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Major: B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (GPA 2.79) Grad School: Accredited online MBA AFOQT: Pilot: 99 Nav: 92 Acad: 60 Verbal: 75 Quant: 46: PCSM: 80 w/ 22 Hours, (97 w/ 201+) Flight Hours: 22. Fast tracking PPL; connected with the Capt. running the board; she knows my PPL situation and am keeping them updated. I'm on Part 141 so I've been flying a lot but the way the syllabus is structured I need to also have ground lessons so we've been doing those recently. I'm preparing for the stage check for my first solo. Age: 28 (29th birthday in December) really just 3 kids in a trenchcoat. LORs: Former coworker (USAFA grad, Major, USAF active duty pilot [now reserve]), Propulsion professor in college, flight instructor Civilian Career: Currently a rocket propulsion engineer reporting to the CTO at a company designing space stations. I'm leading a team of 6 engineers building out a propulsion test stand for our space station's attitude control system. Free Time/Hobbies: Recently got my advanced open water Scuba certification, working on my nitrox, drysuit, and rebreather certifications (if I can find a place that does rebreather), upgrading my 2012 Ducati Monster 696, working on my 2001 Jeep XJ with 291,000 miles, and starting my skydiving A-license as soon as the weather clears up. Also studying for the GRE for an engineering Master's degree. Airframe: I'm not interested in joining the airlines and I'm pretty set on fighters; F-16's preferably (that bubble canopy 😍). Through my coworker (the same one writing my LOR) I connected with a USAF reservist who helped me with the Guard/Reserve process. That reservist then put me in touch with the Captain actually running the board with one of the units I'm applying for and we had a quick chat on my situation. She basically said my age is going to be the biggest hurdle since the commander's view was "if this was a lifetime goal of yours, why are you waiting until now to get it done?". I understand the age limit, but I'm willing to put in the work to get a package together (I was able to schedule and take the AFOQT and the TBAS in the past couple of weeks in June without the help of a recruiter) so I feel like I shouldn't self-eliminate just because of my age. My mitigation plan for that is that it wasn't only until recently working alongside active NASA astronauts at my previous job that inspired me to become a fighter pilot; I didn't have that opportunity when I was younger so I'm going all out in making that happen now. For example, I'm trying to fast track my PPL and my pilot logbook shows almost daily flying from 31 May to 12 June after my regular work hours of 9-5pm. In order for me to progress further in the Part 141 syllabus though, we need to catch up on the required ground lessons. We're doing that now and I'm preparing for my stage check so that I can solo. (Mainly been in a Grumman AA-5A low wing). The Captain that's running the board had told me to keep them apprised of my PPL progress. This unit (and really all the units I'm interested in) are out-of-state from my current career location. Reading through here I realize that will be an issue, but I'm confident that the company I work for will be supportive. Also should mention I'm single and don't have any family attachments/dependents. Thanks for the help!

Hi all, I'm currently a senior at Texas A&M University planning on graduating December 2020. I'm casting a wide net for guard/reserve units and I'm not picky about airframes. I'll be visiting the 187th AS up in Wyoming this weekend and they seem like a top notch group of people with a fascinating mission to boot so they're currently my first pick. Here are some stats: -Major: University Studies Geography, GPA 3.0 -Minor in Meteorology, Minor in Parks and Natural Resource Management -AFOQT: Pilot 98, Nav 87, AA 84, Verbal 94, Quant 63. Will be taking the TBAS soon. -18 flight hours, post-solo but progress is slower than I'd like due to maintenance, wx, $$$, and availability. -Member of the Corps of Cadets at A&M and Aggie Band, so some solid demonstrable leadership experience. Senior Military College experience similar to Norwich, Citadel, or VMI. -Worked 3 different part time/full time jobs since high school, all service/food industry jobs but that's how it is in college, whatever runs the Hobbs meter. I've done a lot of meteorological research relating to severe weather and tornadoes, mostly launching weather balloons and collecting data in the field near tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Not very applicable to aviation but I feel like it helps the whole person concept. Also an Eagle Scout for whatever it may be worth. LOR's come from a former F-15C/KC-135/T-38 instructor/AA pilot and the general manager of my current off-semester job. More to come, I've heard how well they know you is more important than title, thinking I'll ask my flight instructor. Let me know what you guys think! I'm interested in both heavies and fighters but only have visits scheduled for heavies currently.

If someone has the time to give some advice, it will be greatly appreciated. Currently a civilian with no military experience. I started a business at 22 years old and used it as a means to an end for getting my bachelors in mechanical engineering from Auburn. Worked my way through school doing manual labor with my business and my grades aren't the best, but I graduated debt free. No stranger to hard work and perseverance, so this UPT seems the right fit. Currently trying to get my application in for AD and one guard unit before the new year. I take the TBAS Friday and took the AFOQT last month. From what I know I just need a flight physical and all my i's dotted and t's crossed after this test on Friday. My grandfather was a fighter pilot and he raised me over half my life, so to say I've been wired for fighters would be an understatement. He's in the film Thud Pilots if any of you have seen it. After seeing the flyover at his funeral in August, I'm all in to serve this country and hopefully fly fighters someday as well. I'm 32, so my age is going to be a factor and I had a possession charge for pot (adjudication withheld), but everyone I know in the military tells me to apply because I don't have any felony charges. LORs from a retired Brig. Gen., a judge from my hometown, and from one of my professors at Auburn. Scores: Pilot 88 Nav 74 Acac Apt 44 Verbal 26 Quantitative 66 Found Bogidope today and found lots of useful information. Is it as useful as it seems, or worth the money to pay for consulting? Don't mind paying for it, but thought I may ask around here first to save money since I'm currently the main caregiver for my grandmother and I am not working to take care of her. Time is of the essence and as I mentioned, I am trying to get my application together before the new year. I know I have some strikes against me, but I'm willing to put in the work and give it my best be it either the guard or AD. If any of you are willing to share information, or have some good examples of cover letters, resume, etc., it will be immensely useful. Again, any help is appreciated and thank you ahead of time.

Thanks in advance to all reading/offering your opinions! Looking to see how I stack up and your opinions on my next move. Currently Shot-gunning Apps to the majority Guard units hiring. Leaning towards Heavies but open to all except UAS. AGE: 28 MIL EXP: Rank-TSGT, ANG, F-16 CREW CHIEF, TIS:10+years w SECRET Clearance AFOQT: P:97, NAV:67, AA:33, V:38, QT:29 PCSM:81 (61-80hrs=85)(81-100hrs=89)(101-200hrs=92)(201hrs+ = 96) FLIGHT HRS: 52 w/Student Pilot Cert,FAA 1st Class Med DEGREE: AEROSPACE OPERATIONS GPA:2.70 Weakness: 1.My college GPA; cant change the past but have learned from my past failure and willing to show how. 2.Flight Hours/no PPL; Right now I am working on getting my PPL and bumping my hours up which will also increase my PCSM. After shooting out apps to various UPT openings I've had 4 interviews so far. Unfortunately I haven't been offered that UPT slot yet. I've been offered and turned down a WSO(B1) and NAV(C130). I recently found out about the Reserves Un-sponsored Board and am very interested in that route as well. My only worry with going unsponsored is that if I don't get picked up before finishing UPT I could potentially get stuck flying some damn drone. Ultimately In my position at my age would you keep grinding it out and stick to applying for Guard slots for a few years and keep the reserves as a back up, or just go all in on the unsponsored reserve slot? Thank you!

Hey guys. I'm just looking to get some feedback on my chances of getting hired at a guard or reserve unit for fighters. Any advice is much appreciated! AFOQT: Pilot: 99 Nav: 90 Acad: 70 Verbal: 70 Quant: 65 PCSM: 88 (201+ hours is 98) I will graduate in May 2020 from Purdue University majoring in Industrial Engineering Technology, minor in Biometrics, and certificate in Entrepreneurship. GPA: 3.51 I have my PPL with about 70 flight hours. LOR: one is from my flight instructor who helped me earn my ppl and knows me very well, the other two are from an Air Force Colonel and 2 star General that also know me well and can attest to my character. I have a number of volunteer/community service events I have been involved in such as missionary trips and philanthropy events with my fraternity. I also have leadership experience in Boy Scouts (life scout), Purdue Student Government as a board of director, and in my capstone class working with Boeing and engineering students on an engineering related project. Some academic achievements are making the deans list and semester honors, and being inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders. So far I've had 1 interview at a guard fighter unit and my feedback was basically to just to be more of myself instead of giving rehearsed answers to their questions. Let me know what you guys think!

Happy holidays everyone, Putting this out there to hear any advice the community may have to make my application more competitive for F16. I'm a first generation immigrant moved to here when i was 14, it's been great living here and i want to contribute back. Age: 27, will be 28 when boards convene Degree: B.S Mechanical engineering GPA 3.0, minor- math I haven't taken the AFQT exam yet, but will be taking it soon. I have few flight hours ( less than 5, but i'm working on them as well) I graduated in 2016 and have been working as a flight test engineer since then, i started with testing jet engines for 2 years and recently moved on to testing the aircraft as a whole. Currently, i'm working for a fighter flight test squadron based out of pax river and i'm directly involved with the flight program. Other strengths (i hope they can be consider strengths) -i'm bi-lingual( i speak 3 languages), i have experience in leading few flight test programs from a department level. My LORs are going to be mostly form my current flight test manger, and few other fellows in flight test. I'm mostly depending on my experience as a flight test engineer here, i am hoping that will give me some benefit. i would like to hear what the community thinks, any advice or comments is greatly appreciated . edit: applying to the Air national guard

FT Ranking: Bottom 1/3 RSS: ??? PFA: 90.9 CGPA: 3.33 (Non-tech) PCSM: 74 (3 hours)

I was hesitant about posting here because due to my particular background and currently still being AD, it won't be too hard for people in my community to figure out who I am. That was dumb. I'm here to try and climb back in the cockpit, so people figuring out who I am doesn't matter one bit. I'm currently working on setting up applications for ANG Fighter Wings / Squadrons, but am not at all opposed to the Reserves or AD AF. I've tasted fighter life and having it snatched away for not being deemed qualified to land on a boat was a devastatingly humbling experience. It truly reoriented my world, however, through this adversity I've become laser focused and more determined than ever to achieve my dream of serving our country as a Fighter Pilot. To that end, what are my chances? Age: 30 Former F/A-18F WSO (2014 - 2017) 1 Deployment (more details if req'd) Student Naval Aviator (2017 - 2019) Completed Navy Advanced Strike Training (for F/A-18E/F or F-35 pipeline), but disqualified for Carrier Landings (more details if req'd) Hours: Pilot: 313 Total WSO: 836 Total (241 Combat) Combined Total: 1146 Hours AFOQT Pilot: 99 Navigator: 99 Aptitude: 91 Verbal: 92 Quantitative: 82 PCSM: 98 I'd be more than happy to supply any additional information that may be helpful, just let me know what I can do for you! -Checkmate

Hello all, I'm looking to like to apply for various pilot slots in near future. I have no military experience, although I have several contacts who do. AFOQT Scores: Pilot: 80 | Nav: 96 | Acad Apt: 87 | Verbal: 63 | Quant: 96 PCSM Score: 38 (No Flight Time) Age: 26 GPA / Major: 3.70 / Mechanical Engineering LOR: USCG Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class, Former Supervisor, Personal friend from college. Prof Experience: 1.5yrs I'm looking at starting my PPL next month, and retaking the TBAS (felt like I could definitely improve). Besides that any general recommendations? I'd actually prefer to fly heavies, and I'm open to ANG, Reserves, or AD. Thank you for your responses/feedback!

Hello all, I am new to the flying squadron community. I am a current army helo pilot, CH-47s with 1000 hrs (two deployments - Afghanistan). I am approaching the end of my contract with the army in a couple of months and I've been looking at going Air Force Guard/Reserve. Would love to be able to transition to a heavy/cargo squadron. Looking for advice, suggestions or if someone would like to share their experience on going the unsponsored route. Unfortunately for me, I am 29 years old. I've been looking into going unsponsored, but I don't really know much about it. I recently took the AFOQT and TBAS. PCSM of 77 with a 87 Pilot. I have the hours so I am guessing I must of done really bad in the TBAS for my score to decrease by 10 points. My college GPA was a 2.6 (Civil Engineering). I would hate to think my GPA is the reason why my PCSM score was low. My understanding is that squadrons like to see mid 80's for a sponsorship. My main concern now is that I am 29 years old and time is quickly ticking away. Should I retake both the AFOQT and TBAS or go ahead and apply as a unsponsored applicant? Am I gambling with what airframe I would get by going unsponsored? I would love to track C-17s or C130s. Any other suggestions or advice out there would be greatly appreciated it. Thanks!