Advice

[foobiesfooted]

Hey all. I’m 17. I’ve recently started thinking about enlisting and following my childhood dream of being a naval aviator. I realized I wouldn’t be able to pay for my college at all so I decided to rethink my decision on staying out of the military.

Trying to get some advice on what I should include in my studies, things I should do to try to help my chances of doing well enough for a pilot slot, etc. I’m doing physics and aerodynamics in my curriculum and I’m putting Arabic, Mandarin and Russian in my curriculum as well.

Were there any other points about the Navy that drew you in? Did you decide to do aviation on a whim? Anything that was particularly grueling? Thank you so much for your time.

 

[0621 Hertz]

Hey glad to have you here!

So you do not "enlist" to become a Naval Aviator, you commission to become an Officer in the Navy or Marines, then start the process to become one. If you want to enlist first and your ultimate dream is to become a Naval Aviator, I would advise against enlisting. And this is coming from someone who was prior service.

I'm assuming you're a junior in High School, so I would look into a Service Academy or a NROTC scholarship. Service Academies such as the Naval Academy and The Merchant Marine Academy are free, while a NROTC scholarship will cover your tuition.

I did not do NROTC, but doing just about any STEM major will highly increase your chances of getting a scholarship, they are considered Tier 1 or Tier 2. The exact list I found here. Having these majors and having good grades will get you what you want, this also applies to what platform you ultimately select in flight school.

I am not in the Navy. But as far as being in aviation it was a childhood dream just like you, I don't think many people here make such decisions on a "whim."

The most grueling parts depends on when in training, but every day is a new challenge and you gain more confidence and become a better leader out of it. To me every hard day is a great story to tell in the future.

 

[wink]

There are A LOT of prior service enlisted guys on AW that have made it to Wings of Gold. Almost all of them will say enlisting out of high school with the ultimate goal of flying is not advisable. Sure, it worked for them, but they know how hard that route is. Listen to their advise. Find a way to pay for college and then get a commission.

If not ROTC or USNA, If you absolutely want the military experience maybe look at enlisting in the Guard. Much less impact on your pursuit of a degree. You can leave an enlisted job in the Guard if you are accepted into OCS.

 

[404 Error Not Found]

You can enlist in the Navy after high school, although you won't be able to be a pilot unless you commission as an officer, which requires a college degree. The three ways to earn a commission are by going through either Navy ROTC in college, the Naval Academy, or Navy OCS.

It would be helpful to know what year you are in high school and what your GPA and class rank are to really know what is realistic for you. I would say Navy ROTC is likely your best shot, but those scholarships can be very competitive. Your main focus right now should be on high school and getting the best possible GPA you can get.

Learning a foreign language isn't too important for pilots, but it may help you get a NROTC scholarship. I honestly wouldn't bother with it at this point, but if you do want to learn one of those languages just pick one and make a serious and verifiable effort to learn it (expect to study 5+ hours a week and to take actual classes). You're still going to suck at the language after a year, but your commitment to learning the language is going to show initiative and drive which will help your scholarship application.

If you can't get a scholarship, and can't rely on financial aid or student loans, you could enlist out of high school and hope to eventually get a spot in OCS, although I wouldn't really recommend it. Keep in mind you will still have to obtain a bachelor's degree before you can be eligible for OCS which is even harder to swing when you're active duty. It's not impossible, and I believe there are programs to help you, but it's not the ideal route by any stretch.

 

[foobiesfooted]

You can enlist in the Navy after high school, although you won't be able to be a pilot unless you commission as an officer, which requires a college degree. The three ways to earn a commission are by going through either Navy ROTC in college, the Naval Academy, or Navy OCS.

It would be helpful to know what year you are in high school and what your GPA and class rank are to really know what is realistic for you. I would say Navy ROTC is likely your best shot, but those scholarships can be very competitive. Your main focus right now should be on high school and getting the best possible GPA you can get.

Learning a foreign language isn't too important for pilots, but it may help you get a NROTC scholarship. I honestly wouldn't bother with it at this point, but if you do want to learn one of those languages just pick one and make a serious and verifiable effort to learn it (expect to study 5+ hours a week and to take actual classes). You're still going to suck at the language after a year, but your commitment to learning the language is going to show initiative and drive which will help your scholarship application.

If you can't get a scholarship, and can't rely on financial aid or student loans, you could enlist out of high school and hope to eventually get a spot in OCS, although I wouldn't really recommend it. Keep in mind you will still have to obtain a bachelor's degree before you can be eligible for OCS which is even harder to swing when you're active duty. It's not impossible, and I believe there are programs to help you, but it's not the ideal route by any stretch.

the issue with my situation is that I’m coming from an abusive situation and I can’t rely on anyone to help me pay for my college, or even help. I

There are A LOT of prior service enlisted guys on AW that have made it to Wings of Gold. Almost all of them will say enlisting out of high school with the ultimate goal of flying is not advisable. Sure, it worked for them, but they know how hard that route is. Listen to their advise. Find a way to pay for college and then get a commission.

If not ROTC or USNA, If you absolutely want the military experience maybe look at enlisting in the Guard. Much less impact on your pursuit of a degree. You can leave an enlisted job in the Guard if you are accepted into OCS.

yeah, I see. Thank you so much for your advice, I appreciate it a lot.

 

[foobiesfooted]

You can enlist in the Navy after high school, although you won't be able to be a pilot unless you commission as an officer, which requires a college degree. The three ways to earn a commission are by going through either Navy ROTC in college, the Naval Academy, or Navy OCS.

It would be helpful to know what year you are in high school and what your GPA and class rank are to really know what is realistic for you. I would say Navy ROTC is likely your best shot, but those scholarships can be very competitive. Your main focus right now should be on high school and getting the best possible GPA you can get.

Learning a foreign language isn't too important for pilots, but it may help you get a NROTC scholarship. I honestly wouldn't bother with it at this point, but if you do want to learn one of those languages just pick one and make a serious and verifiable effort to learn it (expect to study 5+ hours a week and to take actual classes). You're still going to suck at the language after a year, but your commitment to learning the language is going to show initiative and drive which will help your scholarship application.

If you can't get a scholarship, and can't rely on financial aid or student loans, you could enlist out of high school and hope to eventually get a spot in OCS, although I wouldn't really recommend it. Keep in mind you will still have to obtain a bachelor's degree before you can be eligible for OCS which is even harder to swing when you're active duty. It's not impossible, and I believe there are programs to help you, but it's not the ideal route by any stretch.

My situation is kind of complicated. I live in an abusive home so I’m looking to get out, and my parents use homeschool as this whole control tactic. I have no idea what my GPA is. Thank you for your advice though, I appreciate it so much!

 

[foobiesfooted]

Hey glad to have you here!

So you do not "enlist" to become a Naval Aviator, you commission to become an Officer in the Navy or Marines, then start the process to become one. If you want to enlist first and your ultimate dream is to become a Naval Aviator, I would advise against enlisting. And this is coming from someone who was prior service.

I'm assuming you're a junior in High School, so I would look into a Service Academy or a NROTC scholarship. Service Academies such as the Naval Academy and The Merchant Marine Academy are free, while a NROTC scholarship will cover your tuition.

I did not do NROTC, but doing just about any STEM major will highly increase your chances of getting a scholarship, they are considered Tier 1 or Tier 2. The exact list I found here. Having these majors and having good grades will get you what you want, this also applies to what platform you ultimately select in flight school.

I am not in the Navy. But as far as being in aviation it was a childhood dream just like you, I don't think many people here make such decisions on a "whim."

The most grueling parts depends on when in training, but every day is a new challenge and you gain more confidence and become a better leader out of it. To me every hard day is a great story to tell in the

Hey glad to have you here!

So you do not "enlist" to become a Naval Aviator, you commission to become an Officer in the Navy or Marines, then start the process to become one. If you want to enlist first and your ultimate dream is to become a Naval Aviator, I would advise against enlisting. And this is coming from someone who was prior service.

I'm assuming you're a junior in High School, so I would look into a Service Academy or a NROTC scholarship. Service Academies such as the Naval Academy and The Merchant Marine Academy are free, while a NROTC scholarship will cover your tuition.

I did not do NROTC, but doing just about any STEM major will highly increase your chances of getting a scholarship, they are considered Tier 1 or Tier 2. The exact list I found here. Having these majors and having good grades will get you what you want, this also applies to what platform you ultimately select in flight school.

I am not in the Navy. But as far as being in aviation it was a childhood dream just like you, I don't think many people here make such decisions on a "whim."

The most grueling parts depends on when in training, but every day is a new challenge and you gain more confidence and become a better leader out of it. To me every hard day is a great story to tell in the future.

Yeah I’m a Junior. Thank you for your advice. I’m definitely considering USNA, I have it as my top choice but I’m not sure if that’ll work out due to my circumstances. NROTC is probably gonna be my best bet. Thank you again

 

[404 Error Not Found]

Wow, that's a really crappy situation to be in. I'm sorry to hear you have to go through that but hope you can find a way out.

Just a note about the Naval Academy, in order to attend you have to be nominated by either a Representative or Senator and it's very competitive. There is some good information in this article here that might give you a better idea of what to expect.

20 Things You Need to Know About Getting Into a Military Service Academy

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy and Merchant Marine Academy offer a tuition-free education—but getting in takes hard work and patience.

www.kiplinger.com

After you've done a little research on your own you can try reaching out to one of your state's Blue and Gold officers. Blue and Gold Officers are volunteers who seek to provide advice and guide high school students interested in applying to the academy.

Area Coordinators

Area Coordinators page for Admissions at USNA.edu. Updated Thu Mar 21 05:15:28 EDT 2024.

www.usna.edu

For ROTC programs here is a list of Universities that offer NROTC and their contact information. I'd also recommend seeking out the websites for the NROTC program at whatever schools you're interested in as they usually have good information for applicants there. Don't hesitate to reach out to the program you're interested in either. They're going to be the ones best suited to guide you through your options.

Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps - Academic Addresses

www.netc.navy.mil

 

[foobiesfooted]

Wow, that's a really crappy situation to be in. I'm sorry to hear you have to go through that but hope you can find a way out.

Just a note about the Naval Academy, in order to attend you have to be nominated by either a Representative or Senator and it's very competitive. There is some good information in this article here that might give you a better idea of what to expect.

20 Things You Need to Know About Getting Into a Military Service Academy

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy and Merchant Marine Academy offer a tuition-free education—but getting in takes hard work and patience.

www.kiplinger.com

After you've done a little research on your own you can try reaching out to one of your state's Blue and Gold officers. Blue and Gold Officers are volunteers who seek to provide advice and guide high school students interested in applying to the academy.

Area Coordinators

Area Coordinators page for Admissions at USNA.edu. Updated Thu Mar 21 05:15:28 EDT 2024.

www.usna.edu

For ROTC programs here is a list of Universities that offer NROTC and their contact information. I'd also recommend seeking out the websites for the NROTC program at whatever schools you're interested in as they usually have good information for applicants there. Don't hesitate to reach out to the program you're interested in either. They're going to be the ones best suited to guide you through your options.

Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps - Academic Addresses

www.netc.navy.mil

Thanks so much for those resources, I appreciate it a lot. It’s okay, I’m hoping I can use the military to get out of here. Yeah, I had a better curriculum that I was planning picked out that would help my chances of getting into USNA, but then I had a medical issue that I thought disqualified me from the military. realized it didn’t, realized my circumstances of how I’m gonna have to get out of my home situation, and now I’m trying to get back on that curriculum to help my chances again. I was gonna apply to next summer’s Summer Seminar unless my parents let me graduate, then I figured I’d just fully apply to USNA. I’ll definitely reach out to one of those officers though, thank you again. I’ll definitely look into the nominations too.

I’ll definitely do that too. The schools I was considering besides for USNA were Embry-Riddle, Perdue. I haven’t figured out any more, but I have a couple contacts who could give me an alumni recommendation. Thank you again for your resources, I appreciate it immensely.

 

[foobiesfooted]

Thanks so much for those resources, I appreciate it a lot. It’s okay, I’m hoping I can use the military to get out of here. Yeah, I had a better curriculum that I was planning picked out that would help my chances of getting into USNA, but then I had a medical issue that I thought disqualified me from the military. realized it didn’t, realized my circumstances of how I’m gonna have to get out of my home situation, and now I’m trying to get back on that curriculum to help my chances again. I was gonna apply to next summer’s Summer Seminar unless my parents let me graduate, then I figured I’d just fully apply to USNA. I’ll definitely reach out to one of those officers though, thank you again. I’ll definitely look into the nominations too.

I’ll definitely do that too. The schools I was considering besides for USNA were Embry-Riddle, Perdue. I haven’t figured out any more, but I have a couple contacts who could give me an alumni recommendation. Thank you again for your resources, I appreciate it immensely.

Purdue*

 

[AllAmerican75]

Hey all. I’m 17. I’ve recently started thinking about enlisting and following my childhood dream of being a naval aviator. I realized I wouldn’t be able to pay for my college at all so I decided to rethink my decision on staying out of the military.

Trying to get some advice on what I should include in my studies, things I should do to try to help my chances of doing well enough for a pilot slot, etc. I’m doing physics and aerodynamics in my curriculum and I’m putting Arabic, Mandarin and Russian in my curriculum as well.

Were there any other points about the Navy that drew you in? Did you decide to do aviation on a whim? Anything that was particularly grueling? Thank you so much for your time.

Follow the advice of @wink and @0621 Hertz, do NOT enlist if you really want to be a pilot. I've seen many guys enlist hoping to be an officer and when they see the realities of enlisted life, they get discouraged and end up getting out after a single enlistment. Enlisted and officer life are different and require different skillsets and mindsets.

About curriculum, you don't necessarily need to be studying aeronautics or advanced math, but it can help. Honestly, focus on getting your diploma/GED and getting a good SAT and/or ACT score. That will help you get into college better than studying aeronautics or foreign languages. Caveat emptor, if you are really interested in those subjects, then study away.

Finally, given your situation, if you absolutely can't get the family support to get into a service academy (USNA or USMMA) or an ROTC scholarship, then I would recommend doing the following:

• Go talk to an Army recruiter about becoming a Warrant Officer pilot. https://recruiting.army.mil/ISO/AWO...text=Minimum prerequisites:,Any MOS may apply.
• Go talk to an Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve recruiter about enlisting and working towards becoming a pilot through the various different programs that can get enlister personnel to undergraduate pilot training.

 

[foobiesfooted]

Follow the advice of @wink and @0621 Hertz, do NOT enlist if you really want to be a pilot. I've seen many guys enlist hoping to be an officer and when they see the realities of enlisted life, they get discouraged and end up getting out after a single enlistment. Enlisted and officer life are different and require different skillsets and mindsets.

About curriculum, you don't necessarily need to be studying aeronautics or advanced math, but it can help. Honestly, focus on getting your diploma/GED and getting a good SAT and/or ACT score. That will help you get into college better than studying aeronautics or foreign languages. Caveat emptor, if you are really interested in those subjects, then study away.

Finally, given your situation, if you absolutely can't get the family support to get into a service academy (USNA or USMMA) or an ROTC scholarship, then I would recommend doing the following:

• Go talk to an Army recruiter about becoming a Warrant Officer pilot. https://recruiting.army.mil/ISO/AWOR/153A/#:~:text=Aviation warrant officers fill a,and special operations Aviation units.&text=Minimum prerequisites:,Any MOS may apply.
• Go talk to an Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve recruiter about enlisting and working towards becoming a pilot through the various different programs that can get enlister personnel to undergraduate pilot training.

Within the last 2 days, my mom sprung it on me that she’s suddenly going to let me graduate on time next year. So, now I’ll have the family support to apply to ROTC and all the schools I wanted. Slight change in plans but, I think I’ll be able to go the ROTC or USNA route now. I’m just trying to figure out how to kinda tell them that I’ve decided to join and follow my childhood dream.

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it so much! I genuinely enjoy learning about aerodynamics so I’m gonna keep that going as well as a foreign language, but I’m definitely switching my focus to my SATs and ACTs.