Army NG Signal Officer to Navy Aviation

[JHuff]

Have you contacted the OCM for aviation? If they say yes it is possible then they should know how, if they say nope, then no matter what anyone else says I am pretty sure it isn't going to happen.

I spoke with the OCM, and he told me that from he found out I would have to IST into USNR, then Lat transfer to general aviation, and that if I can do that he would try to do an INDEF RECALL on me to pull me in. He told me, like I said before, that since I'm already commissioned I would fall under the IST and not a new appointment or OCS. However, PERS told me that if I was interested in AD that I would be applying for a new appointment through a recruiter.

 

[Bam Bam]

JHuff,
I’m sure that you have mulled this over and over but I’m curious why you don’t try again to go to flight school in the Army. I know that they are downsizing but since you are so early in your career it has to be possible to go to Rucker. I know a couple of people that are going the Medical Service Corps route and flying MedHawks. If your ultimate goal is to be a Naval Aviator then Fly Navy but I think the Army Aviation route is also a great way to go and it may be a few less headaches since your already in the Army NG.
Good luck either way!
Bam

 

[JHuff]

Hey Bam,
I did put some thought into Army aviation. It was actually my first choice in when I went through ROTC. For whatever reason, I was placed into the Signal Corps, though. I was actually offered to do a branch transfer to Med Service Corps, but since I was relocating to NYC the offer went away almost as soon as it was brought up. I've thought about putting in for a branch transfer to go to Rucker, but I want to spring for AD and it doesn't look good for NG officers to go active. Also, if I was active I would have more of a "choice" of airframe. I say "choice" because, like the Navy, with Army Aviation there is an OML on which bird you fly when you get to Rucker. I've always been more interested in fixed wing (fighters especially), so if I were to go Army aviation I would really be springing for attack helicopters. But you are correct, my ultimate goal is to be a Naval Aviator and fly for the Navy. Not to sound cliche, but it's always been my dream. As to why I went Army and not Navy? My eyes were god awful when I graduated High School and at the time there were no waivers for LASIK corrective surgery in the Navy, but the Army allowed it for RW pilots. Now that LASIK is approved and I have 20/15 vision, I'm really trying to explore this one. Trust me, when/if this does finally work out, I will be definitely submitting a "How I did it" thread so future Reservists can have something to go off of. I've been working on this since last September!!

 

[Bam Bam]

JHuff,
Well, it sure sounds like you have done TONS of research and learned some lessons along the way. I really hope it works out for you. If worse comes to worse, maybe you could get to Rucker as a reservist and then get an AGR gig.
Good luck! I’m waiting on the results from my AMDO board and hopefully I’ll commission soon!
Bam

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I spoke with the OCM, and he told me that from he found out I would have to IST into USNR, then Lat transfer to general aviation, and that if I can do that he would try to do an INDEF RECALL on me to pull me in. He told me, like I said before, that since I'm already commissioned I would fall under the IST and not a new appointment or OCS. However, PERS told me that if I was interested in AD that I would be applying for a new appointment through a recruiter.

What the OCM said is what I have heard for years, so I would go with that, especially since NRC has been told many times (from PERS) that prior officers cannot apply through recruiters for a program that goes to OCS.

 

[JHuff]

Thanks guys, looks like a USNR IST is in my future. We Sig-O's are the communications specialists and the network engineers (IT security and all that)., so I've been told that SWO IW or SWO IP are probably the communities I should apply to. Basically we Sig-O's are the communications specialists and the network engineers (IT security and all that). At that point, I'll be begging to be brought in as a general Aviation guy, THEN the AD OCM will apply for an INDEF RECALL. No matter how grim it looks I have to at least give it a shot.

 

[Renegade One]

We Sig-O's are the communications specialists and the network engineers (IT security and all that)...

First...be happy in your work. You're a commissioned by-gawd officer in the greatest Army the planet has ever seen. Knock that part of your life out of the park.

...I'll be begging to be brought in as a general Aviation guy, THEN the AD OCM will apply for an INDEF RECALL. No matter how grim it looks I have to at least give it a shot.

Sure…give it a shot. Seriously…good luck and all of that. Don't forget "Job One" (as discussed above…).

 

[JHuff]

I'll be submitting my IST packet next week as long as my 368 comes back. I'm applying to SWO-IW, which seems to be most in line with my current background. When applying for an IST, does anyone know if I can apply to more than one designator?