RotaryPilot167

Thank you all for the replies. This is very helpful and you pretty much answered all my questions and more. Looks like it helped a few others that are interested too. I am also a little concerned about the age restriction like Voski. I'll be 27 early next year and have over 2 years left on my current contract with the Army, but from what you've said it looks like waivers aren't completely out of the question especially if a unit could use me. I probably won't go the conditional release route I would really like to finish my contract with the Army. The Air National Guard looks to be the most promising and seems like a nice change up from active duty the more I look into it. So my plan right now is to look at those resources you guys gave me and then start looking for a guard unit when I'm about a year left in the Army. Tweet, thanks I'd deff like to hear about the process for getting picked up for the FWQ and if it's an option for me.

Voski

Yes, thank you all for the replies.

RotaryPilot167, ANG does seem like the best route if any route were to piece together for either of us down the line. Keep in touch with me (PM me your e-mail address) and I'll let you know what I come up with myself.

Conditional release from active Army seems like a longshot if you actually read into the ADSO regulation, but I have known of a warrant officer who did an interservice transfer (not a DCA) before his ADSO was up. Apparently there's a secret squirrel exception-to-policy letter way around it.

Hueypilot

That would be a good idea to find an AFRC/ANG unit when you're about a year out from the end of your service commitment. They could get the ball running and send you to FWQ or UPT, and you could slide under the door (30 is the limit without a waiver although I've known plenty who were sent over 30).

Getting a conditional release from Active Duty will be difficult and you'll be negatively identifying yourself to your command...it happens here in the USAF too when guys apply to Palace Chase (early release) and wind up getting screwed. I Palace Chase'd out of the RegAF and wound up with a very lackluster final OPR (OER for you Army types) and had my Meritorious Service Medal downgraded to a Commendation Medal... Anyways, good luck!

omar2006

I found this thread just in time! I also am very interested in transferring..... Does anybody know for certain if the AFOQT and TBAS are required? I am already commissioned AND a rated aviator, so isn't the point of those two tests moot? I've been told they both are required from the officer accessions lady I spoke with today.

gr8vu

KC-10 has a very uncertain future so would look to some other airframe as a primary focus.

Voski

Would the Air Force, Reserves, or ANG send a prior service warrant officer aviator to UPT (since the FWQ has gone away) if he gets his commission via UPT and is over the age of 30?

Pakagecheck

Yep, they have and depending on the unit, they will. It wouldn't cost them any more than if they took someone off of the street. Had a friend do it that way. You would still need to go to OTS or AMS then to UPT. They would take care of all of that. Good luck!

Gilligan13

Isn't the max age 30 for UPT and 32 with prior service? Why not the Coast Guard? Seems like the one service that is happy going AD.

RotaryPilot167

Hey everyone,

I've recently had to consider a few other options based on my current situation...the army seems to be set on retiring my airframe (OH-58D) sooner than I had originally expected. It may give me the opportunity to pursue my fixed wing career sooner with command support, although I expect a lot of other rotary aviators in my same position will be doing the same and it could get competitive.

Otherwise I will need to transition to another army airframe in the near future and probably incur another service obligation for the training. Also with an excess of rotary pilots the army is about to have, conditional releases may not be out of the question.

So with all that's happening. I'm opening up my options and going to start looking into inter service transfers to the Active Air Force fixed wing world or the Coast Guard rotary. I'll start by checking out the number HuggyU2 provided and then go to some recruiters. HueyPilot said the AF isn't doing inter service transfers any more but it could constantly be changing.

I'll let you guys know what I find out, and as always if anyone has any helpful information your input is appreciated!

RotaryPilot167

Also Gilligan - Do you have any info on a transition to the coast guard and do you know anyone that has done it?