1st tour effects on getting into flight school

[sodajones]

I posted this on coastguardocs.com but I haven't received any relevant answers.


Background: prior service USMC, I'll be 26 when I finish my degree and begin applying for OCS.

My goal is to be a naval aviator in the USCG. I am aware that many if not most officers have 1 tour elsewhere before being picked up for flight school.

I have been researching 1st tours and what interests me is becoming a dive officer or something within DOG or what was DOG.

My understanding is that I have until 30 (or is it 31?) to get myself started at flight school. Obviously, I will be 26-28 years old when I finish OCS which means not too much time to fool around before I need to get that flight slot so I intend to apply as soon and as often for flight school as I can.

With that out of the way here's the questions

How hard is it to get released from your unit on your first tour to go to flight school? If I were to go to dive school and be a dive officer would that make it harder for me to get released to go to flight school? I know the USCG is going to want a profitable return on its investment so would it be better for me to choose a 1st tour that isn't going to cost the USCG much in the way of investment so that they would be more willing to release me to flight school? Is my concept of how it works completely off and once you get selected by a flight board you're automatically released from your current command to attend flight school?

Just trying to get a feel for how this rodeo works and it didn't seem to be specifically addressed in the threads I've read. I understand needs of service and that my class standing effects my bid to go to flight school straight out of OCS. The context of my questions are based on if I don't get selected for flight school straight out of OCS....

Thanks, gentlemen.

 

[Renegade One]

I admit to not really knowing the answers to your specific USCG/Diving Officer training/quals and "required payback" stuff.

THAT SAID: Any command that won't give you a slap on the back and wish you well while sending you off to flight training (payback be damned) or any other "advanced career track" that is your "dream shot" isn't very much interested in you. What you do with that opinion is up to you.
You earlier statement is "spot on": Apply as early and as often as you can. But while you're "doing something else", don't be "that guy" who makes it too widely known that "I'm just doing this shit until my flight orders come through." That way lies madness...
Best of luck, by the way...

 

[Brunes]

Subbed for later - Gotta re-read and then reply for real...

 

[Brunes]

You need a command endorsement to put in for flight school -So they address the issues with your early departure from the unit at that point and come up with a plan for if/when it happens. They also address your fitness/potential.

If you want that good endorsement- You want to get to your unit and start contributing right away- Not be headed off to school to get Dive Qualified (My opinion).

 

[sodajones]

Thank you both for the info and opinions.

 

[taco09]

What they said

You'll never have a scenario where your unit will refuse to let you go if you get into flight school; if you got in, you had your command's endorsement and permission. I don't have the flight school solicitation handy but if you're serving under a obligation incurred under some other form of advanced schooling, you might not be eligible. That said, I don't know of any other schools that incur the obligation like flight does (8 year) besides getting your Masters degree, and that doesn't conflict with the flight school obligation at all. Dive school and the CG dive community is pretty dang small and you'll be hard pressed to find folks outside of it that would be able to offer real specifics- your best bet would be to track one of them down and inquire as to any incurred service they may require.

Wherever you go, be indispensable as quickly as you can; ironically, the harder it is for a command to let you go, the better your chances of packing up for flight school.