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Guard/Reserve Predator Questions

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PreContact

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Oct 16, 2005
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Anyone got the skinny on flying Predators in the Guard/Reserve? I'm looking at the 163rd RW at March JRB, Calif.

1. How long is the training?
2. How many days per month?
3. Currencies - Ground/Flight?
4. Deployments?
5. What about mandays/AFTPs, etc.
6. Any other gouge

Thinking about switching from AF heavy to UAVs for quality of life reasons. Has anyone done this and how is it? Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Guard/Reserve Predators

Anyone got the skinny on flying Predators in the Guard/Reserve? I'm looking at the 163rd RW at March JRB, Calif.

1. How long is the training?
2. How many days per month?
3. Currencies - Ground/Flight?
4. Deployments?
5. What about mandays/AFTPs, etc.
6. Any other gouge

Thinking about switching from AF heavy to UAVs for quality of life reasons. Has anyone done this and how is it? Thanks.

I'm resurrecting this thread due to my own curiosity. Martyring Taliban on the weekends sounds fun.... Anybody out there with info on this?
 
I've been looking into Predators myself. I think this info is fairly accurate:

1. about 3 months. Training is at Creech (Vegas), Holloman AFB, NM, or March ARB, CA (ANG)
2. approx 6-8, probably varies by unit.
3. Not sure, nothing like the flying world though. No chamber, aircrew chem (might still need ground chem), land survival, water survival, etc. I'm sure if you're Launch/Recovery (LRE) qual'd there are currencies related to that.
4. No deployments unless you're LRE qual'd. Most guard/reserve guys are not LRE qual'd. As of now, most stand alone units don't have the ability to keep guys current (no launch facility, plus all planes are overseas). Most units need the guys for the primary mission and can't spare the manpower for folks to screw around doing takeoff and landings.
5. For the primary mission (combat), I think you have to be on some sort of active duty status. I don't think there is a shortage of days at any Pred unit at the moment. As you'll be flying most days, I don't think you'll see many TPs, UTAs, etc.
6. It seems like a great reserve job to me.

ANG (ACC) Pred Units are in Houston, TX (Ellington - 147th RW); Tucson, AZ (Davis Monthan - 214th RG); Riverside, CA (March ARB - 163rd RW); Fargo, ND (119th); Syracuse, NY (174th FW - will be flying Reapers).

Only AFRC Pred unit is the 2nd SOS (AFSOC) at Nellis.

Disclaimer: Above information may be totally false (but I think it's close!). Any Pred guys out there, please correct me if so!
 
Anyone know what the max age for a UAV pilot is? with no prior military exp.

I would assume it is the same as any other AF pilot. As of now, you have to be in training by age 30. No telling what will happen in the future.
 

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