High School 2 Flight School Realistic?

Ok, I want to be a Helicopter Pilot, preferebly in The Army but Civillian would work good too. I went to see a Recruiter to talk to him about the High School to Flight School thing to become a Warrent Officer and he said that if I put in a packet as a Civillian it would be a waste of both of our time cause he said that I wont get picked up. He suggested that I go in as a Mechanic or another job that I like, and then put in my packet right when I start my job. This he said would get me in cause I would have millitary background and they hire more pilots withen than off of the street. My questions
Is it really that impossible to get in as a civillian?
Should I ask him to try and put my packet in as a civillian first?
What are the Chances of me getting picked up once I am at my new job?
If I do go in at a new job is there ones that will increase my chances of getting acepted as a Warrent Officer?
Is there anything that sounds a little wierd that I might be missing?

My Qualifications that I have now are
Eagle Scout Rank
High School Graduate
60 Semester Units at a Comunity College with a GPA of 3.0

I really dont mind starting as another jib I just dont want to get screwed and be stuck there for six years.

Thanks for any Replies
-Kevin

[Brad]

It's not true that you won't get it by applying as a civilian. When I looked at the program last year, they were screaming for pilots across the board - if you're a strong applicant, civilian or not, you'll get in. I didn't even have a degree, but I sailed through everything right up until the flight physical at the end.

My experience, and most people's experience, was that you will have a hard time finding a recruiter that wants to help you with the process. You need to demonstrate that you really want to do this ( A good exercise anyway, because there will be a number of times throughout the training process where you will fail unless you are determined to overcome any obstacle). Consider the recruiter the first obstacle to get past. Insist that the only thing you want to do is fly, and if he won't help you find another recruiter.

https://www.perscomonline.army.mil/O.../WOCS/CWOC.htm is the Army Recruiting Command's WOCS website. The more information you have the better off you'll be. I found myself actually informing my recruiter about what the requirements were and how to get things done.

If you really want to fly, don't let the recruiter talk you out of it.

Good luck!

[Brad]

These are the basic requirements, straight off the goarmy.com website:

Do you have what it takes to become a Warrant Officer? Applicants for the Warrant Officer Candidate School/Warrant Officer Flight Training program must:

Have a high school diploma.
Be at least 18 years of age at the time of enlistment and not have passed your 29th birthday when the board convenes. High school seniors may also apply. If you are 29-30 years of age, you may request a waiver.

Be a citizen of the United States.

Score 90 or higher on the revised Flight Aptitude Selection Test (FAST). FAST test results are valid indefinitely as long as verifiable official records exist. No waivers are available for failure to meet the minimum FAST score.

Earn a minimum of 110 General Technical (GT) score on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) (non-waivable as well). The GT score is one component of the ASVAB results.

Meet the Active Duty Army's screening height and weight standards.

Take a complete physical exam at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) and meet entry medical fitness standards as determined by military medical authorities no more than eighteen months prior to the date of application. Must also undergo a Class 1A Flight Physical Examination in addition to the one conducted at the MEPS and have results approved by Flight Surgeons at Fort Rucker, Alabama, prior to the selection board. The Flight Physical must also be less than 18 months old.

[Ram0528]

Just a sign of encouragement. A guy from my recruiting station was accepted into the WOFT program & didnt have that many college credits. Like Brad said, if this recruiter won't help you then find one that will.

[Coota0]

I've got an uncle that's an army oficer(Chaplain, he was attached to the 101st but go promoted and moved) he said that the Army is really desperate for pilots, al,most as depserate as the Army was during Vietnam.

[Coota0]

After talking to he recruiter yesterday, he told me that Highschool to Flightschool is realistic if the kid applying is very mature, I was told some younger canidates just don't have the maturaity to make it through WOCS.

Hope this helps.

[Av8tor152d]

Just some info for you I am a warrant and a pilot and in my WOCS class there was several "highschool to flightschool" canidates recruiters shy away from these packets becuase it requires them to do more than average amount of work and they do not get anymore credit for it than enlisting you as a PVT (this is what I am told by a former recruiter, and if I am offending any recruiters I am sorry) If this is what you want then go for it the rewards are tremeandous. Good luck and feel free to email me with any questions.

[Coota0]

AV8tor, I'm prepraring to submit my packet, I'd love any advice you have.

[6mEwQjSr]

Stick to your guns, it's a long path but it is worth it!

[Coota0]

Anyone else have any problems with the recruiter?

I got a phone call a couple of weeks ago after I took my ASVAB asking if I would be willing to enlist if I wasn't accepted for flight training. I didn't get why they were asking me, I've go time in fixed wing and I was told my GT score was really good (126) I just didn't get why the recruiter was getting cold feet.

Then I kept bugging my recruiter to find out when i could get up to Amarillo (closest MEPs to Lubbock) to take the AFAST, I called him literally twice a day. Finally when I asked what was taking so long and why they couldn't get this information the recruiter told me that he was having problems with MEPs. I was fed up at this point and I had enought experiance with the military through family and ROTC to know if you want to know something contact the NCOIC, ended up e-mailing the headquarters griyo in Dallas and had an answer in less than 6 hours.

I'm just curious if I have a recrutier that's slacking off or if these are typical problems when applying for flight school.

[Brad]

The recruiter doesn't get any extra credit for signing up a Warrant Officer - it's much less hassle for him to fill his quota with enlistees. Sometimes it's not mere laziness - the recruiter I dealt with just didn't really know the process and didn't want to spend the time finding out (right now the Army and Marines are really pushing to fill their requirements, so recruiters are pretty loaded with work).

The reason they're asking if you'll enlist if you don't make it is that they want to have the reassurance that their time's not being wasted on you if you don't make it to flight training. As long as they're BSing you, BS back - tell him you'll consider enlisting if you don't make it, but you expect to make it. Once you get through the AFAST and have your packet submitted it will be out of the recruiter's hands anyway - it'll be up to the Board after that.

[Coota0]

Was supposed to head up to MEPS tonight, not happening, becuase the recruiter filled out the paper work WRONG!
Did ya'll have these problems too?