Should I fly for the Army
Posted by CutNo1151@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 27 comments
Hello,
I’ve been in the process for the
Army’s WOFT for well over a year now. My battalion board is scheduled for the end of June 2026. I scored a 71 on the SIFT and maxed out the PT test.
Currently, I am a fixed wing CFII. I paid for my own training (right under $90k for just flight training and not cost of living which makes it $124k for that year) which included private, instrument, commercial single engine, commercial kitties engine, CFI, and CFII. It took one year to go from 0 hours to a CFII. As of now, I am employed as a CFII where I have roughly 865 hours of total time.
Prior to flying, I was in law enforcement where I was a police corporal and patrol Sergeant. I loved my time in policing but flying was always my biggest dream. I have a wife, a daughter, and two younger boys. I am currently 30 years old.
While waiting on the woft process, I applied to Customs and Border Protection and was actually given a tentative job offer. I am moving through the process with that as well.
I am stuck on which way I should go. Army rotary wing was my first love as a child, the pay is okay, the contract is somewhat lengthy, and I’ve already paid for and accomplished what you hear most mentors talk about. Which is “let the army pay for your flight training and then join the airlines.”
CBP is still service driven, no contract, pretty good pay, but I may get a drone spot starting out for the first few years as I have less than 100hrs of multi time.
I am just seeking some guidance from what others think is the better move. Basically, taking my heart out of it and applying logic to the different paths in a way I can’t seem to do.
If there’s any questions feel free to ask.
Thanks,
S
First-Length6323@reddit
Your family will never see you if you join the army and it will be quite difficult especially at 31 to learn military flying...
If it's your dream go for it and get it out of your system. If it's not absolutely everything you want then keep grinding to the airlines
_VNAV_PTH_@reddit
From my experience in UPT, age has nothing to do with it. 31 is fine.
I would agree that he shouldn't fly for the Army, though. He should fly for the Air Force.
First-Length6323@reddit
Eh learning capability is insidious but a good indicator is the inability to become fluent in a language past a certain age. We simply don't learn as well as we could have when we were younger.
bustervich@reddit
In my experience as a military instructor pilot, CFIs who join to fly are either terrible because they think they already know everything, or they are rockstars because they already know how to study and learn new topics in aviation. Not much middle ground.
As for the age, I’ve had a few students who were older than OP come through and they all did fine as long as they showed up with the right attitude ready to learn. Only older guy I can remember struggling was going through a divorce and child custody battle and not telling anyone what was going on in his life.
equal2infinity@reddit
Go check out the Army forum. They are downsizing pilots big time right now. The pilots that still exist are struggling to hit minimum annual flight time because of maintenance and budget cuts. If you wanna go the army route, go guard/reserve, finish training and then go CBP.
Physical-Program-509@reddit
Surprised no one brought this up, a lot of army aviators are extremely unhappy right now
Ok-Selection4206@reddit
It was just brought up twice , they were like the 5-6 comments. Did you mean they weren't the very first comments?
Da_hoodest_hoodrat@reddit
I dunno man. Do you want to be a civilian or not? You have a wife and 2 fuckin kids lol. Do you know your end goal? If it’s airlines, hopping into rotorcraft is stupid. Use your CFII instead. If it’s fly in the army, go fly in the army. I don’t know what answer you’re looking to get out of this
LikenSlayer@reddit
Don't forget his daughter along with 2 kids.
Da_hoodest_hoodrat@reddit
You’re right, THREE fuckin kids
LikenSlayer@reddit
🤣🤣
eod56@reddit
Because you mentioned your family, chiming in as former 30 year old wife with younger kids (currently 39 with older kids):
My husband’s military retirement and the health insurance that comes with it make our lives so much less stressful. Between disability and pension, we can cover all the basic bills including our mortgage so his airline pay and my teacher pay are more than enough to cover everything else. Like, no matter what happens with the airlines/economy or his medical, our family will be financially stable. We had friends who got laid off from the airlines during covid who didn’t have to stress because their retirement covered their living expenses.
The last year of active duty, he applied for basically everything that would let him keep flying and, for personal/ethical reasons, he turned down a CBP job.
I bring that up because one of the topics that has come up repeatedly when our social circle (I’m a veteran too) talks about our military experience is moral injury (the OEF and OIF thing ended up being a pretty significant plot point for us all). Are you making choices that are aligned with your core values? I’d encourage you to choose what will allow you to live in accordance with your family’s core values. Thinking long term financially is great but, if you get the choice, being able to sleep at night is a pretty big deal too.
schrodingerpoodle@reddit
Female vet here, married to a now retired pilot, mother to a ppl/cpl training cfi (at a 141 on chapter 35). Dual OIF vets. YES! Listen to this person OP. Make sure you align with and can for the foreseeable future what’s going on, no mater who is president now or next time around. Same with cbp. They are so polar opposite in the last few elections it could be a toll on you or your family.
It’s a mindset for sure. If unsure at all I would stick with cfi. If able to commit 100% then the others are acceptable.
Redfish680@reddit
This, hands down. Vet to vet, thanks for your service.
SATSewerTube@reddit
Do you like being a holdover at Rucker, doing PV1 shit while being a holdover, 10+ year ADSO, and possible reclassing for the needs of the service because they’re nerfing Army Aviation big time?
Flaky_Summer_9800@reddit
I’m in the process to fly for the NAVY at the moment. The army was the last branch I would consider flying for. Army aviation is a complete mess right now. If you want to fly helos, the coast guard is your best bet. You need to decide if you want to give the army another 10 plus years of your life. In your situation with everything you’ve decided, I probably wouldn’t try for the army at this point, but only you can make that decision.
JustAnotherDude1990@reddit
Do the army if you want a significant chance of divorcing your wife and seeing your kids a lot less.
SSMDive@reddit
Military - Sure pay and benefits. Some of the benefits are long lasting like healthcare at the VA for life as a back up. If you earn a disability rating you get tax free money for life. The bad is that the military can make the most fun thing ever suck. You don't have much control over your life, they want you to move unaccompanied to Korea? Enjoy your alone time and possible divorce. You could end up like Mike Durant or worse a CW3 Wolcott.
CBP - I have two friends that worked there and they both hated every second of it. Toxic environment, toxic leadership. I don't get all the hate for the mission, you are enforcing the laws as written but as you can see here a lot of people hate the mission and the people doing it. And have you passed the poly yet? I know 3 or 4 people that failed the poly and I have been told that people fail it all the time. So if you have not passed the poly yet, I'd not count on CBP.
CFI - Well, you are not making much and 1500TT is not a sure shot at any job anymore. So you could hit 1500 and still be a CFI for quite a while.
Me... Well, I'd keep being a CFI and continue all the other processes as far into each. See you don't have to make a choice yet. You have not gotten a start date with CBP, you have not passed the Mil board, and you have not sitting in a regional class. So you simply don't have to make decisions yet, some of these may deny you and then you don't have to reject them.
LikenSlayer@reddit
It ultimately depends on what your long term goal is. Because seniority is everything when comes to aviation. Seems like you'll be starting over again & again. But with valuable experience that will get you position.
Coming from Marine Aviator, turned legacy that still Reserve P.O. One thing is for sure, your family is definitely going to feel if you join the military.
BeeDubba@reddit
The fringe benefits of the army are great. GI Bill (for your kids, even), 750 hr RATP (doubly valuable as you already have airplane time), medical coverage, housing allowance... The downsides... well, it's the Army, and I think it's a 10-yr commitment. Can your marriage stand a year-long deployment? Not sure if you can serve some of that in the reserves, but that would be the way to go.
If you love living in a crap-hole in Texas or Arizona and can pack any humanity you have away in the back of your brain, CBP might be for you. They'll tell you that you can get Miami or Detroit out of the gate... don't believe them. They'll talk about automatic promotions... don't believe them.
Talk to people actually doing the job. Don't believe a word recruiters say. Or people on Reddit.
Glass-Editor3220@reddit
Dont do it, the army could suck the fun out of a bj.
I cant wait to gtfo.
kevinossia@reddit
Are you asking strangers on the Internet to decide your career path for you?
Redfish680@reddit
You skip your morning coffee? Seems like OP is only asking for opinions, like from other individuals who might have experience with either organizations he’s looking at. You know, what people do.
ApoTHICCary@reddit
I guess it beats the Magic 8 Ball, yet per usual doesn’t seem OP is asking his family for their input.
Br0adShoulderedBeast@reddit
Not reading all that. Be a grown-up and talk to your family about your choices that will impact their lives infinitely more than it will impact strangers on the internet.
Must be a troll. If “service” is what you’re after, you’d do so much better for the world by serving at a food kitchen, doing street outreach, or any other number of charitable activities that actually help people.
ThatLooksRight@reddit
Do what you want, but there’s no way I’d join CBP.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Hello,
I’ve been in the process for the
Army’s WOFT for well over a year now. My battalion board is scheduled for the end of June 2026. I scored a 71 on the SIFT and maxed out the PT test.
Currently, I am a fixed wing CFII. I paid for my own training (right under $90k for just flight training and not cost of living which makes it $124k for that year) which included private, instrument, commercial single engine, commercial kitties engine, CFI, and CFII. It took one year to go from 0 hours to a CFII. As of now, I am employed as a CFII where I have roughly 865 hours of total time.
Prior to flying, I was in law enforcement where I was a police corporal and patrol Sergeant. I loved my time in policing but flying was always my biggest dream. I have a wife, a daughter, and two younger boys. I am currently 30 years old.
While waiting on the woft process, I applied to Customs and Border Protection and was actually given a tentative job offer. I am moving through the process with that as well.
I am stuck on which way I should go. Army rotary wing was my first love as a child, the pay is okay, the contract is somewhat lengthy, and I’ve already paid for and accomplished what you hear most mentors talk about. Which is “let the army pay for your flight training and then join the airlines.”
CBP is still service driven, no contract, pretty good pay, but I may get a drone spot starting out for the first few years as I have less than 100hrs of multi time.
I am just seeking some guidance from what others think is the better move. Basically, taking my heart out of it and applying logic to the different paths in a way I can’t seem to do.
If there’s any questions feel free to ask.
Thanks,
S
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