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I wish you luck but many hotels these days won’t give points for stays paid for by the government.

Seems to be rated wide, I know several guys including myself that were expecting notifications by the end of June and haven’t heard a thing.

I’m 100% not surprised. It’s vacation season and a 4th of July holiday coming up....and this was only the first AFPC deadline for the MAF/DT using a new program Talent Marketplace which apparently was a bust (surprise, an underdeveloped IT system we probably spent millions on not working the way we need it to)....I’m guessing because CCs directly uploaded their requirements the wrong number of jobs at each location was put in for bids (I recall seeing tons of LT UPT positions being advertised....good luck finding many LTs ready to PCS from their first Ops assignment). That or they realized the majority of folks have to be non-vol’d to undesired locations (surprise all 100 of you that bid USAFA airfield #1 won’t get it) and they have to justify sending so many folks to jobs that weren’t even on their list in the middle of a pilot retention crisis (“fine tooth combing” it). In general, I’ve notice a lot of QOL initiatives with no follow through...increased lead times for PCS and deployments mandated by the higher ups but the staff is undermanned or under trained to meet those goals (here’s double the work, a new computer system you are untrained on, and a shorter suspense). Not trying to defend them too much, if they set targets and fall 2 weeks short they probably should have announced that before day last and absolutely should have worked a lot harder to not bust the suspense.

Yeah, I think that would be my angle, but there are lots of moving pieces. If you've got the free-o degree option, it's probably not a bad idea to do it. That said, the difference from in and out of state is not minor; 15 years ago it was ~$1300 for in and ~$4500 for out for undergrad. I can only imagine it's gotten worse. Definitely something to consider. Then again, as @FlyArmy said, will a MS really be worth it for you? I would say to go for the experience (FSU was awesome) and the extra step on the resume, especially if it's nearly paid for, but it might not pay off much if you're planning on rushing units and getting a PD/FD job. The experience will be fun, but the mileage gain may be minimal. That's good to hear about the solid instructors in Tally. Definitely a better situation than Austin, it seems. Money is always an issue in life, but there's always a way to make things work. You could easily bartend or wait tables for flying money while you're in school too, if you go the FSU route. I worked waiting tables for most of my college career and it actually added to the fun; you'll work with a lot of fun people, get cheap/free food, and put some money in your pocket. Personally and obviously super biased, I'd consider FD much harder if you've ever given it a thought. Then again, I'm the kinda guy that has more of an allergy to bullets than to fire, so maybe it's just personal. That said, the QoL for FD is, in most places, higher than for PD. You're working in bigger groups, you're under less stress, and people generally want to see you show up. Put it this way, my firehouse has about 60 guys and I'd say that there are probably 10-15 that were cops and jumped over to FD when they could; same figures at a lot of firehouses. I honestly don't know a soul that left FD to become PD. Not bagging on my brothers in blue and I respect the hell out of them, but it's definitely a tougher job and different mentality, IMHO. NYC is crazy expensive, but then again the pay is higher. Up here, FD/PD have parity and make (roughly) the same amount, which seems to be similar in a lot of places. That said, that ship MIGHT have passed for FD, unless you took the last test. They only run it every 4 years or so and the age cutoff is 29 (maybe 30 now, I dunno). PD opens hiring much more often and hires way more, so that could be an option. Keep an eye out on hirings in cities you'd want to live and just take the test. Lots of larger cities cut you off at 36. Which, you've got time, but always worth it to have your hat in the ring. You can always say no if you pick another path, but you can't say yes if you never took the test and opened up the option. And I'm kicking myself for not applying again years ago when I wouldn't have to worry about an age waiver. Then again, it's pointless to worry about now; you're past that point and it isn't worth dwelling on. At the end of the day, you've gotta be the one to decide what works best for you. None of us on here will be able to tell ya the right path because we aren't you, don't have your goals, and don't know what you can and can't do. But, for me, I think it's best to have as many options open as possible. If you can run two things at once (applying to AFRC/ANG spots and FSU or PD/FD), you are ahead of the game. The PPL will fit in there somewhere. Just choose what you think will make you the happiest. If you feel like you chose wrong, look back to my paragraph above and just enjoy the journey. Good luck man! Hit me up if you have any more questions I might be able to help with.

Army aviation is the armpit of military aviation. As an officer it is rare to get any credibility as a pilot. As a rotc guy slots may be hard to come by. And active duty army is miserable regardless of branch. People are leaving in droves. Guard/res is a little better. You could do the cop thing and guard army aviation as a warrant (or commissioned?). Keep applying to and rushing ANG/AFRC units, apply to the AFRC board unsponsored, and keep your options open. Waivers are available, especially right now. Keep flying and get your PPL. It’ll help all around with rushing, PCSM, your resume, and aviation knowledge. You are only limited to those 2 options you listed by your own doing. I’d have more options and explore all angles. There is/was a Tulsa viper guy who was a cop. Sounds like army guard warrant officer and cop seems like a career path that would suit you based on what you said you enjoy/want to do. Or an ANG/AFRC unit and cop job if you can swing getting hired by Ang/AFRC. Is a masters really necessary for those right now? Sounds like you like flying and want to be a pilot, be in the military, and be a cop. Being an army officer was a lot less fulfilling than I had imagined, with a lot of bureaucracy and bs. I wouldn’t recommend active duty army aviation, even as a warrant, unless it was your childhood dream and/or your only mil flying option. As a guard guy you miss some of the asinine stuff, so I could do it as a part timer. Still not as ideal as ANG/AFRC flying though.

Active duty. I interviewed with several Guard and Reserve units in my late 20s. Age never really appeared to be the issue. I just wasn't competitive enough with my civilian flight time/creds. I was a lowly PPL with 110 hours and some instrument training often competing against dudes/dudettes who were corporate pilots, air-ambulance drivers, crop-dusters, seasoned regional airline FOs, etc. The breadth of aviation and life experience I encountered at the last fighter unit I rushed/interviewed with was absolutely insane (and motivating). The unit is paying for your UPT slot so hiring boards want to send the people they think have the best shot at graduating. I totally get it. I just started the game a little late in life. I was about to throw in the towel but a buddy of mine (a pilot in the reserves) suggested I talk to an active duty recruiter. I did. And the rest is history. FWIW, I'd argue the Army isn't necessarily a mistake. But if you're not interested in helos, or Army aviation's mission, then that's just not route for you. Just keep focusing on getting hired somewhere with the Air Force. I'd even consider talking to an active duty recruiter. You're in the right place by the way. I send aspiring pilots/pilot candidates to this forum all the time. As I'm sure you're figuring out, there's a wealth of knowledge here.

And we wonder why people are fed up with the AF... Different standards for different people.

Chiming in from the outside (I'm applying just like you), but with a lot of rhyming to your situation. First, I'm a geezer at 36 and still giving it my all to get hired at a heavy unit somewhere. If I've got a chance at 7+ years older than you, I'm sure you are fine to get a waiver if you prove worthy to the squadron; especially, as others have said, at a heavy unit. I actually got my Undergrad at FSU and moved to Austin after, then became a fireman there (although I do know a cop or two in the area) before moving up to NYC, so I'll give you a little personal advice on both of those options. FSU is a hell of a lot of fun, if you're down with living the college life, and a good school to go to. The bars are fun, the women are plentiful and friendly, and Saturdays in the fall are amazing. I didn't think Tally as a city was that bad, honestly. It's cheap, there are good food options, and it's not too far from the beach. There were some hills, there were some decent outdoor activities (Cherokee Sink, St. George Island, Apalachicola, etc.), and you could ride a motorcycle nearly all year round. I'd definitely do it all over again. I don't know about PPL schools, but Tallahassee Airport is small enough it's probably not expensive to get lessons there and wrap up your PPL while you're in school. Austin is also a great town. Live music everywhere, lots of young people so lots of young activities, great going out district downtown, and a metric shit-ton of outdoor stuff to do (hiking, SUP/kayaks downtown, biking, running trails, power boats on Lake Travis, etc.). That said, it's changed a lot from the decade+ ago that I lived there. I caught the tail end of it still being inexpensive and not ridiculously overcrowded, both of which are long gone now. It's gotten crazy expensive (places I looked at buying 12 years ago have quadrupled in price) and there are people everywhere. All of the cool little niche things that made Austin a lot of fun now have lines and you're going to sit in pretty terrible traffic to get there. Rents and housing prices have skyrocketed, so you're pushed further and further out (maybe you want that, though?) away from the nightlife and core activities. That also means driving to and from those activities and Texas cops don't mess around with DUIs. I know a TON of people there that got nicked (pre-Uber days; although that doesn't absolve the bad choice to drive) and that would likely put a serious dent in your aspirations; mil or civilian. I did a little research for a friend in Austin interested in getting a PPL and it actually kinda sucks there. There are only a couple schools and rates were high (high even by NYC standards, honestly) to rent the planes. The less expensive airports were a decent drive out of town, although I guess they may be closer, depending on where you live. If you're looking for PD, there are lots of departments in the area (and ranging from DPS, APD, and lots of school departments) and they pay pretty decent. If you have mil points, they'll give you an extra bump. Personally, if you're not locked into LE, I'd recommend giving a look to the FD side, but I'm more than a shade biased. Haha. I know little about Dallas, except it's flat, they get tornadoes and ice storms, and it's still hot as hell. But, I know a lot of people seem to like it, so maybe it's great. It's probably better to commute to your unit with DFW there than from AUS. So, not sure if that helped at all because both options aren't bad and I'd lean either way, but it was just striking a chord to read your options and taking this old man back in the old time machine. If it were me, honestly, I'd just start applying to units. It seems like timeframes can stretch beyond a year (maybe two) between applying and getting accepted. Maybe you could rack out your MS while you're waiting to ship out to UPT, then move to Austin/Dallas in 4-5 years after your MS and training. You'll go after those PD jobs armed with a few extra points having served, you'll have the flying still as a Traditional Reservist/Guardsman, and you'll have the MS. Why not try to knock all the pins down?

Only an LOC and grade determination for a years long unprofessional relationship with zero remorse? That is insanity.

They might pay $9 Billion but what do they cost in local, state, and federal dollars? https://www.fairus.org/sites/default/files/2017-08/USCostStudy_2010.pdf Answer: A hell of a whole lot more at $113 Billion.

I LOL'd I guess I could have pointed to this when my CC asked if I had any interest in leadership above FLT/CC , and I actually laughed out loud. The court system in the military is the epitome of shoot, then aim! Then even when proven innocent, they may put out a retraction at the bottom left of the bag page of the base newsletter...career still ruined. In my last aircraft upgrade, I had a sim partner (another FO) that left a fast track in the Navy (20+ years) because 3 of 5 of his buddies were fired for shit that was completely out of their control...mostly within a year or so of assuming command. Right now the rest of his buddies are probably on ship somewhere, dodging sexual assault cases and hoping to make it through the next assignment to get that bird/star....meanwhile he just finished another Rome layover after having 2 weeks without going to work.

Geez. Glad they fired the commander before figuring out WTF happened first.