Pilot slots closed until FY05 for OCS

[Borncreole]

OK here is my situation. I receive my degree in 10 days. I am an AW1 with over 2000 hours in the SH60B. I am the CNAP Evaluator for the West Coast. I want to apply to become a pilot and fly the 60B or 60R but I was told by Ed Phillips (the guy who sits on the OCS seletion board) that the pilot slots are closed until FY05 but there are NFO slots open. (I do NOT want to be an NFO) Is there anything I can do other than wait another year?

Rick

 

[bigmikenjax]

Rick,
I just got picked up for AMDO that was supposedly closed too, I got picke up for fy04, you need to apply, if you are that good they will not pass you up they will take you for the next year. Also, have you ever thought od lateral transfer once you get in, alot times people can get in as an officer thru an open program then lat transfer, happens alot!! Wont know unless you apply!!!! Mike

 

[Borncreole]

Thanks Mike, So you think I should take the NFO slot and try to get a lateral transfer. When can that be done? Can you do it while going through the standard pipline (OCS, API, Primary)?

 

[Spin]

I'm no expert but I would not suggest taking an NFO slot soley with the hopes of transfering to SNA. First of all, on alot of other posts from guys in the service it has been said that transfers are rare but they do happen. Secondly, if you don't wanna be an NFO .... don't sign up for it cause you might be stuck there. If you wouldn't mind that, by all means go for it. Just my 2 cents.

Peace,

-Spin

 

[apendle]

I had heard that guys wanting to be SNA's had to transfer during OCS.
Apparently, if someone drops from OCS with a SNA billet, then someone
can take that slot; but only during OCS, and no later. I know of one
gentleman who is trying to do that same thing. I don't know if that is
the practice, but it is worth trying out.

 

[kevin]

my $.02 is also that you shouldnt take nfo to get sna. unlikely to happen and the navy needs good nfo's who want to be nfo's. now when you add $.02 and $.02 you get $.04 and how can you possibly not take that as gospel?!

 

[Valion310]

Hey Borncreole ... these guys make some good sense. But your from the inside just as I was, so you have a pretty good idea of how lat tran's goes. If you have a good record, and are an AW1 I would go with whatever they give you then pull some strings and swap over at your 2 year mark after training. I'm sure how it works for us on the enlisted side most likely works very similar on the "dark side".

Anyway, good luck.

 

[Borncreole]

Thanks for all of the great feedback. Looks like I do have a few options

. I talked to my CCC and he tels me that I should submit my package and only select pilot in block 3 (the one for job pref) and leave the other 2 blank. Then just keep submittting until they give me a pilot slot, even if it is in FY05. Once again, thanks for the feedback and sanity check.