mb1685

Looks like the update is affecting the "Unread Content" (my preferred browsing method) and "All Activity" functionality too. New posts don't seem to be showing up there.

Congrats! What unit?

Awesome, thank you for the info! I was assuming the FAR would prevent the ability to log it without the IP being a CFI but I'm glad to see that's not the case.

The AFRC board being referenced is a sponsored board, correct? Is the word still that there will be no more unsponsored boards?

It's definitely possible to schedule the TBAS yourself. I took it at an AFROTC detachment (but I don't think all detachments have the equipment). There's a list of locations and contact info here: https://access.afpc.af.mil/pcsmdmz/Testing Locations.pdf

Is there such a thing as "age critical" to the NGB? For example, would they try to prioritize MFS, paperwork/approvals, OTS/IFT/UPT orders for a candidate hired a couple of months prior to age 29? Or in that situation would they probably just move at their standard pace and an age waiver would be needed? While I'm at it, I'll open up the rest of this can of worms. I'm a CSO select for Active Duty. I've had an IFC1 completed (Flight Medicine did Class 1 rather than 1A by request), my TS clearance paperwork has been submitted, and I've sworn into DEP. I don't have an OTS class date yet. If I were to be hired by a Guard unit before OTS and I turn down the AD slot, could any of these selection process factors already being completed help to absolve the normal wait for Guard selects? I know I'd still need to go to MFS, but is there perhaps a way the NGB could take ownership of my OTS class slot rather than having to wait for a new one to be assigned?

Anyone heard from the 115FW? Interview notifications are scheduled to be out today. EDIT: Scratch that, got an email literally 30 seconds after posting this saying they're running behind schedule because they received so many packets.

I wouldn't sweat it a ton since it's a decent score, plus the boards will see your hours and probably put more stock in that than your (extrapolated) TBAS performance. But since it's free, I'd still suggest retaking the TBAS when you can, but go ahead and apply to units in the meantime since you have to wait 6 months to retake. I have a lower Pilot score than you (92) and I'm 2 brackets lower than you (21-40 hours) and my PCSM is an 80, so I'm sure you can bump it up quite a bit with a retake.

Flight time is always best if you can afford it. If you can't afford it, you can probably squeeze a couple more points out of the TBAS. I also have 21 hours and a lower Pilot score than you (92) and my PCSM is an 80, so I'd speculate that there's still a little bit more headroom for you on the TBAS grading. My 201+ hour bracket is only one point higher though.

Yep, it's identical.

I retook it at the beginning of this month and my score was available the next day. They've also updated my score within 1 or 2 days every time I've submitted flight hour updates. The PCSM office is really fast.

Thank you! I greatly appreciate it.

Awesome, thanks so much for that info! My IFC1 wasn't too long ago so I haven't heard back yet or gotten a DD2808. I'm a weird case -- CSO select for AD, continuing to apply for a Pilot gig with some Guard units up until my OTS date. I explained the situation to the Flight Medicine folks and they're upgrading my IFC1A to IFC1 (given that I meet those standards) and I was curious as to whether that might be something that Guard units might find a little bit desirable or whether it would make any difference at all in regards to the MFS requirement. I guess in theory it shows that I've been through a more stringent layer of medical screening that an applicant who's only been through MEPS (or nothing) and perhaps I'm slightly less of a gamble, but I understand that it means pretty much nothing.

Silly question that might have already been answered but I'm having trouble finding more info: what exactly are the differences between an IFC1 and MFS? What additional tests are conducted during MFS? Also, I'm assuming that for Guard applicants/selects, already having an approved IFC1 before selection doesn't preclude the need to go to MFS, correct?

Yes. You can even start applying during your last year of college if the unit permits it (sometimes applicants are hired during their last year or last semester), but that's a bit rare from what I've gathered. Is there an AFROTC detachment at your college? If so, you might be able to arrange to take the test on campus with them. Each detachment usually administers it at least once per semester, but priority obviously goes to their cadets. If that's not an option, your local ANG unit might administer it on base from time to time. The recruiting office should be able to let you know.

Was that pre-2013? That's probably why they updated the algorithm to weigh flight hours so heavily. It does seem to make more sense for flight time to be a much more significant predictor of success than mainly just the AFOQT and the TBAS.

Yep, I retook it last week and my score went up 8 points. I've also taken the AFOQT twice so I'll have to live with my current Pilot score of 92. Since I'm not following a structured PPL curriculum, I've tried to diversify aircraft experience a little bit too. I've got some time in Skyhawks, Tomahawks, and Katanas.

Anyone have any insight on the minimum PCSM score and/or minimum amount of flight time it takes for a fighter unit to consider you (assuming the rest of your package is high quality)? I'll have 21 hours next week and a PCSM of 80, but that's all I'll be able to afford for a really long time. Obviously I'm going to apply for the boards that interest me no matter what, but do guys without PPLs (at a minimum) and 90+ PCSM scores really stand much of a chance?

ENJJPT is a (further) specialized UPT program.

Didn't he pretty much admit he was trolling all along? In the Toxic Communities thread, he opened with "Ok guys, serious post for once (yeah, shut-up haters; you loved it the past couple of years)."

Just got an e-mail with an interview invite from the 101ARW (Bangor, ME). Looks like there will an interview session next weekend and then another one sometime after that for people with scheduling conflicts.

Did you get an email from one of the Recruiting & Retention NCOs confirming that your package was received? If not, you might want to follow up with them. If you did then I wonder if maybe they just made a mistake and didn't put you on the distribution list. I can PM you the info if you want.

Tuesday the 18th

SCANG sent out an email about two (optional) upcoming base visit opportunities for UPT board applicants. They also mentioned that the board will take place in June.

I could probably count the number of times I've felt compelled to write an online review on just one hand (and it's usually for extreme disappointments), but I wanted to buck that trend to weigh in on BogiDope. I've been chasing the military aviation dream for a while now. After applying for Navy OCS (got selected with a Pilot slot but had a family emergency and now I'm too old), applying for Air Force OTS (got selected with a CSO slot -- stoked but still hoping to get picked up by a Guard/Reserve unit before going to OTS and committing to AD), and applying with 20+ Guard and Reserve units (had a couple of interview invitations so far), plus reading BaseOps.net and AirWarriors.com for years, I thought I had a pretty decent handle on what it takes to put together a really good application package for military aviation selection boards. But I'm always looking to learn and improve, so after seeing this thread a few weeks ago and being impressed with what BogiDope has to offer so far, I decided to buy an annual membership since it seemed really fairly priced. The articles on the site are awesome so far, but I was especially interested in the consultation service. Last week I spoke to Stephen on the phone after I'd sent him one of my Guard UPT board application examples a few days before. He's a former AD F-15E pilot and now a Guard F-15C pilot and FedEx pilot. I was seriously blown away by talking to him. He provided extremely detailed and granular feedback on exactly how I should tweak multiple parts of my application, as well as some really awesome tips on how to address some unique background factors I have. I don't mean "this part should be more specific and you can take this part out because it's irrelevant, but other than that it's good" -- I mean going line by line through everything and really finding the best ways to organize and communicate everything. He really took a lot of time in getting to know me, my history, my goals, family situation, etc. to be sure that he could give me truly personalized advice, and he went the extra mile to make sure that everything on my mind was addressed. He's a really easy guy to talk to and I feel much more confident about applying to future boards now that I've had some truly exceptional quality feedback from someone with experience that's as legitimate as it gets. On one hand I almost don't want to recommend it because I don't want other applicants to be even more competitive, haha. But of course I'm a team player so I'll spread the word -- I think BogiDope is an extremely valuable resource if you're really serious about getting a Guard or Reserve gig. I highly recommend checking it out.