Conflicted on AF vs Army Aviation. Please help.
 

Hello, I’m 22 years old, I have about 25-30 hours towards my PPL. I’m currently a sophomore at a university majoring Aviation Technology, I’m also in AFROTC. It has always been my dream to serve in the military and to be a military pilot. All my life I wanted to fly fixed wing aircraft, but here recently I have been thinking heavily on rotary wing aviation (ARMY). The thing is, I don’t think college is for me, I have a about a 3.2 GPA, and doing well, I just hate it. It’s draining me emotionally and physically and I feel like I could be doing more for my country and flying, rather than sitting in a classroom. I feel like I could get more involved with the troops on the ground if I fly for the Army, and also Helo’s are just as bad ass as fine wings.

Anyways, is their any pilots in either branch that could give me constructive feedback? What are some of the pros and cons of flying for the Army over AF or Vice Versa. Thanks for your time!

I flew for the Navy; helicopters, and I instructed in Fixed Wing and helicopters.
(I was somewhat against my will exposed to cross service and multi service aviation stuff, and then immersed in it. As it worked out, I am glad for it)
Flying is good. Military flying is good.

1. You are correct: you'll be in the cockpit sooner if you fly as a warrant officer in the Army.
Maybe. You still have to join the Army and still have to jump through their various hoops to end up at Fort Rucker.
If you really don't want to complete your Air Force ROTC deal, discuss your options with a recuiter and then weigh your options.
Make sure to talk to two recruiters: one for National Guard and one for Regular Army.
(And then take what they tell you with a grain of salt, because, ya know, they are recruiters)
I have operated with a lot of Army flying Warrants; good people, good pilots.

2. Air Force: not sure what GPA has to do with this. In the Air Force I am not sure if you are facing a cut off for flight school.
Since you are ROTC you are already kind of "in the system". I guess someone has been telling you that your GPA isn't high enough for flight school?

3. If you finish college and make the cut (AFROTC would seem to be a good path towards flight school) one advantage of being an officer is better pay scales from the get go.
Fixed wing / helicopter: flying is flying. :ok: Both are good.
And I now expect incoming from the fast jet crowd who think that their exhaust don't stink. :p

4. Alternative point: there are helicopter units, and V-22 units, in the US Air Force.
You don't necessarily have to be a Tanker or Fighter guy
But, be aware: once you finish flight training the Air Force will tell you where they need you. Likewise with the other services (Army, Navy, Marines Air Force all put "needs of the service" first) .

5. The Air force flies some CV-22's and some Blackhawks (HH-60G and other variants) out of Kirkland AFB. Some of that is Special Ops stuff. So you could go Air Force and fly helicopters.

6. As an unbiased obsserver, you can't lose either way, but as a biased old retired fart, I'll offer the following:

7. You are already in AF ROTC. From that position, you are in my opinion better off sticking it out in college regardless of how academia can now and again be a pain.
Why?
Putting up with difficult things and still doing your very best is a thing that good officers and good soldiers do.
So keep doing that.
You'll be a better person for gutting it out (even though at times you feel all at sea) than if you let this particular kind of adversity beat you.

8. The advice offered to you in point 7 is worth about every penny you paid for it. :E since it was free.

Whatever you choose to do, do your very best at it.

And you think that you won’t have to sit in a classroom if you enlist?

If you can’t manage it now, I would suggest that you won’t be able to manage it in the military either.

Salute!

Yeah, Wolf, less time to fly in the Army aviation route. The biggie is the "dead end", and USAF has the best oppo, then USN or USMC. But if helos are your goal, it is likely better to go USMC than USN.

USAF offers more helos and fixed wing platforms and missions than the other services.

So go look up the stuff on the various websites of the military services.

Gums sends...

For flying....go Air Force.....then Coast Guard....then Navy...then Marines...forget the Army.

Former Army Warrant Officer here.....my advice is finish College, get your grades up a bit...and don’t look back!