Photo By Spc. Turner Horton | Photoshoot of Warrant Officer Alante Snell... read more read more
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Whether you’re in your backyard or cheering at a game, you’ve probably looked up and seen a military aircraft flying through the sky. It’s one of those moments that can make you stop, watch, and feel a sense of awe. For many, it’s just an awesome sight. But for some, like Warrant Officer Alante Snell, it sparks something deeper—a calling.
Snell grew up in the small town of Vance, South Carolina. When he was a junior in high school, he took his first step toward that calling by joining the South Carolina Army National Guard as a military police officer in 2014.
Like many young recruits, Snell was balancing school and his duties in the National Guard, but even at a young age, he had big ambitions.
After high school, Snell doubled down on serving his community becoming a State Trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol. While he was busy patrolling the roads and keeping people safe, his dream of becoming an Army pilot never left his mind.
"Those Army aviators portrayed the best of the best and I wanted to be one," Snell said.
His turning point came in 2022 while he was deployed overseas in Southwest Asia supporting Operation Spartan Shield with the 133rd Military Police Company. Snell didn’t let the long hours or unfamiliar terrain stop him from preparing for the next step in his military career. He spent about two hours each day studying for the Selection Instrument for Flight Training and gathering everything he needed to apply to become a pilot in the National Guard. When he returned home, Snell hit the ground running making his dream come true. He passed the physicals, nailed his interviews, and got selected to reclass. From there, he was off to the six-week Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Novosel, Alabama, followed by Warrant Officer Pilot School and Flight Training, which took another 12 to 18 months.
“From submitting the flight packet to the day of graduation took approximately two years,” he recalled, acknowledging how tough the process was but how much he enjoyed every part of it.
Now, as a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover, Snell is doing what he always dreamed of. And as if flying helicopters wasn’t enough, he’s still serving as a state trooper, staying connected to the community he’s always loved. When asked if he had any advice for those with similar dreams, Snell didn’t hesitate: “Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith. Submit your packet because you never know what’s in store for you.”
Snell’s journey from a small town to the cockpit of a UH-60 Black Hawk is a testament to resilience, hard work, and a genuine desire to serve. It shows that ambition paired with dedication can take you far, even when the road isn’t clear or easy. Snell didn’t just aim to serve his country—he did it while staying true to his roots as a community member and state trooper. His story is a reminder that no dream is too far out of reach for those who are willing to work, adapt, and take that leap of faith.
| Date Taken: | 12.11.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.11.2024 12:14 |
| Story ID: | 487195 |
| Location: | COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 102 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From a small town to the cockpit of a Black Hawk helicopter, by SPC Turner Horton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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