ANG: Part Time

[pkober]

I'm a Guard baby and have been in over 15 years. My advice. Take the first slot you get. If you wait for the fighter slot you may miss out on a slot all together. In this BRAC happy environment plenty of heavy and fighter guys are flying UAV's. Most wish they would still be in the cockpit.

Any flying mision in the ANG is worth while. Also, simply flying a fighter doesn't mean you can just switch to a C130 unit at any time. Most Herc units aren't interested in re-training a Major or LC. It's all about the $$$$.

Good Luck.

 

[ALIMBO]

Bringing this back from the dead but I'm getting ever closer to graduation. Is UPT board selections always around the May/June time or is that just specific to the guard unit I've been talking to?

 

[ALIMBO]

I should change the title to just ANG because right now I would rather do that then any other flying job right now.

 

[AirCobra]

How many ANG units fly C-17s? Are they pretty competitive?

Another question. A friend of mine toured a Valdosta, GA based C130 at an airshow recently and he was surprised that the flight crew included a Flight Engineer as well as a radio operator. How common is it for C130s to include radio operators? Do the PIC/SIC not use the radio in flight?

I think they call them Tactical Communications. All branches of service do not use the same radios or secure codes. When you are doing joint operations it almost impossible to have all those different types of radios in the cockpit all synched with the right codes and encrypted. The pilots will use the radio to talk to ATC but if you have to monitor whats going on with various ground units it gets much more complex.

Someone said before military flying and civilian flying have little to do with each other. This is just another aspect of that. You may be a great pilot but but there is so much more to it. To support ground troops you and your crew need to know how they operate to best employ your aircraft.

 

[JungleJett]

How many ANG units fly C-17s? Are they pretty competitive?

Another question. A friend of mine toured a Valdosta, GA based C130 at an airshow recently and he was surprised that the flight crew included a Flight Engineer as well as a radio operator. How common is it for C130s to include radio operators? Do the PIC/SIC not use the radio in flight?

The Valdosta based Herk is a HC-130..they refuel helo's. I think the MC-130's and EC-130's use them as well.

 

[Weasel Keeper]

ALIMBO, if you're still thinking about IN ANG, we're currently in a conversion from block 25 F-16Cs to block 30 F-16s. Before you jump on the Falcon boat...get this...next year we're supposed to get A-10Cs. Talk about a mess! By the time we're fully converted we'll be in another conversion.

However, the 122FW in IN is a world traveller. We've been overseas to support OIF four times in the past 6-7 years or so. The 122FW has been to PSAB, done the Deid, and been to Balad twice. We're non deployable right now during the conversion...unless we're REALLY needed, but we'll be back to good ASAP.

I'm an F-16 Crew Chief with the 122FW who just sent my block 25 to the boneyard, waiting for my "new" block 30 F-16 to arrive from Selfridge in January, only to wait for my A-10C to arrive anytime after April 09.

We are one of the top ANG bases in the US.

 

[ALIMBO]

I love the A10 just was thinking about applying to some of those units operating them but none were close to home. That is definetly good news. I'm still uber worried about my GPA though. I really think it is going to stop me. Being so far along in school its just about impossible to pull it up.

 

[ALIMBO]

O btw I wouldn't care what block 16 it is Ill take whatever if it means I get to fly in the guard. My buddy was on the 16 over in Springfield, IL until they got moved to you guys.

 

[JungleJett]

We are one of the top ANG bases in the US.

Ft. Wayne Indiana? Really.... :beer:

Is Soldner still there?

 

[Weasel Keeper]

Ft. Wayne Indiana? Really.... :beer:

Is Soldner still there?

Yeah, he's the base CO. He has a lot of help.

We just received our 4th Outstanding Unit Award, and 3 of them have come in the last 10 years or so. Along with our AEF commitments we also do a lot to help other units. We go to Tyndall to be F-22 fodder almost every year, and we send folks to other bases to backfill for their AEF deployments. For instance we're sending some guys to Misawa in January while the Misawa folks head downrange.

While in Balad Iraq last year our unit blew the AD out of the water as far as FMC and making every mission. We even filled in for Spang by flying a few extra alerts when they were having MX issues with their jets.

Oh, and we just finished with a UCI and did very well. One of the best units (active/Guard/or reserve) that the UCI inspectors have seen. If you're looking for the good ol' boy ANG unit like they used to be...we're not it so much anymore. With all of our deployments with the active duty we're becoming more like the AD than they are. Maybe it was just gearing up for the UCI (couldn't hurt) but we now do everything by the letter in the books according to TOs, MOIs, and AFIs.

Oh, and the Springfield guys...pretty good to have with us. They're fitting right in along with some transplanted Terre Haute guys we have too.