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Calgunners in Service This forum is a place for our active duty and deployed members to share, request and have a bit of home where ever they are. |
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#1
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Thinking about Joining....
So Ive been in college for 2 years now, working on getting my AA and then my BS. The schools that I applied to transfer to all denied me. Im at a true crossroads right now and its confusing me.
Ever since I could remember flying a Helicopter has been a true dream of mine. Any type of helicopter would be amazing, but a UH-1 or MH-6 would be amazing. I would plan to use the training to become a pilot for a local Police Department. Basically Im just looking for some opinions. Also need some help on how to bring this up to my family. Please also tell me what I am looking at as far as the road ahead of me. Any more questions I might have Im going to post up as well. Feel free to ask away as well. Thank You
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Last edited by Colt562; 02-20-2013 at 6:23 PM.. |
#2
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Well what are you doing now? I think your best choice to be a helicopter pilot may be the Army. (Just my opinion, not based on anything)
Or you could just apply to be an LEO. There is no guarantee you'll become a helicopter pilot in any branch that you sign up for plus with the current budget the different branches are feeling a squeeze. But if you do join, choose a job that can easily translate to the civilian world. Did you read this thread http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=691977 Last edited by Linh; 02-20-2013 at 7:44 PM.. |
#3
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Yeah I was reading that thread after I posted this.
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#4
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I have no idea. Have good grades and everything. I heard about the news yesterday and have been bummed out ever since.
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#5
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I'd focus on getting your BS right now. You are still young. Get your BS And then see where you are at in life. Would they accept some of the credits or none at all? Some colleges, credits aren't transferable. I'd contact a counselor and ask them directly why you were denied.
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#6
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It sucks going from thinking Im going to get into a school and then not getting into one.
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Last edited by Colt562; 02-20-2013 at 8:58 PM.. |
#7
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Ya I'd see if you can find out why they denied you. If you can find out maybe that'll tell you if it'll be worth the appeal or not. Idk the prerequisite for being a pilot, wether its a BS or AA that'll suffice. That's something to look into also. What would you want to do besides be a pilot? Crew chief is aviation related and they know more about the aircraft then the pilot does. Something to think about.
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#8
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Special Forces would be my 2nd Helicopter Gunner would by my 3rd
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#9
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It looks like for the Army they have a program "high school to flight school" you dont have to have a higher education for that. Ill have to look up for the Marines.
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#10
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the Marines only allow commisioned officers with flight contracts to go helicopter, the Marines are also the only branch left that still uses the UH-1 (no longer designated that but i get what you mean) the army's program your talking about is what a friend of mine did, very similar to you, he did a couple years of junior college and went in for the army helicopter pilot program.
you will not be a commisioned officer, you will be a warrant officer. you will still have to attend regular basic training but you will graduate and E5 and go strait to warrant officer school, and then strait to ft rucker for flight school. if you want to fly Marines, you need that BS, no way around it, and i believe its the same for the other branches also. |
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#12
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My suggestion,
Do whatever it takes to get your degree first. Trying to finish one while you're in is not the easiest thing to do, although it is possible. Passing the opportunity now is only going to hamstring you if/when you get out. Not only that, but it opens up a commission in all branches for you, not just warrant in the Army. Who knows, maybe after some talking you find out the Army just isn't you're thing, best to leave yourself options. This all just my slightly disgruntled enlisted opinion, but your mileage may vary. -Erik |
#13
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Ill have to take that into consideration.
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#14
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You can always apply again for the universities of your choice for the next semester. There are also other universities that I'm sure would be most accomodating to you. Just do not give up. It's all a part of the journey. If you are currently attending a Jr. College, it would be a good idea to speak with a counselor about your results in applying to 4 year institutions. The counselor will definitely be able to give you more insight and hopfully success into your next submission of applications.
Best of luck to you! Last edited by MontezumaBlackOut; 02-20-2013 at 10:11 PM.. Reason: fix |
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Also with all these budget cuts a lot of state schools are cutting back on accepting students specially freshman. But try again, don't get discourage. |
#16
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He enjoyed his time in the Army but has made the decision to leave to go fly private sector. I would encourage you to finish that degree first, it will open more doors and give you more options. as an enlisted guy for 9 years, I love my job and i love the corps, but i wish i had a degree. School first young man, then go out and do all the fun stuff!
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#17
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I cannot thank you enough for bringing this to my attention. I am definently going to but this in my appeal letter.
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#18
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Active or Reserve? I've been in the Army Reserve since 2009, came in as an E4 after I finished my B.S. If you join a high optempo unit, you're not going to get much continuity. There will always be something going on to make you miss midterms or finals. In the first three years at my unit, I spent 20 months away from home.
I strongly recommend you finish your bachelor's degree before joining. You'll have much more choice in occupations, and it's something that just keeps opening doors for you throughout your career. If your mind is set, have a look at ROTC. Maybe you can get your last two years at State paid for and have some shiny gold bars waiting for you when you get your diploma. You could go Warrant Officer, but I wouldn't expect any sexy attack helicopters, you'll be up against men and women with aeronautics/engineering degrees, flight experience, etc. Expect a 1957 Chinook with a couple of "ventilation" holes and a puddle of hydraulic oil under the fuselage.
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-Miran Resident Yugo expert Last edited by CowtownBallin; 02-22-2013 at 7:26 PM.. |
#19
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I would encourage you to consider the PLC program for the Marines. That way you finish school and come out commissioned. I worked in a Marine helo squadron ( hueys and Cobras) and it was a great time. My current reserve unit has a recently retired CW4 USA / ANG pilot (Hueys and Blackhawks), he or i can always provide good info since we both do recruiting.
My son seems to have had potentially the same issue with 4-year acceptance. After talking with numerous other parents, Sadly it seems being middle class, honor society and white hurt his chances in CA. I couldn't convince him to consider other state colleges outside CA. Thanks for considering to serve - it takes a lot to do it, but you should come out a better person for the experience. |
#20
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#21
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have known plenty of people that joined with just an AA and completed their BS and even a Masters while in. It is easier to do in the Reserves then on Active duty though. In the Reserves you will get your G.I. bill right out of AIT and as long as you show up to Battle Assemblies you can use it. You will also have Tuition Assistance available as long as you show up and pass your PT Tests and Height and Weight. Having a degree before you join is not going to give you much of a leg up for quite a while. About all it will do is make you a Shake and Bake Specialist. The career options available to you depend solely on how you score on the ASVAB. You could have a degree in Rocket Science from M.I.T. but if you bomb the ASVAB you will not have many choices. You also do not have to have your B.S. in hand to Commission. You can get a Direct Commission with an AA and have until you are ready to pin Captain to complete your BS. You can also so the SMP program in the Reserves since you already have an Associates. You would complete Basic and AIT to take care of your Freshman and Sophomore year requirements and then be in the ROTC program as well as attend Battle Assemblies as a DOT. After you Commission you will attend the appropriate Branch school.
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#23
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edit: but the denial does seem kinda fishy, just figure out whats going on with that... |
#24
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Get your degree and talk to your family amd some recruiters, before you sign talk to someone already enlisted or a veteran. Most of the time its needs of thw military before what you really want to do, but you never know you'll luck into a MOS you like and may get a duty station that may be awesome. The only down side is that you wouldnt be able to fly helicopters but thats what retirement is for.... I think.
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