EvilEagle

IMO you aren't a good candidate for fighters. If you chase this dream you will likely spend a lot of time, money and effort into going around visiting units and they are all going to tell you no thanks. Hate to be the dream crusher but you have stacked too many things against yourself. I highly recommend not putting yourself through the rush process for fighters. If you still want to serve and fly go rush heavy units, much better chance for them. Good luck.

AFAIK, once you start on AD, you are on AD. Highly doubtful that they will let you off your ADSC (for TFOTS) to join the ARC side.

Interview invites went out two weeks ago for Nola Eagles. Interviews are Saturday; good luck to the 6 we are interviewing.

As the pilot force shifts from mostly full time to mostly part time it's just going to get worse unless they fix these types of things. I couldn't agree with you more; how do you stay motivated when it's a hassle to get paid - and what you are getting paid is less than you can make at your other job which is easier and the pay system works? Only the government could conceive something so FUBAR. What specifically is the issue with UTA's? We haven't had issues with them, so I may not have known to ask about it.

Me and a couple of the other Eagle squadron commanders went up to NGB back in May. This was one of the topics we talked about. Let me be upfront: I'm not saying it's good/right/excused/etc - just stating the facts here. The DFAS system is being overhauled, rollout scheduled for FY21. They aren't putting any additional money into the current one for modifications or updates. The current DFAS system has the AFTP limits hard coded into it, the new one will be able to adapt to changes in AFI's. (allegedly) We talked to the people who wrote the changes and asked why the changes were the way they are, this is what they told us. I guess you can say at least there is a reason other than someone just crossing their arms, stomping their feet and saying "NO! NO! NO!". (which is how I picture most things going down (STS) when we ask the staff to fix things for the field)

"preciate that Duck. I'm glad I got the opportunity. Bittersweet to have it in the rear view.

Jaysus... sick douche bag. **break break** I'm grateful to say that I got through my sq/cc tour without a link being posted in this thread about me getting fired. Today was my last day as the CC. It was great and terrible all at the same time & glad it's over/wish it would keep going all at once. Time for a cocktail.

Prof advance to '38s... 😉

We got the waiver for fighters. No ADSB although we did get Stratus and EFB's now so we can use that if needed for SA on traffic and WX. (obviously that doesn't make us in compliance, thus the waiver)

Only for 4 more days. 😄 (Deputy OG next... booo!)

Glad to hear it!

Within a year of graduation is fine.

Friday and Saturday is your best bet. Not much going on Sunday's normally. You are reading it. If you've gotten this far you know what needs to be in your application (scores, transcript, letters, blah blah blah). You can send those to the email address and they'll help set you up for base access.

I think he's in a good place for him and his family now.

Next rush weekend in New Orleans is 18-20 October with a planned UPT hiring board in November. Email 122fspilothiring@gmail.com if you need help getting on base.

Damn dude, I'm just catching up on a lot of BO threads. I have zero to offer other than moral support. Hang in there, hope it's getting better.

There is an avenue to get released from your enlistment to go to TFOTS (what they call OTS now). You don't really get "released" per say - if you quit or figure out a way to get kicked out of TFOTS you are still enlisted in your unit. The commitment is not what will put you behind on the timeline. Completely agree with the other guys - fastest route to a cockpit is NOT enlisting; continuing to rush and casting a wide net is definitely the way to minimize the wait.

I know a LOT of guys that have enlisted to get to know pilots and get a pilot slot. Of those I know of 3 that actually got the slot (there are more, I just don't know them). I do know at least 20 crew chiefs in my unit that joined with that plan then life got in the way. Remember, after tech school you'd still have OJT then you have CDC's and all your new tech stuff. You could end up working in phase, if you are a part timer you'd only see guys on weekends, etc. It takes a lot more time to get to know guys as a crew chief than you'd think. I definitely recommend holding off and rushing (unless you are totally stuck on your hometown unit like N730 said). What are your other scores? They all matter, not just pilot/nav.

I'm sending kids to UPT as fast as I can inprocess them. I have 5 in the pipeline right now and 3 waiting to go with another hiring board in a few months. I try to email their flt/cc's as they go through the pipeline to hear how they are doing. It's rare that they don't hit a snag somewhere. About 6-9 months ago I was talking to a T-6 sq/cc, he told me that it's near impossible to wash people out - especially after they solo. (I think that's always been a milestone) One thing that came out of our conversation was that if kids are making MIF early in a block, they are advancing them through the block (i.e. not getting all the flying time we got as students). For the UPT IPs here - are you seeing this often? One of my guys nearly washed out of IFF for UPT-style stuff. Basic SA, pattern references, etc. All stuff that should've (IMO) been caught in UPT. When I talked to the IFF SQ/CC he said (after gradebook review) the student in question had been prof-adv'd through several of the contact blocks in SUPT because he'd been doing well. This came back to bite him later and almost cost him the fighter slot. Would those sorties have made a difference? I don't know for sure - I doubt they would've hurt him though. I'm a way down the line customer in the process but IF this is commonplace it seems like it's going to hurt more than help. Anyone else get stories like this? Was this a one-off?

Let my start by saying it depends, every unit is different. We all have different expectations for our part time guys and those expectations likely change due to manning, deployments, natural disasters, sickness, health, blah, blah, blah. There are other options besides AGR for full time employment including Technicians and ADOS (if the squadron sits alert). All these answers are for my F-15C squadron, so take that for what it's worth. How many times a month will you fly? You need to make RAP (Ready Aircrew Program) - for our inexperienced pilots that is 8 sorties per month. Sometimes you can get two sorties in one day with a tanker or by double turning, but that's not the best training and can't count on that necessarily. We also ask our DSG's to sit a minimum of one 24 hour alert tour each month. When we are deployed or gone on a two week trip we ask our DSG's to either go with us or sit more alert at home since that mission never stops. All commuting is on your dime. I wouldn't say we let you pick and choose which days you work per say but we do work together to get the types of sorties that our DSG's need and try to get them in town when there's more flying so they get more for their trip as well as work around other life events and jobs. It's mutually beneficial to work together on the schedule. If you are an out of town commuter the unit will pay for a hotel for your drill weekends (or makeup) as well as AT (annual training) days. All AFTPs are on your own. If you are on an alert day you'll be sleeping at the alert facility so no hotel then. You only get paid for days you are on "a status" aka on orders. Your travel day is not included in that other than in some circumstances - but it's few and far between. Each airline handles things a bit differently as well. I'm a Delta guy so my answers are from that point of view (also I've been on mil leave since the fall of '15 so I don't have the most current info). Anyway, it behooves the pilot and the unit to not totally piss in the Cheerios of every airline out there because we don't want you to be the last person from our unit to get hired at Delta/FedEx/United, wherever. Most of the major airlines only count your mil leave against your 5 year USERRA limit if your orders are more than 30 days. In theory you could drop mil leave on 7 or 8 days per month and only work the remainder but in actuality that would be hard to swing. Particularly as a young guy (you are asking about right after UPT right?) you'll be working a lot of weekends at the airline. Other than drill weekend (or alert) most ANG guys aren't working weekends. You'll also be working a lot of holidays - federal employees don't work those (other than alert). When I flew the line you could drop one day in the middle of a 3 or 4 day trip and it would drop the whole trip. Not always the case anymore; I've heard of guys dropping a day of mil leave in the middle of a trip and the airline expecting them to be there to fly the other days of the trip. Not a place you want to find yourself. Also airlines are busiest when you want to be home with your family (Holidays, etc) if you drop mil leave over a long holiday (Christmas, Superbowl Sunday, Labor Day, July 4th, etc) they are going to call your commander and make sure you are actually working those days in the ANG. As a commander, I'm not going to put you on orders unless you are actually doing work for the squadron so those days likely won't line up as much either. Like I said, in theory it's possible but not likely that it'll work that way. If you drop any mil leave some chief pilots will be pissed. There's no magic number. Hope this helps.

I'm so confused. I was expecting to see this type of stuff: https://www.carsforsale.com/dodge-viper-for-sale-C137063 😎

For reference, it's definitely an uphill climb. You would not be competitive for an interview in our squadron. (age and scores) Like someone else mentioned there are a lot of younger applicants with better scores. BTW, no one knows what it's like to be a fighter pilot except fighter pilots. I guarantee it's not what you think it is. Saying you are only interested in flying fighters is short sided at best. I'd overhaul that attitude - even if you only apply to fighter units.

I highly recommend it. (or honestly just find another like-minded individual in the area to go partners on one - that's my next move)

Still no Cub time for me to talk about but I have really enjoyed getting comfortable flying the T-6. I really enjoy the warbird community. I also did a backcountry course last summer in Idaho. THAT was a hoot, I definitely need a few more airplanes!

1.) If you get wings you owe 10 years. There are lots of non-flying jobs in the USAF for pilots. 2.) Commitment would be cancelled if you wash out or drop out - the 10 year commitment. You're still an officer though, and there's some basic commitment (4 years I think) when you go to officer training school. 3.) Yes you are still committed (you have wings). Most of the time we call other units and help guys find a flying job somewhere they'd like to live if fighters doesn't work out for them. 4.) Not sure if there's a public commitment thing. Honestly if the 10 years is a show stopper for you, I'd move along. No good fighter pilot is looking for the door before they even suit up.