LNGH

I think the most important thing is if you want it go for it. You can disqualify yourself or you can go for it and maybe have a shot. Only way to find out if they're going to say no is to give the hiring board a chance to say yes. Study up, retake the AFOQT, and apply for everything you want in the mean time. Send me a DM if want help studying

A couple of things to tack on as an applicant (so take what I say with a grain of salt, someone correct me if I'm wrong). 3) If you want fighters you need to get moving quickly. The age limit was recently upped to 33 but due to high demand for slots and how difficult flying fighters is units can afford to be more picky and target younger guys. Doesn't mean it can't happen at or after 30 it's just much less likely than, for example, a well qualified 23 year old. 4) Expanding on the not just a "gig on the side" statement; even as a traditional guardsman you'll have to put your life and your career aside for 2-4 years of full time training. If your career or life situation won't allow that then you have to make a tough call, one has to give. I'm not trying to discourage, everyone wins the more people are interested and push through the process, just trying to give a little context. If you need help with AFOQT/TBAS stuff feel free to DM me.

My prep was 10-15 minutes every other day starting two months out and slowly ratcheted it up to 1-2 hours a day or more up to three days prior. After that stop studying and just practice. If you did the above there should be nothing left to learn in those last three days and it becomes all about time management and practice. I must have done the math sections a dozen times each and the table reading 50 times in the last couple of days before the test. Huge pain in the ass but all of my scores were above 95 so worth it.

Thanks for the feedback. I've been by one unit a couple of times and am trying to schedule a visit with another. Unfortunately I won't have time to visit Duluth before that package goes out. I definitely intend to get out and visit at least once to everywhere I apply.

@Charlie_100 @brabus It really is dismal. My major is Mechanical Engineering but it's low enough that that doesn't justify it. @Ligma Thanks for the advice. I've been mulling over in my head the best way to answer questions about that and I know the best answer (and the truth) is that I own what happened, I've learned from it, and that's not who I am anymore. @jonlbs Thanks for the advice. I've got a cover letter and resume prepared but I'll iterate over it a few times. I know it's a long process, frustratingly so but I'm glad I'm at the point where I can at least start applying and stop watching boards go by.

@CharlieHotel47 Thanks, you should have a PM from me in a second here. I've been out to one unit a couple of times but I'll go ahead and give the "how to rush units" thread a re-read before I go to me next one, just in case. @Desk Jobs Suck Understood. I've considered that masters route but you're right, it's probably a waste. All I really want to do is fly and if fighters don't work out I may widen the search to heavies too. I'll give it a couple of years of full time effort into fighters before my game plan changes though.

Thanks for the feedback. I've just been worried that mistakes I've made in the past that I've grown from are going to end a lifelong dream of mine. Any advice on things I could do (especially short term, applying to Duluth this month, but long term as well if it doesn't pan out) to help show improvement?

It feels like it's been way too long but I finally have my scores together to post one of these, so here it is: Age: 25 Flight experience: 131 hrs, PPL, time in your standard training aircraft (172, Warrior, Cherokee), some time on floats, and some time in R44s. HP and Complex endorsements. I'll be starting in to my IFR in the next couple of weeks here. Civilian work experience: Systems analysis for a couple of aerospace companies, one in hardware the other in avionics AFOQT: P 99 / N 99 / AA 99 / V 97 / Q 96 PCSM: 99 Degree: BS Mechanical Engineering And this is where we get into the bad. My GPA is pretty abysmal. It's about the lowest I've seen on here. There are factors and things that contributed to it but at the end of the day I made choices and they were wrong. I've learned from it and improved. There's not much to say other than I own what I did and it's not who I am now. What I do for my civilian job is fairly academic and I've been pretty successful in it. Other things: I played lacrosse, varsity volleyball, and varsity football in high school. Intramural hockey and broomball in college as well as an intercollegiate boxer (2-2). I also have a minor award from a very short stint in NROTC.

You could try calling the hiring POC or if there isn't one listed the Ops desk and seeing if they'll put you in touch with someone. Odds are good it'll be someone fairly junior at the unit but it would at least let you start getting your name out there. This has worked 1 for 2 on units I've tried so YMMV.

Nothing that hasn't been said already but I'll weigh in. I used this book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635301041/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and bought a couple others but ended up not using them. I'm going to parrot what Catman said and say that the table reading in all of the study guides is pretty worthless. AFOQTguides.com has the best one, but even given that: Make your own or use the one I attached here. Other than that and the instrument comprehension the book was pretty good on everything else. Instrument comprehension was easier (at least for me) on the test than it was in the books. About a week out, maybe even more I'd stop studying and just start practicing. Run through the whole test one or two times then really hammer down on the areas you're not that great on. If you think you're good enough on table reading odds are you could use some more practice. It all comes down to time management. I thought I had it down but I guess not since I left 3 questions blank, having to stop as I was transitioning to fill the bubble. When you practice use a bubble sheet, since it's one thing to write an answer down or circle one, and another to fill in bubbles. They eat up time, especially on table reading. I did this and ended up with a 99/99/99/97/96. Answer Bubbles.xlsx

There's other factors pushing me towards the guard but if I'm approaching my late 20s and haven't had any success with that route I'll definitely be looking seriously into the active duty route.

Unfortunate for those of us off the street guys but not surprising.

Not military. Just a lowly PPL, HP and Complex. Should have IFR before I apply anywhere. Is Duluth doing a board this year?

Oof that table reading could be trouble then. I know Guard fighters is about as competitive as it gets but all I've ever wanted was fighters and it's a "guaranteed" fighter seat so that's what I'm pushing. I'm anxious to fly period but I'm going to do everything I can to make sure it's fighters. Are you Duluth or downtown?

That all sounds good man. I would be surprised if you didn't get an interview for heavies, though your pilot score may be a little low for fighters. Rush and that will help a lot. Maybe see if you can't join something between now and interview time. Or don't depending on how close it is, wouldn't want to jump in just to jump back out. I'd say 4 months out or more, but what do I know. Thanks, I'll go back over it. Table reading has me spooked but if it's the same table on the published AFOQT/TBAS site it wont be an issue. If it's not I'm worried. The rest I'm not too worried about. I'm applying guard for fighters only and maybe a couple of reserve bases, if nothing then next year expand to A-10s, then failing that AD or Guard heavies, haven't decided.

BR_MIST I haven't even taken the AFOQT yet (Friday) but from talking with some pilots at a couple units here's what I notice: Low Nav and Quat scores, I know technically it's pilot that really matters but they'll likely want to know why you struggled in those sections. Do you really know the Army two star or is it just someone you managed to pull a LOR from? I don't ask to be mean, just because I find myself in a similar position of could get a LOR from a former adjutant general in the state I'm pushing hardest for but I don't really know him well. The advice I've received from multiple people involved in the process is don't, its better to find someone that knows you well. Just something to think about. If you really do know them than that's great, should look really good. Any sports, clubs, hobbies, volunteering? Before and after graduating. Team sports look really good (direct from hiring POC) and I'm guessing it will look even better if you're involved post graduation, since it's generally more difficult to get involved after than before. Any performance reviews from work? Be ready to answer questions on learning/how to learn especially as a CFI.

For those struggling with the security certificate, click "Advanced" on the bottom left and that will give you the option to go ahead at the bottom of the page.

megabyteme https://bogidope.com/squadron-job-listing sort by UPT. They wont all be here but it's a good start

Just a Guard hopeful here so I can't answer to the flight med side of things but I know a guy who had the allergy/immunotherapy shots and it went from bad to basically no allergy symptoms at all. I know this is late but in case anyone else is looking.