Questions concerning OCS and flight contracts

[Dorsai007]

As much as I'd like to keep this short it's going to be fairly lengthly I fear.
Here's some background info on myself. Currently I'm 29 with 10+ years time in service. I served my first 6+yrs in the Corps as a 5952 then I put in a flight packet and transferred to the Army to fly, at the time I needed 20/20 to fly for the Corps and the Army had lower requirements. I will complete my flight obligation late 2010 early 2011. I want to finish my degree and come back to the Corps to fly Cobras. Currently I'm a AH-64D Longbow Pilot in Command with over 1000 hrs of combat time, 1400 hrs of rotary time with 1200 of it in the Longbow. I'm in the 3rd month of a 15 month deployment to Iraq so I'd expect those numbers to be much higher by the end. I emailed a SSgt with the Austin OSO office and was told that regardless of my circumstances that I couldn't come back as a Pilot because I couldn't be commisioned by 27 1/2. Technically I already hold a commision as Chief Warrant 2. So my questions are:
1. Is that a real fact that I would be turned down with my current qualifications due to age?
2. Being a rated aviator already how would that fit into flight school. Would I go through a transition course for the Cobra vs the entire program?
3. Is there a higher authority than the Austin station that I can petition too for consideration?

Basically any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated.

Semper Fi

Marty Maust

 

[Crowbar]

The Interservice Transfer Board message came out recently. Look at Paragraph 3.b.1, WARRANT AND RESTRICTED OFFICERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO
APPLY TO THE IST BOARD. I don't know if use of "Warrant Officer" includes all WOs and CWOs or not.

Not saying it could never happen, waivers exist for a reason, but that's HQMC's stance as of 18 August.

 

[2ndGen]

I thought prior service makes you eligible for an age waiver, I think 4 years?

 

[picklesuit]

So to totally threadjack this, why did the Navy pick 27.5 years as the cutoff? I see a lot of guys my age (almost 29) making it through just fine...in fact all of the attrites I know of were under 24 yrs of age (I know there are old guys attriting too, I just don't know any personally) and down the road,after 20 years of service, the difference between 50 and 47.5 years old is pretty small...why not bump it to 28 or 30? Is there a physiological reason, or is it a money thing?
Pickle

 

[Dorsai007]

I know an IST is out of the question, I'd have to apply for and go to OCS. I'll try for an conditional release from the Army when it's closer to my ETS...or sooner if I can finish out the schooling. Deployments are making that near impossible it seems LOL

 

[Harrier Dude]

I know 1 USMC aviator, and have met two others (1 USN and 1 USAF) who were prior Warrants in the Army flight program. All 3 were Army Cobra guys (now AV-8B, FA-18, and F-16 respectively). It can be done. Not sure on the age issue, but waivers are possible. I'll try to find my buddy (if he's still in) and ask him about it. He was pretty young when he did it. He also did OCS and all of flight school, but was on the accelerated syllabus.

Good luck.

 

[TailDraggar]

I am prior service USMC. A couple years ago I was talking to a gunny about wanting to go to PLC for flight, but I wouldn't make age. He then began to tell me about a good friend of his who was staff enlisted and got to flight school in his mid to late 30's. I don't know the exact details about how he did it, but he did it. I'm going to shoot him an email and see what I can find out.

 

[Clux4]

You shuold try to get a Commission in the Army before talking to the Marine Corps. Atleast, all you will be doing is an Interservice transfer. Getting a commission at a local Reserve unit or Guard might work.

Call the Aviation monitor at HQMC and see what they think.

 

[skidkid]

The only "true" interservice transfer of this type that I am aware of was on the reserve side a NG Kiowa pilot got a transfer to the USMC as a Captain to fly Cobras (in the reserves). Those of us observing thought it was more than a little f#cked up that a guy could become a Marine officer with HMLAT-303 being his only training (no Basic School like all the other conversions we ever met). Our fears were unfounded because he sucked and was attrited from 303. Unfortunately that is fresh in the mind of many in the Cobra community.
Best of luck but dont burn any bridges with the Army.

 

[Clux4]

Apparently, HMLA 775 sent a guy that could not pass the swim and was also an attrite.
Makes me wonder how much emphasis is placed on swimming at Rucker.

 

[TailDraggar]

HMLA 775 was my reserve unit................................................

Edit.... Small world I guess. At least I can swim well enough to get a 2nd class. 1st class is a PITA, but if I need it I can get it.

 

[Dorsai007]

There is no swim at Rucker. I was rolling laughing when the swim test came up at the OBC start. Turns out there isn't a swim test at basic for the army. So I fell back on the old Class 2 stuff and helped out the ones who needed it.