Posted on Nov 19, 2020
Air Force Will Now Offer Enlisted Troops a Path to Pilot Training
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Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 7
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Good stuff. Unfortunately, the USAF’s own arrogance and grandeur keeps them short of needed pilots. Something that could easily be fixed with a good Warrant Officer program. Goes for the Navy as well!
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Col Joseph Lenertz
The Air Force doesn't have a lock on arrogance. I'm still working on humility myself. I guess you have it all figured out.
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MAJ Javier Rivera
Col Joseph Lenertz
Blanket statement Sir. But I have to admit, and this is my personal opinion, it sure creates a perceived caste within the service. Again, my, and only mine, opinion for whatever is worth. Then why did I mentioned such word like arrogance? Well, with the understanding that my USAF knowledge is me jumping out of their airplanes and push loads out of them as well, they can sure convert a good number of the aviation billets to WOs. Hence my statement. Right? Wrong? I don’t know? But if it decide I’m sure it will be a win-win for everyone. Sir, could you imagine the pool of qualified candidates if such program would come to exist? I cannot guarantee the shortage of pilots will cease to exist but it sure will diminish!
Blanket statement Sir. But I have to admit, and this is my personal opinion, it sure creates a perceived caste within the service. Again, my, and only mine, opinion for whatever is worth. Then why did I mentioned such word like arrogance? Well, with the understanding that my USAF knowledge is me jumping out of their airplanes and push loads out of them as well, they can sure convert a good number of the aviation billets to WOs. Hence my statement. Right? Wrong? I don’t know? But if it decide I’m sure it will be a win-win for everyone. Sir, could you imagine the pool of qualified candidates if such program would come to exist? I cannot guarantee the shortage of pilots will cease to exist but it sure will diminish!
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MAJ Javier Rivera
SSgt Ray Stone -
It seems that I have inadvertently touched a sore spot. Mea Culpa! But it is undeniable the disservice, the USAF (USN / USMC as it applies) is doing to its core mission by short changing those capable enlisted Airmen and Airwomen the opportunity to become aviators. Again, this is only my personal opinion based on my limited USAF (and aviation as a whole) knowledge.
Perhaps there is a solid reason why the Uniformed Services other than the Army requires all Aviators to be Commissioned Officers; Note: the bulk of Army aviation are WOs. For what I know, and that is not that much, there was a valid reason. Planes became very complicated as technology advanced and required lots of math skills; particularly for the Navigator and the Flight Engineer. The average enlisted Solider, coming from WWII, then Airmen after ’47, lacked a solid education. Nowadays, is a different story. Kids coming from High School are smarter than ever (there are exceptions so don't shoot back at me), particularly those joining the USAF; historically must enlistees (70%) have an AFQT of 50 or higher. Pretty good! So, you have a lot of smart young Americans, that if given the chance, will get in a cockpit and do great things for this country. But this is mere philosophical speech. Although it would be great to see a change, I don’t thing it would happen in the foreseeable future. Hope I’m wrong.
It seems that I have inadvertently touched a sore spot. Mea Culpa! But it is undeniable the disservice, the USAF (USN / USMC as it applies) is doing to its core mission by short changing those capable enlisted Airmen and Airwomen the opportunity to become aviators. Again, this is only my personal opinion based on my limited USAF (and aviation as a whole) knowledge.
Perhaps there is a solid reason why the Uniformed Services other than the Army requires all Aviators to be Commissioned Officers; Note: the bulk of Army aviation are WOs. For what I know, and that is not that much, there was a valid reason. Planes became very complicated as technology advanced and required lots of math skills; particularly for the Navigator and the Flight Engineer. The average enlisted Solider, coming from WWII, then Airmen after ’47, lacked a solid education. Nowadays, is a different story. Kids coming from High School are smarter than ever (there are exceptions so don't shoot back at me), particularly those joining the USAF; historically must enlistees (70%) have an AFQT of 50 or higher. Pretty good! So, you have a lot of smart young Americans, that if given the chance, will get in a cockpit and do great things for this country. But this is mere philosophical speech. Although it would be great to see a change, I don’t thing it would happen in the foreseeable future. Hope I’m wrong.
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