Could I please get some Aviation Career/Education advice for leaving active duty/joining the Guard?

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 23:07:45 -0400

Spitballing is greatly encouraged. Currently 27 years old.

My primary career aspiration has always been to become a military pilot.

Need some help organizing thoughts here so I'll use bullet points
- Graduated from University of St. Thomas, B.A. Psychology
- 5 years Enlisted in Marine Corps as Meteorological and Oceanographic Forecaster
- Some Law Enforcement Experience through USMC
- Top Secret clearance eligible.
- EMT Certified
- I've taken and scored competetively on every Branch's Aviation Selection Exam (AFOQT, ASTB, SIFT)
- Looking to join the National Guard as a helicopter pilot in April 2019. I've had the Strength managers from Nevada, Arizona, and Utah express interest in sending me to flight school as soon as I EAS.
- I currently also have a conditional release and complete application to go to Navy OCS with an Aviation Contract this fall should I accept it. Recruiter wants to send me now but I am currently on limited duty and going to physical therapy recovering from shoulder surgery. (injured on deployment)

My primary choice is the the Guard is because I want control over where I live. I want to have my own place and settle down. The east coast was my bottom preference when I enlisted and I ended up stationed here the entire 5 years of my enlistment with 6 months spent overseas. I'm ready to leave. I'd like to live out west. Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Arizona. I love mountains, snow, and rain.

Primary concern with the Guard is that it won't be full time. How can I bridge the gap of my research experience, earth science experience, and interest in aviation? I want to go back to use my G.I. Bill to get my Masters in something but I'm not sure what I'd be able to land a job with. If I want to do more with Aerospace I'd probably have to go get another Degree in Physics or Engineering. Maybe I could look into Forestry, Geology, or Oceanography.

I am also interested in Active Guard positions. I have no problem with deploying once i'm established at a unit.

Interests: Aviation/Aerospace, Search and Rescue, Environmental Science, Earth Science, Animals/Zoology, Computers (Hardware aspect, I'm terrible at coding/software), Space, Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics. Skiing.

I'd be very happy with a career/job in any of the above fields, generally speaking. My math background isn't the best but I like it.

Any help or extremely vague ideas to point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2018 11:25 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 23:25:19 -0400

I'd look into Warrant Officer Flight Training. I've had both aviation officers and warrant officers tell me that you only fly until you're an O3, after that, you'll mostly be behind a desk, flying on a rare occasion. On the other hand, as a warrant officer you have the opportunity to fly for the rest of your career. I would also look into the Resrves, as it has the same things as the Guard, as far as what you're looking for. I know that there is a Reserve Aviation unit located in Colorado. As you've already passed Marine boot, you wouldn't have to do Army basic training. If you were to get accepted, you would go to Warrant Officer Candidate School and then to Flight School. There's a guy in my unit right now putting in this packet, he's a mechanic and his odds are good (one of the ECS civilians he works with was a mechanic in the Reserves and is now a Flight Warrant) so there's no reason that you shouldn't be able to get it.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 25 at 2018 12:29 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 00:29:28 -0400

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member With your interest in Aerospace, I would look at SpaceX, Boeing, and the other Aerospace companies to see what openings they have and what their educational requirements are. I would not rule out Navy OCS. What ever you decide on, you will be successful. Semper Fi.

Response by CW5 John M. made Jun 25 at 2018 2:25 AM

CW5 John M. — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 02:25:24 -0400

My advice would be dated since I entered aviation during Vietnam when it was easy to get into and easy to build time. I went in out of HS, and could have flown commercially immediately after Nam. I stayed in the military for over 8 yrs after Nam. It is important to note that I was single during that entire time - AND for half of my civilian schooling time. There's no doubt about it, family life was GREAT, but it DID make schooling and Guard requirements tougher......... It was also fortunate for me that I had saved money during my active duty days, and my (future) wife was an RN........

I retired 20 years ago from the National Guard, which was easy to get into because I was already quite qualified, and I only needed a slot. When I got out of active duty the first time, I went to school. I ALSO used the GI Bill (5+ years!!! - if you knew how to work the system's "fine print") to get every civil aviation qualification that I could, and THAT, along with my military experience made getting later civil employment quite easy. When the GI Bill money started getting low, I went into the part-time Guard for some really good (weekend/summer) money to help me pay for more civilian schooling. I was part time in the Guard for five years, flying civil aviation - before I found a competitive opening for a full-time AGR position, at which time I left civil aviation to finish up my active duty career. After I retired from the Guard I got back into civil aviation in the civil EMS field.

IMHO, the military AFTER Vietnam was not a huge time builder, but it WAS excellent for getting aviation schooling of all kinds. Safety, Training, instruction, maintenance, multi-engine, etc. I was fortunate that I was able to get qualified in many airframes with the Military - not sure how much you can "branch out" in this day and age. I'm not sure what civilian flight time requirements are nowadays, but it's mostly based on how insurable you are based on experience. You probably should still be able to take your military flight school records to the GADO office to get your commercial helicopter with instrument. Once you get your commercial along with some required flight time, you could perhaps build time quickly by becoming an instructor pilot, a sightseeing pilot, or a FAA part 132 commercial pilot. Fixed-wing training and flying is cheaper and a good time-builder. Get the ATP as soon as you qualify, and for me, getting a "legitimate (not a quickie) A&P license was very benificial. IMHO - the most hazardous flying was EMS, followed by FAA Part 132, then maintenance test flying. The easiest (though "boring for me") was the flight instructor and sight-seeing, perhaps b/c it was highly controlled and repetitive. It depends on what stuff you get into on that, however.

Alas, "old age and infirmities" crept up on me, and, my aviation/A&P interests today lie in flying drones, farming machinery, and "ultra-light" during my "retirement" years.......

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jun 25 at 2018 2:26 AM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 02:26:14 -0400

Don’t forget about the Air National Guard. They have rescue Air wings who fly the HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter. The 129th Rescue Wing is located in the Bay Area. Plenty of rain and not too far from the mountains. It’s also located near the silicone valley that has many of the civilian job opportunities that you spoke about. There are also rescue squadrons in Alaska, Albuquerque, NM and New York State.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jun 25 at 2018 10:16 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 10:16:23 -0400

My advice. If you want to fly helicopters, go Army, Marines or Navy. AF has a few helicopter units, but it’s mostly a fixed-wing Service. hold off on the Masters degree until you complete flight school. You might consider Embry Riddle. Work the unit selection based on where you want to live. Talk to Guard recruiters in the states where you want to live. Dept of Navy has reserves only. Great way into reserve component is do active duty for as few years as possible then transition to the Guard or Reserve.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jun 25 at 2018 2:48 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 14:48:17 -0400

Find an aviation unit, talk to a Warrant or Officer flight qualified in the unit and see what the requirements are, openings, and what you would need to do to meet those requirements. Then do it. Don't wait on the unit, grab those requirements by the balls and run with them, and knock them down till you meet them all and submit your packet for which side you want to be on (Off/WO) and then get ready for the ride. It will be long and arduous, but obtainable for those who want it bad enough. Vision helps and because I don't have any, I never had to worry about the flight route.