Tell me about the Army Reserves

[Conundrum 1]

I don't know much about the Army Reserves but I know someone who is thinking of joining and being a pilot and I'd like to know more about it from people with experience in it.

What does it entail exactly?
Do you have to go through basic training?
What are the chances of getting called to active duty?
How much do you have to be away from home?
How long are you enlisted for? 4 years?

I've looked it up a little bit online, but it's always better to hear info from people actually participating in something.

Thanks

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[jb092 0]

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I don't know much about the Army Reserves but I know someone who is thinking of joining and being a pilot and I'd like to know more about it from people with experience in it.

What does it entail exactly?
Do you have to go through basic training?
What are the chances of getting called to active duty?
How much do you have to be away from home?
How long are you enlisted for? 4 years?

I've looked it up a little bit online, but it's always better to hear info from people actually participating in something.

Thanks

It is one weekend a month 2 weeks infn the summer.

you must go through basic and AIT

These days you will be called just a matyter of when.

The enlistment is usally 6 years.

Need any more info?

What could possibly go wrong?

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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I don't know much about the Army Reserves but I know someone who is thinking of joining and being a pilot and I'd like to know more about it from people with experience in it.

What does it entail exactly?
Do you have to go through basic training?
What are the chances of getting called to active duty?
How much do you have to be away from home?
How long are you enlisted for? 4 years?

I've looked it up a little bit online, but it's always better to hear info from people actually participating in something.

Thanks

It is one weekend a month 2 weeks infn the summer.

you must go through basic and AIT

These days you will be called just a matyter of when.

The enlistment is usally 6 years.

Need any more info?

What he said...however I don't know that they have pilot slots in the reserves unless you are trained/sign a contract for active duty first...you'd have to double check that.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[gjhdiver 0]

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I don't know much about the Army Reserves but I know someone who is thinking of joining and being a pilot and I'd like to know more about it from people with experience in it.

What does it entail exactly?
Do you have to go through basic training?
What are the chances of getting called to active duty?
How much do you have to be away from home?
How long are you enlisted for? 4 years?

I've looked it up a little bit online, but it's always better to hear info from people actually participating in something.

Thanks

Apparently you join it, it fucks up your weekends, and you get continually drageed back into service, years after you thought you were done because of the stop loss program.

Mind you, it does offer you the opportunity to get shot at while you experience financial ruin back home, so at least it's got that going for it.

[brits17 0]

Pilot as a warrant officer? Or has he/she graduated college and want to go through OCS?

WO's still go through basic training, officer candidates do not.

_______________________
aerialkinetics.com

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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It is one weekend a month 2 weeks infn the summer.

Isn't that up for discussion at the moment? I thought they were going to extend that due to current world situations.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[lawrocket 3]

Pilots are either Commissioned Officers of Warrant Officers. He's lookign at an 8 year commitment.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[mnealtx 0]

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Pilot as a warrant officer? Or has he/she graduated college and want to go through OCS?

WO's still go through basic training, officer candidates do not.

I thought direct enlistment graduates still had to go to the 90 day wonder course?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[slug 1]

The army no longer has a "draft" now IMO it's called the reserves, NG and stop loss.

Has your friend gone to his friendly local recruiter yet. He can listen to their pitch but for info and amusement only. Tell him not to sign anything even a sheet of paper saying that he attended the info meeting

R.I.P.

[cocheese 0]

I was in the Army National Guard for 3 years. It's a good deed for your country and might make everything seem easier and more intelligent once one gets out. Other than that, it actually costs you money since you could make more working anywhere else. But where else are ya gonna play with cool explosives and sleep on the ground in the rain ?
Recruiters lie more than a Springer Show guest on crack.

[ryoder 1,590]

I have an acquintance who is a hardcore UNIX/networking geek. I had heard he was in Desert Storm, so I sent him an email asking about it:

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> I believe you said you were a Navy corpsman in Desert Storm.

Yes, I was. I was assigned to the USMC during Desert Storm.

> How the heck did someone with your background and interests
> wind up in the Navy doing medical work???

I joined the Navy Reserve when I ran out of money for college. I
scored one point from perfect on the ASVAB, so the Navy Recruiter
attempted to talk me into nuke school. That would have required
a six year active duty stint, which didn't interest me in the least.
So he said "OK, the reserves it is. Pick any job you want." With
the reserves, however, you can only pick from the jobs available at
the Reserve Center with which you affiliate. At the time, I was
affiliated with the Decatur, IL Naval Reserve Center. I could
choose from any of the following:

1. Builder
2. Heavy Equipment Operator
3. Hospital Corpsman

So I figured "Air conditioning, nurses, easy choice!" and opted for
HM. What I didn't know was that most male HMs attend Fleet Marine
Training and become Combat Medical Technicians. Shortly after
Desert Shield started, I was officially designated an 8404 - Combat
Medical Technician. I knew I was screwed then!

He wound up attached to a Marine unit and living in foxholes in the sand until Desert Storm was over.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Gawain 0]

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I don't know much about the Army Reserves but I know someone who is thinking of joining and being a pilot and I'd like to know more about it from people with experience in it.

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What does it entail exactly?

You may want to do some research on your own, try www.goarmy.com and www.military.com. Military.com has forums like this where some of those questions have certainly been asked.

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Do you have to go through basic training?

Yes.

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What are the chances of getting called to active duty?

Very good.

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How much do you have to be away from home?

I have no idea.

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How long are you enlisted for? 4 years?

Minimum enlistment for reserves is 3 years. However, your friend is going to need to take a bunch of tests before joining up, including one designed to gauge his/her aviation "potential". Also, if he/she hasn't graduated college, forget about WOCS (pilots in the Army are typically Warrant Officers). Advanced training after BCT (basic) will last over a year if he/she gets to be pilot. If I'm not mistaken, BCT would likely happen at Ft. Knox, KY, and advanced/WOCS training would be in Alabama

I don't think he/she will find much in the reserves option though. Active duty alone would likely entail a commitment longer than 6 years, considering all the training, time and effort.

Here at the 101st, the helicopters are always flying. On some days when I drive by the Air Assault school, the pilots are maintaining some really steady flying while gear is tied on underneath them while they hover. Cool stuff.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

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[Hooknswoop 19]

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Also, if he/she hasn't graduated college, forget about WOCS (pilots in the Army are typically Warrant Officers).

A collage degree is not a requirement to fly helos.

The FAST test is the test that qill guage your potential to be a pilot. There are study guides available.

Derek

[Gawain 0]

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Also, if he/she hasn't graduated college, forget about WOCS (pilots in the Army are typically Warrant Officers).

A collage degree is not a requirement to fly helos.

The FAST test is the test that qill guage your potential to be a pilot. There are study guides available.

Derek

I stand corrected on the college education part. In addition to the FAST test, you need a "General Tech" score on the ASVAB of 110 or higher. The test scores are not waiverable.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[jb092 0]

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It is one weekend a month 2 weeks infn the summer.

Isn't that up for discussion at the moment? I thought they were going to extend that due to current world situations.

Well when I answered the question about being called to active duty I thought I covered this one too. Since most people in the reserves or gaurd have already been activated or are in the process of being activated. It's not a matter of "if" you are called it is "when" you will be called. It sucks but everyone who enlists should know what can and most likely will happen.

What could possibly go wrong?

[steve1 5]

I was in the National Guard for six years. It's about the same as the Reserves. I'd go regular army if I were you. If you join the reserve or guard you are probably going to be activated anyway to Iraq. When I was in the guard a million years ago, leadership was really poor. Our drills and summer camps were often a joke. Why not join something you can be proud of. Maybe the Guard and Reserves are different now.

I spent about a year on active duty. Was trained as a Special Forces weapons specialist. I should have stayed on active duty and never returned to my Guard Unit.....Steve1

[xjumprjosh 0]

My uncle is a senior civilian flight instructor down in Fort Rucker, AL. He has been trying to get me to go to that school for some time now (I am an active duty SGT). In order to fly helicopters in the Army, you must be a Warrant Officer, or a Commissioned Officer. Commissioned Officers have 4 year degrees, while Warrants do not. A civilian can go to Warrant Officer Candidate School in Fort Rucker straight off of the street, but competition for WOCS is tough as applicant from the Army and all other branches of service on active duy are eligible to become a pilot. In order to be accepted he will need to take a physical, fill out the appropriate application forms, and take the AFAST (Alternate Flight Aptitude Skills Test) or something close to that affect. Tell him to visit this site:

[http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/]

There is a questionairre that will get someone to contact him via email or phone from the warrant officer recruiting branch.

He can go talk to a recruiter, however, I believe that they will try to convince him to enlist first WHICH I DO NOT recommend. Warrant Officers have the best job in the Army and are not generally messed with, especially aviators. And yes, he can stay a reserve pilot. Most likely he will see an Iraq deployment as pilots are highly in demand, but also that means that right now is the best time to become a Warrant.

Hope this helps.

[slug 1]

Hi XJJ

Sounds like the real deal
I'm way to old but If a person goes the route you suggest and just can't handle the challenge of flying a chopper and flunks out of choppers schools what heppens?

Do they get to go home to the real world, stay in the army as a W.O. doing something not involving flying or join the enlisted ranks in a suitable position.

Any stats on nujmber of folks that wash out of chopper school?

R.I.P.

[steve1 5]

I had some pals that went through Warrant Officer Flight in the 70's. That was not a good time to be a chopper pilot. Many, many, were shot down back then. If I were young again now, I think I'd try to get into that program. Even in Iraq, they aren't losing a lot of helicopters like in Vietnam.

Sounds like a really neat job that you could use on the outside. I knew a lot of former Vietnam chopper pilots who ended up flying for the forest service. Most of them have since retired. I would imagine if you wash out of the program you might be placed in a grunt outfit as an enlisted man. Once you are in you say goodbye to a lot of your freedom of choice.

I have one old friend who went through Warrant Officer Flight in the early 70's. He ended up flying a bird dog type of aircraft for fighter pilots. He still suffers from Post Traumatic Stress. He saw way too much action.....Steve1

[xjumprjosh 0]

I don't think that too many people wash out of flight school. In the Army (to the best of my knowledge) you'll end up flying either an attack (think Apache), assault (think Blackhawk), cargo (think Chinook), or observation (think Kiowa) and it takes better skills to fly certain ones. The biggest hurdle most guys I know faced was getting through Warrant Officer Candidate School. It's six weeks of hazing boot camp for Warrant Officers. Most of the guys who ended up getting dropped that I know of were sent back to the unit.....so if you don't make it (which shouldn't be an option) then I'm not sure what would happen to a civilian. You may or may not end up with some sort of enlistment obligation. The best bet is to contact the poc on the web link I put in my previous post. Click on the civilian applicant link and get all the info you can before doing anything. The other thing I forgot to mention was the requirement to be able to obtain a Secret Security Clearance to attend the WOCS school. So if you had law troubles, financial difficulties, foreign contacts, etc., you could have a long wait. I'm married to a woman from Poland, I wasn't always the respectable citizen that I am now, and I left a lucrative systems adminstrator job to enlist in the Army after 9/11. Heck, I'm a skydiver. We all know what financial difficulties can arise from this hobby (though I wouldn't change a thing) Needless to say, that's why I'm not already in that program. Still waiting on a clearance for a year and a half You know what's funny though? The second we go back to Iraq they can grant me one on the spot. Thanks Uncle Sam.