Warrant Officer to Officer

[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.