Do you have! to go to college first to become a pilot in the military?

Question

How does that apply to places like west point or the naval academy?

Answer 1

West Point and the Naval Academy, along with the Air Force Academy and Coast Guard Academy are all full 4-year universities in their own right.  If you attend any of them, you receive a Bachelors degree and a military commission upon graduation.

You do need a college degree and be an officer to fly any aircraft in the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps.

However Army Aviation is open to High School graduates, both for helos and propeller driven fixed wing aircraft.  (I'm not aware of any Army jets, but anything is possible I guess.)  You still need to meet the same physical qualifications and some college under your belt will certainly improve you chances of being selected as the process is highly competitive.  High ASVAB scores are also essential.

Answer 2

Unless you're considering an Army Warrant Officer Program, yes you must:

1- Have a 4yr degree from an accredited institution

2- Complete a commissioning program

3- Complete pilot training.

Doesn't matter which service.  The Service Academies take care of numbers 1 & 2 simultaneously.  Also, both the USAF and USN academies have more pilot slots allocated to them per year than ROTC or OTS.

Currently AF:

20/70 correctable 20/20.  No depth perception, astigmatism colorblindness or nightvision issues.  Surgical correction is accepted with a waiver (you'll be sent to Brooks AFB and evaluated): I would recommend if you go this route-get the absolute latest info, currently both the USAF and USN use PRK on their crews-I would suggest the same-why chance it?

No history of cardio problems, no history of Hi/LO BP (lo BP is sometimes waiverable), No asthma since age 14, no periods of unconsciousness >5-7Min since age 12.  Hayfever, Sinusitis is acceptable provided its not chronic nor symptoms are severe.

That's it in a small nut shell.  If you have questions, please PM me.

Answer 3

You need a 4 year college degree to be a pilot ion the military,

Except to be an Army helicopter pilot.

The West Point , Air Force and Naval Academy's are Universities, they award BS Degrees.

Answer 4

well you have to go to college but usually the military will pay for it

Answer 5

To pilot an aircraft in the military, except SOME helicopters in SOME cases, you have to be commissioned. To be a commissioned officer, you must have a degree, (except for OCS transfers).

Answer 6

yes

Answer 7

Yes and no. To be commisioned as a regular officer you need a bachelors degree. That means that you can take online courses, as long as you have a bachelors.

You can however befome an officer out of high school. Looking at the other answers, none of them know about this. In the Army you can do the "high school to flight school" program. If you meet the requirements, you can go to Warrant Officer Flight School. So you become a Warrant Officer, with officer pay and benefits, but you can go right out of high school.

Although, if you become a Warrant Officer and choose the pilot job (obviously) you can only pilot helicopters.

Edit: when I posted this, i didn't see bear's answer.

Answer 8

The army has a program called high school to flight school where you will be commissioned as a warrant officer after completion of basic and flight school. You do not need your bachelors degree  to become a warrant officer and fly, as long as you are fully qualified in every other aspect.

You dont have to come straight out of high school, just the way the advertise it.

Answer 9

Yes you have to have a degree to fly military aircraft ....minus the army helicopters which you can fly as a Warrant Officer.  

Answer 10

Only in the Air Force if you want to fly planes. If you join the Army you can do a warant officer program without going to college so you can fly helicopters

Answer 11

that is where you have to train and get education there; those are the colleges.  

Answer 12

It's Different At Different Navy Places.

Most DO Require You To Have Graduated College.

Answer 13

No, you can become a Warrant Officer without a degree.  

Answer 14

yeh, you usually go to a military college.

i live in south caroliona.

so some in this state would be The Citadel and The Arsenal.

Answer 15

basically yes, you usually can't become an officer or pilot until you finish college, but there are several ways to become an officer...

(be commissioned)    talk to an officer recruiter (don't fall for the enlisted officers stories if you really want to become an officer)

an officer recruiter will tell you what you need to do.

Good luck

Answer 16

You have to have a degree to be an officer and you have to be an officer to be a pilot. So yes. You also need to meet the additional minimum requirements. (This doesnt apply to helicopters, which by the way are a lot more fun)

Normal color vision

Distant vision – pilots, uncorrected to 20/50

Near vision – pilots, uncorrected to 20/20

Meet refraction, accommodation and astigmatism requirements

Corrective eye surgery could be a disqualifier

Have no history of hay fever, asthma or allergies after age 12

Meet Air Force weight and physical conditioning requirements

Have standing height of 64 to 77 inches and sitting height of 34 to 40 inches

Answer 17

In the Navy, Air Force and Marines, yes.

In the Army, no.

Many Naval Academy and Air Force Academy graduates become pilots.

However, many army pilots are not college graduates.