Grateful Dilemma

[av8g]

I would first like to say I've learned an imeasurable amount from this forum. The discussions here have helped me get where I am now. I am availabe to all out there who are trying for an ANG slot. So far I have been very successful.

This brings me to my dilemma. I've interviewed at one unit and been selected for UPT (thank my lucky stars.) I have also been granted an interview at another unit in the same state that flies the airframe I would prefer. Not to say I'm not estatic about the prior but we all have our favorites.

I feel a certain loyalty to the unit that has already hired me and my thougts stray toward "bird in hand..." I just don't know if I can make peace with turning down the other opportunity. Either way I don't want to lose it all.

I feel like I've seen somone on this board with a similar problem. Please, anyone with some conventional wisdom, post or PM.

 

[airgator]

You gotta go to the other interivew. Think of it this way, What's the worst that could happen? You don't get that slot and you go with the 1st one who picked you up. They're not gonna drop you because they find out you were considering another unit or interviewed with another unit. You owe it to yourself and your future to see if the second unit is better for you. It's not like they've already invested so much money training you etc, I think its perfectly acceptable to swith at this point. Good luck.

 

[av8g]

Yea but,

Thanks airgator,
Thats the way I was looking at it. I have however run into some advice that is pretty sure the other unit will know and that there is a possibility that they will hand off my slot to an alternate.

By the way I see you are UPT bound. What airframe? PM if you want.

 

[airgator]

I am sponsored by a reserve C-5 squadron, headed to OTS next month. Honestly, I would have no problem looking my unit in the eye and telling them I interviewed with another squadron of a different airframe because I just wanted to be 100% sure that I was going to the best place for me and where I can contribute the most. There is a good chance you'll be at this unit for the next 10+ years so why not weigh all the options. I am curious to see what the ANG guys on this board think of this.

 

[killmigs]

av8g,

Congrats on your interviews and selection.

Somewhere along the way we all decide which units to apply to. Some of us choose units in areas of the country near our favorite place to live, others choose only the units with Fighters, and many choose any unit - simply because they love to fly.

It appears that you love to fly, and because of that you decided to send out apps to any unit - no matter what the airframe. I applaud your love for aviation, and I am sure you are worthy of your selection.

However, there are others that have a passion for more than flight - they also have a warrior instinct in them and want to fight, they want to kill the bad guy. In the fighter community we need dudes like this in order to win wars.

Being that you decided to apply to all possible units, I have to say that you should stick with the unit that has selected you. I won't guess at the chances that you will be discovered if you decide to interview. Looking at the bg picture and from a different point of view, you being discovered is insignificant.

If you interviewed with both units, received acceptance letters and decided to go with one unit over the other. That's cool. Deciding to go with or interview with another unit after you have been selected and accepted their acceptance I feel is a poor decision. And may possibly leave you in an unwanted position.

On the other hand, you could always interview and risk the chance of making an alternate selectee very happy.

**********************************************

Ask any girl to marry you, but once she accepts (fat or not) she's the one.

Kill Migs!

 

[negativebalance]

Congrats on your acceptance. I have a FY04 slot and I too had to make your same decision. I ended up deciding to go with the first wing to give me the honor of getting a primary slot. That was just what I did though. I didn't bother going to other interviews because I didn't want to try and get another slot for the greater glory of me. I was in the Marines as a reservist for 6 years before I got into the guard, I ended up going over for OIF aswell. If your a prior service guy you'll especially know what I mean, there's a ton of guys out there who would give anything for a slot and might only get into one place just because they're not as competitive as you are. Maybe they have a family and couldn't afford to go past their private or whatever the circumstance. I'm not saying you should care but at least take this into consideration.
Remember, if you get heavies you can always eventually switch to another heavy, and if you get fighters you can always eventually switch to anything else............typically.

 

[Ih8AFYesmen]

It's YOUR career

I'm happy to see the "loyal" folks on this board, but............
I think no matter what you fly, you'll enjoy your aircarft, but if your mind is set on a "certain" aircraft, I would pursue with your dream, whether it's traveling the world or blowing things up. What have you got to lose? You already have one offer. As far as loyalty goes, the unit that picked you up have alternate selectees who would love to give one of their balls (top or bottom depending on the make and model) to take your slot. Trust me, the AFres/ANG units are not hurting for folks.
Flying in the AFres/ANG is definitely a better deal than on active duty, especially for the fighter folks because they don't have to deploy to the sand box, if at all if they can swing it, as much as the active duty dudes. Ofcourse, I'm assuming the "other" unit is a fighter unit. As I have told many of my students for track select, go with your dream and not what others tell you. By any means am I preaching selfishness, but in the end, it's YOUR life. Good luck!

 

[AlbieF15]

For Pete's sake...go interview!

Your (likely) heavy unit will have an alternate for your slot if you don't take it. Either way...you are serving your country and state.

Only caution would be non making the fighter cut in T-37s/T-6s, and then trying to limp home and ask for the (original heavy) slot.

The unit giving you the slot can live without you. There will be another young person who'd give their left (insert appropriate remark based on gender of applicant here) to take your slot, so I think you won't be crushing anyone by at least looking around.

Good luck.