• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

Pilot to SEAL?

sbpilot

Registered User
Does anyone know if it is possible to transfer from the aviation community, as an officer, into the SPECWAR community?

Technically, I know it is allowed according to BUPERS, but I was curious if anyone has actually heard of guys either transferring to BUDs at some point during flight school, or successfully lateral transferring after wings.

I would greatly appreciate any info you guys might have, thanks
 

helolumpy

Apprentice School Principal
pilot
Contributor
Possibile? Yes.
Probable? Unlikely

Folks go to flight school to fly.
Folks that Medically DQ from flight school face issues about finding an available spot in another community.
Folks that fail out of flight school face the same dilemma as those medically DQ'd add but the stigma of having failed at something already.
Those who DOR from flight school fall into the same catagory as the first two but with the stigma of having quit something.

That being said, I'm sure there has been at least one person who's done it, however, since competition to get a spot at BUDS is so tough, those who have already selected flight school may not be able to get a quota for BUDS.
 

Recovering LSO

Suck Less
pilot
Contributor
^ +1. That being said, I would suspect the earlier someone trys to do this, the better. i.e., before starting API. Sounds like they're trying to trim the numbers down there anyway. Good luck.
 

wlawr005

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
It is very tough to get into the SPECWAR community as an officer. I know for guys in ROTC it involves a couple of years of networking, interviewing, working out, and "proving yourself" to get the recommendations. Also, there are a limited number of spots and plenty of applicants. I would imagine that even if you got the SPECWAR community to accept you, you would have trouble getting the aviation community to let you go...especially if you are done with Primary.

Good luck.
 

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
To compound the issue, SPECWAR generally only takes ENSs and LTJGs, if you pin on O-3 prior to going to BUD/S you're too senior.
 

Pags

N/A
pilot
To add to what thisguy said, I'd be surprised if there isn't an age waiver for SEALs.

By the time your winging commitment is up you'd be 30+.
 

OnTopTime

ROBO TACCO
None
It has been done, but the one instance I know of was 24 years ago. One of my AOCS classmates wanted to fly jets, and while at AOCS he was informed by NAMI that his vision disqualified him from TACAIR. Back then, if you were worse than 20/20 but not much worse (maybe up to 20/40?) you could still be a SNA in what we called the "blind pilot" program, which I believe limited you to maritime and helos. Tom didn't want to go that route, so after commissioning he inquired about switching to SEAL. I think he was told that he would have to DOR from flight training first, and then apply for BUDS, with no guarantee of getting picked up. So that's what he did, and he got picked up and made it through SEAL training. I ran into him in the lobby of the Sigonella BOQ some four years later, during the run up to Desert Storm. He was passing through with a bunch of scruffy looking guys, headed east.
 

PropStop

Kool-Aid free since 2001.
pilot
Contributor
I can confirm the LT being too senior comment. Had a guy at my last command who was an NFO, not interested in NFOing any longer (finished commitment). He was a PT stud, could smoke the PT at BUDS i expect (just one fo those guys). Anyhow, even with an admiral pushing for him, they wouldn't take him - and he'd have been a good choice too. he was too senior.
 

BOMBSonHAWKEYES

Registered User
pilot
Yes it is possible, it has happened, but you have to have something to offer like being fluent in mandarin and farsi, studying abroad for 2 years in the middle east, and being the absolute best performer in the eyes of everyone in the navy who has come into contact with you during your career.

Basically you have to have some special quality about you that they want. Not just an above average pilot and an above average leader, much better than that. Then you have a chance. But if you really want to go that route, why not just go that way right off the bat?
 

Stearmann4

I'm here for the Jeeehawd!
None
It's certainly possible, in the mid 90s' I had an XO who was an ex-S3 NFO, and another XO (now RADM) who finished primary and somehow weasled his way to BUD/S. I'm not sure how it's changed since then, but I'm guessing it's significant.

While times and policies have changed, enlisted SEALs haven't, and a mid grade LT doesn't have much uitility in the Teams unless you're a glutton for staff duty. If you get a BUD/S class, and if you make it through BUD/S, you'll probably do a deployment as a TF staff dude, then get your own PLT/TF the next round, effectively skipping the 3-5 years of grooming and experience most ENS and JGs gets by virture of his rank. It has worked, but its not a very good situation for either party. You're charged with leading from the front, and making life and death decisions without the benefit of experience on your side. It's not always as simple as wearing the Golden Leg Spreader with idealistic views of life in the Teams.

That said, currently, LTs and LCDR's are choosing to get out at the conclusion of their initial committment at a rate of approximately 37%. Double edged sword; there may be room for you, but there's a reason these officers are choosing not to stay in. My recommendation; stay in the cockpit, there's thousands of guys who gladly trade places with you right now.

MR-
 

squorch2

he will die without safety brief
pilot
If you really want to work with the teams, the intel route may get you closer than almost anything else.
 
Top