pilot

You can submit a packet to the AFRC board with only a MEPS physical. That’s what I (and several people I know) have done. I know one unsponsored guy from a recent board did his FC1 after the board convened. I did my FC1 right before the board (after my stuff was submitted), but results werent back until after the board (my MEPS physical sufficed). My fighter unit picked someone up who was unsponsored. He hadn’t started anything yet, and they just changed his track from T1s to T38s. There are other guys who have made their way into T38s unsponsored, but it’s rare. One posts on here sometimes and may chime in, but he had a background different than most. But you can apply unsponsored, then keep rushing fighter units and hope to get picked up. Caveat: there are not that many reserve fighter units, so if they aren’t hiring or they don’t hire you, you will most likely be stuck with heavies, unless you can make a drug deal somehow along the way.

I think the argument is that if the army can train dudes with no FW flight experience and make them effective helo guys, the Air Force can too, saving FW resources (especially with the shortage of T6 sorties right now) in that process. Why does a helo guy need fixed wing time if he will stay helos his whole career? What’s the added value? I’m just playing devils advocate. I think all mil pilots, including army guys, should start in airplanes, then go to helos. But plenty of people disagree and my opinion matters not. Edit: obviously the pipeline would have to be thought out and thorough, and I have no knowledge of what UPT-H was going to consist of, so can't comment there.

Haven’t heard that. Had to get an ETP for the recent AFRC UPT board.

So is it a possibility that an AFRC UPT board candidate with an age ETP approved thru the NAF commander could get stopped by HAF if AFRC selects said candidate? Or could HAF direct AFRC to not approve ETPs? Asking for a friend (3 of them actually).

I spent a lot more than that on hotels and booze rushing. Plus you can resell it for $400 when you’re done and it will have been free. Hell put an ad up on a cork/white board in W100 next time you go to WP.

I recently did MEPS and FC1 and can vouch that the first and the last are never it, but I do recall having 2 in a row more than once, 3-3-2 (or 3-3-4?) specifically.

Good luck dude. That chick going thru with us said she had a depth perception trainer app on her computer that she used. Have you tried one of those? I can’t vouch for it and frankly have no idea what it is or how it works, but she said it worked well for her when we were discussing your bad news. Regardless, hope it works out. RPAs are cool too...get to kill a lot of dudes and go home every night. Prob not as fun as flying, but an important mission nonetheless. I think I mentioned to you I had some army bro’s who flew in the army but couldn’t pass color or depth perception at WP for their FC1. Maybe navy/army/coast guard could work out if ANG doesn’t?

I have a similar resume but was a pilot, and I can tell you you’re fighting an uphill battle. Not an impossible one, but you’d be a lot better off if you were 25 and had less than 5 years commissioned service. The 2 ETPs (age/commissioned service) aren’t hard to get at the AFRC/ANG levels, but no fighter unit wants to hire old Captains when they can hire young lieutenants. Air Force units don’t seem to like the army stink either. Pm me if you want. There are a few other West Pointers on the circuit rushing.

I’m older than you and got an ETP for age for a fighter unit. Can be done, but I got a lot of “no’s” before I found one that was ok with age waivers.

What’s the latest with this? My situation is I’ll be going on mil leave from a major airline to go to UPT/IFF/B course/seasoning. I was an O3, almost an O4 in my previous life, so I anticipate making O4 at the end of my B course or right when I get back to my unit from training. I just signed an AFRES contract, but haven’t yet started UPT, saying I am obligated to the standard UFT commitment, as well as 6 years in a full time status, with the first 2 in AGR status for initial training, then the rest for seasoning as either TDART or AGR based on needs of the AF Reserve. Am I going to be forced to resign from my $200k-$300k airline job to be a GS9, and/or give up seniority/longevity since I’ll be a TDART? What are the chances of the unit getting AGR orders for me? Can I pick up deployments to get some AGR or full time orders? Usually mil leave seems like an easy thing, but this new TDART thing is throwing a wrench in my plans. If I have to give up O4 pay and seniority at a major airline to be a GS9, it’s going to be one expensive move to get back in the military.

PM inbound.

Several WP guys have done it. I met 2 others while I was rushing, one infantry and one engineer. There’s another former infantry WP guy, c/o 2000 or something, flying eagles in the guard. I’ll PM you contact info for a 2013 guy in ranger school rt now who is rushing several units.

I got hired by a fighter unit and I’m 5 years older than you, almost an O4, with a break in service. Don’t sweat your AFOQT/PCSM score. Your age isn’t a huge issue, esp if you’re a warrant, depending on the unit. If you’re an RLO the rank can make a lot of units not want you, at least from my experience. Rush heavy units now, find contact info and cast your net wide. Get a resume/cover letter and just blast it to whomever you can. Join the pilot network on Facebook...some openings are mentioned there. Bogidope.com is another useful site for finding boards, along with this site, obviously. Not sure what gouge you have for not needing an FC1, but I don’t know any Army guys who have gone ANG/Res without going to wright patt. I have to do one soon. My UH-60 bro going HH-60s in the ANG has to do an FC1 (he barely passed the depth perception test at MEPS but has passed his Army flight physicals for 12 years...dice roll whether he will pass FC1). My OH-58D bro who got hired by a C17 unit had to do an FC1, where he failed the color vision test. So he’s back in the army guard flying LUH-72s. Another UH60 bro just did his FC1 (hired by a tanker unit). They were all active duty with no break in service. The accessions process takes a while, no matter how quickly you try to attack it. Start now, read these forums, and do what you can. If you can get a recruiter and go unsponsored you can start getting stuff in, but then you pretty much have to fly heavies (guess as a shythook guy you’re good with that). FWIW guard seems better than reserves, and from all the guys I’ve talked to that seems to be the consensus. But those are all sponsored/unit hire positions...no unsponsored guard board like the reserves. AFRC has the unsponsored route which may be the quickest/easiest path for you. My understanding is all unsponsored AFRC board selectees track T1s, so if you want heavies, you got them. Good luck.

FWIW here’s my AFRC experience so far. Prior service army pilot with decent break in service and ETPs required. Oct 15 - “hired” Oct 16 - recruiter assigned Nov 6 - MEPS (could have been a week or so earlier but recruiter messed up paperwork) Tried to rush it to get into Nov AFRC board but that didn’t work. Going to Jan AFRC Board now FC1 scheduled for Feb 19th (imo that could have been done in Dec, but, here we are) No idea for UPT start. Don’t need OTS or SERE. Hoping for early summer pipeline start, but that seems optimistic since dudes are already getting plugged in UPT in that timeframe and I won’t be sworn in for another couple months. Will update when further along.

Yes...my recruiter is taking care of all my FC1 scheduling, so I never saw an email like yours, but he needed my MEPS physical for Wright Patt in order to get an FC1 scheduled. He got it from MEPS with no issue.

Thanks. Took me about 9 years and 30 “no’s”

FYSA I’m older than you and got hired by a fighter squadron. ETPs for age/commissioned service are alive and well, until 35ish. Wish they’d just bring in the FWQ course again, or at least make this process easier.

ackc PM sent. another former army dude here switching to the blue.

Info packet says no age/commissioned time in service waivers. Any flexibility in that requirement?