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[CavGuy]

Whats the appeal of Cheyenne? It seems like such a highly competitive unit for a location that isn't in a major metropolitan area. I'm guessing proximity to Denver? I froze my cajones off when I went up there.

Edited February 21, 2021 by CavGuy

[weekdaypilot]

Whats the appeal of Cheyenne? It seems like such a highly competitive unit for a location that isn't in a major metropolitan area. I'm guessing proximity to Denver? I froze my cajones off when I went up there.

I’m guessing it’s more driven by the dire nature of aviation hiring market rather than the appeal of the unit itself.

[Flyman]

Got sponsored by a reserve squadron, now just have to meet the AFRC board. Anyone know the exact date of the next one?

[Burger]

Nice job!

31 Mar is the deadline for your package to be submitted for the April Board

[Yeeyee]

1 hour ago, Burger said:

Nice job!

31 Mar is the deadline for your package to be submitted for the April Board

Do you have to have your FC1 finished before you can submit?

[Burger]

I believe so. My recruiter told me the package cannot be submitted w/o the FC1 approved

[ryleypav]

Double check your info. I've had a recruiter tell me something cant be submitted without an approved FC1 and they were wrong, and it cost me a lot of time. 

[Terminator5]

14 minutes ago, ryleypav said:

Double check your info. I've had a recruiter tell me something cant be submitted without an approved FC1 and they were wrong, and it cost me a lot of time. 

Not sure if NGB and the reserve board works the same. But once my package gets approved by NGB is that when they issue OTS dates? If that is the case then my recruiter is sending my package to NGB now and that is prior to me getting my FC1 so it is definitely possible. However, I can see it being the other way around as well with them not wanting to issue OTS/UPT dates to someone who may not even be eligible considering their FC1 has not been done/stamped approved yet.

[Yeeyee]

It would make sense for your FC1 to have to be completed in order to submit for the NGB/ Reserve Board, because what if you DQ for something during your FC1?

[Terminator5]

2 hours ago, Yeeyee said:

It would make sense for your FC1 to have to be completed in order to submit for the NGB/ Reserve Board, because what if you DQ for something during your FC1?

Yeah that's exactly along the lines of what I was thinking. @ryleypavDo you have confirmed OTS/UPT dates now prior to your FC1?

[Yeeyee]

7 hours ago, Burger said:

Nice job!

31 Mar is the deadline for your package to be submitted for the April Board

Do you know the other Reserve boards for the 2021 calendar year?

[Burger]

They run quarterly, so I'd guess JUL and OCT but that is just me guessing based off of the past Boards for FY21. 

Stay in the loop with your recruiter. He/She will know all of that. Hit or miss if it's accurate though lol

[FOX3]

6 hours ago, Terminator5 said:

Yeah that's exactly along the lines of what I was thinking. @ryleypavDo you have confirmed OTS/UPT dates now prior to your FC1?

I'm in the Guard, and I actually happened to get OTS dates just before my trip to WPAFB for my FC1.  I'm honestly not exactly sure what process my recruiter/POC in my squadron went through to make that happen, but I'm still set to go to OTS while waiting for a waiver to clear FC1 at the moment.  

 

EDIT: clarifying I'm in the Guard, since it's likely different between Guard and Reserves

Edited February 25, 2021 by FOX3

[ryleypav]

16 hours ago, Terminator5 said:

Yeah that's exactly along the lines of what I was thinking. @ryleypavDo you have confirmed OTS/UPT dates now prior to your FC1?

Ha. No. I dont have anything. My selection package is up at NGB. Should be approved by now, but havent gotten that fancy letter from them. 

19 hours ago, Terminator5 said:

Not sure if NGB and the reserve board works the same. But once my package gets approved by NGB is that when they issue OTS dates? If that is the case then my recruiter is sending my package to NGB now and that is prior to me getting my FC1 so it is definitely possible. However, I can see it being the other way around as well with them not wanting to issue OTS/UPT dates to someone who may not even be eligible considering their FC1 has not been done/stamped approved yet.

NGB and the reserves probably do things different I'd imagine. Your package gets approved by NGB, you'll get a letter stating so, then you get to wait some more for OTS dates. You basically get put in the queue to receive them once your package is approved. Typically guard guys dont get UPT dates until part way through OTS.

[ryleypav]

18 hours ago, Yeeyee said:

It would make sense for your FC1 to have to be completed in order to submit for the NGB/ Reserve Board, because what if you DQ for something during your FC1?

Like Fox said, they'll give you the slot, but its basically pending an approved FC1. Don't get one approved, lose the slot. That's why they ask if you want short-fall dates, so you can take someone's spot when that happens.

[Terminator5]

2 hours ago, ryleypav said:

Ha. No. I dont have anything. My selection package is up at NGB. Should be approved by now, but havent gotten that fancy letter from them. 

NGB and the reserves probably do things different I'd imagine. Your package gets approved by NGB, you'll get a letter stating so, then you get to wait some more for OTS dates. You basically get put in the queue to receive them once your package is approved. Typically guard guys dont get UPT dates until part way through OTS.

Haha right there with you man, hurry up and wait. Ty for info though, that cleared up a few things for me.

[Flyman]

For the reserve boards they are requiring an FC1 before submitting now. My FC1 is only 1.5 weeks before the application due date so I'm crossing my fingers that I get my Fc1 stamped in time. 

[OptFire]

On 2/24/2021 at 8:46 AM, Flyman said:

Got sponsored by a reserve squadron, now just have to meet the AFRC board. Anyone know the exact date of the next one?

April, packet due by March 31st. Contact your recruiter if you're eligible for it. You'll need your FC1 stamped. 

[Dangerzone]

Quick rant,

Any of you off the street or out of towners find it annoying to take time sending applications, spend money to rush and attend boards, only to hear through the grapevine afterwards they went with the local kid from afe or crew chief. Like if that was your pick the whole time why even have a board besides for formality, save me the time and money. Either have a board with only members from your unit or quit putting so much damn emphasis on people just because they’re already in the unit. 

 

[Terminator5]

1 hour ago, Dangerzone said:

Quick rant,

Any of you off the street or out of towners find it annoying to take time sending applications, spend money to rush and attend boards, only to hear through the grapevine afterwards they went with the local kid from afe or crew chief. Like if that was your pick the whole time why even have a board besides for formality, save me the time and money. Either have a board with only members from your unit or quit putting so much damn emphasis on people just because they’re already in the unit. 

 

Been told too my face by more than one squadron that “You interviewed really well and we really like you BUT the squadron has been burned by hiring people not from the area and then they leave so not this time, but we’d love to see you apply again”... it sucks but it’s just how it goes sometimes. Just keep pushing it can get very frustrating though.

[Av8]

10 hours ago, Dangerzone said:

Quick rant,

Any of you off the street or out of towners find it annoying to take time sending applications, spend money to rush and attend boards, only to hear through the grapevine afterwards they went with the local kid from afe or crew chief. Like if that was your pick the whole time why even have a board besides for formality, save me the time and money. Either have a board with only members from your unit or quit putting so much damn emphasis on people just because they’re already in the unit. 

 

There's only so much you can control. Hardest one for me was when I interviewed somewhere one year, they said I was in the top third of interviewees, and the only reason I wasn't selected was because the guys who got selected interviewed the year prior. Fast forward one year...didn't even get an interview at the same place and my app was much stronger. I can't really explain that one, or why I get certain interviews some places and not others. I just look at it and say, it's probably a good thing you didn't get selected there because there is another squadron out there who actually wants you, what you can bring to the table, and would be a much better fit. The problem is that you don't find that out until after the interview and everything is already a sunk cost.

I agree, it stings to put the emotional, monetary, and time investment into each unit, but it stings more when you don't even get the chance to interview. I am an out-of-towner for every unit, so I would like to think that as long as you get an interview, each dude you are interviewing with has an equal chance, but I doubt that is usually true. Always an uphill battle, even more so recently.

[ryleypav]

11 hours ago, Dangerzone said:

Quick rant,

Any of you off the street or out of towners find it annoying to take time sending applications, spend money to rush and attend boards, only to hear through the grapevine afterwards they went with the local kid from afe or crew chief. Like if that was your pick the whole time why even have a board besides for formality, save me the time and money. Either have a board with only members from your unit or quit putting so much damn emphasis on people just because they’re already in the unit. 

 

Or they went with the local kid because he interviewed better. There may be some bias towards the local guy, but it comes down to how the unit likes you on that interview weekend. Yeah it sucks, but them's the breaks sometimes. I was passed over for local guys a few time, but then got it after sticking with it. 

[elvis]

11 hours ago, Dangerzone said:

Quick rant,

Any of you off the street or out of towners find it annoying to take time sending applications, spend money to rush and attend boards, only to hear through the grapevine afterwards they went with the local kid from afe or crew chief. Like if that was your pick the whole time why even have a board besides for formality, save me the time and money. Either have a board with only members from your unit or quit putting so much damn emphasis on people just because they’re already in the unit. 

 

I was that crew chief, I can see that being incredibly frustrating, especially on your own dime. That being said, that's part of the process. It sucks, but from my point of view, I saw it as I was being interviewed for 4 years.  When It came time for the board, you know they contacted every supervisor I had and asked how is this dude? Any shot of a slot could've been shot down right there. Not saying kick sand by any means, but as many have said on this website, keep pushing and sharpen your package and interview skills up and I honestly believe they see that. 

[Dangerzone]

1 hour ago, elvis said:

I was that crew chief, I can see that being incredibly frustrating, especially on your own dime. That being said, that's part of the process. It sucks, but from my point of view, I saw it as I was being interviewed for 4 years.  When It came time for the board, you know they contacted every supervisor I had and asked how is this dude? Any shot of a slot could've been shot down right there. Not saying kick sand by any means, but as many have said on this website, keep pushing and sharpen your package and interview skills up and I honestly believe they see that. 

Congrats, not taking away from your hard work by any means and I'm sure you earned it my man. 

It just appears from the outside looking in that it was already a done deal, like this guy has hung around the bar and slapped hands with the pilots for 4 years we already know we want him and it would look bad if we went with an outsider. So just sucks going up neck and neck against other good dudes with the only difference being this guy is homegrown. I guess that's the nature of the game. 

1 hour ago, ryleypav said:

Or they went with the local kid because he interviewed better. There may be some bias towards the local guy, but it comes down to how the unit likes you on that interview weekend. Yeah it sucks, but them's the breaks sometimes. I was passed over for local guys a few time, but then got it after sticking with it. 

If that's the case I'll take it on the chin and move on, but I really don't think that's always the case. The whole local guy been here for a few years lets give him a nod and see how he interviews, should only matter up to the interview, beyond that it should only about who would we rather have around for 20 yrs or who do we trust can handle the mission and not fail UPT, etc... 

 

[Dangerzone]

Would be interesting if a Gray Beard whose led a board or sat on a board could chime in and give their 0.02. 

If the scale is tipped in the favor of the local guy after an interview or if it's strictly business no good old boy politic games. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Dangerzone