Best Branch To Choose

[jgriffin01]

Hello everyone,

I am currently 20 years old going to MTSU in Tennessee this fall for a bachelor's degree as a professional pilot. It is my dream to be a pilot in the military. I have about 35 hours in a C172. I am also a 15 Tango UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter Repairer in the Army National Guard. I am here today to ask for opinions on which is the best path for me to aim for to be a military pilot. I know all about each branches way to be a pilot by doing tons of research and talking to pilots of each branch. Hopefully, some people here will give me a little more insight as to which is best suited for me. I am leaning more towards fixed-wing as it translates well towards the civilian side but I wouldn't mind rotor-wing if I end up with them. I have a few connections in all branches like CW5s for the Army, a few Colonels in the AF, and a rear admiral in the Navy. Each of them are trying to pull me towards their branch to fly but I said we will have to wait and see! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Search around the page/forum to see and learn all things naval aviation.

Being that this is a NAVY - centric forum, that’s probably gonna dictate what kind of answers you’re going to get.

Do the homework + research with your questions = Likely to get better answers and help here.

 

[Griz882]

Each service has advantages and disadvantages. You have a great opportunity to talk to Army aviators about their careers (Warrant Officers especially as difference from commissioned officers). I recommend you use it.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Don't forget to look at the path to get to OCS for each service as they have different requirements (hoops to jump through) and that might give you some insight as well. USN is about the ASTB, USMC puts a lot of weight on the PFT, Army well ask the guys in your unit, and USAF is are you a USAFA or AFROTC grad? - kidding but not really kidding.

 

[HuggyU2]

Cue up the worn-and-tattered Bob Norris letter about hot trannies in Singapore.

Do not go Army.

Anyhoo... the USAF has about 3700 manned fixed wing aircraft, including Guard and Reserve.

I believe the Dept of the Navy has a lot more rotorcraft than the USAF.

Do not go Army.

I have no clue what the above USAFA / AFROTC comment means. Maybe it's a factor when you make a Star or two. But not where I work and fly.

Do not go Army.

 

[esmbenbenek]

Cue up the worn-and-tattered Bob Norris letter about hot trannies in Singapore.

Do not go Army.

Anyhoo... the USAF has about 3700 manned fixed wing aircraft, including Guard and Reserve.

I believe the Dept of the Navy has a lot more rotorcraft than the USAF.

Do not go Army.

I have no clue what the above USAFA / AFROTC comment means. Maybe it's a factor when you make a Star or two. But not where I work and fly.

Do not go Army.

The Air Force picks like 20 civilians for OTS as pilots each year at most so if you aren't USAFA or AFROTC you have very low odds of making it in.

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

Navy has more helos, USAF has more transports/tankers. Navy has some awesome bases locations, as does the USAF. Both have some real awful locations as well. Both have some things that we envy about the other service (like E-5s in the USAF having $4,000 dollar desktops when it takes me 30 minutes to log on to a laptop I share with 5 other JOs).

For me, it same down to if jets didn't work out, what/where would I rather be flying (helos out of SD or Hawaii sounded a lot better than tankers out of OK or KS), and if god forbid flying didn't work out, would I rather be a SWO/Supply/Intel dude or a UAV/PAO/ICBM guy. Personal preference obviously, but spend some time thinking about where you could end up if/when your first, second, or third choices don't work out.

 

[Renegade One]

I went with the service that accepted my application. YMMV

 

[Griz882]

Come on @HuggyU2 stop the Army hate! If the kid wants flight time being an army WO is, frankly, his best route. Most of the crappy army bases have a crappy AF base close by (well…not Fort Drum). Besides, flying low is a lot more fun than hanging way up in the clouds!

 

[HuggyU2]

Sorry. Was trying to be funny but didn't succeed.
You know, the Army is where the AF was created from so there's a bit of jousting to be had.
That said, my Army helo buds absolutely loved their rotor time there.

 

[Griz882]

Sorry. Was trying to be funny but didn't succeed.
You know, the Army is where the AF was created from so there's a bit of jousting to be had.
That said, my Army helo buds absolutely loved their rotor time there.

I know you were working toward humor…that’s why I noted the crappy bases next to crappy bases! Besides, those of us in the history business all know that the USAF is to that Army what the Marine Corps is to the Navy!

 

[HuggyU2]

The Air Force picks like 20 civilians for OTS as pilots each year at most so if you aren't USAFA or AFROTC you have very low odds of making it in.

About 20% of our Officer corps is from OTS. I don't know the percentage for pilots, but anecdotally, I'd say there are quite a few pilots from OTS.
We are creating about 1260 pilots per year currently. They want 1500 to stem the bleeding. I'm no doctor but I figured stopping the bleeding is more effective than continuing a transfusion... but what do I know?

 

[RobLyman]

Have you deployed as a 15T in combat? If not, talk to pilots about what it is like to deploy as a pilot. It's a given that deploying as a pilot is anywhere from slightly better to orders of magnitude better than deploying as an aircraft mechanic. How much better depends on which service and which community within that service you end up in.

Despite what HuggyU2 may think, some of the most rewarding experiences I have had as a pilot have been as a Black Hawk pilot doing medevac in combat. Some of the worst experiences I have had while flying have also been as an Army pilot. Not the flying part, but the BS stuff like North Ft Hood. I have had two prison sentences there and I will retire before I let them send me there again. The trend right now is for fewer combat deployments in the Army/National Guard, so take that into consideration too.

You won't go camping next to your aircraft in any other service except maybe the Marines. You get in the grit of things in the Army without the hyper oorah of the Marines. I have deployed to FOBS with about the same footprint, personnel wise, as a frigate or destroyer, with no paved runway or even grass airport. I have done training exercises where you use whatever building you have as an operations center/barracks. Sometimes it's just a tent. You have probably already experienced that. If you have and you liked it, the Army is for you. If you have and you did not like it, well...there's your answer.

On the other hand, landing on a ship is pretty neat. I have done it in the Navy and in the Army. If you like that sort of thing, the Navy is for you. My opportunities to do it in the Army were largely influenced by my experience I gained in the Navy. It is RARE to do this as an Army aviator. If you don't mind flying over the water, the Navy is great. I know some Army aviators who are scared $hitless if they get more than gliding distance from shore. Flying over the water does get boring after the first 500 hrs or so. YMMV

As a helicopter pilot, if you want to be in the thick of things, the Army will give you a slightly better chance at that.

I would talk about the Air Force, but I think you said that you were interested in being a MILITARY pilot .

 

[exNavyOffRec]

About 20% of our Officer corps is from OTS. I don't know the percentage for pilots, but anecdotally, I'd say there are quite a few pilots from OTS.
We are creating about 1260 pilots per year currently. They want 1500 to stem the bleeding. I'm no doctor but I figured stopping the bleeding is more effective than continuing a transfusion... but what do I know?

The number from the USAF officer recruiters I knew was always very low, their plans had priority to USAFA, then AFROTC, and any leftovers to OTS, there are times when they are told do not submit as there were no spots to give.

 

[GroundPounder]

I'm no doctor