OT: Some big news about me.....

FlightAware General
1

I am not sure if this is the right forum to put it in, but i figured it would work.

Well, some of you may have seen me throwing around some suggestions about me joining the Navy in the near future. Well, that has changed. Basically, to make a long story short, the Navy kinda dropped the ball. That is all I will say, as I dont want to tick anyone off wink.gif

As a result, I went and talked with the Army, and as of this afternoon, I am sworn into the United States Army, pending completion of Basic Training (BCT) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Technically, I am in the Delayed Entry Program, or as the call it, DEP. They call me a “Depper”. My MOS will be 15U CH-47 Chinook Helicopter Repairer. So the old CH-47 will be my bird for the next 3 years and 30 weeks minimum. I will know the thing inside and out. And for those of you wondering, yes I plan on working towards flying eventually. After I am in for some time, most likely AFTER I re-up after the 3 years, I plan on applying for the Warrant Officer Program. Once accepted and enrolled in the program, I then apply for the WO Flight Program. It is a 50/50 pass/fail program, so it wont be easy, but nothing in life you really really want tends to be easy to get. We will see how that all pans out. But for now, I am happy to be working on the big birds.

I will back to the MEPS office in Raleigh to do my final medical processing, sometime in January, I will ship off to the first portion of BCT, called the Reception phase. There I get issued all of my military gear, including all uniforms, ruck sacks, etc. I will get all my shots, do some more paperwork, and do LOTS and LOTS of just sitting around. That is the first week.

After Reception, I then move on to the real 9 weeks of BCT. Not sure exactly what will happen here, other than the obvious. I have heard some stories, but I think I will let it play out as it will. It is Basic Training. Plain and simple. It is NOT going to be easy. It will not be a lot of fun. BUT it will have fun components, and will be a rich learning environment. I am excited to get going on this road.

After BCT is over and I have graduate, I then head to my AIT school, which just so happens to be Fort Eustis, in Virginia Beach. I will be there for about 4 months, learning everything there is to know about the Chinook and its systems. At some point early in AIT I will find out where I get stationed when I am done.

Once I graduate from AIT, I move on to my station. From there, who knows.

I am very excited for this opportunity, especially for it to come up so quickly. A week ago I first talked with the Army recruiter. Now I am in the Army DEP, waiting less than a month before Basic. This is a huge change for me and my family, but at 22, I am ready to get moving in life, and the military was the best choice for me.

Any input is welcome.

If anyone was curious, I will be getting $8,000 for my job, $6,000 for my previous college credits, all my school loans paid off (about $15,000) and money each year to finish out getting my degree while still in the Army.

Also, unless not already obvious, I will not be on here for quite a while. When I can in AIT, I will give updates on how things are going, most likely in this thread. But once I am at my station, I will be back on here regularly.

So yeah that is that…again, any input is welcome.

2

Thank you for your service to our country.

God speed

3
  1. Hooah 8)
4

Congrats and thanks. Unless you’re going to make Army Aviation your career, consider sticking to wrenching the birds rather than flying them.

Get your A&P and advanced certs on the Army’s dime and you can always use the GI Bill to pay for flight training upon separation, even your ATP.

There are also WO slots available for maintenance officers that can be reached by enlisted personnel (E-4 or higher) with a high school diploma in as little as three to four years, sometimes sooner. Check into the Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS).

The Warrant Officer Flight Training (WOFT) program is one of the most difficult to gain admittance to as well as to complete.

Have you taken the the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery yet?

Welcome aboard.

Spiker Bravo Six Actual

5

Go for the aviator position. You won’t regret it. My National Guard unit was an combat aviation company (Hueys, - later transitioning to Blackhawks). To a man (and one woman in the unit), none of the regretted the decision to be an Army aviator

Don’t let anyone discourage you from doing what you want to do. Even if they have the best of intentions, you still need to follow your dream. Why anyone would discourage you from pursing the goal of being an aviator in the military unless you are a lifer is beyond me.

Looking over my life, I’ve found that the only things I regret is listening to others who say, in essence, following your dream is impractical.

Even if it’s only a 50% chance of getting in the program, I think you should still go for it. Those odds actually seem pretty high to me - you have a 1 in 2 chance of doing it.

Do you want to fly helicopters or fixed wing aircraft in the Army?

Unless it’s been changed since I got out of the military, the GI Bill doesn’t pay for private pilot license - just the higher licenses.

6

To answer a few questions:

Actually, since I did the college loan repayment program, I am not elgible for the GI Bill. Sounds dumb, I know, but I double and triple checked my sources, and that is the correct thing. I decided to stick with that because I plan on making a career out of the Army, so I figure by the time I am out I will already have my degree anyways through the Army Tuition Assistance program (taking college and getting a degree in my spare time while still in) so there wont really be a need for it then, plus having the 20-25 years experience will be more than enough to get a good paying job without needing a degree.

Dont worry, I plan on letting the Army get me ALL the certs I need (A&P, etc)

Even if I dont fly, I plan on doing WO as a mechanic anyways.

I got a 94% on the ASVAB, no line score lower than a 118, highest you can get on a line score is 140. trust me for those who dont know, that is damn good. I could have gotten other jobs with more benefit money, including special forces, but I said no, I want to do aviation.

7

Good for you. As I said, just consider the other avenues available to you, I’m not trying to talk you out of WO Flight School. Just trying to make sure you understand that there’s often more than one way to get what you want from the Army.

Also consider that if your dream is to fly fixed wing aircraft for the Army, those slots are normally reserved for commissioned officers (LTs and above), not Warrants. (Yes, I know that WOs are “real” commissioned officers nowadays, but I’m referring to how they’re slotted in the Table of Organization for command structure, e.g. enlisted, warrant and then commissioned.)

Good luck.

8

Drop down and give me twenty, Maggot! :smiling_imp:

Just kidding - CONGRATULATIONS! Some of my fondest memories stem from my Army days. Interesting how all of your training will be only a few hundred miles from home. That’ll make things easier on you when you take leave between BCT and AIT and after AIT.

Since you’ll surely be stationed at an army post with an Army Airfield, look into whether or not the fort has a flying club. Of course they won’t have 'em in Iraq or Afghanistan, but many stateside posts have them. Not sure if they have them in the European theatre or not.

9

I think you have made a great choice. Thank you for your decision and upcoming service. May God Bless you and your family!!

HC

10

And Congrats.

Off to the Starbases of Ft. Jackson eh?.. :wink:

Remember this… You will come in contact with all kinds of personalities and mentalities (with emphasis on the mental) during BCT. The first three weeks will be utter abuse from the DI’s. It’s a mental and physical breakdown to rebuild you their way. Focus…do what they tell you without question. It’s never personal…it’s the “process”. There will be times when it feels like “romper room”, but there will be challenge and accomplishment. Stay focused, have fun with the toys, BRM, Victory Tower, range days, and the days in the field.

WOC - PFC. MD
3rd Platoon, Bravo Co.
Ft. Jackson 1990

Always Forward

11

Learned something new about Dami and Az. Cool! 8)

12

THANK YOU for protecting my right to post here…

Merry Xmas!

13

thank you all for your support and well wishes

14

Warrant Officer is the best kept secret in the military. All the officer benefits and all you have to do is fly the aircraft. No Maintenance officer, etc… Good luck and thanks for serving.

15

Thank you!!! Best of luck in this adventure!!!

16

Well, guys. Today is my last full day at home. Tomorrow I head to Raleigh to do my final medical eval and then Tuesday I head down to Ft. Jackson to start BCT. It is tough knowing I wont be able to talk with my wife, mother, father, etc for the next 3 months, except for written letters. I am getting some nervous chills and whatnot, but I have known what to expect for a month now, and I dont fear getting homesick (I have done military camps before), but I know I will miss everyone. Especially my wife, since I spend every day with her, obviously.

Thanks for the support. I love this site, and cant wait to see the new things on here when I am done and get back.

17

Unless it’s different for the Army or things have really changed since I was in Air Force basic 30 years ago, you should be allowed to place calls to your loved ones at your expense.

Good luck and thank you for your upcoming service.

18

Good luck with everything.