Military Flight Training
 

Hey guys and gals,

I've had a question for some time now that I would like to have answered by as many of you as possible. It has to do with flight training while in the Military.

As some of you may know, I'm a college student, working my way through general education classes. I have my eyes set on finishing school with either a Bachelors or Masters, (I'm leaning more towards a Masters). For the past couple of years I've been brainstorming the possibility of joining the Military after completing my Bachelors. I have my eyes set on the USAF and joining an ROTC program. I believe I have what it takes to be successful in UPT, but that is never a 100% guarantee.

My dedication to serving the USA is greater than my need to become a Pilot in the AF. Don't get me wrong, If I was a accepted into UPT I would have as much drive as the next guy; but if those plans fell through I'd still serve my country with 100% pride and dedication.

Now if that path comes into play, what would the prospects be for flight training? I've read many posts from other potential recruits on these forums about signing up for 10 years just to have Uncle Sam pay for the bill. Is that opportunity exclusive to Pilots within the Military, or can an Officer with similar dedication gain that option?

Thanks for reading my topic, and thank you for serving our country!

If you try the after-your-degree route into the AF then you are talking OTS.

ROTC is for when you are still in an undergraduate program. If you are a sophomore in college you are probably at the last possible point for selection. Run down to your nearest AFROTC detachment and take the AFOQT right now. If you are past your sophomore year then you are looking at OTS as a commissioning source.

As far as getting a commission (the first step before going to UPT), OTS is the most variable (thus the most flexible for the AF). That means that one year the AF may take a lot of OTS candidates and the next year they may take none - consider OTS as the "shock absorber" for the AF officer input stream.

Your first step should be to walk into the closest AFROTC Det around you. It may not be at your school, but there will be one close to you. There will be some very well-informed people in that Det who be able to help you determine how to fulfill your dream.

Good luck!

As stated there are distinct differences in paths based on where you are on your way to completing your degree requirements. If you have more than 2 years left to complete your BA/BS the ROTC(regardless of Service) route may suit you best. If not, wait until you get your degree and apply for the OCS/OTS route. One thing to keep in mind: Accessions by source vary amongst the services. Simply stated, ROTC/Academy grads sometimes have more aviation slots than OCS/OTS grads. This is done for a few reasons that really dont concern you at this level, but will impact your ability to garner a slot should that be your desire. Historically I think it has been easier to walk in the door of OCS/OTS with an aviation slot in hand(done through the recruiting process, but still competitive) rather than compete at the ROTC level. At the ROTC level you are not just competing with members of your individual unit but rather with members of all the units in your 'year group' or commissioning group. Bottom line is you have options, you just need to research your options. One final piece of advice - Don't put all your eggs in one basket with one service. If your desire is to serve your country first, fly second, keep the press on and find your niche, the rest will work itself out in time, flying or not.

Good luck

Also consider the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. These branches actually hire new pilots off the street and send them to AF flight training.

You already have a flight slot (and an aircraft assignment) before you start training. Additionally you can pursue an airline career in parallel with reserve service, so you can get a better airline seniority number. Most ex-military airline folks would say the this route is best if you intend on doing airlines.

Like others have said you might still be able to do ROTC (only during undergraduate, not post-graduate I believe) and might even be able to get a 2-year scholarship. But you could also be assigned to a non-aviation job out of ROTC. With the guard/reserves or going regular AD through OTS at least you could get a guaranteed flight slot before you commit yourself.

After doing some research, I found out that I am still eligible for ROTC. I plan on taking an AFOQT within the next couple of months, (I would like to cover some more topics in my math classes before taking the exam).

My main concern is the cost associated with gaining my ratings. I am not interested in taking a loan out in this economy, and if I get denied a Pilot slot I'm basically cornered into taking one.

If I were to join the AFR, and I were awarded a Pilot slot, what would be the general time frame of receiving my ratings?

in this climate could be 2-3 years from selection to completion of UPT... I know of a guard guy who just got picked up by a c-17 unit but wont got to UPT for 14 months... that is the first slot his unit could get for him.

Not true. You can in graduate school and accomplish the 2 year program. Had one in my class. You just have to be a student at the university.