badflaps

You are a rare breed, good luck. You should have an idea about a career field. You probably don't want to end up in the cooks or air police. (Not that there is anything wrong with those.)

evamodel00

So I took my test and did very well on it (Also I am going to clarify since I think I wrote it wrong initially, this is the army national guard, not airforce national guard if that makes much of a difference on your advice).

I read through the list of jobs and 11B/11C were really the only ones that interested me. I feel like my recruiter maybe was trying to point me more in a different direction (intel/comm because I currently work IT). But, one of the reasons I am pursuing this is because I want to do something different. I want to be physical and in the field. The only other thing I'd really rather do is fly but I don't have my degree so that's not an option right now.

At 27, is that too old to join infantry in the guard? I am physically fit, and mentally, well, no worse then anyone else my age I don't think.

Are all my drill sergeants going to be 22 year old dudes? I might find that kind of awkward.

BeatNavy

You can be a warrant officer and fly helos or king airs in the army with no degree. Look up the Warrant Officer Flight Training program. https://www.nationalguard.com/153a-rotary-wing-aviator

There is the PT aspect and occasional field exercise as an army aviator, and it is definitely different than anything you’re doing now. I was fairly physical/military minded and kind of wanted to go infantry and do all that cool stuff, but after 4 years of military training in college, the limited army stuff we had to do in flight school, and 62 days of ranger school (especially when watching the helos fly support missions for us and then go home each day when I was cold/hungry/tired/miserable), I realize how miserable I’d have been had I gone infantry. Especially as an enlisted guy, your life will suck. Sure there are great dudes who have great careers that they give up to go enlist in the infantry (Pat Tillman), but it’s a crappy life. You’ll spend more time on cleaning details mopping floors, picking up cigarette butts, doing mx in motor pools, cleaning weapons, doing inventories, doing stupid “don’t rape women” classes, and other stupid training than you will doing infantry tactics/physical stuff. And even that stuff isn’t fun after the initial cool factor wears off. I was never infantry in the active duty or guard, but had some good friends from college and ranger school who were. No thanks.

Recruiters HATE when people want to be Warrant officers/Pilots off the street. There is something about the way those types of recruits don’t fill their required slots and it takes a long time to finish the whole training footprint and be a successful “hire” for that recruiter. Many will lie and insist that you enlist first to be a crew chief/mechanic before becoming a warrant officer pilot. If you go the pilot route, you’ll have basic training like any other MOS, WOCS (6 or so week course on how to become a warrant officer), 3 weeks of SERE, and a year or so of flight training. They pay to move you and your family to Ft Rucker and it’s about an 18 month Experience. Your family won’t see you during basic or much if at all during WOCS and SERE. Depending on what you fly you will have to deploy. LUH-72s are the only non-deployable aircraft, so if you get hired by a unit that flies those you won’t deploy, at least not in a flying capacity.

evamodel00

ahaha I literally texted my recruiter before I even read your second paragraph and almost word for word she repeated what you wrote lol. Yeah no that actually sounds like a very cool opportunity. She told me I should be a mechanic for a year or two and then I could drop my warrant officer packet off once I have some familiarity with the helo. It gives me something to think about. I kind of pushed flying out of my head because it seemed unrealistic. My second choice was tip of the spear. Thank you for the advice! As I said before the main reason I am doing this is to put on the uniform and earn my keep. I just would rather if at all possible not hate what I'm doing.

BeatNavy

I never met any warrant officer pilots who were glad they enlisted first. They all had the same story about how they wish they ran across their recruiter some day and to thank them for the wasted year or three of their life. Even met some enlisted guys who came in under the plan to go warrant and never got approved to do it. Also, lots of infantry guys become warrant pilots...not many pilots go to the infantry (or other career field) if that’s any indication of QOL.

evamodel00

Just out of curiosity, if they didn't go through their recruiter to apply, how did they do it then? They just went directly to their local WO?

SaltyDog

eva,
I got sucked into the "ANG" which is typically "Air National Guard" and "ARNG" is used to identify our Army National Guard, and the Army typically doesn't call them bases, but the ANG does

Not certain, but guessing there is a different recruiter for the Warrant Officers. You can ask "Can you help me join as a Warrant Officer? or do I need to talk to a different WO recruiter? "
Good fortunes!

BeatNavy

They insisted on the “high school to flight school” or “street to seat” WOFT program or they wouldn’t sign anything...most of those guys showed up to their recruiter with a retired military guy to help “facilitate” the discussion. Those guys were all active duty (that’s what I was and what I know...I’m less familiar with ARNG accessions). ARNG may be different. In the ANG, which I’m familiar with, units typically “hire” you then send you to a recruiter for the official accessions. They hire youbfrom their own individual boards and from you showing up to the unit and hanging out. ARNG may be the same. Perhaps an ARNG guy can chime in.

rickair7777

I was of a similar mentality at age 18. Insisted on infantry despite maxed out asvabs and a recruiter who wanted me in a tech field. Fortunately (for me) I also maxed the SAT and got into a service academy.

If WO pilot isn't in the cards, also consider special forces if you want the pointy end. The army/guard does train reserves for that although I'm vague on the process (Navy is way different). You may be able to enlist for that specifically (guaranteed training) and then revert to 11B if you don't make it through. Low completion rate but very rewarding if you make it and are motivated for that sort of thing. SOF is like all the fun of infrantry on steroids, minus most of the BS. Big boy rules all the way. You will deploy, and you will do your job for real though.

BeatNavy

Army national guard special forces exists, and you can apply/try off the street. https://www.nationalguard.com/specia...ice-applicants. Just know that the successful completion rate for the street-to-SOF program is a very tiny fraction of those who do it, bc becoming SOF (SF, Ranger, etc.) is hard enough as a prior service infantry guy, but for a guy off the street, no matter how physically fit, is almost insurmountable due to the general military experience needed to have fundamental knowledge of the military and Army doctrine/tactics, techniques, and procedures. But those who fail the program (most) become regular joe infantry. So it’s a cool way to enter the infantry I guess.

Edit-this is to OP, not you Rick.