I am going to reclassify. Which is the better route, 15E or 15R?

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 19:06:46 -0500

which is the better route to go? If I went 15E I hear ill be stuck in Arizona? If I go 15R some say id hate my life? Any information is gold as im trying to make my decision by the third.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2018 7:17 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 19:17:29 -0500

My wife was a 15R when she was in, and I work with 15Es a lot as a 15W. Between those experiences, they have a lot in common: long hours, fluctuating promotions and a fairly lucrative skill set in the civilian job market. Whoever told you that you would be stuck at Huachuca is wrong. It’s a possible duty station but not likely. Aviation as a whole is pretty heavy on the deployment cycle, so that’s not a really decisive factor either.

Given those two choices, it boils down to what you want to turn wrenches on; rotary wing or UAS. The only thing I can think of to distinguish the two is that UAS is growing, and if you’re planning on getting out and want to continue in the field, jobs on the UAS side might be more in demand.

Either way, good luck and do your best!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2018 11:12 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 23:12:25 -0500

I’m a 15T, best job in the Army. Get to work on them and fly in them.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 2 at 2018 11:23 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 11:23:52 -0500

From a 15R, go 15E it’s a lot smaller platform to work on and UAVs are the future. I’ve been in just over 6 years and still don’t know everything about the Apache

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 2 at 2018 1:17 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 13:17:43 -0500

I’m a 15E it’s not a bad job there is a lot of duty stations that you can go to. Also there are two different platforms that you can work on. Also the job opportunity’s when you get out are extensive due to the demand for UAS qualifyed people.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 2 at 2018 4:09 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 16:09:11 -0500

You won’t be stuck in Arizona good Chance fort bliss tho lol

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2018 6:27 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 18:27:56 -0500

15R

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2018 10:39 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 10:39:03 -0500

IM a 15R and I love what I do just work on apaches everyday
My battle is rn in Bragg an he hates everyone he works with not his job though

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2018 2:41 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 14:41:38 -0500

Go 15R. You’re guaranteed to go to an aviation unit. Where with the 15E you will likely get stuck in an engineer battalion.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2018 10:15 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 22:15:02 -0500

Both are great. Can’t go wrong with aviation. You would not get stuck in Arizona for 15E. And 15R is what I am and I love it.

Response by SPC Jameson Dowler made Jan 7 at 2018 5:04 PM

SPC Jameson Dowler — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 17:04:30 -0500

I was a 15R. I enjoyed every minute of it. It really just depends where you get stationed. I was in 3ID. I would advise to try and stay away from that unit because you will get stuck there. Its a black hole.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 12 at 2018 11:32 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 11:32:09 -0500

I'm a 15E, I love my job, it's great to walk into the hangar with 6 bloody birds, hundreds of kills, get my hooah on and my E-Tool cocked. I coined the term 15Everything, cause you'll be doing it. We are continuously growing in responsibility and equipment but the Strategic level still doesn't understand UAS and it's uses to battlefield commanders (mainly cause the field keeps evolving). Deployments are exactly what you expect, flight line ops 24/7 under the grind. If you want to stay ahead and be an expert on future platforms come to us, I'll be glad to have you.

Response by SPC Jonathan Hammond made Jan 18 at 2018 4:06 PM

SPC Jonathan Hammond — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 16:06:32 -0500

15R sucked, all the work. None of the glory.. Officers get the applause while you spent 18 hours in the dark fixing a strap pack because they wanted to showoff to the female lt.... Whew... Sry flashbacks

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 19 at 2018 6:13 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 18:13:34 -0500

I just finished up my AIT for a 15E. You go to school in Arizona, but you will be there no longer than 6 months at most unless by some freak circumstance. But after that there is a decent amount of places to be stationed at, depending on your platform as I only really know the shadow system. For shadow, you can get sent to Lewis, Campbell, Riley, Bliss, Hood, Drum, Korea, Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, Polk, and a few joint bases. I've never heard of anyone staying at Fort Huachuca or seen it happen. You can become a contractor after 15E and make most likely around 6 figures a year is what I have heard everyone say, because it is a rapidly growing field. I don't know anything about deployments or how it actually goes down at a unit, as I am fresh out of AIT.

Response by SFC Casimir Vital made Feb 21 at 2018 8:36 AM

SFC Casimir Vital — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 08:36:12 -0500

15E more and better job opportunities on the outside. This mos is growing everyday and pays better than the attack helicopter tech on the outside. But you must be good at either one to succeed.

Response by SGT Jeffrey Ramsey made Mar 5 at 2018 9:48 AM

SGT Jeffrey Ramsey — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 09:48:48 -0500

You could get stationed in Arizona, but highly highly unlikely. And there are shadow units at almost every active duty base. If you get to go to Grey Eagle after shadow like I did, there will be 8-10 different bases you could go to. Training for each one is roughly 4 months. And as a MOS-T you're treated better. Just try to go TDY not PCS-Enroute so you can collect additional money. I was 15E for 3 years after declassing from 88M. Medically retired out of Hood, and now contract for one of the largest Contractor companies in the world. Make great money, and still enjoy my job. I liked 15E. Prob best decision I made in the Army... If you get to go to Grey Eagle unit.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 14 at 2018 12:05 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 00:05:32 -0400

As a 15r I love my job. Yeah we work the standard 12 hour duty days allot of times turn wrench’s before the sun is up and watch it go down before we go home. But it is honestly an amazing mechanically challenged job that always changes.. you never know what you’ll find broken

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2018 6:58 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 May 2018 18:58:08 -0400

15E will not get stuck at Huachuca..that is where you will go for your AIT, but as SPC you wont be stuck there... not sure where you would GO bc there are several 15E units around the army, but Huachuca wont be one of them

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2021 6:21 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 18:21:58 -0500

15R is a tough job only because the long hours. Compared to other jobs and other airframes this one takes the cake on maintenance to flight hours. Also due to the weapon system expect to always be in the field or doing a gunnery. A lot hate it but if you enjoy avaiation and not flying with your bird you will like this job.