Took the first step

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:52 pm

Well, today I took the first step to becoming a Michigan National Guard Blackhawk pilot.
Got all of my paperwork submitted for enlistment. Hopefully I will be off to Fort Jackson, SC. for basic this fall and then 14 months of OCS before being off to Fort Rucker for flight training.

According to the recruiter Michigan is in need of Army aviators. Hope I'm not being taken for a ride.

I will keep y'all updated and try and post pics as the process unfolds.

Regards,
Mark

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

Welcome to the club!!!!!

Holedigger · **Posted:** Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:10 pm

Congrats! Hope all goes well.

Andy in West Oz · **Posted:** Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:54 pm

Good luck, mate.

Enemy Ace · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:33 am

Why do you have to do basic and then OCS? it used to be basic for enlisted, OCS for Officers. or do you mean Warrant Officer Canidate School WOCS instead of OCS???

gary1954 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:36 am

Nope, since he is going this route, he is correct in the Basic (where I went back in 1974 Bravo 3-1 - 2nd Platoon), then Office Candidate School at Fort Benning, take the time to learn how to write yourself up, back against the wall, take a pad out of your pocket and write basically at the position of atention - unless that has changed by now...then Fight School at Muther Rucker...Which is a great Installation. they have a great aviation museum there too by the way.
Flight school for you as a Commissioned Officer, will basically be a walk in the park, as you will be an officer.
If he goes to Basic, then back to his unit, he would have to apply for flight school and "if" accepted, go to Muther Rucker as a Warrant Officer Candidate. There, he would be screwed with quite a bit, adding to the pressure of flight training. the Flight Egzaminers tend to treat Commissioned Officers a little different than a WOC. I lived there for five years, heard all kinds of stories from all walks of folks in Flight School, and two of my now deceased Best Friends (Andrew Porter went WOC subsequently KIA in Panama - he and his observer were shot down in his OH-58, and Andy was killed - he told me Flight School was hell. Andy Porter is buried in Arlington. David E. Foreman sho subsequently died of cancer he acqired from who knows what, went OCS, and he said Flight School was "a Walk in the Park...they just treat you diferent." David Flew Hueys and Blackhawks during his career and walked away from the Army as a Captain, David died at his mothers home on New Years Eve and is buried in Louisana
There will be a flood of Alcohol, in fact...enough to float a Battleship around, and lots of girls looking to hookup with anyone in flight training, do NOT be distracted by either. Flight School at Rucker, I am sure you already know will be Demanding. when you go into the OH-58 which I believe is the basic trainer, it will be sumpin else. When you get into the Huey its a whole different world, and easing into the Blackhawk...Hang on! have a good time, learn all you can, because it could save your life. Use the Flight Simulator anytime you can, anytime you can. Good luck Stay Safe!

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:35 am

Thanks Gary and all for the kind words.
Gary is correct. I would do 10 weeks basic probably at Fort Jackson, SC. then back to Michigan.
OCS for the Guard can be done 2 different ways. You can do a 14 month course here in Michigan (1 weekend a month and 2-2 week periods) or an accelerated program usually in Alabama which I have heard is a total beeotch.
Since I have a job and a wife and a 4 year old daughter and one on the way in February I will probably be doing the traditional OCS then put my packet together for flight school just before commissioning.

Anywho, I took the ASVAB yesterday. Its been at least 5 years since I have taken a big test. Went this summer and bought the test prep book to help me out.
Scored in the 97th percentile with a 133 GT score (110 needed to qualify for OCS).

I was on cloud nine about it and looking to celebrate, then I read the news about Gary Austin and am no longer in the mood to celebrate.

I've got a ways to go but I will keep y'all informed in case there are some younger guys or gals reading and they can see what it is like to go through it nowadays.

Regards,
Mark

Enemy Ace · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:42 am

All of the pilots at my unit are WO4's and 5's. Let me know if I can pass any questions along.
Maybe, someday, if you are REALLY good they will give you a shot at flying RC-12K's!!!

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:57 am

Thanks Enemy Ace.
I know Warrant Officers do most of the flying and I have heard in the National Guard they will stick officers where ever they need them regardless of their branch.

We shall see how it turns out. I have to not get to far ahead of myself. Next step is preparing for basic. I have a new daughter on the way in February so I will probably wait until late summer next year to go. Let it cool off a bit in South Carolina.

Regards,
Mark

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Took the first step

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