Warrant officer

I plan on staying in the military for 10+ years. Would warrant be the better way to go?

After 10 years as a Commissioned Officer you should be making about 10-$20,000 a year more than as a Warrant Officer.
 
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There is no argument young man....just some good old fashioned inter-service rivalry, All in good fun.

Believe me, you were not being disrespectful at all.

If you branch aviation and pass flight school you will owe the Army more then 4 years, how much I am not sure, Scout Pilot can tell you more. Coast Guard requires 11 years.

The decision to go either Warrent or commissioned is going to be up to you, no one can tell you what to do. Talk to active duty pilots, eventually you'll have to decide on your own.

Okay thanks, and I couldn't tell if you all were mad or joking around.
 
After 10 years as a Commissioned Officer you should be making about 10-$20,000 a year more than as a Warrant Officer.

I have looked at the pay charts, but if it means flying more than making money, I honestly would want to fly more. I am very passionate about flying and want to fly as much as i can.
 
I have looked at the pay charts, but if it means flying more than making money, I honestly would want to fly more. I am very passionate about flying and want to fly as much as i can.

You know...In the Coast Guard you get the best of both worlds a commissioned officers pay and you get to fly...a lot.

Remember, in the Army, if your not deployed your flying training flights. In the Coast Guard, for a lack of a better term, your always deployed. Sorry I just had to get that one in.

Just one other thing, you said you are very passionate about flying, is that flying or shooting at things, just asking.

Geez, I sound like a Coast Guard recruiter, sorry about that.
 
Just one other thing, you said you are very passionate about flying, is that flying or shooting at things, just asking.

Sort of Both. I would rather be a pilot if I had to choose one, but I would like to pilot and shoot.
 
http://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/

That's the site to go to talk about flying.

If you have a passion for flying, you SHOULD go Warrant. The only problem being, for those who want a college degree, but also want some military experience such as ROTC during college, can't commission as a Warrant. The only option- Finish college then apply for Warrant school.

Otherwise, if you want the ROTC experience and be able to fly often, go fly attack heli's for the Navy or marines. (AF has it, but barely any)
 
http://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/

That's the site to go to talk about flying.

If you have a passion for flying, you SHOULD go Warrant. The only problem being, for those who want a college degree, but also want some military experience such as ROTC during college, can't commission as a Warrant. The only option- Finish college then apply for Warrant school.

Otherwise, if you want the ROTC experience and be able to fly often, go fly attack heli's for the Navy or marines. (AF has it, but barely any)

The Navy doesn't have attack helicopters. They've toyed around with putting Hellfire racks on an SH-60, but they don't have a dedicated attack platform.

I can't tell you whether you should become a warrant officer or not. One thing I caution you about is the choice of airframe. As someone else asked, you aren't guaranteed an airframe. You might really want to fly Apaches. You might end up in a Blackhawk or Chinook. It's half grades, half luck.
 
Scout is 1000% correct, nobody is ever going to guarantee you an airframe.

Additionally, nobody can guarantee you that you will not wash out of pilot training. What do you do now? You are signed on for a time commitment. You are stuck.

Anyone who tells you that they can guarantee you a certain airframe for sure, is not being honest.

Nobody here or on this board can even tell you how many of each airframe will come down for each class.

As scout stated it is also part luck.

You should never go one route just to fly. You go to wear the uniform first and foremost. Having the goal/dream is great, but that is all it is...a goal/dream. It is not a guarantee.

Also, as much as you don't think that pay difference of 10-20K will matter, you are correct. Right now it doesn't matter. You are 17/18 and have yet to experience how much the real world costs...mtg., car pmts., car ins., utilities, etc. When you hit 27/28 and your spouse has college loans, plus you are expecting your 1st child, all of the sudden that 10-20K will matter.

The older you get priorities change.

As great as it is to fly, there are some who also get tired of the constant deployments yr after yr...the thought of being offered a yr off to go to a PME school becomes very enticing after missing every birthday or anniversary.

Nobody ever wants to go to the Pentagon, but many of them walk out happy they were forced to do so, because they had that time off to be with their family for 3 yrs (no deployments). They also get back in the air frame at a young enough age to not only fly, but be in command of the unit.

Like I said priorities change as you age.

Best of luck...just always remember you serve the branch first for their needs, not your wants.
 
Nobody ever wants to go to the Pentagon, but many of them walk out happy they were forced to do so, because they had that time off to be with their family for 3 yrs (no deployments). They also get back in the air frame at a young enough age to not only fly, but be in command of the unit.

Pima's right. One of my good friends from Norwich is currently an aide to Secretary Gates at DoD in the Pentagon. He's been a helicopter pilot his entire career and looks forward to climbing back into the seat of a Blackhawk again soon. However, keeping up with the Defense Secretary and his weekly travels around the world hasn't left much cuddly time for family life. It's all relative and depends on your Pentagon role.
 
Yes, Patent he doesn't have cuddly time, but let's call a spade a spade.

Aide to SOD Gates will make his career for the next few yrs.

Let's be honest, he saw the writing...his OPR will be written by the SOD, not an O6 or an O7, but the SOD. What promotion board is not going to promote him? What Gen. is not going to give him some golden job? He was smart, smart, smart.

Sometimes, you make a deal with the devil.

Most people who take Pentagon assignments do it for career promotions.

Additionally, even though they are gone for short bursts, they are still coming back home on a touch and go status...totally different than 18 months in a sandbox. Any spouse who has lived deployments yr after yr, will say even the 2 days home 10 days gone is better than 0 days home 500 days gone.

Trust me, as a spouse, within 24 hours something happens...dishwasher breaks, car engine dies (even though you had it overhauled before they left), kid breaks their arm, etc.

Military members today are fortunate compared to yrs ago, even a decade ago...there are not only Cell phones, but Skype, in yrs to come it will be even easier when it comes to tech.

However, nothing in the tech world can replace the fact that service comes 1st. Nothing can replace with age and life experience your priorities will change.

The problem here IMPO is a decision is based on hopes and dreams at their current age. I applaud and support those goals. I also feel that an injustice would be made to say:

GO Warrant, you will get to fly your airframe 24/7, without showing why in 10 yrs when you still owe time back to the Army it can hurt you.

GO Army because you want to be one of them. Because all you want is to serve this country wearing the green uniform...I am not talking bags.

Understand that once you sign the dotted line, they own you. Don't want to go to Korea remote, and owe time to them, too bad. Want to live in Germany and they ship you to Fayetteville, NC too bad. Wife is 4 days past her due date and there is an exercise in the field...too bad.

That sounds incredibly harsh, rude, and mean...probably freaking scary too. Yet, that is reality.

Your career path is part you and part them.
Your post will be part you and part them.

Yet when the coin flip comes...heads I(Army) win, Tails you lose.

This is a commitment, one that will impact your life for yrs.

I am a spouse who loved every flipping second...even Ft Bragg, Leavenworth, and the Pentagon. I have a DS who is days away from getting his career assignment. We could not be more proud of him for selecting his path. It is a good fit. The reason why is he gets it. He wants to wear the blues, he wants the bags too, but that is secondary.

Again, I am sorry if this comes off the wrong way. It is not meant that way...it is meant to say, before you get all GUNG HO on joining, ask yourself WHAT IF? What if you don't get that slot, would you still be willing to serve 4,5, 9, 10 yrs? If you have hesitation, than re-evaluate the situation.
 
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