General info on UPT (Undergraduate Pilot Training)

[jspace17]

What are the pros/cons for each UPT base? Will I get a dream sheet of places to train or do they pick a name from a hat?

[Duck]

What are the pros/cons for each UPT base? Will I get a dream sheet of places to train or do they pick a name from a hat?

Laughlin:
Pros: 1 on 1 personal relationships with instructors (too soon?)
Cons: can't go to Mexico and there is literally nothing there

Columbus:
Pros: SEC football everywhere you turn (Starkville, T-Town)
Cons: none

Vance:
Pros: OKC in driving distance
Cons: it's in Oklahoma

Sheppard:
Pros: all Studs fly 38s
Wichita Falls is probably the "best" town of the UPT bases (not saying much)
2 hours from Dallas, drivable to Austin
Cons: all Studs fly 38s
Assignments are feast/famine at times (shock absorber for AFPC)

In ROTC I remember getting a dream sheet and even a space for reasoning why I wanted to go where. Sheppard/ENJJPT is a separate selection board that you volunteer for. Bottom line it really doesn't matter where you go to UPT unless you FAIP. We also have guys who are moving bases halfway through as part of the influx plan to maximize the SPs through the pipeline. So there is always the slim chance you influx to Sheppard at some point, but unlikely with the T-6s being maxed out soon.


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[hispeed7721]

What are the pros/cons for each UPT base? Will I get a dream sheet of places to train or do they pick a name from a hat?

I would second what Duck said with a small addition...your class can make a horrible place awesome. You'll be spending a lot of time around these folks for 1-2 years, even more so if you all get along and hang out outside of training. Even the worst sh!tholes can produce a good time with a good group.

Obviously you can't chose your classmates, but just something to keep in mind if/when you get a less than desirable UPT base


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[jspace17]

Thank you both for the heads up. I went to college in the middle of nowhere so I imagine it'll be a similar experience. I guess the less around to do the less distractions I'll have, haha. I still have plenty of time before OTS so I'll have time to think. Thanks!

[Heavywanabe]

To piggy back on jspace17's question, from a civilian off the street do they just pick a upt base out of a hat? From the other guys at the unit that picked me up, they seem to think most of the guys from the unit get Vance. Does that make sense? Do some units favor certain bases for what ever reason? or does the unit even have a say in where we go for upt?

 

[SPAWNmaster]

6 hours ago, Heavywanabe said:

To piggy back on jspace17's question, from a civilian off the street do they just pick a upt base out of a hat? From the other guys at the unit that picked me up, they seem to think most of the guys from the unit get Vance. Does that make sense? Do some units favor certain bases for what ever reason? or does the unit even have a say in where we go for upt?

 

I had the same experience. Lots of guys from my unit had Vance going back years. Sure enough I got Vance. Not really sure how it works although other guys who are in the pipeline for my squadron went other places.

I'm at Rucker so get to hear about all the different bases from guys in my class and other classes here. Consensus is that Del Rio sucks, Columbus is OK and Vance seems to have the more relaxed training culture (at least from the student perspective when we all get in a room and talk about why X base was better than Y base). Various pros and cons across the board but I have yet to meet someone who went to Del Rio who had good things to say.

[matmacwc]

On 4/4/2017 at 3:50 PM, Duck said:

Columbus
Cons: none

 

Dafuq you say?

[Duck]

Dafuq you say?

Bro. That was over a year ago... Dafuq u been?

[matmacwc]

Sorry, thought you would correct your ways in the allotted time.  

[Duck]

Sorry, thought you would correct your ways in the allotted time.  

I am a C+ student at best.

[Jam]

Looking for information on how to get a waiver to not be in the dorms for UPT if anyone can help, specifically what office I should reach out to at my base and what my chances of getting approved may be as a Captain. Thanks!

[ryleypav]

At Laughlin we had to get put on a waiver by the Student Squadron, and then you had to take that to the housing office. Talk to your student squadrons shirt.

[Wings18]

Any recent info on housing at columbus? I am guard coming in single and was told dorms were full. Really not trying to deal with living off base any recent gouge?

TIA

[Arkbird]

2 hours ago, Wings18 said:

Any recent info on housing at columbus? I am guard coming in single and was told dorms were full. Really not trying to deal with living off base any recent gouge?

TIA

Guard and reserve guys are being told they have to move out of the dorms for the incoming academy studs. They can move to an on base house if there's availability or off base. 

[twoTangoKilo]

On 2/25/2023 at 7:27 PM, Arkbird said:

Guard and reserve guys are being told they have to move out of the dorms for the incoming academy studs. They can move to an on base house if there's availability or off base. 

Wonder how this would work for married students who are getting BAH for family back at home.  We're still trying to figure out what the move is gonna be for us as a family when I go to training.

[ryleypav]

On 3/7/2023 at 7:08 AM, twoTangoKilo said:

Wonder how this would work for married students who are getting BAH for family back at home.  We're still trying to figure out what the move is gonna be for us as a family when I go to training.

If you're getting BAH back home, you can get a BAH waiver that will allow you to stay in the dorms while still getting BAH for back home. Idk if they can force you into housing that you'd have to pay out of pocket for.