Carl,
I joined the Army Guard in 2009. I enlisted as an E-4 (I have a BS) under the advice of my Officer Strength manager. I had significant student loans to pay off, and the only way to get help with them was to enlist first. Also, I got a 10K MOS shortage bonus. The plan was to start State OCS shortly after finishing AIT in March 2010, and apply for a Blackhawk flight slot. I am 27 now, and was definitely feeling my "clock tick.". I got into OCS, which started last June.
I was rejected for the flight slot due to distance vision and a very very very slight astigmatism. I was told I did not qualify for the Army Aviation LASIK program.
The good news, though, is I was already in OCS. This means I'll still commission as a 2LT this August, and still get to serve my country in another role. Had I gotten into the Blackhawk slot, I would have had the option to reject an officer commission for a warrant officer slot, which would be the way to go if you want to be a pilot instead of a flight qualified manager.
Some downsides to the Army...
First, the deployments are a lot longer. A Captain I fly with a lot is an Air Guard guy, and when he deploys it's usually only for 3 or 4 months. Army deployments can be anywhere from 12-18 months, especially if you end up a ground pounder.
Second, the Army is an organization centered very much around it's own needs, not yours. If you end up joining and you don't get your slot, guess what...you might end up Infantry or AG. Just depends on what your state needs.
Third, the Army side is a little bit more micromanaged than the AF side. Prepare to be treated like a 2 year old.
Good luck to you, and thank you for your desire to serve! PM me if you have any questions.