Can I get CW3-CW5 LOR without face-to-face interview? I don't have an aviation unit and need at least 3 ASAP for Flight School?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 15:26:55 -0500

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2017 3:36 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 15:36:17 -0500

Who is your recruiter, he should be able to provide you with a list of Warrant Officers, you can then make contact with them, most will want to interview you and see a military bio or resume and if they like what they hear they may write you a LOR.

Response by CW5 Edward "Tate" Jones Jr. made Nov 6 at 2017 4:27 PM

CW5 Edward "Tate" Jones Jr. — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 16:27:51 -0500

You are not in the Aviation community and the Selection Board understands if you cannot get an Aviator to write you an LOR. I know, I sat on selection boards. I see you are a Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Tech. Contact you BN Maintenance Warrant and get a letter from him if he will do so. Get letters from individuals in your chain of Command; specifically your 1SG, CO and BN CDR. Letters from people that you don't know and who don't know you turn out generic and, as a rule show that, and are generally disregarded by the selection board. REAL letters from REAL [people who know you personally are far more impactful especially if you have no access to a Senior WO. Good Luck

Response by CW4 Russ Hamilton (Ret) made Nov 10 at 2017 6:25 PM

CW4 Russ Hamilton (Ret) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 18:25:02 -0500

WO candidates need at least one letter from a senior WO in the MOS you you are applying for (in your case, an Army aviator) - the others can be from your chain of command or from officers or senior NCO's who KNOW YOU. Letters from people who know you are MUCH BETTER than those from people who don't and it will be evident to the board which are which. Personally, I refuse to write letters for candidates I don't know and I think it's a bad practice - regardless, I would think a board would not give such a letter much weight and it could jeopardize your packet. If you can only obtain a letter from a senior WO who will interview you - that will suffice. Every senior WO should be willing to take the time to interview a candidate. Don't submit a canned letter from someone you've never spoken to (some recruiters and candidates will solicit such letters). I assume you have a WO recruiter helping you, if you don't find one.

The point is focus your efforts on letters from those who know you and meet the requirements of the letters. I doubt submitting five letters will have much more effect than three - quality, not quantity. If you meet the requirements they will take you. A proper letter needs to contain the POC's phone, email and unit information at the bottom of the narrative - they will be later contacted by the branch schoolhouse with how well you did. Make sure their MOS and branch are clearly stated at the bottom. I've written a couple dozen of these letters over the last ten years or so.

Response by CW5 Derrick Edwards (Ret) made Nov 12 at 2017 6:17 PM

CW5 Derrick Edwards (Ret) — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 18:17:30 -0500

My recommendation: use today's technology to get some interviews done virtually. You don't have to physically be 'near an aviation unit or personnel' to have a face to face interview. Case in point, my last assignment in the Army was at the CIO/G6 at the HQDA and my interview was done via VTC. Why can't you?

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Nov 16 at 2017 2:19 PM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 14:19:00 -0500

I have personally done over the phone and packet reviews for consideration of a LOR. There are those who disagree with this procedure, however the board who votes you in is the same as my review of your packet. Qualifications and accuracy in filling it out are paramount metrics as is the APFT Score, some college, the SIFT score and the packet as presented. I have received inquires from RP also over the years and have had success in getting folks before the board. I do know that PERSONAL interviews tend to lead folks into a lesser qualified pool of applicants as those we serve with at times have not met what we wish to be the best metrics. Personal knowledge of an applicant can take away the objectivity of that applicant. Of the two non-selects LORs I'd written, they both flew int he aircraft with me. Because of our wartime service in the aircraft, I felt compelled to write about their hard work, yet all the other metrics the board uses were not met. So reach out to folks and go for it if that is what you truly want. Advice, when doing so, make sure your packet is wrapped tight and error free, nothing worse than presenting yourself with grammar issues and the inability to follow the guide for the application.

Response by CW4 Steven Bowyer made Feb 14 at 2018 6:05 AM

CW4 Steven Bowyer — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 06:05:36 -0500

Yes. My son also went to flight school. Two of his interviews were over the phone.

Response by CW2 Michael Mullikin made May 15 at 2018 7:49 PM

CW2 Michael Mullikin — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:49:19 -0400

MI units, maintenance units, CID, SF—other units with technicians