Isaac Bell of Hummelstown, 19, recently became the first recruit in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard to enlist through a unique program that will allow him to fulfill his dream to become a military helicopter pilot directly after taking part in basic training. The program is formally named 09W but informally called "streets to seats" and "high school to flight school."

Bell took the oath of enlistment on March 15 during a ceremony at Muir Army Heliport at Fort Indiantown Gap. His family members, many of whom have served in the military, attended the program. Pennsylvania National Guard leaders in attendance included Maj. Gen. Michael Regan, deputy adjutant general - Air, and Brig. Gen. Laura McHugh, deputy adjutant general - Army.

Bell, who joined the Pennsylvania National Guard as military occupational specialty 09W, explained that traditionally, soldiers are able to apply for flight school after serving for a few years or becoming an officer.

"The normal route for a Guardsman to become a pilot is to enlist in the Army and work in different jobs like an aircraft mechanic working on helicopters," he said. "Then you apply to go to warrant officer's candidate school and then flight school and hope to get accepted. You are not guaranteed to get flight school."

"Typical warrant officers have to serve five to seven years before officer candidate school," he continued. "(This program) shaves off a lot of time. I did not want to be in maintenance or a mechanic. I wanted to be a pilot. Now, I can skip to (becoming a) pilot. It streamlines the process."

Although his family members' military background is primarily Air Force, they all share an interest in aviation as well as the Pennsylvania National Guard, including Bell's mother, who is currently serving as a Pennsylvania National Guard airman.

"Serving in the military has always been a goal of mine since before I could remember," said Bell, a homeschooled student who graduated in 2022. "I have (been) around aviation since before I was born, quite literally. I have spent hours flying with my uncle, father and mother. My family has always taken our summer vacation to go to an airplane fly-in, where we take our family's small plane and spend the week flying."

Bell also served in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) beginning at age 12. CAP, a U.S. Air Force auxiliary program, provides aviation and ground services during emergencies. It is known for its youth development program.

"If a hiker or hunter gets lost in the woods, CAP gets called to be part of the search team. If an airplane crashes, we will go find it and provide security. (CAP is also involved) with disaster relief and hurricane relief," he said, adding that although CAP is a civilian organization, it is patterned after the Air Force and maintains a fleet of aircraft. "It's for people who want military experience."

Next up for Bell will be Army basic training. "Right now, I will do one weekend a month with the Guard until I leave for basic training this summer in Fort Jackson in South Carolina, and after that I will go to warrant officer candidate school at Fort Novosel in Alabama," he noted. "I can still get deployed to other parts of the world from there, but my home will always be at the Gap (with the) Pennsylvania Army National Guard."

Bell hopes that more youths will take advantage of the 09W program, which is available to all Pennsylvania Army National Guard recruits. "Basically, it would appeal to another high-schooler or someone just out of high school if your goal is to become a pilot," he stated. "This is a good option for them."

He added that the application process was rigorous, but worth the effort. "There were numerous times where I was told that it was not possible to go this route, but when one door closed, another one opened and made it seem achievable again," Bell stated. "You must keep the end goal in mind and always stay confident and not quit,"

Prospective recruits interested in the program should contact a Pennsylvania Army National Guard recruiter for more information.