RocketDriver

Scroll up a few posts and you'll see my edited timeline with my orders dates included. NGB approval to OTS dates was about two months, with UPT dates following about 1.5months after that (or 3.5mos total from NGB approval)

You're doing all the right things then. My only advice would be to spend more time researching heavy missions before writing them off. Flying Herks or C-17s is a lot cooler than not flying for the military at all, plus you'll get a lot more flight time. If you're willing to go active duty there's already a very high chance you won't fly fighters, so it would be beneficial to look at some of the heavy guard units with interesting missions (e.g. HC-130 or MC-130) and weigh the certainty of flying those birds against the uncertainty of getting stuck with something even less appealing to you if you don't do well in UPT.

You're doing all the right things to get started. Work hard, score well on the AFOQT, and get as much flying time as you can. Then start applying to as many units as possible and put yourself out there. You're young and have a lot of time to get hired, and it sometimes helps to apply to the same unit a few years in a row to build a rapport with them. If you end up with scores over 80, combined with your background, you'll maybe get a few looks. If you can get scores in the 90s, you'll be competitive, and then it's a question of time and effort put into rushing. Also, consider heavy units. They fly great missions as well (especially Herks), and you'll get a lot more flight time if the airlines are in your future. The only red flag is your color vision, they run a separate test from the Ishihara at FC1 but there's no real way to know until you get there.

If you are absolutely sure this is what you were put on this earth to do, have you considered active duty? Or heavy units? Or enlisting in an ANG unit to gain experience and get to know the squadron better? You're self-selecting to the most difficult group to be hired into and you're already fighting an uphill battle compared to many of your fellow applicants. Having a PPL is 100% a gateway because the Guard loses the pilot slot if you wash out of UPT. They can afford to be picky with who they select, and they should be. If you wash out they don't get a chance to fill your slot with an alternate, that money is gone. Think about this from the SQ/CC point of view, are you willing to wager the one or two slots per year you get on someone with zero flight time? Especially when you're getting 100-200 applicants per year for each pilot slot, many of whom have 90s across the board on AFOQT/TBAS, great GPAs, and a PPL in addition to a good work ethic? Active duty is where the Air Force can afford to take chances on people because they own you and can send you down another career path if you don't make it. The Guard doesn't have that luxury. If you want to bump your chances with guard fighter units, find a way to make the PPL happen.

NGB approval was mid-October, OTS date assignment came early December for a mid-January start date. UPT assignment came in early February for a May start date.

Open your options to heavies and helos if you haven't already. Be realistic about what your options are with the time you have left. Age is definitely a factor as well, but sometimes it just comes down to personality and whether or not they like you. Every candidate applying to a fighter unit has a <1% chance of getting picked up - I've met people who are 5+ years in on the application circuit and still sticking to fighters only. At some point you need to ask yourself what it really is you're after - is it flying a specific airframe, or is it flying for the military?

Finally have UPT dates, headed to Vance. Completed timeline below, this is for a non-prior at a guard fighter unit. Hired: Aug 2020 MEPS: Dec 2020 (initial processing was delayed due to miscommunication on COVID protocols, had to go back for a vision consult in Jan 2021 which required a waiver) Enlistment: Feb 2021 FC1: May 2021 NGB Packet Submitted: July 2021 NGB Packet Approved: Oct 2021 OTS Orders Received: Dec 2021 (for Jan 2022 start) OTS: Jan-Mar 2022 UPT Orders Received: Feb 2022 (for May 2022 start) UPT: May 2022

My packet was submitted to NGB on 01 JUL 21 and was approved 19 OCT 21, so 3.5mos for me.

Update since things are finally moving. Off the street hire for a fighter unit, been playing the waiting game this past year. Hired: Aug 2020 MEPS: Dec 2020 (initial processing was delayed due to miscommunication on COVID protocols, had to go back for a vision consult in Jan 2021 which required a waiver) Enlistment: Feb 2021 FC1: May 2021 NGB Packet Submitted: July 2021 NGB Packet Approved: Oct 2021 OTS: Jan 2022 UPT:?

For some context on option A - it is still possible to get picked up at a fighter unit at your age. If it's really your lifelong dream, I wouldn't give up on it yet (provided you have a backup plan as brabus wisely suggested - given your background I don't expect this to be an issue). Also, consider heavies or rotary. You still get to fly awesome airframes and your mission is arguably much more useful to the military overall. I was in a similar boat to you - 90s across the board on AFOQT and PCSM, aero eng background, 6+ years at a reputable engineering company. I didn't even send in my first application until I was 28, kept at it aggressively for two years, and was hired in August 2020 to fly single-seat at the ripe old age of 30. If you want it bad enough and can make a good enough impression in your interview, you just may get what you're after.

Finally was fortunate enough to get picked up off the street for a fighter unit in the fall, starting my own timeline: Hired: Aug 2020 MEPS: Dec 2020 (initial processing was delayed due to miscommunication on COVID protocols, had to go back for a vision consult in Jan 2021 which required a waiver) Enlistment: Feb 2021 FC1: ? OTS: ? UPT:? Good luck to everyone out there, COVID certainly isn't making anything easier.

Yeah, this was my interpretation as well.

They did not clarify, and the email recipients were on BCC.

I also received the Wednesday email stating that we should expect to hear by Jan 2021. It appears they followed up quicker than initially indicated. Wednesday's note was from a (I presume) recruiter, while today's follow-up interview invite came via email from two of the pilots in the squadron.

FYI for all who applied to the 121st in DC, an invite for their second-round video interviews just went out this afternoon. It's a bit unclear if this interview is the final board or a video pre-screen for the final board, but things are moving again. There were 124 applicants this year.