FLYMIA

I know most threads here are about being in the service trying to go airline but I was hoping for some opinions of those who have served about the reverse scenario. I'm currently an RJ captain and 31 years old. My goal is to fly for a major carrier and I am starting to finally send apps out. However, for the past ten years I've always wanted to fly for the military. I pursued the USMC my last year in college but couldn't get a contract in time.
After flying professionally for a bit the desire to serve as an Officer is still something I feel I will deeply regret not doing. I don't care if I fly anymore in military. I was considering going into the Army guard and app,ting to OCS. Do you gentlemen think this would be a major setback in getting to the majors due to the time I'll take out of the cockpit?

Sam York

I'd look to the Guard if I were in your situation.

Adlerdriver

If you feel strongly about serving as a military officer, I think you owe it to yourself to see if that goal can be met. Once you have a valid plan to attain it, make a decision.

You are past the standard age limit for pilot training in the USAF (and I'm guessing same for USN/USMC), though it sounds like you don't want that anyway. I'm not sure about the Army RW program and what their limits are.

Spending time away from the 121 world and losing currency certainly isn't going to accelerate your path to the majors. Most likely you would need to take mil leave from your current job. I have no idea what the timeline is for an Army Guard officer to go from zero to Lt fully trained and ready. Once you finished training and were established in your Army unit as a traditional guardsman (part timer), you could go back, re-gain currency and pick up where you left off. But I think you could safely say that whatever time you spent out of the RJ cockpit beginning your military service would be that much extra time delay in getting on with a major (on top of whatever delay just to get an interview now).

Good luck with it.

Spike from flyi

The Guard can issue an age waiver; if they are in need of pilots this is pretty easy to get. I'd recommend you apply for everything that you want (including jobs at the majors), and see what looks most promising. You'll make the wrong decision with the information you have at the time. That's how we all got here.

Duesenflieger

Army RW/FW age limits are 33 years old at the time of selection. For the army guard, they typically require prior enlisted. If you are prior enlisted and over 33, from what I have read and heard firsthand from people who have gone through the process, the army guard will be more willing than the Navy and USAF to grant an age waiver. You may want to look into the WOFT program as well. Back in 2009 - 2010, fix-wing slots were being prevalently awarded straight out of Fort Rucker WOFT. The age limit is 33, and having a high number of flight hours will be deemed a plus. The forums on APTAP are also a good resource for learning more about army aviation. There are a few aviation regiments that may take you off the street if you make a good impression for them.

The USAF reserve and ANG are granting age waivers up to age 35. The key is to locate undermanned units (a problem which will only grow worse in time) and start getting to know them. There are some people breaking through and obtaining these waivers (source: baseops.net). Forget about even dealing with the recruiters because as soon as they find out about your age, they will ignore you. If the unit likes you, they will go to bat for you and persuade their recruiters to help you out. I'm above the age limit for UPT as well, but am going to give it a try. At the moment, I have no idea how to discover which units are undermanned. Is shotgun approach the best method, or is there a more efficient way of learning which units are undermanned? I have no contacts in the USAF.

sourdough44

If the military flying position is tight, I'd consider keeping your current job & joining the Guard or Reverves. That way you stay on track with a piloting job while getting your feet wet in the military.

There may be an Officer slot/position available, or even enlist and look to OCS later.

Back to the military flight option. If interested, you need to talk to and apply to ALL who will listen. That means the Coast Guard, Army & everything in between. If & when you were to get a guanteed offer, then the decision is yours.

Back in 81 when I was in Army Basic(National Guard) we had a few college graduates who enlisted to get started.

SaltyDog

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA 38 U.S.C. 4301-4335) protects your civilian job while serving our country in the military.
Employers are not legally allowed to discriminate and not hire solely for your current service. You do have to start employment at your employer (airline) at the time the employer needs to hire an employee.
Ideally, you would use the USERRA protections from where you want to be, not necessarily where you are currently employed.

Bucknut

I would look at the Air Guard and get a job in Base/Flight OPS. That is where all the pilots hang out and you will meet some very valuable contacts there. Most Air Guard pilots have airline jobs and these people are good contacts to make.

FLYMIA

Thanks for all the input. I'm still trying to get as much info as I can. I have met with an Army Guard recruiter who has put others through OCS. Some Red Flags out the gate were that I would have to enlist prior to OCS. I know other branches don't do this. From what I have been putting together is that Army/GUARD/RES does do this and it is in your contract that you will discharge if not completing OCS. Are there any Guard or Reserve Army Officer's here that can confirm?

BeatNavy

An army recruiter who tells you that you have to be enlisted before becoming an officer/warrant officer/pilot is a liar and you should call him that to his face. That is how a lot of my soldiers ended up enlisted, because they got lied to and enlisted to be crew chiefs thinking it was the best path to become a pilot. We tried to get them to warrant officer and flight school, but it's not that easy. The caveat to that is that if you are sent to OCS/WOCS in any service, you have to enlist prior to commissioning kind of as a placeholder rank while "in" but not yet having earned a commission/officer rank.

As far as your options if not completing OCS/WOCS/flight school, I don't know how those contracts are written. I do know people who washed out of pilot training when I was there on the active duty side just got a new nonflying job and stayed in until their USMA/ROTC commitment was up (or stayed in).

U.S. Army Recruiting Command's Warrant Officer Recruiting Information Site This is the best route to fly in the army IMO.