I’m sometimes asked by non-military clients during Interview Prep about how to answer possible questions about UPT commitment when the candidate has a spouse, significant other, or a larger family with children. The concern is that they somehow feel like the need to bring their family to UPT would somehow be seen as a hindrance during the UPT selection process.

I have to say, these fears are unfounded!

I think most units (we certainly did in our UPT hiring process) look upon a family being brought to UPT as a source of strength for the military member. My married UPT classmates back-in-the-day (cough…Class 03-10) were supported by not just their families, but by the whole installation. In short, everyone on a UPT base “gets it”, and there are robust formal programs for childcare, spouse employment, recreation, etc. But most importantly, families are aided by the huge informal mutual-support network of fellow spouses, military families, and classmates who help through the challenges of the UPT experience.

You can see the appreciation for family members is still going strong…one of the guest speakers at a recent UPT graduation gave a shout-out to the families that helped newly-winged pilots through the long UPT journey…

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Graduating the Future of Flight: Class 25-01

Seventeen U.S. Air Force officers were awarded the coveted silver wings as a symbol of their hard work and training during a graduation ceremony held Oct. 11, 2024. Undergraduate Pilot Training