USMA then jets

[N985SP]

can anyone shed some light on going to USMA then completing your SA commitment and getting out and going to sign up with the Air Force/Navy/Marine Corps to fly and go to flight school for fixed wing.

What are the chances of getting to fly? how would one go about this process?

thanks

[Christcorp]

There's actually a way to graduate from USMA and transfer to the air force. We have a cadet at the air force academy who wants to go to the army after graduating.

[N985SP]

how can u go about doing this? like graduating with a commision in the air force for example?

also ive heard u can "swap" while at the academys like a trade. for example a USMA and USAFA cadet transfer or "swap" sophomore year.

[Pima]

you should probably request this thread to be moved over to life after the academy...you might get more people, since the title could be misconstrued to be involving Marine jets.

[LineInTheSand]

It's not easy or common. There is also an "exchange" program for a semester, junior year, I realize that's not what you are talking about, and of course that exchange is not final.

[Just_A_Mom]

Please don't go to USMA thinking you can cross commission to the Air Force. It is very rare and all the stars need to align for this to happen.
Last fall only three cadets were granted an inter-service transfer, two to the Navy and one to the Marine Corps.
From what I hear, the Army is holding on to their officers as there is a critical shortage of junior officers. It may be easier to IS from AF to Army. When it happens it is often because one cadet is engaged to a cadet in another service. I have also heard that even exchanges are more likely to be approved - i.e. there is a WP cadet who wants to go AF and an AF cadet who wants Army, even then don't count on it.

Academy exchange occurs during the third year - one can apply to spend a semester at another academy.

[LineInTheSand]

With the exception of USMMA, they are on trimesters and are not available for a semester exchange.

[bruno]

As JAM just pointed out- this is a huge long shot. To be blunt- it would be pretty much akin to playing the lottery as your principal retirement plan for you to plan on Interservice transferring out of the Army into any other service upon graduation from woops. The Army is desperately trying to increase the number of junior officers on its books while it increases the number of brigades and its overall end strength. They are not likely to look favorably - or even look at all- at a request to go to the AF or the Navy to accomodate your desire to fly jet planes. Now- the other way around- the Army at least would probably accomodate with no problem as the Army (and Marine Corps) end strengths are projected are planned to increase continuously for the next several years- not true of the AF and Navy. So- if you want to fly jets- you probably ought to look elsewhere for your commission. (There are always the one or two exceptions to every rule- a good friend of mine was an Army test pilot at Edwards who wound up as an Astronaut and has been on two shuttle missions including 6 months on the Int Space Station and got rated in T38s and I think maybe also an F104, but that sure is a one in a million career pattern). Bottom line- you go to USMA to be an Army officer- especially when there is not one but two ground wars where the Army is the principal force provider.

[Capt MJ]

N985SP, chances are smaller than a gnat's eyelash for a post-USMA transfer to Navy. The "needs of the Navy (fill in respective service)" inform all decisions. Always good to explore possibilities and ask questions, though.

Yes, it has happened - but of the thousands who graduate each year from SAs and other commissioning sources, we are talking about just onesies and twosies each year. The planets would have to align in a very particular way. The Army would have to decide they didn't need you AT ALL, and the Navy would have to be desperate to fill pilot slots if they don't get enough from USNA, ROTC, AOCS and other commissioning sources -- usually never a problem, since there are always people turned down. And, no guarantee of fixed wing in the Navy. That's something that's decided in the flight school pipeline, depending once again on the needs of the Navy. You could be the top grad in your flight school section but get helos, if there are no jet slots open at that time. Did I mention "needs of the Navy."

The other things -- yes, USMA, USNA, USCGA, USAFA all have opportunities for an exchange semester at the other schools during 2/C year. Not a permanent deal, just a nice opportunity to get to know the other service. I'm pretty sure USMMA doesn't participate because of the at-sea time and the trimester system.

[N985SP]

thank you all for your answers. they have enlightened me greatly.

though i still have to pose the question: what are the chances of after graduating USMA and getting out when my commitment is up which is 5 years and going to the Air Force and get commissioned to fly.