Civilian straight to ANG pilot

[flyf15]

Hey guys,

So, in a few months I'll be a CFI with a little more than 500 hours and an engineering degree with a high GPA (I've heard these are both important things for the following)

What are my chances of being able to go straight from a civilian such as myself to being a pilot in the ANG? Is it even possible? I'm curious to hear from people who have experience in this area, rather than a recruiter who will do anything to get me to sign the dotted line.

Also, if it makes a difference, I live in Colorado. Is one able to join another state's ANG?

Thanks much!

 

[JimNtexas]

http://baseops.net

 

[pkober]

I did what you did, 13 years ago. You need to contact and send a cover letter to every unit in the nation, or only the ones you want to join. Also stopping in to personally visit with a unit is a good idea.

I didn't live in the state which selected me for UPT. You just have to be willing to move to the unit and be comitted to the ANG.

I think you have a great shot at a slot. Just don't give up. Some units will turn you down but if you stay comitted you will get a slot.

Good Luck

CLAMBAKE

 

[LearLove]

First you need to get a "package" together. This is your resume, AFOQT/BAT scores, transcripts, copies of your medical, license (pilot and driver) and recommendations (pilots/instructors, professors, job bosses ect). At some units the package may vary alittle but thats the jist of it. Try and get the AF medical done too before the board meets also.

Then you need to call around to as many units as you can and ask about who you could speak to about upcomming "UPT Selection Boards". I found the best people to talk to are the Squdn. Ops Officer, Training Officer or Sked officer. These guys will direct you on how and where to send you package. Some units have recruiters do it some have you send it right to them at operations.

After you've done this its alot like rushing a fraternity house. Show your face at the local units if you can and get to know the guys. Call the ones you cant visit.

About once a year most units have a UPT selection board. A few month prior to the board they will sit down and go thru the packages and select who they want to interview. Again it varies from unit to unit but its basically like a get to know you job interview.

I interviewed at one F16 unit where we sat at a table in the units bar room and shot the breeze. Both guys interviewing me were full timers and sat there with their flight suits unzipped, very informal. Another unit had me in a conferance room witht he vice wing commander and other unit commaders and they were all in dress blues.

When they hire they usually pick a primary and alternate. The primary gets the first slot and the alt is there if the primary drops out or can't pass the medical or quits. The following year the alt guy usually become the primary. Sometimes there are more than one slot so there are several guy hired. I interviewed a 4 units and had 2 alt slots and one primary but did not pass the medical.

There is a book out by air inc that has units and contact numbers listed but a yahoo or google search of the ANG should get you a list of units and most have their own home pages with contact and UPT board info.

I must say that i did this in the mid to late 90's pre 911 so the process may have changed. Back then you could basically get on base by driving up to the gate and telling the guard you were there to drop off a pilot/officer application. Then the guard would call operations and in a few seconds walk back to you in your car and tell you which building was ops and how to drive over to it. I don't think that happens today.

good luck

 

[RedDogC130]

Ditto...do not be mad if it does not work out the first year. . Take all the AF written tests before your send in a package. It makes you more competative against those who did not and 1 less thing the squadron has to deal with. Also, send the package directly attn: XXXth Squadron Commander. Get it into the right hands, not the recruiter...I repeat, not a recruiter. I am still getting calls 3 years later after sending in a package for interviews but laugh and tell them thanks but a little late. Good Luck

 

[FrozenPilot]

What they said.

I did the ANG application and actually had a slot on a C5 guard unit. Problem was the medical. They are much stricter about it with a new hire, so be prepared. If you've had ANYTHING thats happened in your past, it could (and probably will) come back to haunt you. You can pass a first class medical and the military may still find something to DQ you on. The unit I applied to I believe didn't give me a full chance, ie. sending in all the paperwork, so they dropped me. Things changed for me in the meantime, so staying civilian is working out well for me anyways.

 

[larryiah]

Guard Units

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

 

[Steeler Fan]

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

Here's another recent post from larryiah...

It's called putting all of your eggs in one basket. He stretched us too thin with an unnecessary and unjustified war that has killed 2000 of our boys. There are few troops available and even fewer who want to go after three tours in Iraq. Can you blame them?


Its bad when the woman Governor of Louisiana, the Mayor of New Orleans, Sheppard Smith, the Mayor of Grand Isle, Bill O'Reilly, and even Jessee Jackson appear to be stronger leaders.

Bush is an idiot, and it was just a matter of time until a situation such as this haunted him.

In other words, I don't think he's here to help you in any way he can. Lots of other good advice posted here though, although Larry may be attempting to hijack the thread a little, but I guess I've done that before too. Larryiah does bring up a good point though, Don't put all your eggs in one basket. I'm very glad that I'm still in the AF Reserve and proud to serve our country, and being in the service really helped me to keep flying during an almost 2 year furlough from a previous airline. Good luck. Think about both the Guard and the AF Reserve. Active Duty is another option, especially with your flight time and GPA--great benefits and retirement, but a long commitment (last I checked, 10 years after you graduate pilot training).

 

[flyf15]

I was under the impression that the ANG was the only of the 3 (Active Duty, Reserves, ANG) where one could be guarenteed to be a pilot before they are committed. I thought with the other two it was more of a "You have a good chance, but you'll end up where we need you" Whats the case on these two?

 

[Steeler Fan]

I was under the impression that the ANG was the only of the 3 (Active Duty, Reserves, ANG) where one could be guarenteed to be a pilot before they are committed. I thought with the other two it was more of a "You have a good chance, but you'll end up where we need you" Whats the case on these two?

If you apply for Active Duty (Air Force), you can actually apply for pilot only, and if you don't get selected, you are under no obligation to go. Pretty much the same for the AF Reserve. I don't know if the Navy or Army do it the same way.

"You have a good chance, but you'll end up where we need you"--This could happen only if you put "Air Force Needs" on your Active Duty Application.

AF ROTC is differerent because if you are under a commitment, there have been times in the past where people have lost pilot training slots, yet still are obligated to the Air Force.

I hope this helps.

 

[NTS ALL 4]

I think it was said before, " don't ever talk to a recruiter". Did we mention, "don't ever talk to a recruiter". The recruiter recruits/hires enlisted people. He/she may know something about the pilot application process, but their job is to recruit/hire enlisted people, not officers. Send all your questions and application package stuff to the Chief Pilot/Ops Officer/Squadron Commander.

After you are selected to UPT, then you will meet the recruiter to fill out the rest of the paperwork which essentially enlist you in the military as an enlisted person until you pass Officer Training School and put on your (butter bars).

If I haven't mentioned it before, "don't ever talk to a recruiter" or else...

 

[Steeler Fan]

I think it was said before, " don't ever talk to a recruiter". Did we mention, "don't ever talk to a recruiter". The recruiter recruits/hires enlisted people. He/she may know something about the pilot application process, but their job is to recruit/hire enlisted people, not officers. Send all your questions and application package stuff to the Chief Pilot/Ops Officer/Squadron Commander.

After you are selected to UPT, then you will meet the recruiter to fill out the rest of the paperwork which essentially enlist you in the military as an enlisted person until you pass Officer Training School and put on your (butter bars).

If I haven't mentioned it before, "don't ever talk to a recruiter" or else...

All of this may be completely valid for ANG/AFRES, but in order to go apply for OTS for an Active Duty Air Force pilot slot, you MUST go through a recruiter. www.airforce.com IF you feel like you're not getting the whole picture, you're probably right as each recruiter naturally is biased towards the product they're selling. I entered the Air Force thru ROTC, and was just in the right place at the right time to get a UPT slot, so I do NOT claim to be the subject expert on Civilian to ANG/AFRES, other than NTS ALL 4 sounds like he's been down that road, and it going directly to the unit pilots/unit POC is the best way to go. When I was hired by my Reserve Squadron, I went VFR direct to them.

Active Duty is completely different, though. But give everything the recruiter tells you a litmus test. I can't talk for Colorado, but I help out the Active Duty AF recruiters in Pittsburgh and Morgantown, WV, and they are not in the business of trying to manipulate applicants. If they did, I wouldn't keep working for them.

 

[pony251]

If you really want to fly, join the Marines. They will guarantee you a flight slot as long as you survive OCS and TBS. The question is, "how bad do you really want to fly?"

 

[hindsight2020]

-----

 

[Steeler Fan]

If you really want to fly, join the Marines. They will guarantee you a flight slot as long as you survive OCS and TBS. The question is, "how bad do you really want to fly?"

This is the same deal is the Air Force has. If you wash out of pilot training, you still could owe the Air Force 4 years (from date of commission), depending on what your major was, how your attitude was, and if they need you.

3 guys left my UPT class in 1 week. 2 SIE (Self-Initiated Elimination--ie, quitting), 1 MOA (Manifiestations of Apprehensions--ie, fear of flying--the dude would break into a cold sweat, and spent more time with the flight doc than he did on the flightline). The 2 guys who SIEd left the AF. The MOA guy stayed in.

One more thing, don't do anything to physically eliminate yourself from pilot training, like another guy in my class did near the end of T-38s (he really liked speeding on his motorcycle and hurt himself pretty bad doing)--I saw him later at Yokota, where he was working at the PAX terminal.

 

[rockr]

Check baseops site

Asked and answered to your hearts content. Go guard or reserve: more options, if you like it that much you can then go active duty, its all about choices go with the option that gives you the most. Good luck!

 

[Tweetdrvr]

flyf15,

For a good source of info on the active side of the house with a guarantee of not being pressured to enlist, talk to your nearest AF Academy Liaison officer. My previous squadron commander is one of those dudes, and from talking to him, they usually present the whole picture about ROTC, OTS, and USAFA.

Even though you are about to graduate, the ROTC guys at your school can/should still give you some good info as well. Every person in the AF has a professional obligation to give as much info to anyone who asks about the service and how to join, we are all in a sense recruiters. We just may not have the forms for you to fill out, but we can usually steer you in a direction that can help you.

If you are considering active duty, you may find out that the easiest way into active duty may be to get another degree and go in via the two year ROTC program. If you choose active duty, and they choose you for a pilot slot, with a technical engineering degree, you may or may not stay in the service if for some reason you fail to complete pilot training. Right now, we are in a so called "force shaping" period in an attempt to right size the force of the future. We are in the middle of a conflict that has lasted longer than the U.S. involvement in WWII, and will probably last longer than the longest definition of WWII, but we are reducing the size of the force. Currently, people who either quit or wash out of JSUPT/JPPT are facing a very strong possibility of non-retention by the AF unless they are USAFA grads. I know of three personally in the last six months who were given their walking papers.

Going ANG or AF Reserve is a great way to go, just realize it takes about two years to get to UPT from the time you start the process. So, assuming you really want to serve and to fly, what are you going to do, if you don't get selected? If you can afford it, keep flying and building time, and maybe get hired by a regional before pilot training. Or, consider staying in school to get another degree and do the two year ROTC side while you work the Guard/Reserve. This will keep your active duty option open, if you get shot down by multiple units.

Good luck in your quest.

 

[CCDiscoB]

Of Course...

....otherwise the Guard would be full of senior ranking pilots. Units hire many civilians to go to pilot training. Just be careful which units you target. Some Guard Wings are strictly training Wings, in other words you need to be an instructor. Of the last 10 who went to pilot training from my unit, 8 were civilians.

 

[HoursHore]

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.

 

[psysicx]

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.