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Exchange Tours with other DOD branches for ANG/AFR pilots
I posted this to the “Make Them Tell You No” facebook group and got some great answers. To double up my research I thought I’d post this here. How common are exchange tours with other DOD branches for Air Guard or Reserve pilots? I.E. How common would it be for an F-15, 16, etc pilot to do an exchange tour flying F-18s or F-35s or like a C-130 pilot flying Hawkeyes off of the boat with the Navy for a tour?
Thanks!
-Boo
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2 Replies
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What I hear you asking is “Can I fly a bunch of different planes in a bunch of different places?”
Absolutely you can!
Proper ‘exchange tours’ for ARC folks are possible but uncommon. That said it’s very common for ARC pilots to switch airplanes if they join a new squadron.
Our F-16 squadron has former F-15C, F-15E, F-22, F-18 and A-10 pilots. As a WAG about 20% of all ARC flyers grew up in a different airframe.
Fighter to big wings (heavies) is common. Big wings to fighter much less so.
There are also plenty of pilots that fly fighters in ARC, airliners for their day job, and also do general aviation. It’s kinda an aviator’s dream.
Hit my smoke!
Husky
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Most multi-airframe examples, as Husky was describing, most likely resulted from folks serving in the Active Duty AF or Navy/USMC and then transitioning to a reserve component later in their career. Actual exchange tours, once you are flying in an ANG/AFRES unit aren’t readily available.
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