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Can weapons systems operator become an officer?

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Porkyboys

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Hi,

I'm currently in the process of applying to become a wsop. If you are a non commissioned airman are you able to become an officer and work your way up through the ranks? I'm concerned that if I become a wsop I will not have great career progression (and pay). I have a-levels, but the wsop role appeals to me the most. If someone could help it would be greatly appreciated have been searching and searching but cannot find the answer.
 
What sort of WSOP? Crewmen?

The simple answer is yes. You train and qualify as aircrew, go through your OCU and join a squadron and strive to become 'combat ready'. Following the pure career path and after a while (I would say 2-3 years) you can apply for a commission as a Weapon Systems Officer where you will follow a career path agreed with your desk officer. Slots are few and far between though.

You can of course apply for other branches such as pilot, supply, ops support or anything really...You don't have to stay in your original brevet'd area or stay non-commissioned and go from Flight Sergeant to Master with all the benefits of that path...
 
Course you can. One of my Kinloss buddies did it after the Nimrod demise.
 
Thanks for that, yes a wsop crewman.
But it would obviously be better to get a commission? as if you stay non commissioned up to masters you would not earn much more than a standard wsop? Sorry if I'm being thick, I just don't want to make the wrong decision
 
But it would obviously be better to get a commission?
Click to expand...

IMHO,yes. And twice on tuesdays

It depends what you want from your life, and what sort of responsibility you want to take on.
 
Without wishing to get too xen on this subject here are a couple of things to think about...

As a non-commissioned crewmen you will fly your socks off (type dependent) as a SGT AND FS and if you reach Master fulfill in all likelyhood a role as a crewman or training manager whilst still getting plenty of flying in all over the place on operations, exercises etc. When I went down the aircrew route all I wanted to do was fly...flying is great and it gets you (in my case as I was EW) around the world utilising some really nice hotels and so on.

If you go down the commissioned route as a WSO then from my experience the flying drops off until you eventually find yourself as a desk jockey doing managerial stuff like rostering, annual assessments, sqn exercise planning and so on. Although you'll have the rank you may not have the job you originally envisioned nor feel the close bond of comerarderie you enjoyed as a non-comm crewmen living rough with your colleagues who often are your closest friends.

The money between the two routes can be similar at points such as FO and FS plus if you are flying and away from base some of the allowances still avaialble make up some of the difference.

My advice would be to apply for the job you want to do...then do it for a while keeping your eyes wide open to all possibilities in the future and make a decision when you feel a bit wiser about everything. They used to say 1round 5-8000 people apply for each seat as aircrew so get over the hurdle of selection first as your initial worry!

Good luck
 
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