What’s up guys, Alex here. Current civilian commercial pilot working on my CFI eventual ATP. Grandaddy was a fighter pilot, flew F-86 in Korea, F-4 Phantom over Vietnam, B-52 and KC-10 instructor, uncle was a C-130 navigator for Desert Storm then went to Pentagon after making Colonel. I was all set up for Naval Aviation in 2021 (aced the OAR, ASTB, all LORs from military pilots) Covid screwed me and put me over the age limit. Considering Army aviation if I can get fixed wing (Have lots of rotorcraft experience but not a helicopter guy), during my trials I found the NOAA (Hurricane Hunters), all fixed wing. They fly Twin Otters, King Airs, have a Gulfstream G-IV and two P-3s, switching to C-130s soon. It’s the smallest of the uniformed services so hard to get selected but NO AGE LIMIT!! Already have a degree but just finished another year of additional college for environmental science as they require no less than 48 STEM credits. Going to put in an application after I earn around 1,000 hours to make myself competitive as they have a good amount of prior service aviators to compete with. If any of you have a degree, 48 STEM creds and don’t mind flying into hurricanes, may want to check them out.

I found your videos and started my stuff about a month or so behind you back when you kicked off too. Just got back from camping, common core starts hopefully in a few weeks. You offered a great method to follow. Hopefully I see you down here soon! Stay safe.

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

I hope you're well fed and rested brotha! Welcome back. I will see you on the flight line for sure. Enjoy your time for now and be excited. It's a fun challenge.

Hey, all. Completely new to military life and the ins-and-outs. Never been in, but looking to join. I recently left pharmacy school to become an aviator. It’s my true passion. I’ve always wanted to fly and figured it would be something I would do in the future after retiring or something, but I’ve been influenced by my girlfriend’s family. 2 commercial pilots, her dad was in AF for 40 years and was a flight engineer. Her brother is training on the F-35 soon. All of them have influenced my path and opened my eyes to realizing my potential of following my passion. Still unsure of which branch to go through and I know I may need a medical waver for an arrhythmia that has since been taken care of surgically, but I still believe in myself against the odds. Luckily my cardiologist is a flight surgeon at Luke AFB and he’s said I’ll be good to go. I’ll be following you for advice. Best of luck.

@merrittorius

Ай бұрын

Good luck to you as well. Glad the medical stuff is getting worked out and you've got good mentors in that area. Thanks for checking in. Love hearing about others going for it. 👍

Starting WOCS in a few months, I hope I get to see you there and thank you, your videos helped me out a ton. I'm so excited to be doing all this it doesn't even feel real!

Your videos have been a great help to me over the past year and a half. Last week I found out that I was selected by my state's guard unit to become an Army Aviator! It has been very encouraging to me to follow your story and see your passion and motivation as you have gone through the process. It was a long road for me to get selected and I know I have an exciting and challenging road ahead!

@merrittorius

2 ай бұрын

Yes dude! I'm happy for you. Beautiful news and exciting times. Soak it in. Congratulations

May not be military but it’s still in service to this country. Check out FBI (mostly helos), DEA (only require a PPL) and the CIA (lots of cool, spooky shit). Currently have an open application for pilot to the CIA but typically takes 1-2 years to hear back if they want you.

Goodluck on your journey! You seem like a very humble leader and person in general. It’s admirable that you mention your faith in your videos and the power of prayer. I can’t wait to watch future videos on your journey. I watched your videos to get insight on WOCS to look into a tech WO.

@merrittorius

2 ай бұрын

Kind of you to say, I have to give credit where it's due or where it's appropriate. Christ has helped me, His timing was on. Glad you got some value out of my stuff on here. Wish you the best in your journey as well. 🤝

My packet is at the board this week for Warrant Aviator. Wrapping up college along with having already earned my civilian fixed wing commercial multi engine and single engine licenses! Will be hearing within the next couple of weeks if I've been selected. It's been a LONG process but feels great to have gotten this far. Hopefully I will be able to get down to Alabama and begin my own military career!

@merrittorius

Ай бұрын

I'd be surprised if you didn't get positive news with what you wrote here. How'd it go!?

Great channel I'm happy i discovered it

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Thank you 🤝

"Every day has been a resounding confirmation that I did the right thing" I know exactly what that means, and how rare that is. I'm going to submit when my USMCR contract ends.

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Love that.

Happy Bday Ordie

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

LOVE THIS. IYAOYAS 💣 🔥 🤙 🤝

I took my asvab today I got a 99 with a 139 gt, it doesn’t feel real yet. If I match this on the sift I should be selected.

I take my SIFT in a week, any tips for getting a good score? Or any tips on getting the actual packet together? Some of those forms seem like a real pain in the butt. Great vid, you're inspirational man

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Thank you. I've got some other vids on the SIFT that I recorded right after I took mine.

@sleetysquid117

3 ай бұрын

I got a 69, time build that packet 😤​@@merrittorius

Keep it up!

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Love you brother.

@mason-storm

3 ай бұрын

@@merrittorius, love you too. Proud of you!

I am having trouble deciding warrant or commission officer? Some many pros and cons. I have a wife and kids that support me so it is up to me to decide what path to take.

@merrittorius

Ай бұрын

It's more about your personality type. The vast majority of folks who have families in my "flight" are warrants. If that helps...

Great videos Mike! What airframe and duty station you trying to get?

@merrittorius

Ай бұрын

I'm guard so I'll most likely be flying Blackhawks. We will see.

@RT413

Ай бұрын

@@merrittorius great! I'm in the instrument phase of 60, hopefully see you there

@merrittorius

Ай бұрын

@RT413 I'd estimate we will see each other around Lowe soon 🤝

@merrittorius

Ай бұрын

Hope you're enjoying it and doing well

So I have a few questions. One being, when does the three year active duty obligation start? Is it as soon as you enlist or after woft? Is the flight school full time no matter what for that 18 months? And, can we live off base in an apartment? Im trying to joing as a street to seat candidate.

@merrittorius

3 күн бұрын

There's a 10 year obligation for any branch you decide to fly with. It starts upon graduation of flight school. Flight school is full time but there are definitely breaks throughout the training. I'm on one right now and am heading home and relaxing and all of that.

I want in. I’m correcting my vision with LASIK and having reconstructive surgery to undo the mistake of stretching my earlobes. I’m confident in my ability to do well on the GT portion of the ASVAB and the SIFT test, but figuring out how I can advertise myself in pursuit of letters of recommendation has been proving a bit more challenging. Any advice for someone looking to drop a WOFT packet as a non-prior service and how they can land better LOR’s? How can I get in contact with current or retired Army Aviators and open a dialogue?

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Keep asking around, try and call units, talk to recruiters, get creative. They're very aware of the need of LORs and will most likely be receptive and empathetic to you requesting it.

@ryand4533

3 ай бұрын

Will they not let you serve if you have stretched earlobes??

@christiangarcia9247

3 ай бұрын

@@ryand4533 not beyond a certain threshold, which I’m beyond. But I welcome the change, it’s not a part of who I am anymore.

Looking for advice. Prior service marine corps going to basic in July. I am 35 very soon 36. Then AIT for 25s. I am very interested in being a pilot. I am just worried about making a bad career move at my age. I also have a lot of college and could qualify for green to gold.

@merrittorius

2 ай бұрын

I know what drives me and what I like. The 10 years for pilots doesnt scare me and now that I'm actually flying I can say without any doubt this was the right choice for me.

@jovanni_orb5116

2 ай бұрын

@@merrittorius the 10 years seems like a highlight. I want to make 20 years. The 10 plus two for training and my enlistment time will get me two years away from full retirement but is a guaranteed reserve retirement with my 6 years in the reserves.

Just passed my asvab and sift. Waiting for my flight physical then my board is in July. Still debating on either going army aviation or civilian flight school… hardest decision of my life lol

@hisawesome1856

3 ай бұрын

Still waiting on my flight physical to get back from FT Novosel! Did mine in Early March

@rafaelcarazo4768

3 ай бұрын

Military, that’s a lot of flight hours!

@10oner

3 ай бұрын

Ft rucker

@10oner

3 ай бұрын

Military barely flies anymore

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

I'm at flight school with multiple guys from the airlines who wanted something more than that. It depends on your personality. I'm definitely the type that would want to fly military over the airlines, but I'm as confident as a guy can be in what makes them tick. If you know what im saying by that. Say your prayers if you're into that.

Btw congrats on getting selected as an “old man.” Where are you in the training pipeline at the moment? I was Marine Corps ROTC and “guaranteed” aviation until I turned 28 then all of a sudden I was “too old.” One foot in the grave at 28 lol… If I had made Naval Aviator my callsign would have surely been “Gramps.” I would have gladly taken it. Given their retention rates across the board, they will probably up the age limit again within the next few years. Air Force studies have shown that older guys are more competent pilots anyway.

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Appreciate your perspective and insight into additional avenues. Hate that you aged out of the Marine opportunity. Ya, I'm ancient at 38 😏 I'm loving the Army. Hope you find what you want dude.

Thats my old House!

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Which one? The one I'm sitting in!? 🤣

@nolanshepherd5036

3 ай бұрын

The one behind you!

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

@@nolanshepherd5036 that's awesome. We're loving it here.

Which bird are you shooting for?

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Probably the Blackhawk.

@Facelessstuff

3 ай бұрын

@@merrittorius awesome! Did you have any disability from the military when you went back in? They are telling me that I might not be able to go back in because of my rating.

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

@@Facelessstuff I did. It wasn't a big issue from what I remember

@Facelessstuff

3 ай бұрын

@@merrittorius copy, I got 90% and one was mental health so that’s what they are saying. Do you mind saying what your percentage was? Or what it was for?

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

@Facelessstuff physical stuff. 20 percent. Probably a little different. The whole mental health stigma is crazy. I don't know what all of it entails. Apparently everyone in aviation has zero mental health issues 😉 (we all have issues) Get a good recruiter, do a TON of research about anything they might question. There's a waiver for just about everything.

Good luck on your journey man! Made it to my unit September of last year. It’s a helluva trip. Whenever you hit low points in CC or AQC or even when you get to your unit and start progression and realize you still don’t know shit, remember why you put your packet in and trust yourself.

@merrittorius

3 ай бұрын

Wilco. Congrats on everything. Appreciate you stopping by and passing the word.