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Warrant Officer to Officer

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Lynxman

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Posts
747
Is it possible to go from a warrant officer position and then after a few years commisson as a Lt?
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
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.
 
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?
 
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 ).
 
To directly answer your first question :

Yes, its absolutely not an issue and very possible after a few years to become a 2LT.
 
curious question...why would one want[/] to go from WO to CO?
 

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