Army Pilot wants Transfer to Navy

[slug]

Slug, you are too correct,

I'm a Longbow guy stuck in the lovely city of mosul. The only thing we can do is hand out easter eggs and shoot rainbow rockets over the city. It's extremely frustrating. Absolutely no job here. I would like to make the CG transition, but I'm afraid I won't get picked up due to a time in service requirement. Once my ADSO is complete, I will have a few months over 10 years AFS. But who knows.

I would put in a packet anyway and apply for a waiver. I know a DCA who got either an age or TIS waiver, not sure which. It is worth it, believe me. Just look at the DCA interview recommendations on the CG page and study instruments!

 

[Uncle Fester]

We've had a lot of Army Air guys show up here in the last few months, asking about transferring to the Navy or Marines. To the best of my knowledge, there's no direct "change your wings" program for us like the Coastie DCA program.

Usually in the Navy, whenever there isn't a fixed process to do something, it's a crapshoot as to how it'll turn out. It's a case-by-case thing, which means it's entirely up to the whims, opinions and prejudices of the senior officer making the decision. I'm not sure who that would be in this case - CNATRA? CNAF? Pers-43? The outcome could be anything from "quickie RAG transition" to "full Monty, start at API, do not pass Go, but we'll hustle you through".

If the Navy was smart, we'd just expand our Flying Warrant program to include some Army transition guys. Pick up some high-time Warrant helo pilots to augment the nuggets we're turning out now.

 

[Xcraftllc]

I wouldn't trade in 64s for 12s, unless you're he's trying to get into a fixed wing job after the Army (he thinks he's bored now...!). With that said; I'm currently in Army flight training myself and they have a new fixed wing program for us Warrants, straight out of IERW. Anyone here think that taking it would increase my chances of a Marine Corps transfer later in my carrier?

 

[bmather9]

I hope it's not a problem that I'm reviving an old thread, but it just happens to be exactly what I want to do. I'm currently an Army National Guard H-60 pilot looking to transfer to Navy. I'd really like to get into fixed wing, fighters specifically, but would also be interested if it meant staying in the H-60 platform.

I've communicated with the Naval Aviation career field manager, but it seems there are no slots open for the foreseeable future. Is this the right person to ask or is there another route I should be looking at?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I hope it's not a problem that I'm reviving an old thread, but it just happens to be exactly what I want to do. I'm currently an Army National Guard H-60 pilot looking to transfer to Navy. I'd really like to get into fixed wing, fighters specifically, but would also be interested if it meant staying in the H-60 platform.

I've communicated with the Naval Aviation career field manager, but it seems there are no slots open for the foreseeable future. Is this the right person to ask or is there another route I should be looking at?

If you mean you spoke to the Officer Community Manager for the designator you want to get into then as a recruiter I was always told that is who you start with if you want to do an IST

 

[bmather9]

If you mean you spoke to the Officer Community Manager for the designator you want to get into then as a recruiter I was always told that is who you start with if you want to do an IST

Yes, that is the correct title 'Aviation Officer Community Manager'. So if he says there are no expected quotas in FY16 then I'm out of luck? Do I have any other options? Can a reserve unit or even active duty request me?

 

[Ralph]

You don't like the Guard?

 

[bmather9]

You don't like the Guard?

I love the Guard, but I don't love the Army's 12 month (or longer) deployments for their affect on the family. Even if I could make that work, my true long-term goal is to be an experimental test pilot, and the problem is that I don't believe the Guard sends people to test pilot school. I'm looking for a way to continue my military aviation career with a somewhat lesser stress on my family, and to give me a chance to achieve my goal. I hear that Navy tours are 6 months, and while that's still time away from home, it's a big difference from 12 months.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Yes, that is the correct title 'Aviation Officer Community Manager'. So if he says there are no expected quotas in FY16 then I'm out of luck? Do I have any other options? Can a reserve unit or even active duty request me?

As a recruiter we were told they were the gate keeper, to me that means if they say no go then I wouldn't know where to direct you, maybe some that have more experience in IST can direct you.

 

[Ralph]

I love the Guard, but I don't love the Army's 12 month (or longer) deployments for their affect on the family. Even if I could make that work, my true long-term goal is to be an experimental test pilot, and the problem is that I don't believe the Guard sends people to test pilot school. I'm looking for a way to continue my military aviation career with a somewhat lesser stress on my family, and to give me a chance to achieve my goal. I hear that Navy tours are 6 months, and while that's still time away from home, it's a big difference from 12 months.

I didn't realize that the Guard was doing that many 12 month deployments. The Hawk unit in my hometown has done 3 tours since 9/11. That's not terrible compared to AD. The 64's only did one, but now they're gone