Civilian straight to ANG pilot

[AIR2MUD]

The Texas ANG has been known to take drunken frat boys from Yale. Maybe you shouldn't tell them about the high GPA.

Yeah, my unit isn't from Texas, but I resemble that remark...and I'm proud of it!

 

[YGBSM]

Also it helps if you go to the units your interested in during drill weeks and show them you really want a slot. Its not that difficult to get picked up. And rememeber there are waivers for everything.

Psysicx knows what he's talking about. He went through quite a bit to get picked up at his guard unit.

 

[BoilerUP]

Just remember, You never had asthma, or allergies, or a head injury, or anything that you would have to answer yes to on the medical history. and Remember the Line DEFPOTEC (20/20) but only on the chart.

Truer words have never been spoken. You don't want to lie, but unless there is a big paper trail for a condition, it never happened...especially if it doesn't affect you now!

I wish I had listened to the advice of "don't talk to a recruiter" because the recruiter at my hometown unit told me they weren't hiring pilots, but they recently hired at least 2, and maybe 3 people off the street. D'oh! I got into my unit out of state, but they admitted they don't take many people that aren't local. I applied while in college and am currently living/working about 4 hours away, and a few pilots in the unit say they are really good about catering to individual's needs most of the time. I know one guy who commutes the airlines to his ANG unit in Washington state from the midwest!

I had bad experiences with an AD recruiter who quit returning my phone calls and emails, and the same thing happened to friends of mine with the same TSgt. Everybody told me Guard was the way to go, and I definately agree. All I gotta do know is get past Brooks and I'm good to go...

 

[viper548]

There's many a people that get tricked into enlisting because they are told by recruiters Guard/reserve units only hire their enlisted people to be pilots.

 

[CCDiscoB]

There's many a people that get tricked into enlisting because they are told by recruiters Guard/reserve units only hire their enlisted people to be pilots.

Yeah, but many are chasing a pipe dream. That reminds me what a young airman gate guard told me once, "If this doesn't work out I going to become a pilot in your squadron."
These folks think it's a cake walk, until they have to take the dreaded AFOQT. A 19 on your pilot score is a rude wake up call.
If you're qualified, and aren't a tool, you'll at least find yourself at the interview.

 

[hindsight2020]

Yeah, but many are chasing a pipe dream. That reminds me what a young airman gate guard told me once, "If this doesn't work out I going to become a pilot in your squadron."
These folks think it's a cake walk, until they have to take the dreaded AFOQT. A 19 on your pilot score is a rude wake up call.
If you're qualified, and aren't a tool, you'll at least find yourself at the interview.

That is true. I think, in general, a lot of the enlisted folks who are seeking a Guard slot AND are serious contenders, are people who enlisted for the sole purpose of getting to UPT (watch them deny it of course). That takes care of the "airmen at the gate" right there, they aren't in that bus. These folks I talk about are in college, some even getting technical degrees, know precisely what enlisted job to look for (close to the pilots as much possible) and have no problem attaining the scores to get it, on top of doing the PR thing as unit members. In essence, if one were to take away their UPT aspirations, their presence in these jobs would be blatant overkill. Some don't even need the financial assistance at all, they just know it pays to have face time. And I admit it, I'm bitter cause I've busted my ass for so long to continually get oh so close to the finish line and then get passed on cause I didn't catch on to do this whole enlistment thing while in college. (but I'm a stubborn f%cker so I'm still shooting at the 1% chance route ) At the interviews I've landed, the in-house or priors have walked away with the jobs every time. So it may not prove sh%t as far as being able to complete UPT (at least not to me), but they sure have proven that the enlisment route WORKS.

That reinforces CCDiscoB's POV, the airman at the gate never had a chance, and is probably clueless as to the candidate profile and the depth of the process that people who get a Guard/Reserve pilot slot go through. But this can be extrapolated to the service in general, its not a pilot-confined phenomena. Not the totality, but a substantial number of young people who for one reason or another didn't track college (or shall I say the de facto high school diploma of the 21st century) end up signing up without the full picture and skewed expectations... and the rest is history...or a cliché perhaps?

 

[viper548]

You can also interview at an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) board and they will assign you a unit. Many non-prior guys take this route, but I'll give you fair warning, Guard/Reserve units do not like having people assigned to them.

 

[psysicx]

So Viper did you get a slot?

 

[hindsight2020]

Hey Viper,

I am not sure about your assesment of the AFRC route. Nobody "interviews" at the AFRC board, it's a paper board. If you meant the latter and I just misread your intent, I apologize.

As it relates to the unsponsored package route, which I believe you were alluding to, I have an unsponsored package in front of the Board this October. If the unsponsored package is approved by the board one is NOT assigned or otherwise forced to enter a unit. Rather, it is up to the individual (with some help from Robins, yes) to seek an inducting unit. Your slot expires when one is no longer age-eligible to enter UPT (30y/o, this excludes folks in FWQ and such etc etc).

That is my understanding of the process, but maybe I misunderstood your post altogether so feel free to clarify or correct me.

 

[viper548]

So Viper did you get a slot?

No, I didn't. They might interview again in 6 months, if not, same time next year.

This board came as a surprise to me. It was supposed to be in Dec or Jan and it was moved to Sept with about 4 weeks notice. I was unable to obtain any LORs from officers in that short amount of time. The Capt. that is in charge of hiring told me I really needed those. Also I didn't have an EPR even though I've been in for 6 years now. (I may have one, but i've never seen it or heard about it). Anyways, I'll get all my stuff together and be better prepared next time.

During the interview there were 4 officers (1 Capt, 2 Maj, 1 LTC) and I thought this interview was tougher than the one at SkyWest. There only asked one technical question, the rest were HR type questions.

 

[viper548]

Hey Viper,

I am not sure about your assesment of the AFRC route. Nobody "interviews" at the AFRC board, it's a paper board. If you meant the latter and I just misread your intent, I apologize.

As it relates to the unsponsored package route, which I believe you were alluding to, I have an unsponsored package in front of the Board this October. If the unsponsored package is approved by the board one is NOT assigned or otherwise forced to enter a unit. Rather, it is up to the individual (with some help from Robins, yes) to seek an inducting unit. Your slot expires when one is no longer age-eligible to enter UPT (30y/o, this excludes folks in FWQ and such etc etc).

That is my understanding of the process, but maybe I misunderstood your post altogether so feel free to clarify or correct me.

I'm not totally up to speed on this process, but I think you are more correct than I am. There are a couple pilots in my unit that did not interview and wouldn't have been hired had they interviewed. From what I understand, they came in unsponsored.

 

[Lvpunk]

...If I had a dollar for each prior-enlisted pilot in my squadron....

Actually, that's not just a cliche, it's absolutely true, we have quite a few prior enlisted pilots flying the E-3, don't ask me why they would want to fly the E-3, or even worse, come back to the E-3 after sitting in the back when they were enlisted. Anyway, going from enlisted to pilot is not a bad idea these days, not only do you get the free college, you can get the government to pay for instrument training and continue to rack up those hours. I'm on that path, currently almost 80 college credits and a PPL with 70 hours and counting. At this point I'm not sure that I want a career as a military pilot (after being in AWACS), but I'm thinking about joing the Delta connection academy or Continental express.

I'm new here, just a little background, I am a flyer on the E-3, or AWACS, and sitting in the back of a windowless takes guts, but it's not quite my cup of tea, so I'm just staying the course and getting the college part over with so I can send in a package. I have lots of info on the pilot application/ots process, so if you have questions you can shoot me an email.

Jeff

 

[peter185]

Another little bonus if you are enlisted will be your pay when you go to UPT. I enlisted after high school and will get 0-1 w/5 years of service while at UPT. Won't be a huge difference in pay, but every little bit counts.

 

[Steve]

Another little bonus if you are enlisted will be your pay when you go to UPT. I enlisted after high school and will get 0-1 w/5 years of service while at UPT. Won't be a huge difference in pay, but every little bit counts.

What will you be flying after UPT?

 

[peter185]

KC-135's out of Sioux City.

 

[CCDiscoB]

...not only do you get the free college,

What free college?

 

[Lvpunk]

100% tuition assistance, so when my last class cost $500.00 and I didn't have to pay anything except for books, I'm pretty sure that's free college.

Jeff

 

[CCDiscoB]

Oh Yeah...

...I did that too, ANG for college. Great deal.

I thought you meant active duty.

 

[peter185]

ANG college benefits vary by state, so free college is not a guarantee. My last 2 years of school (2003 & 2004) Texas only paid for 6 hours of tuition at a state school.

 

[viper548]

I used the GI Bill to pay 60% of my instrument, commercial, CFI, CFII, and CE-500 type. Then I used TA to pay for college. Going in the guard/reserves for college or flight training is a great deal