New Here — Looking for Some Guard/Reserve Advice
Hey everyone! Just joined BogiDope and figured I'd make a post and see if I could get some advice from people who've been through the process.
I'm 24 from South Florida, graduated from UCF with a degree in Finance, and have my commercial single/multi, CFI/CFII, and around 225 hours.
I've always wanted to fly military aircraft, and I'm looking to get picked up by a Guard or Reserve unit for UPT. I'd love to fly heavies, but honestly I'd be happy flying just about anything.
I'm brand new to this whole process and trying to figure out the best way to approach it. I've taken the AFOQT and TBAS already (73 Pilot / 69 PCSM), but I'm planning to retest and get those scores up.
I'd love to hear from anyone who's been through the process, especially those who got picked up by a Guard or Reserve unit. I'm curious what the process was like for you, how you got your foot in the door, and what you'd recommend to someone just starting out.
Andrew,
Welcome to BogiDope! The best advice I have for you as you start out is to be patient and persistent. It takes many folks several hiring cycles and multiple rejection letters prior to getting their dream jobs in the Guard or Reserve. Joining a community like BogiDope is a great way to learn about the process, the lifestyle and how to make your application more competitive. I highly recommend taking advantage of the free webinars the BogiDope coaches put on monthly and staying active on the activity feed. This is a great community that offers many free resources and more than willing to answer specific questions as you run into natural road blocks along your path to UPT!
-SIC
Hey SIC, thanks for the welcome and the advice! I'm prepared for the rejections and I definitely have the persistence to keep pushing toward the pilot slot I've been dreaming about. I'll be sure to check out the resources here too, as I'm sure I'll run into some roadblocks along the way.
