Leave ROTC for Flight Warrant Officer for Aviation?

Well, there is a gamble involved. If you finish ROTC and don’t get accepted to Aviation Branch or you don’t pass flight school, at least you have a bachelors degree and you’re still an officer.

If you go warrant and fail flight school, you’ll be an enlisted guy filling a “needs of the Army’” slot without a bachelors degree.

Serving as an enlisted solder can be fun - I had a blast - but the pay is low and all the trash details suck.

I wanted to fly as well. I grew up on Top Gun (don't judge). I went to a high school that trained us as private pilots. Had my PPL when I left school. Ended up driving ships for the Navy. Had an absolute blast and never looked back, never had regrets. My point is, there are many different paths. Go for your dreams, but realize that where ever you end up can be the best place if you let it.

Before making any hasty decisions, consider a few factors. While you may have intense desire to fly, you also need to have robust profile for consideration.

1. Medical qualification. You must meet health standard, especially eyesight, in order to go into aviation. While many serve in uniform, some are not eligible based on specific deficiencies.

2. Physical fitness. Most uniformed personnel must be able to pass ACFT including pilots. You need to have strong score to be considered competitive

3. Mental qualification. You must have strong ASVAB score with particular focus on GT sub-score. Although some can do well on exam without college, you will be considered weak if numbers are not competitive.

https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/current-and-prior-service/advance-your-career/warrant-officer/flight-warrant-officers.html

Since you are not obligated by anything, you can definitely look into it. Go talk to a WO recruiter.

Good luck with high school to flight school if you don’t have flying experience. Officers are leaders first. Warrants are technicians so they mostly bitch and fly.

If you are an MS1 do you not have any college? This is really only a choice if you have a warrant contract. Otherwise, keep plugging along as you are till one comes your way. Good luck.

I prized all of my ROTC duties and at the time successfully completed the ROTC Flight Program that led to my selection to attend the U.S. Army OFWAC (Officer Fixed-Wing Aviation Course) following completion of Infantry Officer Basic Course. Following flight school I flew over 1000+ Hours as a Fixed-wing Aviator in 1 year. I later completed a Rotary-Wing Transition Course as a Reserve Officer and continued my flight status for another 8 years. I sustained my Reserve service with various assignments until I retired as an LTC.
My advice is to look at the long-term option whereby you can attain both aviation and status as a Commissioned Officer.

Maybe theres an option to switch from commissioned to warrant later on. Idk, if anyone out there know about it.

I am a retired aviation officer. I flew UH-1 and OH-58 for about 20 years. So, you know, I'm speaking from the point of view of an commissioned officer (O4) aviator. If I had to do it all over again I would be a warrant officer and fly my tail off. After flight school I kept getting desk job after desk job. After 20 years of being an aviator I only have about 1000 hours of flight time. It's true, my experience is on the end of the spectrum, the end closest to zero flight time, but it happens to a lot of commissioned aviators. Go warrant and fly your tail off.

You could since you have no contractual obligations. But don’t get tunnel vision on this affair. Flight WO is extremely competitive so before you decide to go that way (high school to flight school) make sure you have all of the requirements and that you are extremely competitive. I had the honor/privilege of commanding the WO Recruiting team (in-service) and had plenty of opportunities to talk with the Aviation WO Proponent Office. Hence why I tell you to make sure you have a superb packet before making a decision.

Best of lucks on your future endeavors!

I think you'll find this article helpful. I've shared it many times.

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/how-do-i-choose-an-army-branch-a-framework