USN Should I go Naval Aircrewman or a Submariner?

[Pags]

Definitely some great advice here to strongly consider. My selected path I chose was enlisting in the reserves as an aircrewman to better my chances of becoming a pilot but still finishing school in a decent amount of time. In my opinion, after finally submitting my OCS packet for board next month, i'd recommend not going this route. It is a pain to try and go from enlisted to officer and honestly doesn't seem to carry that much weight. My recruiter said it best "The Navy already has and owns you, they want to get people they don't already have". Going to school and finishing with a solid GPA and great ASTB scores as a civilian is probably a best bet. You also get to apply early while still in school as a civilian, if you're already enlisted you have to completely finish school first and have degree in hand before you can apply. There are many hoops to jump through, but if you're set on joining, definitely aircrew as it is in the same field and community and you will learn a hell of a lot more about the different aircraft the Navy has as well as the different jobs pertaining to each aircraft.

Just my 2 cents based off my experiences.

If someone in HS wants to fly grey airplanes for Uncle Sam THE BEST way to do this is to go to a service academy or ROTC. If you get picked up for a college based officer program your chances of going to flight school just improved dramatically. I don't want to say it's guaranteed but if you have good grades, don't get fat, and don't get in any real trouble you're about as close to a guaranteed ticket to flight school as you can get (for USN anyways). Yes, there's OCS but IMO if you know in HS that you want to be an officer why wouldn't you let Uncle Sam pick up the tab for college? Plus, based on what I've seen on this site, it's far easier to get into USNA/NROTC then it is to get an OCS pilot slot.

There is no need to know a damned thing about Navy airplanes prior to becoming a Naval Aviator nor is there a need to know how a Squadron works. The program isn't set up to require those sort of prerequisites.

 

[justheretocreep]

If someone in HS wants to fly grey airplanes for Uncle Sam THE BEST way to do this is to go to a service academy or ROTC. If you get picked up for a college based officer program your chances of going to flight school just improved dramatically. I don't want to say it's guaranteed but if you have good grades, don't get fat, and don't get in any real trouble you're about as close to a guaranteed ticket to flight school as you can get (for USN anyways). Yes, there's OCS but IMO if you know in HS that you want to be an officer why wouldn't you let Uncle Sam pick up the tab for college? Plus, based on what I've seen on this site, it's far easier to get into USNA/NROTC then it is to get an OCS pilot slot.

There is no need to know a damned thing about Navy airplanes prior to becoming a Naval Aviator nor is there a need to know how a Squadron works. The program isn't set up to require those sort of prerequisites.

I applied for the academy in HS and got denied, which is where my backup plan of going reserves then OCS kicked in. I definitely agree service academies are the BEST route or ROTC programs but those are still a selective process in their own and still not exactly easy to get into. I had a 3.8 GPA in HS, took and passed AP classes, got 3 varsity letters (Track, Football, Power Lifting) and worked 2 part time jobs with community service on top of National Honor Society and still got overlooked. If it is something you really want you'll make sure to have back up plans to back up your back up plans which brings me here.

I also understand you don't need prior experience in anything to being an aviator, but it could help making decisions down the road if that is the path someone chooses to take. I was just trying to say if you're torn between subs or air and want to be a pilot going the air route just makes a bit more sense as you see what the community is all about. Not that you necessarily need to, but you can get an in-depth look into not only pilots but also NFO's and what they do in which someone might change from wanting to be a pilot to an NFO instead. Some people don't even know what an NFO is until they are ready to start applying. being apart of the community in advance can help shed some light on things like that.

 

[Pags]

I applied for the academy in HS and got denied, which is where my backup plan of going reserves then OCS kicked in. I definitely agree service academies are the BEST route or ROTC programs but those are still a selective process in their own and still not exactly easy to get into. I had a 3.8 GPA in HS, took and passed AP classes, got 3 varsity letters (Track, Football, Power Lifting) and worked 2 part time jobs with community service on top of National Honor Society and still got overlooked. If it is something you really want you'll make sure to have back up plans to back up your back up plans which brings me here.

I also understand you don't need prior experience in anything to being an aviator, but it could help making decisions down the road if that is the path someone chooses to take. I was just trying to say if you're torn between subs or air and want to be a pilot going the air route just makes a bit more sense as you see what the community is all about. Not that you necessarily need to, but you can get an in-depth look into not only pilots but also NFO's and what they do in which someone might change from wanting to be a pilot to an NFO instead. Some people don't even know what an NFO is until they are ready to start applying. being apart of the community in advance can help shed some light on things like that.

Good points. If the OP wants to serve they need to apply to both USNA and NROTC programs. Both are competitive programs but it seems that the selection criteria between the two can change resulting in some folks getting picked up for one and not the other.

 

[Gatordev]

I am great in class, its when it comes to studying, I don't really do much of that and when I take test I usually pass with an 90%, but I believe my luck is running out after doing that for awhile. On a side-note, though I only have 2 mores years until I can start applying for the ROTC Scholarship, I am a bit out of shape for the Navy's standards. I'm not extremely over weight, just past the limit by a bit. So I believe if I enlist and go through DEP, it can help me condition my body even more before I go to Navy RTC. One of the requirements to get a ROTC Scholarship is to pass a PT test, which I am working on to get to at least the minimum standard or better, but basically it all depends on my commitment on getting that scholarship by training or having the Navy make me train.

I'm getting the impression you're expecting by enlisting that the Navy will mold you into a lean, motivated individual who will then be ripe for the picking to be an officer. It doesn't work that way.

You may not be ready for college, and that's completely okay and maybe the Navy will help you grow up a bit so that you will be ready for college another time. Many have followed that path successfully. But you have to have the motivation to make it work to ultimately get to flight school and beyond. If you want to fly (or any other officer program), like Pags said, go for a regular commissioning program. The worst they can say is no.

And I agree with Pickle, if this is something you want, and you know you're half-assing it right now, fix that and be better.

 

[BACONATOR]

If someone in HS wants to fly grey airplanes for Uncle Sam THE BEST way to do this is to go to a service academy or ROTC. If you get picked up for a college based officer program your chances of going to flight school just improved dramatically. I don't want to say it's guaranteed but if you have good grades, don't get fat, and don't get in any real trouble you're about as close to a guaranteed ticket to flight school as you can get (for USN anyways). Yes, there's OCS but IMO if you know in HS that you want to be an officer why wouldn't you let Uncle Sam pick up the tab for college? Plus, based on what I've seen on this site, it's far easier to get into USNA/NROTC then it is to get an OCS pilot slot.

There is no need to know a damned thing about Navy airplanes prior to becoming a Naval Aviator nor is there a need to know how a Squadron works. The program isn't set up to require those sort of prerequisites.

I agree with you if you're talking the path from HS. I wouldn't say it's the best overall way though. I mean with BDCP I had a guaranteed pilot slot (not guaranteed to make it, but the opportunity). ROTC/Academy could easily put you behind a desk in the fleet.

 

[Pags]

I agree with you if you're talking the path from HS. I wouldn't say it's the best overall way though. I mean with BDCP I had a guaranteed pilot slot (not guaranteed to make it, but the opportunity). ROTC/Academy could easily put you behind a desk in the fleet.

Is BDCP Pilot still offered?

NROTC offered a commissioning program that didn't require the immersion/shenanigans of USNA and didn't require OCS. plus all your tuition was paid.

I know of very few USNA/NROTC miss who had the grades and were physically qualified who didn't get a pilot slot. By the time service selection time came up in my class everyone knew what they wanted and I think everyone got what they wanted. After 3yrs of USNA/NROTC most miss have a good idea if they want SWO, Subs, or Aviation; so I'm not sure if the programs are as competitive within the commissioning sources as you think they might be.

 

[wiseguy04]

Coast guard

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Is BDCP Pilot still offered?

NROTC offered a commissioning program that didn't require the immersion/shenanigans of USNA and didn't require OCS. plus all your tuition was paid.

I know of very few USNA/NROTC miss who had the grades and were physically qualified who didn't get a pilot slot. By the time service selection time came up in my class everyone knew what they wanted and I think everyone got what they wanted. After 3yrs of USNA/NROTC most miss have a good idea if they want SWO, Subs, or Aviation; so I'm not sure if the programs are as competitive within the commissioning sources as you think they might be.

BDCP entirely has been scrapped for about 6-7 years now.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

If someone in HS wants to fly grey airplanes for Uncle Sam THE BEST way to do this is to go to a service academy or ROTC. If you get picked up for a college based officer program your chances of going to flight school just improved dramatically. I don't want to say it's guaranteed but if you have good grades, don't get fat, and don't get in any real trouble you're about as close to a guaranteed ticket to flight school as you can get (for USN anyways). Yes, there's OCS but IMO if you know in HS that you want to be an officer why wouldn't you let Uncle Sam pick up the tab for college? Plus, based on what I've seen on this site, it's far easier to get into USNA/NROTC then it is to get an OCS pilot slot.

There is no need to know a damned thing about Navy airplanes prior to becoming a Naval Aviator nor is there a need to know how a Squadron works. The program isn't set up to require those sort of prerequisites.

I would tend to disagree when it comes to the USN, if you want to fly your best shot is via OCS, if you go USNA and NROTC you can put down SNA but that doesn't mean you will get it, if you apply to OCS and put down SNA they won't tell you no for SNA and then send you as a SWO, you just move on to the next thing in your life.

I served with several officers who went USNA or NROTC who had a desire to fly but did not even get a chance to go to flight school, I can't say if it was due to low ASTB or needs of the USN but either way, they aren't flying.

 

[Pags]

I'd be curious to see how the % stack up for USNA/NROTC vs OCS. While I get that OCS offers a "guaranteed" pilot slot my impression from applicant stats on this site is that it's much more competitive to get that guarantee. Guys with GPAs that would get laughed out of an OR's office can get pilot slots via USNA/NROTC.

Does USN keep stats that would allow an apples to apples comparison between the pilot selects of the three commissioning sources?

 

[Jim123]

While I get that OCS offers a "guaranteed" pilot slot my impression from applicant stats on this site is that it's much more competitive to get that guarantee. Guys with GPAs that would get laughed out of an OR's office can get pilot slots via USNA/NROTC.

I think it ebbs and flows over the years. Sometimes OCS is barely taking any aviators at all and other times the cycle is at the other extreme. FWIW, I would wager the floodgates are about to open wide for the next few years.

 

[Gatordev]

I served with several officers who went USNA or NROTC who had a desire to fly but did not even get a chance to go to flight school, I can't say if it was due to low ASTB or needs of the USN but either way, they aren't flying.

There's also plenty of anecdotal evidence of guys going to OCS with guaranteed pilot slots who then get Whammied and commission to something else. Statistically, ROTC will give you a pretty damn good chance of going aviation nowadays, with the caveats that Pags mentioned. That's not to say to discount OCS, but you don't have the same ASTB/GPA game with ROTC.

 

[Pags]

I think it ebbs and flows over the years. Sometimes OCS is barely taking any aviators at all and other times the cycle is at the other extreme. FWIW, I would wager the floodgates are about to open wide for the next few years.

That's the design of OCS though right? It's the "fine control (if such a thing could be said to exist in BUPERS)" of USN personnel acquisition. Guys from USNA/NROTC took all the Aviation slots? Then OCS is gonna be tough to get in to this year with the reverse being true as well.

 

[BACONATOR]

That's the design of OCS though right? It's the "fine control (if such a thing could be said to exist in BUPERS)" of USN personnel acquisition. Guys from USNA/NROTC took all the Aviation slots? Then OCS is gonna be tough to get in to this year with the reverse being true as well.

It's a lot less pain (overall, not the intensity of 12 weeks) and a guarantee, albeit at the cost of higher competitiveness. I'd take that any day over canoe u for 4 years but I'm damn glad people disagree with me and choose the other routes.

 

[Jim123]

That's the design of OCS though right? It's the "fine control (if such a thing could be said to exist in BUPERS)" of USN personnel acquisition.

That's the nice way of putting it. I would have said, "Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, we need a lot of pilots! This wasn't supposed to happen! We planned everything and gave all those briefs!!!"