Army Aviation Officer Career Path

Attend Officer Candidate School

Attend Officer Candidate School in Ft. Benning, GA, and the Officer Candidate course before you move on to pilot training. If you’re enlisted U.S. Army personnel and want to become a pilot, you need to qualify to and attend Warrant Officer Candidate School in Fort Rucker, Alabama. You also need a score of 90 on the Alternative Flight Aptitude Selection Test and need to pass flight physicals that ensure you’re physically capable of performing pilot duties.

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United States Military Academy

Stop me if youve ever heard of this one

Actually, even if you try, I wont stop. Though, admittedly, theres not a lot of information I can give regarding West Point that you cant find elsewhere. There are entire books written about what life at West Point is like. And article databases, and biographies, and countless speeches given by West Pointers once theyve got stars on their chest about their days at West Pointlike I said, theres a lot of places to find reliable info.

I, personally, did not go to the Academy. So I cant realistically give someone an insiders perspective. But Ive spoken with a lot of West Pointers, and from everything Ive gathered in conversation with them , the USMA is the exception to what I stated above I dont feel like someone who commissions from West Point necessarily NEEDS prior-enlisted time. It wouldnt hurt, certainly. In fact, it would undoubtedly be HELPFUL in their time at the academy as well as thereafter. Howeverthese cadets have to live it and breathe it day-in and day-out for four years to become officers.

What Is An Army Aviation Officer

An Army aviation officer is responsible for the safe and effective operation of Army aircraft. They manage the aircrew, plan and execute missions, and support training requirements. Aviation officers must be able to think quickly and make decisions in order to keep their troops safe. They serve in a wide variety of roles, so they must be excellent communicators, have an interest in technology, and have a strong desire to help people.

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Requirements For Army Aviator

To become an Army aviator, you first must enter the United States Army with a four-year active-duty contract, pass Army flight training, and meet several other qualifications.

You will be required to:

• Be between 19 and 32 years of age upon entering the Army
• Have a bachelors degree from an accredited institution
• Undergo Army medical and physical fitness examinations
• Meet Army weight and maximum height standards
• Pass the pre-commissioning physical examination and the Army flight physical
• Meet visual acuity requirements
• Pass a background security investigation, including a credit check as well as a drug screening administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Each branch of service has slightly different qualifications for those interested in pursuing this career path.

In order to become an Army aviator, a soldier must have at least a bachelors degree from an accredited institution. They also must pass the Aviation Classification Battery test, which is designed to gauge their aptitude for becoming an Army aviator. Even after passing the ACB, the Armys stringent requirements ensure that only the most qualified applicants are accepted into its aviation officer programs.

How Long Does It Take To Complete Aviation School In The Us Army

To become a U.S. Army pilot, you need to complete extensive training to prepare you for your role. As an aspiring aviation warrant officer, you need to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School for six weeks, followed by Warrant Officer Pilot School and flight training, which lasts anywhere from 12 to 18 months.

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Air Defense Artillery Officer

Branch: Air Defense Artillery

Primary duties: Throughout their leadership and job duties, air defense artillery officers help defend the U.S. Army from aerial attacks, missile attack and more. Their various tasks include identifying targets, creating an air battle strategy and coordinating target engagement. Also, they execute various air defense artillery techniques and procedures. Air defense artillery officers should be physically fit, multitaskers and critical thinkers.

Branch 60 61 62medical Corps

The Medical Corps is composed exclusively of commissioned officers who have a degree of Doctor of Medicine from medical school or Doctor of Osteopathy from osteopathic school acceptable to HQDA. This branch includes:

• 60A Operational Medicine
• 60F Pulmonary Disease/Critical Care Officer
• 60G Gastroenterologist

• 67J Aeromedical Evacuation

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Advance In Your Career

In year five, you have a decision to make. You can move ahead in your Army career by getting more advanced education and training. If so, you will prepare for higher levels of responsibility, leadership, and specialization required as commanders. Eventually, you may even go on to earn a graduate degree from a leading civilian university.

The Army pays for all of your training, travel, and advanced education. You could eventually work in the Pentagon, command a large troop unit, or serve as a military attaché in a foreign country.

The other option is choose to complete your commitment and return to civilian life.

Check out West Pointers-The Journey Continues to learn more about graduates currently working in their branches.

Warrant Officer Career Management

Career management is critical to our recruitment and retention of Warrant Officers within the Special Operations Aviation Command. Every Warrant Officer in the command is highly trained with a unique skill set and knowledge base tailored for the special operations community. The command has a long-term retention strategy for all flight and support Warrant Officer positions. Talent management is a key strategy for the preservation of leadership, tactical and institutional knowledge, and our day-to-day operational capability.

Career stability and longevity as a Night Stalker means opportunity for advancement within the Regiment. Service opportunities include:

• Special Projects Officer

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Complete Basic Combat Training

Complete a basic training program that helps you learn the skills you need as a U.S. Army pilot. The first phase of this training involves classes that teach you a variety of things including U.S. Army values, weapon basics and land navigation. During the second phase, you can expect rifle qualification drills and obstacle courses. During the last phase, you get exposure to advanced weapon systems.

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Th Soar Application Assessment And Selection Process

Since our inception, The 160th SOAR has filled its ranks with “tested volunteers.” This means that all Commissioned Officers must apply and assess for service in the 160th. This application process begins when you submit your packet and ends when you report for duty. The following is a brief overview of the process:

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Aviation In The Army: 11 Careers To Explore

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

If you’re someone who has ever considered a career path in aviation, then pursuing one of many promising aviation jobs in the military may be the right choice for you. Aviation jobs range from a variety of skill sets depending on what most interests the candidate. All of these positions have advanced skills training before you begin work, so you feel confident in whatever job you choose. In this article, we discuss the pay structure of the U.S. Army, 11 jobs for aviation in the U.S. Army and duties for each job.

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Successful Aviation Warrant Officer Career Defined

ARSOAC CWOB / : There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Colin Powell

As a senior warrant officer, I have been asked many times during leader professional development , what is considered a successful career as an aviation warrant officer? I refer back to a mentor of mine, CW5 Robert Huffman, who wrote an article when he worked at the aviation proponent in 2003. At the time I was a CW3 working as the chief of warrant officer recruiting for United States Army Recruiting Command . This information has served me well I have used his article as the basis for this article, rewritten for current times.

Google defines success as:

• The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
• The attainment of popularity or profit.
• A person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity.

Volare Optimos, To Fly the Best.

CW5 Mark A. Meyer is the fourth command chief warrant officer of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command , Fort Bragg, NC.

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Meet The Requirements To Become A Us Army Pilot

Once you’re in the U.S. Army, report to a Military Entrance Processing Station to complete your physical and written exams. After you pass your FBI fingerprint checks, you’re considered U.S. Army personnel. Here are some of the additional requirements you need to meet to become a U.S. Army pilot:

• Complete high school or the equivalent

• Complete basic and flight training

• Pass the physical and written exams

• Pass a background check with fingerprints

• Have U.S. citizenship

• Meet the age criteria of 17-35 years

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Reach Your Highest Potential With A Career In Army Aviation

Pursuing a career in Army Aviation opens you up to an exciting array of many different specialties. From flying planes, to operating drones, to fixing Black Hawk helicopters, and more, youll have an exciting career ahead of youno matter the role.When you take on the challenge to pursue one of these careers, however, it will require skilled training. Youll learn to stay calm and focused in all weather conditions when operating aircraft, while learning to lead all types of vital combat and support missions.

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Mentorship Opportunities For Soldiers

Army Officer Career Path Options

There are many communities within the Army. These communities of different jobs are called branches. The following is a list of all the branches of officers of the Army. Officers are accessed upon commissioning into a single branch and come from the Military Academy, Army ROTC, Army OCS every year as newly commissioned First Lieutenants typically.

Throughout their company grade years, it’s where they are assigned, developed and promoted. In their fifth and sixth year, they may receive a functional area designation within the branch and change branches throughout their career as desired or offered by the Army.

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Fly Army Helicopters After Attending Its Training Program

In the Army, Rotary Wing Aviators are still officers, but not the commissioned variety. Theyre Warrant Officers, the militarys solution to making officers out of highly trained technical experts without saddling them with the same burdens of command and politics faced by lieutenants and above. Most Warrant Officers in any service branch are prior enlisted, with about a decade of experience in their field of expertise, but the Army makes an exception for aviation.

Branch 14air Defense Artillery

The air defense artillery officer leads the air defense artillery branch, who protects U.S. forces from aerial attack, missile attack, and enemy surveillance. They must be an expert in tactics, techniques, and procedures for the employment of air defense systems. They also become an expert in one or more systems including the PATRIOT missile system and the AVENGER system. This branch includes the 14A Air Defense Artillery Officer.

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Army Or Civilian Career

West Point graduates are highly sought after. Those choosing a civilian career have attained great success in different professionsas doctors, CEOs of major companies, and engineers the possibilities are endless.

Graduates who pursue an Army career do so because they feel the commitment and satisfaction of serving their country. The Army family takes care of its own during active duty and upon retirement after the first 60 days in service, all active duty members are enrolled in the Thrift Savings Plan which is much like a civilian 401 retirement account and they receive an automatic 1% of base pay, contributed by the Army. After 2 years of service, the military will match up to 5% base pay contributions. Additionally, active duty members who complete 20 years of service will earn 40% of their final base pay, up to 60% for 30 years of service, and reduced medical care for life, plus many other benefits.

Trust The Confidence Course

Your confidence will first be tested, as a cadet or in Basic Training, in what we call the Confidence Course. Though this obstacle course assesses many things like teamwork, coordination, and perseverance, it also tests personal challenges like fear and mental toughness. The goal is to show that the more challenges you overcome, the more you prove to yourself that you’re capable of anything.

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What Are Some Important Attributes Of Army Aviators

Army aviators are expected to be leaders in the field, both tactically and technically. They must have strong communication skills, both on the ground with troops as well as on the radio communicating with air traffic controllers on the ground during missions. Army aviators must be able to work under high pressure, solve problems quickly and decisively, and make accurate decisions in a split second.

Branch 27judge Advocate General’s Corps

The Army Judge Advocate Generals Corps attorney is responsible for offering legal support that involves military operations. They primarily focus on the areas of criminal law, legal assistance, civil or administrative law, labor/employment law, international/operational law and contract or fiscal law. This branch includes:

• 27A Judge Advocate, General
• 27B Military Judge

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A Unique Opportunity To Go From High School To Flight School

The Army is the only branch of the military where you learn how to become a pilot with a high school degree or equivalent, all while receiving Army pay and benefits.In exchange for paid pilot training, youll commit to ten years of service after you graduate from the six-week Warrant Officer Flight School as an Aviation Warrant Officer, a respected aviation expert role in the Army. The value of this type of experience matches that of the cost of a civilian or university flight school.Like all Warrant Officers in the Army, you’ll be responsible for solving technical problems within your area of expertise, serving as invaluable advisers to commanders and other Soldiers, and training enlisted Soldiers and Officers in a specific career field. Other Aviation Warrant Officer roles in the Army include Helicopter Pilot Warrant Officer and Airplane Pilot Warrant Officer.

Paths To Aviation Officer As Current Serving Army Officer

Bears88 said:Currently serving Army EOD officer here and I’m wondering what a possible path to being a pilot could be. I’m starting my fourth year and while I love EOD it is a bit of a dead end as the only real commands left would be an EOD company. I love EOD and wouldn’t trade my time for anything but I want a full career in the military and I just can’t do that in Army EOD. I’ve gotten into flying with my dad who owns a small Cessna and now the only career I want in the military is to be a pilot. I haven’t been able to find much information about the possibility of entering another branch even after looking through the regulations pertaining to transfers. I’d like to fly fixed wing so I’d want to transfer to the AF, Marines or Navy. I know they are extremely different communities, lifestyles and missions but I want to fly and if I only have the opportunity in one place so be it. Does anyone have any information on entering a new service? Due to career timelines an inter-service transfer isn’t possible so could I enter another service and be busted back to O-1 and enter service through OCS?

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!

pilot

Griz882 said:You could slip to the AF or Army Guard and go for a flight slot. Once in the switch back to active duty is easy. That said, with the army as short as it is on pilots Im sure theyd let you switch from Engineers to Aviation.

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What Is A Us Army Pilot

U.S. Army pilots are highly trained aviation experts in the . They fly advanced aircraft and lead a variety of aviation missions. U.S. Army pilots also help their fellow soldiers with both field and technical support. There are a couple of different pilot jobs in the Army, which include:

• Fixed wing aviator warrant officer

• Aviation officer

• Rotary wing aviator warrant officer

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Can I Join The Army If I Have A Criminal Record

It depends. The Army does not care about minor traffic violations like speeding tickets or driving without insurance, but felonies and serious misdemeanors such as assault or illegal drug use can disqualify you. Be sure to check the Armys list of offenses that will disqualify you for entry into the Army. You can also apply for a waiver, but it may take several months for approval, and it is much easier to qualify if you can honestly answer No to all of these types of questions.

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