F-16 ANG Unit

[hindsight2020]

you meant "unlike the other FTU squadrons". Get your random questions bank updated....

 

[psysicx]

No all of the other FTU squadrons hire people off the street. Get you comment right.

 

[hindsight2020]

Alright, educate me then. Name one Guard/Reserve FTU that has hired an off-the-street guy in the past two FYs....

 

[psysicx]

The unit out of San Antonio and Tucson hire people off the street. Both of them are FTU's. You do your 18 month seasoning at another unit before becoming an F-16 IP.

 

[stonewall]

You'll need more than 18 mos to become an F-16 IP, even an FTU one. Well, a good IP, anyway.

 

[AlbieF15]

...Tyndall has NEVER hired a guy off the street to become an IP...

Most guys if they work and apply themselves can make IP, but the fact is there are some guys who just never will. Additionally, there are guys who COULD but due to the high experience in their unit there isn't an overwhelming need to upgrade anyone in a timely manner. I'm NOT saying Kelly/Springfiled haven't hired off the street for IP jobs, but I suspect their is more to the story--perhaps they were trading slots with an ops unit to get someone from another unit into the FTU, or perhaps this "off the street" guy had already flown F-16s but needed a TX course (requal) verses a B course (initial training).

...been wrong before...will be again...

 

[psysicx]

Isn't 18 months all the fighter guys get for seasoning mayde it 2 years. But I know that Kelly has a board every year to hire people. Tucson only hires within and then they go back after seasoning. I'm not saying its the smartest thing.

 

[stonewall]

Yes, they get seasoning. But 18 mos of "seasoning" isn't enough time to make an IP outta ya.

 

[CrewDawg]

I think the Springfield, OH unit hired a guy off the street a few years back. He came to our unit and flew for a few years and just recently went back to be an IP.

 

[hindsight2020]

AlbieF15, thanks for the clarification, that was exactly my point to the random question generator; the likelihood of being hired by an FTU nowadays is null, so I stand corrected...

 

[Majurpain]

Two things:
1- Albie, I gotta talk 2 u. I'm at CONR and have an interview wi SWA in 2 weeks. We're neighbors (it sound like). Help!
2- Hey, don't be so dang picky. Get into UPT. ANY Guard unit that'll take u. Period. Fighters? Great. Not? Doesn't matter. You're getting older every day, your chances to get on at any Guard unit decrease every day you wait for the perfect unit. It's pure a!# pain applying at every unit you apply to, but I swear to you, even if u get in at a herc unit, there ARE guys in that slot who've transitioned to fighters (if that's where your heart is at- mine is, even though I'm not flying them military now...). If you can get a UPT slot, love the one you're with (showing my age here with that quote) and DO IT even if it IS FSM or North Frickin' Dakota (hot tip, show up on the flight line in Mid January in your snow machine, walk into Ops, shake the snow off your suit and shout out -Damn, I love this SH!*&!!. You'll get a job for sure. Or committed involuntarily. Either way, you get free food).
But if you wanna be a Guard pilot, do it when you get a chance. It doesn't suck. Lots of guys who God DIDN'T bless with perfect vision will tell you that. KnowuddImean?

 

[NYF16boy]

IP in 18 months???

Not that this would help much, but I went through RTU at Kelly about 3 years ago. They have an interview board like every other gaurd unit, except they find some other Viper guard unit to season the person they hired. 18 months to become an IP? yeah right! If you are lucky, you may be a 4-ship by that time. The specific guard unit won't put you on the fast track ahead of thier own bro's. We have a Tucson guy here with us, he has been here 1 year already and hasn't even started 2-flug yet. It is just like the other posts, there is way too much experience in the guard and they are not in a hurry, or need, to upgrade quickly. Trust me, I know!

 

[psysicx]

Thats what I thought. So how long is the seasoning if you go to an FTU?

 

[F16TJ]

Thats what I thought. So how long is the seasoning if you go to an FTU?

Six months if you're a B course punk, 3 months if you're a TX retread. And for B course punk, that 6 months gets you to the point of being "min" safe to progress to an ops unit where you start learning to fly, fight, and win. As a new hire, there isn't any "seasoning" at an FTU unit.

Depending on the model, it can take many years to get to the point of being a decent IP. Magnum!

 

[psysicx]

Right but once you go back to your unit how long do are you full time? I know the SC unit is 18 months.

 

[SIG600]

Right but once you go back to your unit how long do are you full time? I know the SC unit is 18 months.

Go....



Away..........

 

[psysicx]

When it says the slot is for FY 2007 does that mean you go to UPT in 07?

 

[peter185]

It means you will most likely go sometime in FY 2007, which starts at the beginning of the business fiscal year, which is October 2006.

 

[CrewDawg]

I am FY07 Guard select and is was told to expect to go to UPT around OCT06 to FEB07. Once I get back from training the seasoning is around 18 months fulltime until I go back to traditional guardsman status. I have heard you can sometimes get a few more months of man-days. Here is a link to a breakdown of all the training. Hope this helps. http://www.ohtole.ang.af.mil/careers/Civ.htm.htm

 

[psysicx]

Thanks for the help. I know that the seasoning varies between 18 to 24 months depending on the unit. Is it possible to transfer units if you can get a full time slot?