Readers Respond: Do You Have Experience in MOS Field 15 - - Aviation?

Responses: 55

By Rod Powers, About.com Guide

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15r Never should chose this mos.As a pvt you stayed in tool room or other details and don't touch a bird for a good year. Always working as many hours as a deployment with no satisfaction. Just a straight up depressing job. --- thats any & every job for a PVT up to SPC. the unit is basicly testing you in an odd way. & possitions have to be filled. I entered the Army as a 13 Bravo. I never touched a cannon outside of AIT. its just how things work sometimes brother.
—Guest SPC Carr

im currently a 19d cav scout, on my 2nd deployment, looking to reenlist in the aviation field but with the army over strength 15w is the only mos available to me. my questions are, whats an every day job like? what are deployments like? what are points for e6 as of right now? Ive been on the combat side for 3.5 years now and im looking to advance my career in a different field of mos. any help thanks.. -SGT S.
—Guest champ

Army air traffic control operator does in fact require a secret security clearance. I had to fill out a never ending clearance packet and put references . While training at Rucker, I was personally interviewed for 3 days. Im lucky I got the mos because I bounced a check before I joined. I couldnt get an intelligence position because of that. Also, the clearance lasts 10 years and you have to renew it if you stay in. You can lose the clearance for numerous violations of civil or military law (keep that in mind). As for the mos....depending on where you are stationed, it can be very stressful or the easiest thing on earth. if you get an FAA rating, you can work in regular airports when you get out for the $$$. Keep in mind, you cannot start work for the FAA if you are over 31 when you get out.
—Guest 15Q

i just signed up for this mos yesterday i had two options shinook or black hawk. did i make a good decision?
—Guest 14monthsenior

MOS 15Q does require a SECRET Security Clearance. For those of you who are joining CMF 15, welcome to the family. It is a great decision. As for the promotions, it is automatic to E4. If you want to get promoted to E5 (Sergeant) you are going to have to work for it. The Army is getting away from handing out promotions to the NCO ranks - thankfully. That applies to all MOSs in the Army. It is more difficult to become an NCO because you have to be a leader. It should not be automatically handed out to anyone. As for 15W, it is going to have faster promotions because it is a new MOS, and it needs to build it's NCO Corps and strength from within, so it will have lower promotion points.
—Guest 15QSFC

I enlisted one month ago I sail of for BCT July 5th after nine weeks of being yelled at I set sail for 15T (BLACK HAWK MECHANIC course). I have an A&P, I.A. and pilot licence, been fixing all sort of fixed and rotary wing aircraft. currently I am the supervisor and maintain 2 C-23 cargo aircraft for the Army Guard as a contractor. I was wondering with my experience both with rotary and fixed wing if I will have to attend the full 16 weeks course or if there's a shorter course maybe 4 6 weeks. I worked on OH-58, jet ranger, long ranger, Eurocopter AS355 and familar with ALSE computer system...
—Guest leon

I've been in the army for two years and I love my job as an avionic mechanic. I willsay that the worst part about it is sometimes you don know how to solve a problem right away, or you come across a fault that's not listed in your prescribed tm. Other than that it's a mentally challenging job, And you're going to want to know what you're doing so pay attention in AIT.
—Guest Kenziec

I just got this job lined up for me as an Air Traffic Control Operator, and was wondering if it does in fact need a Security Clearance to start this job? If anybody knows, please let me know.
—Guest 15Q

I ship out 5/31/11 to Fort Leonard Wood, I got 15t and it was exactly what I wanted. My recruiter said I wouldn't get it but clearly I proved him wrong.
—Guest future 15t

I'm a future soldier & I leave 4 bct 9/6/11 my mos is 15t I was told its a great job, any1 want 2 back that?
—Guest jones,charity

Never should chose this mos.As a pvt you stayed in tool room or other details and don't touch a bird for a good year. Always working as many hours as a deployment with no satisfaction. Just a straight up depressing job.
—Guest awesomeo 3000

i enlisted last week for six years active. No signing bonus. Aviation jobs are hard to come by now-a-days. The job popped up with only 2 slots open, i wanted 15T but didnt want to wait any longer to join so i jumped on it. i ship out May 24, 2011 and cannot wait. Im so excited to work on the aircraft even if im not flying in them. Go Army!
—Guest 15Gcant wait

I was a 68B now a 15B. Active duty and ARNG. Best thing I've done. Just some advice: Keep your nose clean , get your A&P, get some avionics/ electronic training. Army aviation has helped me earn over 100K with a major airline and now I'm working for the # 1 cargo airline in the world as an AMT. You can make more with a 4 year degree. Good luck and GO ARMY !
—MaxxMode

I just have to say that I love being a "HOOKER"!!! I'm a reservist here in TX with the ONLY AVIM unit in the entire Reserves Arsenal. For me there's nothin better than tearing a bird apart then putting her back together again. I love watching these birds fly and hearing them overhead before I even see them saying, "That's a Chinook!!!" I'm going back to "Ft. Useless" to reclass as a 15D, I'm highly motivated and am looking forward to chillin out in VA!
—Guest SPC 15U

If you want to get into Aviation, then this is a great MOS. I'm an unmanned aircraft operator, and so far, it's been pretty good. I've been in about a year now. The AIT training is about 6 months(at the LEAST!), so be prepared for that. The schooling is at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and it's a pretty small company. When i first go there, there was only one building to house everyone, but by the time we graduated, people were being moved into the barracks next door to make room for the 300+ soldiers coming in for training. The barracks are mixed with the operators, and the maintainers(15E). That's a new change as of March 2010. I don't know much about the maintainers course, but this is how the 15W course goes. You have 6 different classes altogether. RSTA-PO, RSTA-I, UGS, and then in-between you'll do warrior tasks and battle drills, and then you start Emplace/Displace, SIMS, and then FINALLY Flight-line. It's a lot of training, but it was worth it. You need a secret clearance for class.
—Guest Just another Army private