FDNYOldGuy

Yes, I did get picked up by a heavy squadron. And I’m DEEP in age waiver territory at 8 years older than you, so that mountain is surmountable. That said, like Harris in Major League, I had to “put anything on it I could find.” I made sure my packet was as professional and squared away as I could make it and certainly personalized the cover letter/packet to each squadron.

Doh. As long as it doesn’t look like The Hills Have Eyes, maybe there’s a chance...

My LoRs were genetically addressed, as I figured I would probably have to send out a lot of applications due to my age. I never had anyone saying they should have been addressed specifically. That said, if you want a specific squadron and plan on giving that your all, I’d maybe have them specifically addressed. Cover letters, on the other hand you definitely want to personalize as much as possible. I didn’t know if I should be addressing to the hiring PoC or the Commander, though. If they listed a PoC in the hiring notice, I used that name. If it was a general hiring email, I tried to chase down the squadron commander’s name and address it to that person. Sometimes you can just call the squadron switchboard and ask who the commander is. If you personalize the letter enough to the squadron, a TWIMC heading may not be a big deal except maybe in the pickiest/most competitive squadrons. Good luck!

Of course! That said, I’m still not counting my chickens yet. I’m not going to believe it until my ass is in a seat in UPT. Had a couple hiccups with the paperwork, but hoping it irons out and still crossing my fingers I can make this Sept OTS board. Anyway, anyone stumbling across this can certainly reach out to me and I’ll help however I can. If my old ass can make it this far, walker and all, I’m sure lots of others can, too. Put in that legwork to get apps out there and steps checked off, be persistent, and network as much as possible. This forum helped me out immensely!

@admdelta, YMMV, but I've gotten the impression that waivers up to 32 aren't considered as big of a deal, but you'll start to get fewer and fewer squadrons (especially fighters) seem that they want to mess with them over that age. At the end of the day, it's totally up to the squadron, so it's worth just applying anyway and let them tell you what they're willing to do. Worst they'll do is say no and you're out a little work of putting the application together, but at least you know for sure.

My input is backed up by nothing more than me staying at a Holiday Inn Express last night seeing as though I am recently picked up/haven't started training yet, so take what I say with a big grain of salt. That said, here's my quick take from what you told us: The negatives. Your GPA is a little low in a non-STEM background, so it's not likely going to pop out in a stack of applications; especially if you're going for fighter units. Not having your PPL will also likely give them pause, as will not working full time right now/having serious post-college work experience. I'm not knocking servers. I worked in restaurants and bars for years and know it's tough work. It's just not "solid" work experience. In the end, they're going to be spending a million bucks(?) on your training and giving the slot to you over someone else, so they're going to want to see that it's going to be a good investment. Secondly, they might want to know you can support yourself when all the training is over. Again, not that you can't waiting tables, it'll just likely be a lot less money than you were just earning training/being on orders full time as you will be for the first 2-3 years. I'm not saying that you won't be a great investment, but that would be the negatives I'd see after quick take reading your stuff without knowing you further. And, while I didn't apply to any fighter units, a lot of the folks I've talked to say how competitive they are and that there are 50 guys going for 1 or 2 slots sometimes. So, you've gotta find ways to stand out. Now, the positives. Your Pilot and Nav test scores are pretty solid and to have a 76 PCSM with pretty low hours isn't a terrible position. Again, might be low for crazy competitive fighters, but you might be able to swing it with less competitive heavies. That PPL will add flight hours to increase your PCSM and help potential units confidence in your ability to succeed. What would be your PCSM at 60-80 hours (a reasonable estimate that you'd be here if you go for your PPL)? Could you up your shifts serving or get a second job now to bring in more $$$ for lessons? Another big positive is that you're young and have lots of time to bolster your resume, bump your scores, and get comfortable with the application process. If you feel up for it, I'd honestly start applying to squadrons now. Sure, you might not get a lot of bites just yet, but you'll at least get your name out there and get a solid grasp of the process/what they're looking for. IMHO, being that "whole person" that many squadrons tout looking for is largely about your personality and fit. If you're getting your name out there, making contacts with pilots/hiring PoCs through email/call/in person, going to squadron meet and greets, and honing your interview skills, you'll get a better idea of what they're looking for and what you might need to get better at. The whole application process is an interview; not just the questions they ask you seated in front of a panel, so the better you get at that and the more inroads you make with people in squadrons you want to be in, the better your chances are. Prove you're the kinda dude guys want to spend time around and your areas that don't stand out so much on paper start to get replaced by who you are as a person. Sure, you might get a lot of rejections at first, but it'll teach you a lot about the process and, more importantly, show you want it. A squadron you apply to a few times is going to remember you and, while you might not have caught their eye on paper the first time, they'll see you're determined and want it badly, so maybe they'll give you more of a chance the next time. Comb these forums and read any and every thread that pertains to any airframe/base/squadron you're interested in, even if the thread is years old. Reach out to people that are in the hunt, too, and those that are just starting out. There is tons to learn from this forum and, hands down, it's been the best asset I've had in this dream I've been chasing. Again, I'm no expert and I'm not knocking you for anything you've got there; it's just my .02 in what I learned during the chase. Good luck out there!

Thank you again for the support, comments, and upvotes, everyone! You guys were instrumental in helping me get there and I'm very grateful for that! I'll certainly be lurking around combing the forums for info on the rest of the journey to UPT and helping out with any questions anyone might have going through the same trials to get picked up. And I'll definitely post up when it's locked in and I have dates. I'm hoping to head out ASAP (I'm sure not getting any younger...haha), so I'm still doing my best to reach out and make connections/annoy folks to keep things moving. As of now, my biggest push is to make sure my age ETP keeps moving up the chain so I can get to an OTS board. The squadron has been awesome and is pushing to get me rolling quickly, which I'm very thankful for. Last I heard, my ETP was on the Ops/CC desk a couple weeks ago on its way up to Wing, then NAF, then A3. I don't want to overstep my bounds too much, so I'm not sure how to check on it's progress without coming off as impatient, since they did make calls for me. But, it's my last piece to get squared away before going to a board, so I'm definitely like a kid before Christmas. Anyway, I'm rambling again. Haha. Thank you all again for the support!

I GOT PICKED UP! I've been hesitant to post up here because there are still a couple hurdles to overcome and I didn't want to jinx myself, but I got picked up last month. I'm beyond stoked, excited and uncertain about the next steps, and wanted to hopefully give some confidence to the other old geezers out there that aren't sure it's possible if you're over 30. If I can do it, so can you! I pushed really hard to get my packet squared away, to get the right PoCs and follow up, and try to do as much of the preliminary work as I could on my own. A good line I heard from a friend was, "If you have a problem, be sure to present them with the solution to that problem." I tried to do this by handling as much of the paperwork myself so I was ready to go and not leaving it on anyone else to have to deal with. An even bigger help was making a ton of connections on and off this forum that were immensely helpful along the way. I am sure I annoyed the hell out of a lot of people and, for that, I apologize. But, all that said, all those people provided excellent advice and helped me get this far! To those hopefuls out there: utilize this asset! I actually got very lucky and went 2 for 2 on my interviews, getting offers from both the AFRC and ANG heavy squadrons I interviewed with. Both were great, but the AFRC squadron hit it out of the park with how awesome they were and I was immediately sold on being there. Also, the AFRC timeline to UPT seems to be a lot quicker than ANG, which is a big plus to me with my age, and everything I had done up until that point was with the AFRC side of things (recruiter paperwork, MEPS, FC1, etc.), so more delays would have occurred having things pushed over to ANG. I'm definitely putting the cart a little before the horse right now, since I haven't sworn in, my ETP is still working up the chain, and don't have dates yet. But, all of my paperwork is completed with the recruiter/squadron, my FC1 is certified, and I'm just waiting on the ETP signatures and my OTS board. If anyone has any input on the process from here or how to ensure all goes smoothly, I'd greatly appreciate it! Lastly, I just wanted to say thanks again to everyone here that helped me get this far; I couldn't have done it without you! This forum has been an invaluable resource with this process and the people I've met through it helped solidify that this is an amazing community that I'd be honored to be a part of. Crossing my fingers for no speed bumps as the last few things get taken care of! I'll update when it's fully official and I've got dates. Looking forward to being part of the pilot community and hopefully meeting/buying beers for some of you someday soon!

Keep poking around on the boards here, as there is a TON of great info and great people to contact, but I've never heard anyone your age having any issues with the ETP Guard or Reserves. Hell, I'm non-prior giving it a shot at 36, so there's definitely hope for you. Get your PCSM up with flying hours or a retest, but your other stuff looks pretty solid to me (then again, I'm not an authority on anything).

I'm not in yet, either, so take it all with a grain of salt. But, you're in a pretty good position. You're young enough to have almost 5 good years of trying before a waiver becomes an issue, your scores are decent, and you can work on a PPL if you're really serious about flying and want to increase your chances there, too. You don't HAVE to get one, but it'll certainly help if you do. You're going to have to do a lot of the leg work yourself. Recruiters are, ah, busy and can be tough to get in touch with sometimes, so you're going to be much better off putting together your own packets and making your own calls to units. I know you said above that you've had some issues with getting the right contacts, but that is (unfortunately) part of the game. Keep chasing leads until you get in touch with someone that can help. Google those units and you'll find past hiring notices on bogidope/guardreservejobs/wherever with contact info. Search these forums and you might find people who posted about applying there or are even flying there now and reach out. Be annoying in reaching out to people. Haha. At the end of the day, most will understand what you're doing (trying to get a job!) and that you're interested, so they'll get over it. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. I'll answer your numbered questions as best as I can with my limited experience: 1. Score acceptance varies widely. There might be averages out there, but don't get bogged down by numbers. At the end of the day, it really is a "whole person concept" that makes up a majority of the hiring. Bigger than that, networking and units "knowing" you (most importantly, them LIKING you) will likely get you further than scores as long as they're not at paint chip-eating level (again, that level varies depending on what you're trying for). 2.The pilot shortage is more in Active Duty than Reserves/ANG, who are not hurting nearly as much. They still have many more applicants than they do positions, although they are easing some of the requirements (like age, in my case). Still, there HAVE been a reduction of posts for openings (especially Reserves), but I don't think that means they aren't hiring. This might just mean a shift in practices as they get more applicants, so I'd recommend still just cold calling as much as you can. 3. Hiring contacts are tough. There's an Excel sheet floating around here, but a lot of it is out of date, too, and is commanders; not hiring officers. One squadron I called I talked to 3 people that previously did hiring before finally getting the current hiring officer. Your best bet is to call the main numbers for the units (listed on their site) and just ask for the contact info of the UPT hiring officer. 4. Make sure you're happy with the mission and happy with the folks in the squadron you're looking at. The distance thing is fine, but since you're in a big city, you might be better off looking at some places that might be a cheap flight over a 5 hour drive. You'll have to make the trip more than the 1 weekend a month, it seems, so maybe it's better if you're able to get inexpensive non-stop, RT tickets over driving each time. 5. Timeframes vary greatly. There's a great thread here with tons of posts to give you an idea, but a lot of variables can change your timing. Your medical DQ issue will likely cause some delays in things; especially for FC1. Scheduling that alone can take some time, plus any of the waiver issues can delay you further. Then you've got packets moving up the chain; NGB for Guard units or Boards for Reserves. You may be excited about everything, but paperwork has a way of getting stuck on desks and getting kicked back for minute issues that can cause delays. Take care of your life decisions and worry about how it fits with this dream as this option unfolds. Planning off of this happening will likely only give you more acid reflux. Haha. 6. If you make contacts at the units, they'll invite you to UTA weekends to meet others in the squadron. Just be yourself when you go to those, try to learn about the squadron's history, airframe, and mission so you can ask good questions, and don't act too much like you're one of them already. 7. Only person who cares about you getting a flying spot is you. Your outcome will be based largely on how much work you put in making contacts (at units and with other pilots), getting your application buffed up and standing tall compared to others' applications, and trying to get more flight hours/higher AFOQT and PCSM/that medical issue worked out/etc. No one wants to be presented with problems or, especially, be expected to find the solutions for you; if you have an issue (like your med DQ) also bring them the solution to it. You can only take the tests one more time each, so the best ways to increase your scores are to study the areas you were weak on and get flight hours, so might as well start working on a PPL, IMHO. This is an obtainable goal, you've just gotta be willing to bust your ass and put in the work to make it as obtainable as possible. Good luck! Use this board as much as you possibly can (that search feature is stellar), reach out to people you think might be able to help (many will be happy to talk with you), and start making phone calls!

This is the best idea, IMHO. Go for it all; see what sticks and decide when your options are on the table. Fire's hot and water's wet, my brother; we all do the same thing and your advice is as good as mine. I'm just dumber thinking it's a good idea to pay the amount of rent I have to in NYC. That said, don't give up too many of our secrets. Haha. Turned the wheels all night and tried to enjoy the bologna sandwiches and cold tater tots for dinner, right? Good luck chasing your Hail Mary, too. Hopefully we both get lucky and some kind squadron out there has pity on us old geezers always putting fires out and lets us burn holes in the sky.

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.

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?

I've actually experienced some of the opposite as non-prior service, with a few Reserves units saying no dice on NPS ETPs and ANG hasn't said anything. There's some conflicting regulations in the AFIs for ETPs for non-prior. In the Policies and Procedures (don't see an AFI number on it) for applying to UPT revised 4 Jan 2018, Attachment 3, section 2, says this about ETPs for age: "Beginning with the Nov 2012 HQ AFRC UFT selection board, applications from non-prior service members containing an ETP request for relief from age limits will not be accepted." It goes on to reference AFI 36-2205. However, AFI 36-2105, released 25 May 2018, supersedes 36-2205 and has eased the language on ETPs (leaving discretion with the Wing Commander, as I see it, and having applications go right from the wing to AFRC/A3C, apparently skipping the NAF) and says nothing about restrictions for NPS applicants. So, honestly, I'm confused. It seems like there have been a few stories I've heard of NPS getting ETPs and hired recently, but I also don't know if maybe those are just NGB hires and Reserves have had a block in place that NGB doesn't. Or is that restriction just for Unsponsored UPT slots? Am I missing or misreading something, or is there some other way that's getting bypassed?

Awesome to hear that you've gotten a spot and you're headed down the road to doing what you want to do; fly for the Air Force! There have been some good posts on here about unsponsored slots and it seems like not a bad spot to be, since you can rush squadrons knowing that you're already headed to UPT. Good luck at UPT and with the rest of the journey!

You got picked up? Congrats! It's great to read success stories! If you don't mind getting into it, what was your journey like from when you posted last year to now?

I posted up in another thread, so sorry to beat the same drum, but being a firefighter (or cop) is another option if you don’t want airlines or an office job. A lot of larger-city options might be off the table if you did 20+ military due to age restrictions (36 is a cap in a lot of cities; but many smaller cities don’t have age caps), but it’s worth looking into. Most cities give points to veterans, let you buy back 3 years military time, are very conducive to Reserves/ANG if you still want to fly, may provide another pension, and are seemingly (only say that because I don’t have military experience...yet) similar mentalities/excitement levels to military service. There are 12 other people all day, every day in my firehouse, with nearly 60 assigned to the house in total. Lots of different personalities to keep things interesting. We have each others’ backs, are close-knit and social (both at work and with our families), help each other through thick and thin, laugh a whole lot (at ourselves and one another), and get to do some pretty crazy/exciting things that change daily. 10-20% of guys are prior military service, too. I’ve not flown a military jet (yet), but driving a 70,000lb fire truck through traffic, pulling up to a building with fire blowing out the window, and heading in when everyone else is heading out is pretty damn exciting. You’re forcing open doors and heading into an environment that’s hot and you can’t see your hand in front of your face to look for victims, or pushing a hoseline that’ll unleash 180-250 gallons of water a minute and nearly send you flying backwards. You will save a cat. Likely many cats over a career. I’ve heard of guys rescuing a cop, who got stuck in a tree trying to save a cat. In front of a playground full of school children... You’ll see the best and worst; often times within a few hours of one another. You’ll laugh pretty damn hard. You’ll go home feeling like you made a difference, even if it’s just a small one like opening up an arthritic old lady’s cat food can or making sure the local drunk is still breathing when passed out after his/her latest bender. It’s not a perfect job always, but it sure isn’t a bad one. Especially if you already have the mindset, as I’d imagine many pilots/military members do.

I’m not sure I’m reading it right, but does it seem to you like they made it less strenuous on the burden of proof to give the ETP and laid most of the policy decision on the Wing Commander? Or am I missing the gist and it actually got worse? If I’m not crazy, then that might give me more than the small glimmer of hope I had before and give me a better shot. I’ll certainly reach back out to the hiring Captain and give another push. I’ve made good headway with a place I’d love to call home, if I were fortunate enough, if I can get over this hurdle.

Thank you so much for the point in the right direction, @FlyArmy! Once I knew what I was looking for, I poked around a bit more and found this updated (published 5 days ago) policy on the site you linked. Looks like it might be AFI 36-2105 now. I just gave it a quick skim, but I didn't see anything that precluded me and it was exactly what you said; they just have to prove that I'm worth the risk. As you said, too, maybe it's just because I don't have the "documented" history because I'm not prior service, although I could show quite a bit from the FD and it's where I've been for 10 years. It seems like a lot of the power, discretion, and decision making lies with the Wing Commander/CC. I'll go back to my contacts and see if maybe it's just that the Wing Commander doesn't want to put in the paperwork, but I'll certainly do whatever I can to make it as painless as possible. Thank you again for your help and housing that out. I greatly appreciate it.

Just an update and a big question. I've been moving forward, been cleared through MEPS and starting to make contact with squadrons/send out application packets. I've definitely been shot down due to my age by a few squadrons (Reserves and Guard both) that say they flat out aren't doing ETP/waivers or that they're not interested above 32/33. Maybe it's their way of saying they don't like my packet enough to put the extra leg work in, but that's what I got. On the flip side, I've had a great convo with a couple POCs at a Reserve squadron I'd love to be a part of and been told that I have a very strong packet/they would interview me, which was certainly great to hear. However, they said there is another issue that's stopping me: that there's an actual AF regulation stating that ETPs/waivers for age can't be given to non-prior service members. I have heard this exact same thing from two squadrons under the same wing. The POCs ran it all the way up to the wing commander and the same response was given. Being as though the wing commander said that there was a reg, and did not seem to tell either POC in either squadron that the wing specifically isn't doing waivers, I'm very confused. I'd figure that they'd just tell me they aren't entertaining ETP/waivers, or that they just didn't like my packet, if they didn't want to put in the leg work. This was more that, even if they did hire me, they couldn't push my packet up the chain for approval because it would get kicked back due to this reg. If it was something written in AF policy, I'd have figured I'd have been shot down much earlier by a recruiter, other units, or seen it here in the forums/heard it out in my talking to others in the process that I wouldn't stand a chance as a civilian at my age. I've also made a solid contact at AFRC and he said the waiver shouldn't be an issue if I could get squadron sponsorship and a proper push up the chain. So, I'm unsure where the roadblock is and who I need to bug incessantly to see if I can overcome this hurdle. The squadron said they're willing to do it (if I did well enough meeting the squadron/during the interview and got the offered the spot, of course) and the contact at AFRC said they didn't see an issue, as long as I had sponsorship. Any ideas of where I may be getting hung up, or if the regulation/way forward is just being misread in there somewhere? Or should I just get the hint that they are just being reeeeeaaaaalllly nice about telling me that I'm too old for them to want to mess with instead of just saying no? Thanks for the help. Hope all had a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend.

Hey, guys and gals. First, a disclaimer: I'm not (yet) in the military and just a long shot old guy trying to get a Reserves/Guard UPT slot, so I am not posting this from the inside. That said, I am a big fan of the financial world/retirement options and, in my travels researching squadrons and poking around their pages for info today, I randomly stumbled across this article that could be important to some folks. It basically says, if you're one of the fortunate ones that can max out your TSP at $18,500 and you're in the BRS with a match program, you want to make sure you're spreading the $18,500 in contributions out over the ENTIRE year and not maxing out early. According to the article, Uncle Sam is only matching 4% PER PAY PERIOD and, if you max out early, you'll be missing out on the government's match for each pay period after you max out until the end of the year. So, the government would be paying MORE of the $18,500 if you ensured you didn't max out too early, as opposed to the individual paying more of the $18,500 because the government caps at 4% per pay period. Here is the article about the BRS match that goes much further in depth. It is a recent article that I didn't see listed here yet or discussed in the other BRS thread, so I figured it may be of some help here. My apologies if I'm speaking out of turn because I'm not in yet/dealing with the BRS personally, but I thought it might be valuable to some here.

Thanks for the input, @va121mir. It does seem to vary WILDLY by unit, so it's probably worth reaching out everywhere. I just wasn't sure if I should be firing applications to EVERY one, or if I should just be ensuring there's even a possibility before sending them. I'm happy to fly anything and just want to get a seat, but it's just a bit too much to be going for everything and I certainly won't be able to rush everywhere. It's just hard to know where is worth the shot. Good luck with the hunt!

Thank you @va121mir and @FlyArmy for the info. That's what the recruiter had said, but a few folks I'd spoken with that had gone that route were saying it was possible, so I wasn't sure. It makes sense due to requiring sponsorship, but I wasn't sure if there was a snowball's chance that AFRC would actually have a route for a waiver. I need to get a MEPS date and I should be all spun up and ready to go to rush units. @va121mir, do you think I'll have too much of an issue getting a waiver through NGB? I've definitely noticed they seem to have the age caps listed in their job listings. I had planned on applying as many places as I could and letting them tell me "No" to be positive the option isn't available, but most of the current openings seem to be NG and I'm wondering if the effort is worth it if they don't seem keen on doing waivers. I just hadn't heard that it's harder to make them fly (well, I guess that pun's intended) through NGB before.

Jumping in on this post, but I was curious if unsponsored UPT slots were possible that required an age waiver. Would AFRC grant an age waiver, or is it a lost cause? I am 36, so certainly need a waiver, but I think I can be a reasonably strong candidate with a PPL and approximately 69 hours in my logbook, 89 Pilot, 82 PCSM (will increase to 86 with 12 more flight hours), respectable LoRs, and a Master's degree (3.41 GPA). I feel confident in being a strong "whole person candidate," as well, if I can just get the chance to sit down for an interview. To top it off, I'm pretty happy to fly anything, so I would be happy with whomever is offering a slot. With this age and time being my issue, I'm just trying to look at all options. I'm awaiting a MEPS date as my final hurdle and I'm applying to units, but openings and time are going to take their toll and I figured unsponsored would be a great opportunity, if it's possible. Thanks for the info.

Yes. I have my PPL (passed 11/30/2017, 67 hours total, and working on IR, too) and Class 3 medical that comes with that; done less than a year ago. I also get pretty in-depth annual work ups through the fire department, so I have a pretty solid idea that I’m physically fine for MEPS; no weird EKGs, within height/weight parameters (74” and ~203lbs), and no issues with vision or color/depth perception. I have a lot of the recruiter paperwork done already (app, history, 2807, and other misc info/forms) and I’m working on getting my MEPS appointment locked in. I’ll lean on him this coming week to lock that in I guess now it’s getting in touch with the right people at units to start finding out about boards. I know you said to just start putting in the legwork to reach out to contacts, but what title should I be searching for when reaching out to about applying? Not being “in” already, I’m not sure of the structure and what position/rank I need to be aiming to get in touch with to apply.