Husky
Ace
Exam Ready
AFRC Pilot
USAF Pilot
ANG Pilot
Forum Replies Created
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Malik you’re in luck the GAANG E-8 unit is converting to E-11As and they’re actually accepting applications.
Tron on!
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Welcome Fitz! Glad to have you. Are you looking to move to the -60 front seat? Or is it a bold new fixed wing future?
Cheers!
Husky
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Max, great to have you on the team! Flying that stearman sounds awesome!
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Jam on brother!
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So believe it or not there is something called indispensability where we bring USAF pilots back from retirement. We have two flying the mighty viper right now (they just leave their walker with the crew chief).
I don’t know of anyone to navigate the process in exactly the way you describe but it’s probably possible. The key will be finding a unit willing to do the paperwork to make it happen. Look for units where you have a strong personal connection or are undermanned.
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Apply! Apply now! Like right now go get a PCSM and apply.
Clearly you are a smart guy (I am not so afflicted), so I think you’ll get a great AFOQT score right out of the gate. That + TBAS + flight hours and we’re can start shopping you around
I would advise against waiting because I think you might be overvalueing work experience over youth. The USAF can teach you how to fly, but they can’t make you younger. Also applying young hedges you bets. If youth is more important then you’ll get picked up right away, if experience is more important then you’ll get pick up in three years (and you can tell me you told me so – you’ll be in good company).
Your role as part of AFRL is pletty Air Force-y, you don’t need to also join a Unit.
So get out there and send blast out some apps!
Cheers,
Husky
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You can absolutely have a great family life and fly fighters…let’s break it down
All units have:
1) Local flying training: Wake up, fly around the flag pole, land, sleep at home
2) Local ground training and paperwork. Wake up, do paperwork, wish you were flying, sleep at home
3) Deployment. Take the mission to the enemy/Bring the weapons to the warfighter
4) Non-Deployment Operations missions. More on this…
The difference is the weighting/allocation of those.
– Fighter and Helo rescue units have a lot of local flying training
– C prefix have less local flying training but more non-deployment operational missions where they are on the road feeding the machine with logistics
– Guard/Reserve units have a 1:5 deploy to dwell. Gone for 3 months, home for 15 months
– My observation is that C-17/C-5 deployments are less common, however KC-135s and C-130s are deployed a lot
– Some Guard Units have alert, which is a non-deployment operational mission, where you’ll spend 2-5 days a month at the alert facility. So…kinda gone.
Now as a full timer:
In a unit like the Makos (93rd FS, F-16s, USAFR), which doesn’t have alert is going to be flying home station training for 15 months and then deploy for 3 months.
Now a unit like DC (121 FS, F-16s, ANG) They have alert, so you still have that deployment bill to pay, but also have the alert bill to pay (2-5 days a month).
Contrast that with the NY C-17s (105 AW, ANG), very little home station training, but you’re out flying all over the world. (Probably 1 or 2 five day trips a month). Usually they don’t deploy but they will go from time to time.
Speaking for myself I’m a fighter guy at a unit with an alert commitment. My wife works, we have three kids and I have way too many hobbies. I felt like I had a great work-life balance. Sure there’s times you are busy but I never felt like I was home any less than my neighbor who worked at whatever cubicle job he worked at.
Now…that said, there is a level of…intensity at a fighter squadron. No doubt.
Here’s what I’d recommend, visit as many units as possible so you can find your tribe. Ask them how many days they spend on the road. Ask them what their typical day looks like. And then just get a sense of where you fit. Do you like the intensity of a fighter squadron? Do you yearn to take the fight to the enemy? Or do you like the collegial, teamwork of a heavy squadron? Are you excited to have someone toss you the keys to a $350M aircraft and just trust you to get to Thailand and back? Eventually you’ll find a group that matches your personality and a home for life.
Parting shot – this has all focused on life as a full-timer, as a part-timer you may only spend a few days a month at the squadron. Happy to have that discussion as well.
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Pile-on there’s also an age component in the transition. Flying fighters, especially when you are learning, is super physical. Pilots who are converting tend to be a bit older which just makes it harder.
While you never want to move your head under G. Doing so when you are 22 is okay. At 32 it might put you out for a week. When you’re 42…well you have to use the force at that point, ask me how I know.
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So the SC ANG email canceling a UPT board created a ton of concern. But it now seems like more of the exception than the rule. Just look at DC who managed to get an extra UPT (F-16) slot.
I’m seeing pretty robust hiring and bogidopers doing really well. Portland, AZ, DC, and AL all went to Bogidopers and lots of folks got invites to fighter boards. Even more action on the OTS and big wing side.
A little more competitive in the short term – sure. But definitely something you can handle, we’ll get you there!
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MGB,
Give yourself every chance to win. Seriously.
The needs of the USAF change constantly. Some boards are hyper competitive, and sometimes the USAF planned poorly and everyone on the OTS board gets picked up.
You’ve got 4-5 swings at the bat for a OTS UPT board + lots of opportunities to apply to guard/reserve boards.
Don’t worry about getting bad news from one or multiple boards, because 100 “no” and 1 “Yes”. That’s good enough to become an pilot.
Cheers!
Husky
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That’s a touchdown. Thanks for posting!
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Totally possible! One of our (ANG) pilots is off to TPS next month.
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Woof. Yep, certainly not good news but let me offer some context.
1) It’s not just an ANG problem, expect that USAFA and ROTC will take cuts. Usually in the scenarios, it’s least bad for ANG.
2) It’s not just a Boeing problem. There was an engine contract that didn’t go well but is apparently improving. See below.
3) It is only a fighter problem
4) T-7 flying ops (initial cadre) begin in 25. See attached.
5) Other units have different hiring strategies and may not turn off their pipeline.
Expect the USAF to respond too late and too big. I bet it’s tight for 12 months and then the service realizes it overcorrected as T-38 fixes and T-7s come online.
So. Stay the course but maybe understand that all avenues will be more competitive. This will be most true with OTS (+ROTC and USFA); you’ll need to be ranked hiring that usual to get that T-38 track.
airforcetimes.com
T-38 Talon engine repair woes could slow pilot training for months
The Air Force expects pilot training shortfalls through the end of the fiscal year, and that the J85 enterprise won’t fully recover until April 2024.
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Good luck again to all the folks applying to SD! An interesting fact is that the unit has an alert detachment in CA.. Here’s a great photo of one of their jets raging in the sierras. (credits in the link)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbt-photography/51947359125/in/photostream/lightbox/
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Good luck everyone on those SD apps. Go Lobos!
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Ya brother! That’s a super competitive background. With good scores and some prep I think you’ve got a great shot.
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Also check out the inter-servce transfer page on the Air Force side.
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Hi Jimmy! Welcome. Are you planning to cross the street to fly the DC C-40s? You could even fly the 737 for AA out of DC and be flying one type and living in base for both. Awesome setup.
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Woof. I’m not sure we have that kind of time. Definitely felt like being a part of history.
If you get called up to do disaster relief (DR) – that is super rewarding and one of the things people really enjoy in the guard. If you feel super excited about DR then rescue or air fire fighter is where it’s at.
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Certainly! The schoolhouse is OKANG.
It will be interesting to see the ‘ops’ layout. There are a few ARC special ops wings – those wings might get OA-1Ks or the USAF might consolidate them in one or two bases. Elgin? Cannon? Davis Montham?
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Flown for both. Very similar for O-5s and below.
Except you wont do domestic operations in the reserves. Ask me about getting called out on 6 Jan.
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Picture clean, lowdown empty!
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MGB, lots of that stuff will carry over to your ANG apps. Keep and eye on that clock you’ll want to move quickly so you stay GTG for age.
Tons of great resources on the website and the forums. You can also schedule a 1 on 1 general strategy session to build a bespoke plan with a coach.
Keep at it!
Cheers!
Husky
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Looks like it can carry the LAU-131 rocket pod so it can probably shoot the AGR-20 laser rocket – which is of my all time favorites.
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I’d add T-38 availability as a factor as well. But the question what do you do?
I’m going to migrate that answer to a new thread. Look for it tonight.
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Ha! Great reference, love that!
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The scramble takeoffs are awesome it feels like stealing.
Lightweight, Max AB. You have to raise the gear right at 190 knots or you’ll blow through 300 in the 15” it takes to retract.
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It’s also a huge resource generator for the unit. An alert mission will usually add 10 pilots and dozens of maintainers.
Why might this matter to you? Well (all else being equal) units with an ACA mission can keep more folks full-time and may feel a bit busier day to day.
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We certainly have always had plenty of volunteers to fly. The (USAF) pilot shortage you hear about sometimes is actually this super wonky programmatic problem.
Just one opinion. I think fighter pilot billets (the number of pilots we need) are stable for the next decade. But production will struggle a bit until the T-7a arrives in force.
What does that mean for you? Fierce competition to get in the door but a great career once you’re in. Buckets and buckets of flying.
Cheers!
Husky
