Posted on Aug 2, 2023
What's the best way to become an aviation officer in the FLARNG?
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Would anyone know the best way to become an aviation officer in the FL Army National Guard? I am about to start my junior year of college & also my MS3 year of ROTC at FIU here in Miami. I've heard it's helpful to try to do my cadet SMP time with them. Even though one unit is based in Tampa & the other in Jacksonville(both far), I don't mind making that drive once a month if it means it might help to secure the branch I've always wanted. I requested a transfer to either of the unit's, but my state OSM informed me they currently are not taking cadets, this was about 1 month ago. I had a friend who deployed with me in 2021(before I was a cadet), when we got back, shortly after, he got promoted & sent to be apart of the S1 in the aviation unit here, he has since then transferred because of the great distance it is to get there once a month, but when he heard of my interest in wanting to go aviation, he wrote his former shop coworkers a pretty neat e-mail asking if they could take me as a cadet, in this e-mail he also highlighted some of my military achievement's to spice it up, this was also about a month ago & we have not received a response. Aside from that, I have no POC's in the aviation units, but if I had the information, I would go to every flight board they'd have from now until I graduate to try & secure my spot. Another COA I have is to try to find some currently active pilot's in the FLARNG & see if they have any helpful advice. Any information or better COA's would be greatly appreciated.
Posted in these groups: 
Aviation
15A: Aviation Officer
Flight School - Rotary WingFlorida ARNGUSARNG
Aviation 15A: Aviation Officer Flight School - Rotary WingFlorida ARNGUSARNG
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
Cadet CPT (Join to see), while drilling with an Aviation (AV) unit could help, you might be focusing on the wrong things depending on what you ultimate goal is, especially since the AV branch allocations are very competitive.
To be clear, is your focus to be “branched Aviation”, “branched Aviation in the reserve component”, or is it “branched Aviation in the FLARNG”? The reason for the distinction is that there are different ways to approach this goal (the process is laid out in the Cadet Command’s guidance*) because there are different accession allocations for each component.
As an aside, regardless of which course you go, you MUST pass your Selection Instrument for Flight Training {SIFT} and an aviation physical, before you're able to be branched Aviation. If you fail your SIFT twice or don't pass an aviation physical, you're disqualified from Aviation.
Why do I mention that now? Because of the deadlines involved and the branch accessions process for ROTC cadets, the recommendation is that you take your SIFT in the summer of your Junior year and the flight physical during the second semester of your Junior year if you know you want to be branched AV.
Back to being appointed in the Aviation branch. Reserve component branch assignments are handled a bit differently than active component assignments (see the ROTC guidance mentioned above for details), but in essence you work your branch though the approving authority.
In the case of the ARNG, the process is ultimate decided by the state’s Officer Strength Manager (specific to Florida, the contact info is about halfway down the page at https://nationalguard.com/select-your-state/FL). If you want to be “An AV officer in the FLARNG”, the best advice is to contact them and discuss what would make you competitive for an Aviation branch and assignment.
For the USAR, it’s similar, but it’s done at the USARC, G1’s office and cadets that are interested in AV submit an “Army Reserve Aviation Interest Form” to let them know you’re interested.
For the Regular Army (Active Component), the process is done though the new Talent Based Branching (TBB) process. Prior to FY22, the old process for branching for ROTC cadets was largely based one's ranking on the nationwide OML (Order of Merit List) ranking. The new process still has the OML ranking, but uses a process* much like the way the active component assignment process is for officers.
If you’re not familiar with the ROTC OML, it takes measures of performance in three areas (academics, leadership, and physical). Processing of branch requests are conducted in OML order, but other considerations apply (for example, only AV pre-qualified are considered for AV, etc.). Every cadet will be placed on the OML regardless if they are going for active or reserve component. The OML is very important (it used to be critically important) for active component accessions along with acing the branch interview*.
Back to the option of “Branching AV in the FLARNG”. I would recommend at the earliest opportunity to contact the Officer Strength Manager. A lot of what you should focus on will come from that conversation.
Good luck.
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* USACC Circular 601-23-1 - https://www.cadetcommand.army.mil/res/files/forms_policies/circulars/USACC%20Circular%20601-23-1%20ROTC%20Accessions%20Fiscal%20Year%202023.pdf
* Active Component cadet branching process overview - https://inside.ewu.edu/rotc/overview-of-army-rotcs-new-talent-based-branching-process/
* Aviation Branch – More active component focused, but does cover what the branch looks for and FAQs - https://home.army.mil/novosel/index.php/aviationcadets
To be clear, is your focus to be “branched Aviation”, “branched Aviation in the reserve component”, or is it “branched Aviation in the FLARNG”? The reason for the distinction is that there are different ways to approach this goal (the process is laid out in the Cadet Command’s guidance*) because there are different accession allocations for each component.
As an aside, regardless of which course you go, you MUST pass your Selection Instrument for Flight Training {SIFT} and an aviation physical, before you're able to be branched Aviation. If you fail your SIFT twice or don't pass an aviation physical, you're disqualified from Aviation.
Why do I mention that now? Because of the deadlines involved and the branch accessions process for ROTC cadets, the recommendation is that you take your SIFT in the summer of your Junior year and the flight physical during the second semester of your Junior year if you know you want to be branched AV.
Back to being appointed in the Aviation branch. Reserve component branch assignments are handled a bit differently than active component assignments (see the ROTC guidance mentioned above for details), but in essence you work your branch though the approving authority.
In the case of the ARNG, the process is ultimate decided by the state’s Officer Strength Manager (specific to Florida, the contact info is about halfway down the page at https://nationalguard.com/select-your-state/FL). If you want to be “An AV officer in the FLARNG”, the best advice is to contact them and discuss what would make you competitive for an Aviation branch and assignment.
For the USAR, it’s similar, but it’s done at the USARC, G1’s office and cadets that are interested in AV submit an “Army Reserve Aviation Interest Form” to let them know you’re interested.
For the Regular Army (Active Component), the process is done though the new Talent Based Branching (TBB) process. Prior to FY22, the old process for branching for ROTC cadets was largely based one's ranking on the nationwide OML (Order of Merit List) ranking. The new process still has the OML ranking, but uses a process* much like the way the active component assignment process is for officers.
If you’re not familiar with the ROTC OML, it takes measures of performance in three areas (academics, leadership, and physical). Processing of branch requests are conducted in OML order, but other considerations apply (for example, only AV pre-qualified are considered for AV, etc.). Every cadet will be placed on the OML regardless if they are going for active or reserve component. The OML is very important (it used to be critically important) for active component accessions along with acing the branch interview*.
Back to the option of “Branching AV in the FLARNG”. I would recommend at the earliest opportunity to contact the Officer Strength Manager. A lot of what you should focus on will come from that conversation.
Good luck.
-----------------------------------------------------
* USACC Circular 601-23-1 - https://www.cadetcommand.army.mil/res/files/forms_policies/circulars/USACC%20Circular%20601-23-1%20ROTC%20Accessions%20Fiscal%20Year%202023.pdf
* Active Component cadet branching process overview - https://inside.ewu.edu/rotc/overview-of-army-rotcs-new-talent-based-branching-process/
* Aviation Branch – More active component focused, but does cover what the branch looks for and FAQs - https://home.army.mil/novosel/index.php/aviationcadets
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Cadet CPT (Join to see)
Thank you for the detailed response sir. Yes my goal is to be a pilot specifically in the FLARNG. I plan on staying National Guard & Florida at that. I have also already taken the GRFD scholarship which locks me into this but I knew that when I signed & have no problem with it as I already have had a great experience in the guard(most of it on active orders) for the past 4 years before I was a contracted cadet & I love taking part in the in-state missions. I recently got ahold of the state OSM's e-mail & I'll be preparing an e-mail for her soon enough with my interests. I'm tracking the SIFT as well as the flight physical, we'll see what info I get from the OSM. The link for the USACC Circular 601-23-1 had a lot of helpful information in it so thank you sir.
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I not know if Army Air Corps does it, but USAFR flies round-robin flights around the home state to pick up M Day folks on drill weekend. Pope AAF had a WI MAW for a while, and I know they did.
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