Pilot Slot Guaranteed

I'm an enlisted infantryman in the Army National Guard and currently a college student. I have a private pilot's license and likely will have my commercial rating completed by the time at which I graduate. I have an interest in being a Naval Aviator. I was wondering if, before I committed to commissioning a Naval or Marine Corps officer, I could get a pilot slot guaranteed in my contract.

I am also curious as to how much of a factor college grades would be in determining if I could get such a slot and if my college major would matter. Is a degree in a technical subject required, as it seems to be in the Air Force?

You will apply to OCS for a certain designator (pilot, NFO, SWO, etc). If you don't get what you want, you aren't committed to go to OCS.

Grades are big. So is your performance on the standardized test known as the ASTB. Your PPL/Commercial tickets don't matter much (if at all). A technical major is not requred. Good grades in any major from an accredited university, solid ASTB scores, good letters of recommendation, good PRT scores, an excellent attitude, and a clean criminal record will go a long way. Best of luck.

Jake, drop me a line via PM if you want. I really don't have time to detail everything out right now. I will let you know, I came from the Army Reserve as an 88M and had a lot of the same background as you. If you want any tips, tricks, hints, gouge, whatever . . .I'll try my best to help you out. If I remember, I'll hop on here sometime this weekend and shoot you a message with what I know.

Thanks for the great info!

Realistically speaking, what types of grades would be competitive?

Once in flight school, what happens if one busts out? Must one fulfill one's commission?

I was accepted just over a year ago with a 3.0 in Technology Management. Don't expect to get in right now with that GPA. Work hard, get better grades.

I also had decent ASTB scores. I think I was 7/7/7 with a 60 OAR. Something like that.

If you f*ck up flight school, then you can possibly be redesignated to serve somewhere else, but with the force shaping that is going on, that's not a guarantee.

Just so I don't have to head over to an Air Force forum and ask there; can someone confirm my suspicions that in order to get a pilot slot in that service, one must have a degree in a technical field?

Also, is there a program in the USMC where one can get a pilot slot guaranteed before commissioning or going to TBS?

Jake, just want to throw you a bone here. Most of the information you're asking is available here if you use the search function. Some of the answers to your questions are in stickied threads too. Many of the people would rather you use the search function on the forum first. I'll assure you, this question has been asked before.

Yes. If you want to know more about it go search like eas said.

BDCP is closed right now, we have been told any kits submitted for BDCP will be Pro Rec "X"

While that is true, it does not guarantee the guy/gal will make it through API. I saw a few guys/gals with PPL/Commercial not make it and are now doing something else in the Navy. It can happen in the VTs/HTs too. I have seen licensed guys F it away. I have also seen licensed guys do extremely well. So it depends on the individual. I have also heard of licensed guys not wanting to do anything else but jets and they DOR when they do not get the Jet slot!

Having a PPL may have mattered in the past, but not much now, it is all about ASTB and GPA, I have seen many applicants with PPL/Com/Inst ratings with GPA's in the mid 3's who scored 6 or 7 on PFAR that were not selected, none had adverse info in their application.

I am personally amazed at the number of English/History/Psych majors I have had get 8's and 9's with no flight experience.

Of the SNA and SNFO's we have had drop in the pipline (that we know about) only one did not have flight training.

Nope and it really isn't even taken into consideration. There are many AF pilots with a degree in "basket weaving."

It really depends on the individual board, if they have 2 people with identical GPA, identical ASTB scores, colleges of the same Tier level, but one has degree in English and the other ME, they will default to tech degree, but I have had MANY selected with non technical degrees, now if one fails out of flight school a person with a tech degree has more designator options to stay in than one that has non tech degree.

Easy Solution.

Don't fail out of flight school.

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So true.

One thing I didn't understand is one of our SNA who was in the pipline his "group" all kept getting high scores, so then the cutoff went up and up, it seemed as if they were trying to flush a certain number out of the pipline, or was this just a perception?

Force shaping has many ugly and weird heads.

They involuntarily extended me from 7 years post wings to 8, then paid me $62,500 of a $125k DH Bonus, then forced me out at 12 years, and paid me a $78k separation pay, then tried to force me to finish out my DH commitment as a SELRES, then make me pay the 78k back when I get a reserve retirement at 60.

All the while, my CAG and below were shouting I'm needed to Big Navy.

Manpower management. We suck at it, even with a dedicated designator for it.

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You mean the HR designator? It seems for many that is a dumping ground for those who can't cut it in their original designator, I have met a few good HR officer though.

You could say that about almost any support designator.

1. Strive for a 3.2 GPA. It's not a magic number, but if I were in your shoes, that's about the GPA I would be comfortable with. Higher is better of course. And Major is almost not relevant. A 3.5 in English beats a 3.3 in Engineering when it comes to pilot selection, sorry.
2. The ASTB is a seriously EASY test. You don't even have to have an engineering background to do well on that portion. The test prep books are out there, and if you just study that thing like you would for any test you'll do in API (and its not THAT much material, its pretty condensed and basic), then you can expect to get 9/9/9 or close to it.
3. Fail out of flight school? Flight school is...challenging and requires work, but for +95% of the people that wash out, there's a reason behind it such as "I just didn't study for x test/flight" or "I drank the night before." Seriously, if you're the type of guy that loves flying enough to get your Commercial, then you don't have to worry about washing out. Just don't neglect the actual STUDYING and you'll be fine.

1. Not true anymore, the factors for selection feedback says "Technical degrees preferred" of course a tech degree won't overcome adverse info or bad ASTB scores.
2. The ASTB is changing, rollout of new test is about March, it includes use of joystick and a few hours of work required to be done at home, total time involved is around 5 hours. The feedback from the test is take the old one, the new one is harder, but if that is true the board should adjust what they look at as the scores across the board will drop. I am waiting to see first hand how the scores look.