Warrant Officer to Officer

[Lynxman]

Is it possible to go from a warrant officer position and then after a few years commisson as a Lt?

 

[Andy Neill]

Is it possible to go from a warrant officer position and then after a few years commisson as a Lt?

Yes. Things may have changed since I did it. One of the first things you can do is to get an RA appointment to Warrant. Then apply for a reserve commission as an officer. When I did it, I got a direct to Captain (I was a CW3 at the time). A few years later, I applied to go active duty as a captain and was granted that (I was on the promotion list for CW4 at the time). Later, I got my RA status as a commissioned officer.

In between the time I got my commission and went active duty with it, DOPMA (Defense Officer Personnel Managment Act) was passed precluding directs to Captain. It was only because I held a reserve commission to captain already that I was able to go active duty with it. Others who applied for commisisoning when I went active duty had to go to 2LT.

Another thing that has changed is than now warrants are commissioned somewhere along the road. I don't know how that affects the process. Research the 600 series of ARs to see if you find something about Warrants Applying for Commissions.

 

[JECKEL]

Yea, it's called Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA.

Things change over the years. Long ago there was some moving between Warrant to RLO and some movement from RLO to Warrant. During my time in the late eighties to the end of the ninties just about the only was to apply for OCS.
I did have a friend at one unit who changed branches. He was a Warrant Officer in the Aviation Branch and he switched over to 2LT in the Medical Branch. He recieved his gold bars in the mail and pinned them on before he left our unit. He attended the Medical Brach Officer Basic Course in San Antonio, TX and then was a RLO flying Blackhawks in the Medical Branch. He, of course, had to have his Bachelors degree and some inside help to make the jump but the program did exist.
At my last unit, we had a few guys make the jump to the Air Force. At the time it was a simple application and they were off in about 4 -5 months.
They did have to attend Air Force OTS but did not have to go back to flight school unless it involved a transition. One again, they had to have their Bachelors degree and the Air Force was in need of helo pilots at the time, but the program did exist and they all put several years in with the Air Force as RLOs.

 

[Jetdriver69]

I made the jump fom CW2 to USAF 2LT. Got my BS while flying in Europe, then applied for OTS and USAF flight school. Whole process took about six months, then 12 weeks OTS and another year of flight school. You got to want to do this bad as two full flight schools in one lifetime is a bit much. But USAF OTS is a joke compared to the old warrant officer school Class 83-21 I went through.

 

[Andy Neill]

I made the jump fom CW2 to USAF 2LT. Got my BS while flying in Europe, then applied for OTS and USAF flight school. Whole process took about six months, then 12 weeks OTS and another year of flight school. You got to want to do this bad as two full flight schools in one lifetime is a bit much. But USAF OTS is a joke compared to the old warrant officer school Class 83-21 I went through.

What pay grade were you in OTS?

 

[lookin4better]

Like these guys are saying, there are have been many different ways from WO to CO in the past.

If a recruiter is talking to you about WOFT, do NOT let him/her talk you into some sort of other job with promises of applying to flight school later. The WOFT application process if a lot of work for a recruiter, so sometimes they want to take the easy way out. If you want to go to WOCS and then Army flight school, stick to your guns and it will happen.

With the current demand, if you want to go directly from civilian to WO ( high school/college to flight school ) , its more than possible.

WOCS is still challanging, but its a complete breeze now compared to the 80's. Flight school will be a great year and a half ( ish ) of your life.

Good luck Lynx.

 

[Lynxman]

Well reason is my whole OCS process with Marines has been going down the drain. The whole needs of the Marines apparantly has dried up alot. My other option was for my Army Recruiting friend to set me up with a another warrant officer and go ahead and just do warrant officer and fly that way. Problem is I know someday I want to be a full blown officer. I'm assuming if and when I get through WOCS and Flight School they're will be someone who I can took to that can help me out with this?

 

[lookin4better]

Well reason is my whole OCS process with Marines has been going down the drain. The whole needs of the Marines apparantly has dried up alot. My other option was for my Army Recruiting friend to set me up with a another warrant officer and go ahead and just do warrant officer and fly that way. Problem is I know someday I want to be a full blown officer. I'm assuming if and when I get through WOCS and Flight School they're will be someone who I can took to that can help me out with this?

At that point OCS will be your option, ( yes you will have help-- you will just have to to an application packet and a selection board for Army OCS ) if you want to go to OTS ( USAF ) , it will have to be after your service obligation from Army flight school --- usually 6 years -- however the Army OCS is an option just about any time after flight school graduation. Just be aware, as a " real " officer in Army Aviation, you will not fly as much as a WO....

Keep in mind, all this changes by need ( as you already found out ).

 

[lookin4better]

To directly answer your first question :

Yes, its absolutely not an issue and very possible after a few years to become a 2LT.

 

[kingairyahoo]

curious question...why would one want[/] to go from WO to CO?

 

[Jetdriver69]

If I remember right, I was paid only E5 pay as I has resigned my warrant to join the USAF, but it was only for 12 weeks. Things might be different now. I totally agree with not letting your recruiter talk you into joining as enlisted, then try for WO later. It is not easier! In fact, if you have a non cooperative commander, he could make it impossible. I understand that recruiters do not get the same credit for a WO candidate than for a enlisted job, that also might be different now. I did listen to my recruiter, mostly because I was 17 and had no one to tell me otherwise. But I scored high enough on the ASVAB to get whatever enlisted job I wanted. I worked on the armament and electronic systems on the AH-1S, 229th Attack Helicopter 101st Airborne. I can't say it was a waste of 2 years because I wasn't flying, but it did give me a better appreciation of enlisted guys and it did make me a better officer. Unless things have changed quite a bit, warrant officers did most of the flying and the CO did the leading and paperwork. The only good CO pilots that I saw were the young LTs commanding platoons, the other guys would get lost 10 miles from the airfield. I went into the Army with the intention of eventually getting into the AF flying jets. I flew my entire 21 year career as a WO and getting out as an USAF 0-4. You can't do that as starting out as a 2LT in either service, too much required staff duty. But you will never make 0-6 or above either going from WO to CO unless you stay in long past 20 years. Depends what is more important to you. I wanted to fly airlines after retirement. But as it turned out, my Fortune 25 corporate job is much better than any airline gig. I started collecting retirment pay at age 39 and will get it until I croak, tough to beat that. Hope this info helps.

 

[Andy Neill]

curious question...why would one want to go from WO to CO?

In my case, I kept looking at the commissioned officers I was getting as platoon leaders and thought - I can do that and I can do it better. Before that, I was quite happy as a warrant.

 

[GCD]

"But you will never make 0-6 or above either going from WO to CO unless you stay in long past 20 years."

Well, I have a good friend that went from Army WO1 to USAF 2LT and is now an O6. He's promoted out of flying and wishes he was a WO.

By-the-way, the Army just direct commissiond a E7 to O3, so the Army can do whatever the Army has the desire to do.

 

[Andy Neill]

By-the-way, the Army just direct commissiond a E7 to O3, so the Army can do whatever the Army has the desire to do.

I bet you that E-7 had a hip pocket reserve commission with which he progressed from 2LT to CPT while he was an active duty sergeant.

 

[GCD]

I bet you that E-7 had a hip pocket reserve commission with which he progressed from 2LT to CPT while he was an active duty sergeant.

No, can't do that any more like in the old days. She went direct from E7 to O3. Of course, working at HRC didn't hurt her.

 

[sardaddy]

You can also apply for the Coast Guards direct commission officer program as a pilot to make the switch.

 

[kingairyahoo]

You can also apply for the Coast Guards direct commission officer program as a pilot to make the switch.

coast guard...arent we in the military section here?

 

[QOL_is_great:)]

Well reason is my whole OCS process with Marines has been going down the drain. The whole needs of the Marines apparantly has dried up alot. My other option was for my Army Recruiting friend to set me up with a another warrant officer and go ahead and just do warrant officer and fly that way. Problem is I know someday I want to be a full blown officer. I'm assuming if and when I get through WOCS and Flight School they're will be someone who I can took to that can help me out with this?

Lynx,
Sounds like you are not a warrant right now? I though be the title of the thread you were. Yet, you have a want to be an officer as oppose to a warrant. Careful what you wish for brother. Listen, if you're not a warrant or an officer and you want to be an officer then do what's needed to secure that position. Go for it hard. Remember, a warrant's job is to fly and the officer is in management. There will be less flight positions or bases in your future if you decide to be an officer in the army.

Are you an enlisted person or a civilian? Do you want to fly as an officer or not? Does it matter what you fly? I know the Air Force is putting less people into flight training. If the corps has dried up then what does the navy have? I understand that the services are scaling back on numbers, but they do need to fill slots yearly. If they too have dried up then your only choice may be the army.
When the army cuts back on officer flight school slots then it becomes very competitive to get in. I guess this is why you are seeking the warrant officer program? This would be your best choice.

Once in the army as a warran then you'll apply to be an officer and attend OCS is all goes well. They may or may not reclassify you into another branch. MSC or MI could be a possibility.

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[sardaddy]

coast guard...arent we in the military section here?

WOW! That was hilarious, I nearly fell off my chair laughing. hahahahaha. Whew! That was great. the tears in my eyes from laughing are making it hard to type. Really, it would be funny if it wasn't such an old joke.

You keep laughing, while I finish my patrol of Seattle and the Canadian border, never see a tent as I go TAD in an Embassy Suites or at worse in my stateroom on a cutter, get paid max flight pay, O-4 over 20 and log way more flight time.

Honestly, i am not offended and take jokes like that light heartedly. I did the Army gig for 10 years and loved it but the branch managers and I did not see eye to eye. I like this job more. I recommend it to anyone. It is a great way to go from warrant to commissioned. Plus you are guarateed to come in as a pilot.

 

[QOL_is_great:)]

coast guard...arent we in the military section here?

Just wondering, did you ever serve in the military? If so, what branch?

I will tell you that the USCG is MILITARY. They are not under the DOD, but under the DHS now days. They are more military then ever before, but they have always (since at least 1917) been considered a form of the military and then some.