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Any aviators on here?

crazymjb

crazymjb

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Hi all,

I'm currently an enlisted grunt in the Marine Corps, but my contract is up in 2 years right as I am finishing school. I am heavily leaning towards staying in the military, either reserves or active duty (if I can get a duty station in Mass) as a pilot. I guess the army and air guard have pilot slots, but I am also considering the reserves, as well as possibly the coast guard. If I didn't really want to stay in the northeast and my fiance didn't want to settle down and start a career I would probably just try for an aviation slot in the Marine Corps, but the idea of going into a less "intense" branch of service to fly is also appealing to me as I already did the "ooh-rah" ground pounder in Afghanistan thing. I'd prefer to be active duty, but I am not sure what active duty slots, if any in aviation, there are in Mass, other than the coasties. I have no real objection to the coast guard, other than I'd ideally like to remain in a somewhat offensive position. I'd also prefer rotary wing aircraft, but if it means I get to stay in Mass, I am flexible (this is mainly for the fiance).

Thanks in advance for anyone who can lend advice.

Mike
 
I am a retired aviator (Army) and have been retired long enough to have fallen out of the loop. From what I know, however, is that the Massachusetts Army Guard and Air Guard have facilities at Barnes Airport in Westfield. Do a day trip over there and speak to them about it. I'd suggest seeing a recruiter but I think you'll get the straight scoop from those folks at the facilities at Barnes without a bunch of double talk hoopla.
 
I suppose the only way to find out more really is to talk to the respective recruiters (OSOs?). So far I've talked to an ANG recruiter who seemed less than interested when he learned I still owed the Marine Corps another 2 years. I have a friend who was an enlisted AF recruiter who's retired now but he seemed to be in the dark about the shiny side, hes also been out of the loop for a few years. I'd definitely be looking to stay in Massachusetts, and I'm hopeful I can find an active duty slot, and also hopeful nothing holds me up from being able to fly. I can't imagine anything shouldn't check out, but I imagine they are pretty stringent on the aviation side of the fence.

Thanks again,

Mike
 
So I've talked to a Warrant Officer Recruiter for the Mass Army National Guard. I was basically told that I would need to be in the Army before I could sit on any boards for going to WOCS. My minimum service commitment as prior service would be 1 year, however, I could possibly get transferred for my last year owed to the Marine Corps over to a NG infantry unit, in essence not spending any more time than necessary with the military if I didn't end up getting a slot. They told me the aviation slots are 50/50 and like any board, it will be competitive. I was kind of hoping I could be boarded in without having to transfer services or re-enlist. They said they also take commissioned officers as pilots, but I wouldn't be flying much past Captain. This seems like a better career move, but not so good if I just want to fly around.

If I go the AF Reserves route it looks like I would basically be on cargo plains, which I wouldn't mind, but I am hoping I can get the Army thing to work out.

Mike
 
If you want to fly plains, be a farmer, if you want to be an aviator, you want to fly planes.
 
I'm going to offer what little I know about USCG aviation. You will need to go OCS. You need a degree and prior service (obviously you are) to apply as reservist. AD is crazy competitive for OCS. Check out Uscg.org its a private site run by a couple recruiters I think.
 
Ehhh. Me bean out of collidge two long. Honestly I'm surprised I can still put sentences together after spending a year on active duty [wink], fortunately I am taking an English class this semester!

Mike
 
I recently went through MA ARNG OCS and I can tell you according two separate briefings we received directly from the aviation unit, they are always looking for people to fill their pilot spots in MA. In fact, they haven't been able to fill the flight school spots they are allotted the last two years. They were literally begging anyone from my OCS class to apply. I would have done it myself, but I am far too old (I was months away from being too old for a commission at all!).

As far as OCS for MA ARNG, you get boarded before you actually commit. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of a flight school spot, as it is something you have to apply for that once you are already in the process - you may be able to get a spot prior to coming on duty, but it won't be any sort of a guarantee.

The board for OCS is something of a joke - if you have combat time as a Marine, you will cruise through that board without even blinking. I went to the board after recently returning from a deployment and the colonel didn't even ask me an questions. He just looked at my file and said, "you're all set."

If you are really interested, let me know and I will put you in touch with CPT Shaun Greenwood at state HQ. He is the officer branch strength manager and the guy you would need to speak to.
 
I may take you up on that. From what it sounds like you directly commissioned? I was hoping to go to Warrant Officer route if pursuing aviation as it is my understanding I will be flying much more than a commissioned officer who will eventually end up in air logistics. I figure I can always commission from being a Warrant Officer should I choose, as I will have at least a bachelors by the time I go off to WOCS, and I plan to continue my education after XYZ school.

The way it was explained to me, I may be able to take a flight physical as well as the AFAST before making any additional commitment to the Army, or transferring my commitment from the Marine Corps to the Army. After being in some Army component I can board instantly, and if I'm accepted it will be for aviation and I will continue on down that route, if not, I just stay enlisted for the remainder of my term.

Mike
 
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I actually just graduated OCS this month.

It is true that you fly more as a warrant than as a commissioned officer (according to my brother who flies Blackhawks out of Maine), but until you have been a captain for a while, there isn't as much difference.
 
Do you have any idea of the time it takes for promotions as a commissioned aviation officer? I don't want to make the guard/reserves a career per se, but if I do 12 years I'll do at least 20, but right now I really only have an interest in flying around, the thought of admin terrifies me.

Also, does my time served with the Marine Corps still factor in if I go to the guard pension wise?

Mike

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
 
Yes, all your time from the MC will carry over for retirement. Promotions, as far as I understand, are fairly standard no matter what branch up to captain. 18 months from 2LT to 1LT and 18 months to CPT, but again, that's just my understanding of the way it works.
 
I'm an aircraft mechanic. I assume I need to know more about the plane than the pilots do. I was never in the military though. Sad thing is, in civilian world. The FAA could give 2 Shits about military experience. That's what I have been told by military mechanics that had to go to school just like me.

I do avionics as well. So like I said. I think I need to know more about the systems than the pilots. Since I'm required to troubleshoot and repair them. So I still consider myself an aviator.
 

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