Upcoming Boards

[gear3green]

48 minutes ago, BlueSkyz said:

Anyone know if the 69th at luke only accepts rated applicants? 

Yea brotha. Only rated bubbas. 

[Burger]

Oregon, thanks for applying emails are out. 

Anyone heard anything for Alabama or NY 60s?

[CavGuy]

25 minutes ago, Burger said:

Oregon, thanks for applying emails are out. 

Anyone heard anything for Alabama or NY 60s?

I counted ~180 email address on the rejection letter. Guess you could say its a competitive unit 😂

[ayz33]

1 minute ago, CavGuy said:

I counted ~180 email address on the rejection letter. Guess you could say its a competitive unit 😂

Most/all fighters are that way nowadays. 150+ for most I'd wager

[admdelta]

11 minutes ago, CavGuy said:

I counted ~180 email address on the rejection letter. Guess you could say its a competitive unit 😂

Divided for two squadrons and it doesn’t seem so bad, right? 😅

😭

Edited February 18, 2020 by admdelta

[gear3green]

2 hours ago, Burger said:

Oregon, thanks for applying emails are out. 

Anyone heard anything for Alabama or NY 60s?

NY 60s are still reviewing apps. Should hear something back by the end of the month. 

[tarheelaviator]

17 hours ago, CavGuy said:

I counted ~180 email address on the rejection letter. Guess you could say its a competitive unit 😂

To those that get discouraged by numbers like this dont be.  Of those 180 once you start accounting for how many lack competitive AFOQT/PCSM scores, didn't visit, have close to zero flight hours, were just socially awkward, etc that whittles the numbers down.  The Pacific Northwest is also a cool place to live which attracts more applicants and this board was very clear they had 4 openings (very unusual).  The bar for simply emailing an application isn't that high.  One of the pilots I met in Portland had to apply for 3 separate UPT boards before he got in.  Focus on what you can control and keep your heads up kings.

Edited February 19, 2020 by tarheelaviator

[ryleypav]

42 minutes ago, tarheelaviator said:

To those that get discouraged by numbers like this dont be.  Of those 180 once you start accounting for how many lack competitive AFOQT/PCSM scores, didn't visit, have close to zero flight hours, were just socially awkward, etc that whittles the numbers down.  The Pacific Northwest is also a cool place to live which attracts more applicants and this board was very clear they had 4 openings (very unusual).  The bar for simply emailing an application isn't that high.  One of the pilots I met in Portland had to apply for 3 separate UPT boards before he got in.  Focus on what you can control and keep your heads up kings.

Shoot, I applied 4 times at the same unit and interviewed 3 times before I got in (still pending MEPS/FC1). Just gotta keep pushing for what you want.

[ihtbasitc]

Any idea if Barnes in MA will be hiring this year? They did last year around this time but I don't see any post about a board this year...

[admdelta]

1 hour ago, tarheelaviator said:

Of those 180 once you start accounting for how many lack competitive AFOQT/PCSM scores, didn't visit, have close to zero flight hours, were just socially awkward, etc that whittles the numbers down.

But watch out everyone, cuz that list also includes me with my PPL, killer scores, and utterly charming personality. 😜

Edited February 19, 2020 by admdelta

[sartoreabram]

Does anyone have any insight on the MacDill board coming up in June? I know the applications are due March 1st and I have looked at the info on BogiDope for a timeline. Just wondering if anyone knows how competitive/how many candidates usually are asked to rush or are interviewed. I only ask because most job postings have a very direct/cut and dry list of what to send in whereas the posting for MacDill is very laid back and just says shoot a resume to the email listed. Any info or tips would be great, thanks

[ryleypav]

8 minutes ago, sartoreabram said:

Does anyone have any insight on the MacDill board coming up in June? I know the applications are due March 1st and I have looked at the info on BogiDope for a timeline. Just wondering if anyone knows how competitive/how many candidates usually are asked to rush or are interviewed. I only ask because most job postings have a very direct/cut and dry list of what to send in whereas the posting for MacDill is very laid back and just says shoot a resume to the email listed. Any info or tips would be great, thanks

Most likely, once you send the resume they will send you the package requirements. 

[tarheelaviator]

1 hour ago, ihtbasitc said:

Any idea if Barnes in MA will be hiring this year? They did last year around this time but I don't see any post about a board this year...

I've heard a rumor they are having a prior military only UPT board this summer.  Could be complete BS but that's what another applicant told me. 

[1nfrequentF1yer]

41 minutes ago, sartoreabram said:

Does anyone have any insight on the MacDill board coming up in June? I know the applications are due March 1st and I have looked at the info on BogiDope for a timeline. Just wondering if anyone knows how competitive/how many candidates usually are asked to rush or are interviewed. I only ask because most job postings have a very direct/cut and dry list of what to send in whereas the posting for MacDill is very laid back and just says shoot a resume to the email listed. Any info or tips would be great, thanks

I can't speak for how competitive/how many gets asked to go rush or to interview because I have no idea, but that's really all you do/all I did was to submit a resume. I was contacted by the hiring officer the day after and just had a short, fairly casual chat, so he is looking at resumes as they come in. The timeline/process as he explained is the same as what was in the posting also. Best of luck!

[doofer]

4 hours ago, ryleypav said:

Shoot, I applied 4 times at the same unit and interviewed 3 times before I got in (still pending MEPS/FC1). Just gotta keep pushing for what you want.

To piggyback on that, I have met 2 pilots who told me they interviewed EIGHT times before getting hired. Just don't stop till you get there. 

[mightymighty]

2 hours ago, tarheelaviator said:

I've heard a rumor they are having a prior military only UPT board this summer.  Could be complete BS but that's what another applicant told me. 

Can confirm it will be prior-service only.  I believe the board is next month. 

[OnlyInCleveland]

3 hours ago, sartoreabram said:

Does anyone have any insight on the MacDill board coming up in June? I know the applications are due March 1st and I have looked at the info on BogiDope for a timeline. Just wondering if anyone knows how competitive/how many candidates usually are asked to rush or are interviewed. I only ask because most job postings have a very direct/cut and dry list of what to send in whereas the posting for MacDill is very laid back and just says shoot a resume to the email listed. Any info or tips would be great, thanks

It's competitive, it's Tampa. There's some good dudes down there and they definitely want you to visit before the board.

[bigdreams]

7 hours ago, doofer said:

To piggyback on that, I have met 2 pilots who told me they interviewed EIGHT times before getting hired. Just don't stop till you get there. 

Just to help with a dose of reality. Persistency is indeed a very good trait to have. But we've all met many great dudes who have interviewed countless times and did not get the fighter slot they wanted originally. But they did still end up flying in the end. And thats what we're all here for. To fly and serve.

Edited February 20, 2020 by bigdreams
typo

[ihtbasitc]

5 hours ago, mightymighty said:

Can confirm it will be prior-service only.  I believe the board is next month. 

thanks for the heads up.

anybody have more info on this? obviously there's no info on bogidope about it. i'm prior service and i'd love to apply. will call the poc for the previous year's upt tomorrow, but it sounds like i'm too late. thanks in advance.

[Seadogs]

55 minutes ago, bigdreams said:

Just help a dose of reality. Persistency is indeed a very good trait to have. But we've all met many great dudes who have interviewed countless times and did not get the fighter slot they wanted originally. But they did still end up flying in the end. And thats what we're all here for. To fly and serve.

Hate to admit it but you are right. We always hear the advice "just keep going and you'll get picked up! It took me 50 fighter interviews with 30 alternates before I got picked up, you can do it too!" That's not realistic for everyone and people need to realize that.

[tarheelaviator]

13 hours ago, Seadogs said:

Hate to admit it but you are right. We always hear the advice "just keep going and you'll get picked up! It took me 50 fighter interviews with 30 alternates before I got picked up, you can do it too!" That's not realistic for everyone and people need to realize that.

Perhaps but if you have that attitude you are going to hurt your chances of getting what you want.  

Having a "Plan B" Can Hurt Your Chances of Success

It's a similar philosophy that SOF hopefuls have that go through BUDS, Q-Course, RASP, etc.  The one's that make it have an attitude of, "I'd rather die, drown, freeze to death, or break my leg than fail this evolution."  Burn the boats.  If you want a combat aviation mission what about the AF active duty route?  Navy/USMC aviation?  There is more than one way to get what you want.  

Edited February 20, 2020 by tarheelaviator

[hindsight2020]

14 hours ago, Seadogs said:

Hate to admit it but you are right. We always hear the advice "just keep going and you'll get picked up! It took me 50 fighter interviews with 30 alternates before I got picked up, you can do it too!" That's not realistic for everyone and people need to realize that.

Indeed. After dozens of interviews and 3 years of struggling financially and even hiding in grad school for a while, I was supposedly "getting close" (drug of choice if there ever was one), but finally gave up on the fighter thing when the little money I had ran out. I needed to eat, and was already 3-4 years behind my phantom AD YG peers in getting the TAFSD clock going. Didn't seem like a big deal then, but now I'm kicking myself being 7 years to the finish line when I could be 3.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: can't love what you say you do when you're hungry and broke first. And that was relatively easier to negotiate in that I had no dependents back then. Nowadays, forget it. So I took the first unit that would send me to UPT pronto and never looked back.  To be clear, I don't regret not having gone AD, but I gave up a not insignificant amount of time in the holding pattern, which has affected me financially. Granted, the Lost Decade was in full swing, so I was going nowhere fast in the Bush II economy anyways, but the point remains.

In the end, I low-crawled my way into a flying job I felt more suited and content with than the one that got me into the military, so it all worked out. Took about 8 years but that's life. Consolation prizes don't have to always be a pejorative. I certainly don't think so. I sleep well at night. Good luck!

[admdelta]

15 hours ago, ihtbasitc said:

thanks for the heads up.

anybody have more info on this? obviously there's no info on bogidope about it. i'm prior service and i'd love to apply. will call the poc for the previous year's upt tomorrow, but it sounds like i'm too late. thanks in advance.

I just emailed the POC, apparently he's still doing it this year too. I'll update you if I hear anything (they said he's on leave for the next couple days). 

[ihtbasitc]

19 minutes ago, admdelta said:

I just emailed the POC, apparently he's still doing it this year too. I'll update you if I hear anything (they said he's on leave for the next couple days). 

big thanks. if i don't get the chance to at least meet them this year i'll be disappointed. i've got calls and emails in to the personnel office too.

[Seadogs]

6 hours ago, tarheelaviator said:

Perhaps but if you have that attitude you are going to hurt your chances of getting what you want.  

Having a "Plan B" Can Hurt Your Chances of Success

It's a similar philosophy that SOF hopefuls have that go through BUDS, Q-Course, RASP, etc.  The one's that make it have an attitude of, "I'd rather die, drown, freeze to death, or break my leg than fail this evolution."  Burn the boats.  If you want a combat aviation mission what about the AF active duty route?  Navy/USMC aviation?  There is more than one way to get what you want.  

Sure? But if only the top .5% can become fighter pilots, then statistically speaking, we all can't be fighter pilots.