ANG Interview

[Furloughed80]

I have an interview with a Guard wing coming up. I have no idea what to expect. I have never had anything to do with the military. Any information from people who have done an interview with the Guard would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[stonewall]

Hey bro,

Congrats on the interview. First, don't get freaked out. Military guys are not the Great Santini types often portrayed on TV. At least half the guys you meet at your interview will be airline pilots, too.

They know you can fly. What they're looking for is someone they'd like to hang out with on the road and someone they can trust. Don't go in there and blow smoke. Be yourself, be confident, and be relaxed. And get a haircut, shave, and look sharp.

One other note. Often positions are built for a certain target demographic, and I'm not talking race or gender. Age plays a big role. They likely need a certain rank and a guy that can make a certain type of commitment as far as time goes in the unit. I'm assuming you're a younger guy since you got an interview without previous mil experience. I'd say youth is huge bonus...most guard units are fairly "top heavy" with the rank structure. Good luck!

 

[Foties]

Guard Advice.

Hey bud.

I always wondered what the hell goes on behind the closed doors of those Guard selection boards until I had the great fortune of sitting on one. I truly never really new why I got selected compared to the next guy, but here is what I noticed as an interviewer...

1. Be your self.. relax be honest, and remember it's the chair guard not a corporation.

2. Act like you have zero time. Talk about your flight experience when asked. We kicked to the curb more guys with tons of time solely because they thought having 2000 hours of civie time would make Air Force UPT a breeze.. Trust me it helps but the worst guy in my T-38 flight was a 2500 hour Riddle CFI and he sucked A$$ and **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** near washed out. One of the best guys in the class had 50 hours before he started UPT. Just know it's a whole different animal.

3. Have a sense of humor. The guard is not active duty. Honestly we want a great guy that we can hang and party with for 20 years, but at the same time can make it through UPT as well as contribute to the unit. Most people hate to hear it but, Rush the Fraternity, that's what it is.

4. Know what the unit mission is and a little about their history. I saw more guys spend tons of $$ flying to the guard interview and have zero idea what a C-130 does, especially what my unit does. Google it>

5. Know what AF UPT is like. Again Google it. The funniest thing I heard was a dork saying he saw Top Gun and wanted to fly. Come on. What is Phase 1 like?. What do you know about phase 2,3 in UPT?.

6. Be able to explain your long term goals. Don't lie. Some guys said they were guard guys for life. Give me a break the guard is not your life, it is a part time job that may one day become full time with experience. Sound like you have a plan to have another job as well as have the capability to fullfill your guard commitiment.

There are some hints I can remember. If you have any specific ??s PM I'd be happy to help. Good Luck, and persist. I've seen guys try 3 boards before they get picked. Later.

40's