Questions from a prior service aviation hopeful

[Collegestudent275]

Hello everyone,
First of all I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank any pilots, fixed or rotary wing, who have conducted close air support missions during the GWOT. For your ordnance all grunts are eternally grateful, especially myself.

Anyways, I recently separated from the Army after 4 years (enlisted, E4) and am now attending college with my GI Bill, working towards a degree in physics. I have always wanted to fly fixed wing aircraft. Although I don't regret my time in the Army by any means, I did not have adequate eyesight for some time. After exiting the service, however, I had PRK surgery as soon as possible. Given the possibility of the opportunity that lays ahead, I wanted to figure out some particulars and was lucky enough to stumble upon this web forum. I have researched all of my questions, but wanted some confirmation due to my ignorance concerning the Navy and the aviation world. I am sure these questions have been asked before but the information that I have researched is somewhat inconsistent/hard to understand.

Firstly, can someone help me understand how I would go about being commissioned with the Navy. From my understanding, OCS is my only option. What is the process for being commissioned, and how does my prior service factor in? (I am 23 years old).

Second, is a degree in physics a good choice for aviation, or just a waste of time?

Thirdly, since I am 23, I am racing against the clock. I am having trouble figuring out exactly where I stand. I plan on hammering college semester to semester with no summer breaks. Even withstanding that, suppose I am 27 when I graduate college. Will I be too old, or does the 24 month age waiver apply to me? Is the age limit for the time I am commissioned or the time I enter the flight program?

Fourth, what is being a Navy officer like? Specifically, how are they treated, what are their additional duties (besides flying) like, how is the aviation lifestyle (as far as rotations, training, stress levels, amount of travel)?

Fifth, long term question, but has anyone here attended the Naval Postgraduate School, and if so, what was it like and how were they given the opportunity to attend the school.

I would be extremely grateful for any help in learning about becoming a Naval Aviator. I don't want to send the wrong impression with my questions about 'stress levels' and such. I wish to be clear that I am very familiar with the realities of military life, and am just curious about overall quality of life in the Navy. I am not a starry-eyed high school kid with far flung notions. I would very much appreciate an honest statement concerning what a Naval Aviator's life is like. I simply wish to know what to expect from the Navy in this regard.

Sincerely,

CollegeStudent275

 

[wlawr005]

I'll hit some of the easy ones...you're good until you're 29 due to your prior service. I'll defer to the recruiters on advice about when to start putting together an OCS package. I would guess sooner is better than later.

A degree in physics is useless anywhere unless you plan on getting a PhD and teaching or researching something. Take it from me, I wanted to do Physics...settled for Mech E. Get a degree in something you wanna pursue after the military...or sooner if this whole OCS thing doesn't work out.

Life in the Navy, life as an aviator, and NPS are way too time consuming to hit on, but there are plenty of threads on this site that will give you enough info to make your eyes bleed.

PRK is good...you got it, you can see, no worries.

Good luck.

 

[roflsaurus]

I was in a similar situation (5 years navy, got out for college, OCS). As far as I know, there's no reason you can't start drilling with your school's NROTC unit if you have one. You won't need a scholarship, but you can pick up advanced standing. I had talked to ERAUs NROTC about doing it when I first started college, and they made it seem like it wouldn't be all that tough to pick up. Don't know if that's still the case or not, but it can't hurt talking to them and seeing what's up.

 

[Collegestudent275]

wlar005,

Thank you for that clarification. It is a relief to know I'm not too time constrained. I will take your advice on physics/mechanical engineering into consideration.

roflsaurus,
What exactly are the pro's and con's of getting commissioned through the ROTC program? Would it be advantageous to commission this way as opposed to OCS?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Something that you need to keep in mind, if you suffered any injuries while on AD and you go past your 8 year military service obligation and have not affiliated with the reserves then you will be evaluated (medically) as a new accession, so things that may be fine if you are under the MSO may be disqualifying if over the MSO.

Do well in college, a crappy GPA won't get you anywhere.

 

[Collegestudent275]

NavyOffRec,
I had back surgery in 2011, but recovered and returned to jump status, and finished out my time in full capacity (conducted a lot of physically demanding training, deployed). I did not denote any disability when I separated. I am fully physically capable. Will the record of my back injury 'scare' a recruiter off, or do I just need to pass a medical exam? I feel that the way it looks on paper, although I was injured, I have more than enough proof on paper that I can serve in full capacity, post back injury. (It was just a herniated disc, and I have no metal/screws in my back).

 

[exNavyOffRec]

NavyOffRec,
I had back surgery in 2011, but recovered and returned to jump status, and finished out my time in full capacity (conducted a lot of physically demanding training, deployed). I did not denote any disability when I separated. I am fully physically capable. Will the record of my back injury 'scare' a recruiter off, or do I just need to pass a medical exam? I feel that the way it looks on paper, although I was injured, I have more than enough proof on paper that I can serve in full capacity, post back injury. (It was just a herniated disc, and I have no metal/screws in my back).

It is not what you can prove, it is can you meet new accession standards (if you don't stay in the reserves), there are MANY things that people can have happen, fully recover, but still not get in because the standards say "history of".

 

[roflsaurus]

There are numerous advantages/disadvantages to either commissioning program. I guess the main advantage would be, guaranteed job/commission upon graduating. The disadvantage would be the possibility of getting SWO drafted.

Just to be clear, I decided not to do NROTC. I decided it best to keep all my options open and ultimately go the OCS route. Just wanted to throw it out there that you might have another option.

 

[Fallonflyr]

Don't forget to get in touch with a Marine OSO (Officer Selection Officer) to look into the PLC program. Either way, Naval Aviator is the best job in the world.

 

[Collegestudent275]

roflsaurus,
Thank you for the suggestion. I actually did some research after your mentioning of the program. Also same to Fallonflyr, I appreciate that suggestion and am beginning to realize there are many paths into aviation.

NavyOffRec,
In what capacity would I need to stay in the reserves to avoid those problems? Is it affiliation, and if so what does affiliation entail? Would I be able to transfer my remaining service obligation to a different branch? And last question, would participating in an ROTC program also circumvent the need to pass new accession standards?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

roflsaurus,
Thank you for the suggestion. I actually did some research after your mentioning of the program. Also same to Fallonflyr, I appreciate that suggestion and am beginning to realize there are many paths into aviation.

NavyOffRec,
In what capacity would I need to stay in the reserves to avoid those problems? Is it affiliation, and if so what does affiliation entail? Would I be able to transfer my remaining service obligation to a different branch? And last question, would participating in an ROTC program also circumvent the need to pass new accession standards?

I am not sure what type of affiliation, but once you meet your MSO then you are no longer "owned" by the military, as long as you maintain some affiliation you are still "owned", I don't know if NROTC would count.

A herniated disc or "history of" is considered disqualifying according to new accession standards, I am not saying if you don't affiliate you couldn't get cleared, I am not saying if you do affiliate you will get cleared, but why take the chance of having to meet new accession standards.

I had a guy who was AD USN, got out, didn't affiliate, applied, was pro Y, then DQ due to a condition, in many back and forth with N3M they had said if he would have still been under MSO or been affiliated he could have been cleared, his MSO expired 6 months prior.

You would also have to get through NAMI which I won't touch as it is a different animal, but some aviators here may be able to shed some light on that part.

 

[Collegestudent275]

NavyOffRec,

Understood. Thank you for making me aware of what to watch out for.