AFROTC Commission to CG?

[af_rotc]

I am currently a Junior in Air Force ROTC. I have heard of interservice commission trading (ie AFROTC cadet goes Army, Navy and vice versa). I was wondering if anyone knows more about this and if it is possible with the Coast Guard.

To stretch my luck even more, if this is possible, is there a route for aviation right off the bat?

I know this may be a stretch but I've recently had a change of heart and I'd rather start online to look for answers than to try and speak with my commander about this. I want to see if the options are there first before I embarrass myself.

Thanks

 

[BullGator]

I am currently a Junior in Air Force ROTC. I have heard of interservice commission trading (ie AFROTC cadet goes Army, Navy and vice versa). I was wondering if anyone knows more about this and if it is possible with the Coast Guard.

To stretch my luck even more, if this is possible, is there a route for aviation right off the bat?

I know this may be a stretch but I've recently had a change of heart and I'd rather start online to look for answers than to try and speak with my commander about this. I want to see if the options are there first before I embarrass myself.

Thanks

The books say that you need so many military flight hours (2000Hrs I think- been awhile, may be as low as 500Hrs) to apply for the CG as a pilot.
Anyone know the exact criteria?

 

[snake020]

I am currently a Junior in Air Force ROTC. I have heard of interservice commission trading (ie AFROTC cadet goes Army, Navy and vice versa). I was wondering if anyone knows more about this and if it is possible with the Coast Guard.

Not possible if AFROTC. There is a provision in USAFA regs that allows academy cadets to make the exchange, but not ROTC. They were making an exception for those who wanted to commission in the Army, but that was three years ago so I am not current.

My two cents - if you really want to go Coast Guard, don't accept a commission on the Air Force IF and only if you can disenroll from your contractual obligations and not have to get called up to active duty in enlisted status. Interservice transfers once commissioned can be done, but are very difficult to negotiate and you will most likely have to wait until your 4 year ADSC is completed.

 

[af_rotc]

I could get out of AFROTC without an ADSC (just pay back my scholarship money). What I've heard is that if you quit a commissioning program for any service it will severely hurt your chances of entering/completing another commissioning source. I don't want to ruin my chances altogether.

If I can't do a commission transfer from ROTC, my other plan is to try and go helos in the AF and transfer. From what you are saying it sounds like this is very difficult. Has anyone here done this? What is the process?

Do I have other options right now?

 

[snake020]

I could get out of AFROTC without an ADSC (just pay back my scholarship money). What I've heard is that if you quit a commissioning program for any service it will severely hurt your chances of entering/completing another commissioning source. I don't want to ruin my chances altogether.

I heard that same speech too as a cadet, but looking back I don't buy it. You should talk to a Coast Guard recruiter, explain your situation, and ask if it truly would put you at a disadvantage. As someone who succeeded in an interservice transfer I will tell you I got lucky due to timing; the Air Force was cutting and I was able to convince BUPERS on my second application to let me in. Not an easy sell and it took about 18 months from the time I first wanted to apply until I got in. I also explored the possibility of separating from the AF and trying to apply to OCS like someone off the street, but if you previously held a commission it changes the rules and makes it virtually impossible to get in. Only recently did the Marine Corps change their rules regarding this, but that initiative requires you to start from scratch as a 2nd Lt.

If I can't do a commission transfer from ROTC, my other plan is to try and go helos in the AF and transfer.

Probably not a good plan. If they train you, they are going to keep you for what... 10 years after winging, and I'm sure they won't waive that. Aside from Spec Ops, there aren't a lot of helos in the air force either.

 

[af_rotc]

I just realized a local school qualifies as a Blue 21 eligible school. How tough is it to get that? I know it is geared towards minorities and I am not a minority. Do they take that into account or just the school?

I know it is tough to get a 'sure thing' in the military so it is hard for me to justify dropping ROTC, paying back all scholarship money, and transferring schools in my junior year.

CG Aviation appeals to me a lot more, the more I learn about it, and I'm worried I'm too far in to change now.

EDIT:
Do the CG recruiters know their officer stuff? I know sometimes talking to enlisted recruiters can be ineffective because they aren't really sure about the whole officer deal.

 

[bluesig1]

Yes the CG recruiters know about the officer programs, unlike the different Navy enlisted and officer recruiters. I know for a fact that when the program is geared towards minorities thats what they mean. I go to a school that has 24. something minority rate, and I tried to get my package through and it was eventually denied. From what I was told they were even trying to make the minority rate for the schools even higher than 25%. Before I heard about the BDCP, I thought the CSPI program was the only one to pay during school and offer flight school spot later. Anyways good luck to you.

 

[navy09]

Did you ask on baseops?

 

[Birdog8585]

I am currently a Junior in Air Force ROTC. I have heard of interservice commission trading (ie AFROTC cadet goes Army, Navy and vice versa). I was wondering if anyone knows more about this and if it is possible with the Coast Guard.

To stretch my luck even more, if this is possible, is there a route for aviation right off the bat?

I know this may be a stretch but I've recently had a change of heart and I'd rather start online to look for answers than to try and speak with my commander about this. I want to see if the options are there first before I embarrass myself.

Thanks

I've talked to some coasties during flight school about how their programs work (what you need to do in order to become a coastie pilot) and they say a large percentage are interservice transfers. The other, smaller, percentage are officers that commissioned via an academy or OCS routes in which case they are required to serve time aboard a coastie vessel for a period of time before they come to flight school. In short, all pilots in the coast guard have to have some sort of prior military experience.

So even if you did get your way and get into the coast guard from your AFROTC unit, you are still going to have to do some time doing the salty stuff topside like driving a cutter.

The two coasties in my API class were both O-2s one was a prior Navy rescue swimmer and the other was a commissionee from the Coast Guard Academy

 

[af_rotc]

I've talked to some coasties during flight school about how their programs work (what you need to do in order to become a coastie pilot) and they say a large percentage are interservice transfers. The other, smaller, percentage are officers that commissioned via an academy or OCS routes in which case they are required to serve time aboard a coastie vessel for a period of time before they come to flight school. In short, all pilots in the coast guard have to have some sort of prior military experience.

So even if you did get your way and get into the coast guard from your AFROTC unit, you are still going to have to do some time doing the salty stuff topside like driving a cutter.

The two coasties in my API class were both O-2s one was a prior Navy rescue swimmer and the other was a commissionee from the Coast Guard Academy

When you say interservice tranfers do you mean naval/air force pilots to CG aviation or just commissioned officers to CG aviation.

I was looking at the direct commission and thinking about pulling 2-4 years AD with the AF and applying for a DC with the CG (lots of acronyms). Does this seem like an unlikely plan? I figure I'll serve out my 4 year commitment with the AF in a non-pilot career and go for a DC and apply for pilot training.

I can already tell getting into CG aviation is going to be difficult just by the sheer lack on spots available compared to other branches. I just thought I'd weigh some options. If anyone knows more about the direct commission program that'd be great.

No I didn't ask this on baseops, I figured I'd check in with the side I'd like to get into (so to speak) instead of the one I'm leaving.

 

[vulcanx]

Why do you think the USAF is going to be worse than the USCG?

 

[af_rotc]

Why do you think the USAF is going to be worse than the USCG?

I don't think it is going to be worse, it is a matter of both a different mission and hopefully better quality of life.

I've wanted to fly helos as of about a year ago and the AF mission is basically spec ops. I like the homeland SAR mission that the CG offers.

Question: Is the direct commission option only for a career you are already assigned? Example, if I am an AD officer in the AF (non pilot) and want to DC into the CG, can I go for pilot or will they want me for the same job as the AF?

 

[Mumbles]

I don't think it is going to be worse, it is a matter of both a different mission and hopefully better quality of life.

I've wanted to fly helos as of about a year ago and the AF mission is basically spec ops. I like the homeland SAR mission that the CG offers.

Question: Is the direct commission option only for a career you are already assigned? Example, if I am an AD officer in the AF (non pilot) and want to DC into the CG, can I go for pilot or will they want me for the same job as the AF?

Short answer....no. I'm looking into the DC program myself in the USCG....but I already have a set of wings and >1000 hrs. If I elect to go this route, I'm going in as a 32 year old O-2 with 8 years prior service, instead of a fairly senior O-3 that I am in the USN right now

 

[af_rotc]

So you're saying if I'm a 3-year Intel officer with the AF I can try for a DC as an aviator with the CG upon leaving the AF?

 

[Mumbles]

So you're saying if I'm a 3-year Intel officer with the AF I can try for a DC as an aviator with the CG upon leaving the AF?

Wrong.....and change your user name. You're not an Officer yet. You're a cadet.
Just so I'm clear as mud....If you have an Intel contract with the USAF, there is no way you're going to do a DC as an aviator to the coasties. Look at the USCG Recruiting Command website.