If not aviation, then what?

[echo1]

Ag...get into crop dusting. Become a saddle tramp.

I started on my private, soloed in '68 and Ohlone JC had a Commercial Pilot Curriculum that I took classes while in HS. But guys were coming back from Nam with thousands of hours and there wasn't any way to be competitive so I quit flying. Then in '76 I got a job with an ag operation, Trinkle & Boys, Tracy, went in on a Tripacer and had my private within 3 months. Ended up with plenty of time (900 hrs), passed my commercial written, but never got my ticket. Life got in the way.

Fast forward to now, I'm retired and back in ag, for my up coming 3rd season with Jensen in Pingree Idaho. There's a demand for ag pilots, and you're not to old. PAX

[CrazyCobraManTim]

Mustard - are you at SLO, Benning or SD for accelerated OCS?

And no - don't ring that bell unless something in your life requires it. Get your bars. Rolling back to enlisted isn't a death kiss, but a percentage of SNCO's and officers may privately look at a DOR as mission failure.

I liked the suggestion of going Army Maintenance Officer - while simultaneously pursuing your VA benefits for a pilot's license (even if it is initially for fixed wing - not a lot of those in the USA / CAARNG).

I have a master aviator I can ping for more S2. He occasionally runs the field at Los Al. Perhaps Chief Murph knows a trick or two with 50+ years in uniform for the USA, USAR and CAARNG (yup - that's a Vietnam to Iraq timeline before medical sidelined him). This guy has more years in uniform on God's green earth than I do simply on this earth (and I'm passed the 1/2 century mark).

[RANDO]

Go into the coast guard make e-5 then go into the army’s helicopter pilot program. A little over 10 years ago there was a program just for that

[riserdive]

Just for clarification.. GI Bill is fractionally available for people with partial Active Duty Time. Traditional Guard/Reserve.

The 100% GI Bill benefit requires 36 month cumulative (not continuous) Federal service. 90 Aggregate days still qualifies for a 40% benefit.

ADOS-CO, ADOS-RC, ADT, ADTS Counts. AT and IDT do not. State Active Duty (ESAD) and ADSW do not count (pretty sure ESAD or Title 32 counter drug stuff doesn't count towards retirement either, but that's another discussion). With deployments being very scare, it could easily take someone 15-20 years to reach the 36 months Active Federal Service mark (if ever).

[Che762x39]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Last year I joined the CA Army National Guard, under the premise i'd be an officer and branch into aviation.

When I was in the CA Army Guard the recruiter was upfront and said no way for Aviation, Infantry, Armor or Artillery. I was offered Logistics but I passed on that

[jstert]

buckle down and stay in cal arng ocs. get commissioned. talk to your signing unit to learn your signing unit’s branch and your projected mos (how in heaven can anyone literate enlist and not know?). if you don’t like what you signed up for transfer to another unit. do your best at whatever job you get. opportunities arise. this is life, not just reserve, advice.

me. enlisted: 1 year active army, 5 years arng & usar. officer: 20 years usnr.


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[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by riserdive

Just for clarification.. GI Bill is fractionally available for people with partial Active Duty Time. Traditional Guard/Reserve.

The 100% GI Bill benefit requires 36 month cumulative (not continuous) Federal service. 90 Aggregate days still qualifies for a 40% benefit.

ADOS-CO, ADOS-RC, ADT, ADTS Counts. AT and IDT do not. State Active Duty (ESAD) and ADSW do not count (pretty sure ESAD or Title 32 counter drug stuff doesn't count towards retirement either, but that's another discussion). With deployments being very scare, it could easily take someone 15-20 years to reach the 36 months Active Federal Service mark (if ever).

Actually, that's not entirely true. My Operation Jump Start time in 2006 and 2007 counts and the code under which the orders are cut is what determines it. Took me a total of 6.5 years to get it.

For example, if you're ADOS RC but it's an army order under 12302(d) (I think that was the last one I saw), then it counts.

As far as deployments being rare...there are so many opportunities, it unheard of.

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by jstert

buckle down and stay in cal arng ocs. get commissioned. talk to your signing unit to learn your signing unit’s branch and your projected mos (how in heaven can anyone literate enlist and not know?). if you don’t like what you signed up for transfer to another unit. do your best at whatever job you get. opportunities arise. this is life, not just reserve, advice.

me. enlisted: 1 year active army, 5 years arng & usar. officer: 20 years usnr.


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Currently, I would advise differently, but this is my opinion. Being an officer now is far, far more political then it ever was. It is a perilous time, especially with the new command regs making an officer responsible for even the APPEARANCE of anything wrong. Facts no longer count; the innuendo is all that is necessary to end a career.

I would stay enlisted and get as many certifications as possible that will apply in the outside world. So many jobs in the Gaurd and USAR are only for enlisted, but the knowledge is absolutely usable in the civilian world.

Just me...don't be an officer. I spent 17 years in Cal Guard, and the last 2.5 in the USAR working with both AD and reserve both as an officer and am just waiting on retirement. Ironically, my look at O5 is the same month as my 20 year letter. We'll see.