Options.

[Eric Greene]

I joined this forum in hopes I will be able to get some first person advice. I'm about half-way done with getting my private pilots license and would like to get more experience as a pilot as well as get my education at a 4 year institution. I'm 22 years old and I have a DUI on my record from 2 years ago but have kept my nose clean since. Just wondering if I should even consider going military as a practical option (if so, what branch?) or go the civilian route. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Spekkio]

Your options are:

1) Enroll in a 4-year college and join their NROTC program. You may not get selected for pilot, though.
2) Enroll in a 4-year college and apply for OCS in your senior year for a pilot slot. You may not get selected for jets later on in training, which would leave you paying for classes on the back-end anyway.
3) Enroll in a 4-year college, pay for civilian flight training, and try to become a civilian pilot.
4) Enlist in the military. Put college on hold. Go to college after getting out utilizing the GI bill. Pay for private pilot's courses, and try to apply for jobs.
5) Do none of these and work elsewhere.

 

[wlawr005]

2) Enroll in a 4-year college and apply for OCS in your senior year for a pilot slot. You may not get selected for jets later on in training, which would leave you paying for classes on the back-end anyway.

What?

To the OP: If you want to fly for the military, contact a recruiter and be honest. Maybe a DUI hurts, maybe it doesn't...but you won't know until you ask. The biggest obstacle on your plate is a college education. Knock that out first and then reattack...

 

[Bam Bam]

Check this site out http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/prerequ/woft.shtml. It's for the Warrant Officer Flight Training Program to become Army Rotary Wing Aviator. There is no degree required but most of the guys I know either have one or are pursuing one. You can always get your degree while you’re in and utilize tuition assistance. Then when you get out you can use the GI Bill for furthering your education. I agree with wlawr005, contact a recruiter and be honest.

 

[Eric Greene]

Thank you I will do that(Contact recruiter; Obtain degree). I just wanted to make sure a DUI conviction would not completely disqualify me.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Thank you I will do that(Contact recruiter; Obtain degree). I just wanted to make sure a DUI conviction would not completely disqualify me.

It is certainly not going to be a selling point, and it most definitely could be a show stopper, but you won't know until you try.

 

[Beefalo]

Knew a guy who got a DUI prior to enlisting and he just got picked up for OCS granted this was after about 8 years of enlisted service.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Sometimes a person with a DUI gets picked up for OCS, sometimes they don't, learn from it and move on, you can't change what happened.

My bigger concern with you is your age, you must be commissioned by age 27, that means you have to be in OCS by age 26 and 9 months.

 

[Rev]

DUI definitely will hurt you, however there are some here who have commissioned with one on their record. NOR is right obviously with age being an issue. It'll be exacerbated by the fact that you may have to apply multiple times, especially with your record.

Give it a shot though!