And so it begins <smile>

Tom Nicholas

Tom Nicholas

Cogito Ergo Sum
Joined
Jul 5, 2018
Messages
88
Our family was hoping this day would come and one thinks he's prepared for it, until it actually happens. About an hour ago our son invited us to read an email he received from the USMA inviting him to apply and he cannot stop smiling. He wants to serve his country and if possible fly combat helicopters.. and that Apache looks pretty sweet. For him it will either be Army or Marines and although we're sporting Navy gear in my profile picture, we've watched a bunch of West Point videos and have been to several football games on the beautiful campus. Most of the men in our American Legion post are Army guys and they've been great ambassadors too.

Suddenly, for us, it's starting to become a real possibility and I get why so many in these forums express a joyful angst. Time to snag tickets to the Bucknell game and.. Go Army! <p.s. if you tell my Navy buddies I wrote that I'll deny it.>
 
congrats. Not an expert but from what i have read army officers fly helicopters for maybe 2-3 years and then go on desk duty. It warrants officers who do a lot of helicopter flying.
 
Humey said:
congrats. Not an expert but from what i have read army officers fly helicopters for maybe 2-3 years and then go on desk duty. It warrants officers who do a lot of helicopter flying.
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This was my dh's experience. He flew just enough to keep his rating in between being the S-1, S-3, etc. One of our good friends (class of '98) resigned his commission and went back in as a warrant officer so that he could actually fly. Worked out really well for him.
 
Tom Nicholas said:
Our family was hoping this day would come and one thinks he's prepared for it, until it actually happens. About an hour ago our son invited us to read an email he received from the USMA inviting him to apply and he cannot stop smiling. He wants to serve his country and if possible fly combat helicopters.. and that Apache looks pretty sweet. For him it will either be Army or Marines and although we're sporting Navy gear in my profile picture, we've watched a bunch of West Point videos and have been to several football games on the beautiful campus. Most of the men in our American Legion post are Army guys and they've been great ambassadors too.

Suddenly, for us, it's starting to become a real possibility and I get why so many in these forums express a joyful angst. Time to snag tickets to the Bucknell game and.. Go Army! <p.s. if you tell my Navy buddies I wrote that I'll deny it.>
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What year in HS is your son?
 
Tom Nicholas said:
Our family was hoping this day would come and one thinks he's prepared for it, until it actually happens. About an hour ago our son invited us to read an email he received from the USMA inviting him to apply and he cannot stop smiling. He wants to serve his country and if possible fly combat helicopters.. and that Apache looks pretty sweet. For him it will either be Army or Marines and although we're sporting Navy gear in my profile picture, we've watched a bunch of West Point videos and have been to several football games on the beautiful campus. Most of the men in our American Legion post are Army guys and they've been great ambassadors too.

Suddenly, for us, it's starting to become a real possibility and I get why so many in these forums express a joyful angst. Time to snag tickets to the Bucknell game and.. Go Army! <p.s. if you tell my Navy buddies I wrote that I'll deny it.>
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Congrats!! Exciting times!!
 
TheRightStuff said:
What year in HS is your son?
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Hello TRS and thanks for asking,

He is a junior, excellent grades (all honors and AP classes, taking Calculus and AP Physics as a junior), robotics team 3 yrs., Marine Corps JROTC 3rd yr and now a cadet officer, shooting team, orienteering team, invited to apply to the national honor society (completing that), and four year member of the Sons of the American Legion.

He hopes to fly in his twenties and then get into engineering at some point after that; loves robotics / drones / sensors. It's a natural career progression to fly when one is younger and manage as the years catch up to us. I was Navy, and an NSA contractor after that for some time, and I've helped him become aware there are a lot of unpredictable variables including and especially the needs of the service that will play into future opportunities. The email he received has a point of contact and the verbiage seemed to suggest the Army has something similar to the Navy's Blue & Gold Officer; a kind of mentor / liaison for USMA hopefuls. He is going to follow up with that person to learn more.
 
Humey said:
congrats. Not an expert but from what i have read army officers fly helicopters for maybe 2-3 years and then go on desk duty. It warrants officers who do a lot of helicopter flying.
Click to expand...
Depends on the career path chosen. Super broad strokes true that WOs do the majority of the flying but also possible to position yourself in flying jobs as a RLO as you move up. I’m going on almost year 7 and I haven’t not been in an operational flying assignment yet and I don’t expect to be out of one for at least another 2-3 years at the earliest
 
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