Army pilot to Naval Reserve?

[DUSTOFF]

Apoligies for not finding the info I needed within this forum yet. My internet service is spotty at best at my current locale. I would like to transfer to the Naval Reserve upon completion of my AD Army contract. When I leave I will have..

1. 10 years active duty, three combat deployments and a CW3.
2. ..around 3000 hours in UH-60 Blackhawks/Commercial Rotary Instrument/CFI/CFII
3. BS in Aeronautics
4. 3 years as an Instructor Pilot at Army flight school
5. A very healthy, physically fit 40 year old...SERE C complete
6. ..continuing to teach flight school for the Army as a civilian

Is this feasible? I would drill for free to have the chance to serve in the Navy Reserve.

Thank you.

 

[Gatordev]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'd call a Navy Reserve recruiter. Since you're already commissioned, the age thing might not matter, but you'd probably have to tackle going from CW3 to...? O-2, maybe? I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of knife and fork school the Navy would want you to go through.

My question is: are you sure you want to fly in Navy helos? We tend to fly at night, over water and in the goo. Not usually the Army's "normal" operating area (other than you know who). And yes, I'm mostly kidding and giving you a hard time.

Seriously, though, call a Reserve recuiter. Not sure what's around Rucker, but there's probably one over in P'cola and certainly in Jax.

 

[OnTopTime]

From my experience as a USNR officer recruiter (which is now 9 years old), I would have been very cautious if you walked into my office with your question. The first thing that I would have told you is that you need to find a squadron that wants you and is willing to "sponsor" you as you appy for an interservice transfer. The three things that NavAirRes squadrons were most looking for in new guys were:
1. Junior most qualified
2. Least cost and time to get current with NATOPS/survival/swim quals
3. Best availability once affiliated and qualified

Squadrons usually have their pick of guys, and they will go after the low hanging fruit first. Taking an Army CW3 UH-60 pilot and turning him into a USNR SH-60 aviator is not the path of least resistance. That being said, it's not impossible, and as with most anything else, you'll never get a "yes" answer unless you ask the question.

Good luck.

 

[Gatordev]

I don't think 1. would be an issue.

3. is the first and foremost issue.

2. is a nice to have, but there are plenty of examples of guys switching communities w/in the helo NavAirRes community. HSL to HCS and HS to HSL happen all the time.

But I totally agree; having someone who is ready to sponsor you would be a good first step. I just don't know how they would handle the rank.

 

[eas7888]

The Navy now has a handful of flying Warrant Officers now, IIRC, would it be such a stretch to allow the CWO to keep his rank? Though I won't pretend to know how things work, it seems logical.

Though, now that I think about it, maybe that's precisely why he wouldn't be able to keep his current rank.

 

[KBayDog]

1. 10 years active duty, three combat deployments and a CW3.
2. ..around 3000 hours in UH-60 Blackhawks/Commercial Rotary Instrument/CFI/CFII
3. BS in Aeronautics
4. 3 years as an Instructor Pilot at Army flight school
5. A very healthy, physically fit 40 year old...SERE C complete
6. ..continuing to teach flight school for the Army as a civilian

I think you're in for a rough time in the Navy.

1. You've spent too much time in the cockpit. Time for a "shore tour." -or-
2. You need to do some Joint time. -or-
3. You need to screen for Department head. -or-
4. You need to enroll in JPME. -or-
5. IA TIME!!

 

[Gatordev]

The Navy now has a handful of flying Warrant Officers now, IIRC, would it be such a stretch to allow the CWO to keep his rank? Though I won't pretend to know how things work, it seems logical.

Though, now that I think about it, maybe that's precisely why he wouldn't be able to keep his current rank.

The flying Warrants are a different animal and have a very different career track than what Dustoff would be doing. I guess it's possible to keep the rank though, but I'm guessing "they" wouldn't want him to.

I think you're in for a rough time in the Navy.

1. You've spent too much time in the cockpit. Time for a "shore tour." -or-
2. You need to do some Joint time. -or-
3. You need to screen for Department head. -or-
4. You need to enroll in JPME. -or-
5. IA TIME!!

He's interested in the Reserves, not the "real" Navy. Don't hate the playa.

 

[KBayDog]

He's interested in the Reserves, not the "real" Navy. Don't hate the playa.

It ain't hate. It be jealousy.

 

[Gatordev]

Admitting you have a problem is the first step. I think the 12th step has something to do with airshows.

 

[OnTopTime]

The Navy now has a handful of flying Warrant Officers now, IIRC, would it be such a stretch to allow the CWO to keep his rank? Though I won't pretend to know how things work, it seems logical.

Though, now that I think about it, maybe that's precisely why he wouldn't be able to keep his current rank.

Hey, eas7888, I just noticed your OCS class date of this coming Sunday. Good luck, be a team player, and keep your head down. I'm sure that you'll do very well.

End threadjack.

 

[Uncle Fester]

There's no mechanism in the Navy to translate Army WOs into Naval aviators, as far as I'm aware. (The Coasties do have such a program - you looked into DCA?) I seriously doubt FWO would be an avenue for you; it's still a trial program, and introducing an experienced pilot from another service would 'contaminate the data'. I think it'd be a great idea, but nobody asked me.
In other words, it's not your flight experience that'd be the issue, but your rank - the Navy's still not sure how it feels about Flying Warrants. But it couldn't hurt to ask. Dig up the relevant instruction specifying warrant officer interservice transfers (there's gotta be one somewhere), and go from there.
Personally, I think you'd have a better chance trying to get into the regular Navy than the reserves. It removes the extra hurdle of getting selected by a reserve flying unit, and besides, FWOs are unknown in NavAirRes as of yet.

 

[RobLyman]

I already responded to the Op via PM, but I saw this thread and had something else to add. When I got into the guard after an 8 year gap in service, I reverted to CW2. It was a very easy step and the Army/Guard knew what they were doing. Due to some delays, budget issues, blah blah blah I was unable to attend AQC for 12months. AQC was required to get qualified in the Blackhawk, nevermind I had 1300 in the Seahawk.

While I was waiting a year, the Navy flying warrant prgramhad started. I decided to see if I could hop over to the Navy to fly at HSL-60 in the NavAirRes. The recruiter told me it would be easy to get me in a reserve squadron in Norfolk, VA, but HSL-60 wold be out of the question because of the vast differences between my skill set and that required in th HSL community. The recruiter obviously didn't listen to me when I told him at least 3 times that I instructed at HSL-40 and HSL-41 when I was in the Navy.

The jist of it is that the NavAirRes (as of 3 years ago) will take Army warrants to fly, but will only put them in slots that they KNOW how to fill. Also, I agree there may be a fear of contaminating the water. I can't imagine what they would do (career wise) with someone with so much experience. Army warrant promotion gates are quite different than the Navy's. You would have a CW3 with 6 to 8 years of flying experience (plus prior elisted time) working next to CW3s with what, 4 years of flying experience?

 

[phrogpilot73]

I think the 12th step has something to do with airshows.

+1 And it takes a special individual to make it all the way to the 12th step...

 

[Gatordev]

While I was waiting a year, the Navy flying warrant prgramhad started. I decided to see if I could hop over to the Navy to fly at HSL-60 in the NavAirRes. The recruiter told me it would be easy to get me in a reserve squadron in Norfolk, VA, but HSL-60 wold be out of the question because of the vast differences between my skill set and that required in th HSL community. The recruiter obviously didn't listen to me when I told him at least 3 times that I instructed at HSL-40 and HSL-41 when I was in the Navy.

Were you working with the recruiter in Jax at the time? Retarded.

 

[RobLyman]

Were you working with the recruiter in Jax at the time? Retarded.

Yes.