Training for the different roles in the United States Army aviation program is extensive and some of the most in depth available anywhere on the planet. The US Army has a pilot training program that readies their Servicemembers for service flying the different aviation assets and aircraft that the Army uses. While there are some fixed wing aircraft that serve in the Army aviation arsenal, most of the Army aircraft are rotary wing, or helicopters.
Several years ago the Army realized that they had a shortage of pilots, and examined how they would fill different positions for pilots and aircrew that they had available. The competition to become a pilot is intense and the requirement that you have a college degree eliminates many good people who otherwise would make fine pilots. The Aviation part of the Army is nearly 100 percent helicopters, rather than fixed wing type of aircraft that are found in the other four branches of the Armed Services. The competition is intense, but it is a route that allows people to become Army Warrant Officers and to become pilots in the Army Aviation program. Army helicopter pilots are not required to have a higher college education in order to become a helicopter pilot. Many of the Aircraft that is flown in the military in the United States Armed Forces are flown by commissioned pilots. The lone exception is in the United States Army. You have to be a United States Citizen at the time of your application. As well, you have to meet height and weight requirements that the Army has. The Army decided that they wanted to make a program to increase the amount of candidates that would qualify for pilot classification. To qualify for the program you have to write an essay for admission, gather letters of recommendation and meet all of the standards and requirements that other students at Army Flight School meet. You have to have a high enough score on the ASVAB, you must qualify with a 90 or above on the Flight Aptitude Selection Test.
The process that is in place to become a pilot normally requires that you have to have a four-year college degree, and be a commissioned officer, and this makes the process a lot more difficult for most people. After qualifying, you can literally become a helicopter pilot in as short as ten months, including time in basic training.