-58D model Crew Chiefs are on flight status especially since it is a two place aircraft.

A short lived MOS during the late 80’s and early 90’s was the Aero Scout Observer. This was an enlisted aircrew position which required a basic flight school at Ft. Rucker and many enlisted members looking to enter as Warrant Officers went this route until they were picked up for flight school. This would have been what you wanted if it still existed. I have a few friends who went this route and have been pilots now for over 10 years.

MOS’s where you can serve as a Crew Chief and be on flight status would be crewing Blackhawks or Chinooks, sorry don’t know the new MOS’s for these positions, I don’t even think the Army uses the old 67 series MOS anymore. When I was assigned to an Apache Battalion after Desert Storm none of the Apache Crew Chiefs were on flight status so you may want to steer away from attack helicopter maintenance positions if flying as a crew member is what you want.

Hope this info helped.

Quib

“Scouts Out!”

Quoted: Quoted: Maybe there's a crew chief here that can point me in the right direction.

MOS’s where you can serve as a Crew Chief and be on flight status would be crewing Blackhawks or Chinooks, sorry don’t know the new MOS’s for these positions, I don’t even think the Army uses the old 67 series MOS anymore.

They don't.

Pretty much all aviation is now 15-series.

If the guy is accepted to WOC and flight school, he won't be infantry again.

Quoted: Um, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you were Infantry in the Corps and you don't get WOFT, you will be Infantry in the Army. When I crossed over from the Corps to the Army in '99, they allowed me to pick a new job because my MOS in the Corps (0842) wasn't critical in the Army. However, things have changed. We now have a war going on so if you were ANY combat arms in the Corps, you can forget about re-classing. You will be an 11B, period, no other options. I just ended 4 years of Recruiting (God it feels good to say that!) When I started, we could let prior service be picky, but in the last 2 years, unless your prior MOS is locked up in the Army, you will not re-class. You may want to clarify a few things with your Recruiter. Sounds like you aren't getting good dope.

I've already clarified all of that with my recruiter and things must have changed recently because none of that applies now.  According to my recruiter, I can have any enlisted job I want thanks to high ASVAB scores.  The Air Force, however, only had about 8 positions I was eligible for but not because I was infantry.  It was all they were offering any prior service not matter what MOS.

Any crewchief job will give you good experience on aircraft, but still there is no guarantee you will fly the same aircraft you crew.  Your best bet would be 15T, youve got about as much versatility as youll ever need when it comes to duty stations and the blackhawk is what a lot of people end up flying anyways (it is the most numerous aircraft in the Army afterall.)

Oh ya, its APFT.