Do Aggressor/Training Units Hold UPT Boards?

[xcraftllc]

Searched around for while and couldn't find a straight answer.

I have always assumed than any ANG or AFres unit that held the mission of Aggressor or Training would not hold any UPT boards.

That is to say; they would not take on a new guy, and instead look mostly for pilots currently rated and experienced in the unit's air-frame, possibly even only instructor rated pilots.

Is this true? There are a lot of units like that and I wanted to know if I should consider these viable candidates to apply for or not.

For example, the 149th FW is a Texas ANG unit that flies F-16s but has the mission of training and qualifying F-16 Pilots.

Edited March 27, 2014 by xcraftllc

[matmacwc]

Aggressors, I doubt it. Training units do, you go to another unit for seasoning (3+) years then back to the training unit.

[xcraftllc]

Aggressors, I doubt it. Training units do, you go to another unit for seasoning (3+) years then back to the training unit.

Interesting, thanks man. I would have otherwise not thought it was possible. I suppose it's sort of unit-dependent though, and one would have to ask.

Edited March 28, 2014 by xcraftllc

[60 driver]

Matmacwc beat me to it.

If you're looking for units like that to apply to, the 150th SOW at Kirtland is in the process of standing up an HH-60 and HC-130 FTU time now. I'm not sure what their UMDs look like at the moment, but as matmacwc mentioned, their new accessions go out to the CAF for seasoning before going back as instructors. We have one of their helo FEs (sorry: SMAs), and the HC squadron downstairs is seasoning a radio operator.

Edited March 28, 2014 by 60 driver

[xcraftllc]

Matmacwc beat me to it.

If you're looking for units like that to apply to, the 150th SOW at Kirtland is in the process of standing up an HH-60 and HC-130 FTU time now. I'm not sure what their UMDs look like at the moment, but as matmacwc mentioned, their new accessions go out to the CAF for seasoning before going back as instructors. We have one of their help FEs (sorry: SMAs), and the HC squadron downstairs is seasoning a radio operator.

I assume CAF is Conventional Air Force? Interesting, I bet that actually works out nice since you probably get a bit more flight time in those first three years and you'd be on AD pay. I bet positions like that are a bit more rare considering that the unit has to wait quite a bit longer to get some return on their investment.

[Marco]

CAF: Combat Air Force

MAF: Mobility Air Force

Edited March 28, 2014 by Marco

[hindsight2020]

I assume CAF is Conventional Air Force? Interesting, I bet that actually works out nice since you probably get a bit more flight time in those first three years and you'd be on AD pay. I bet positions like that are a bit more rare considering that the unit has to wait quite a bit longer to get some return on their investment.

Rare is immaterial. Competitive. Not a difference without distinction either, if you're getting close to 30 years of age.

[xcraftllc]

Rare is immaterial. Competitive. Not a difference without distinction either, if you're getting close to 30 years of age.

I hear you, I'll keep working the avenues that I'm on already for now. I'm in a pretty good place at the moment to make something like this happen with some of the units I've been focusing on, but it's interesting to know that those options exist. Just trying to make sure that I'm casting a big enough net.

[SimpleJack]

Matmacwc beat me to it.

If you're looking for units like that to apply to, the 150th SOW at Kirtland is in the process of standing up an HH-60 and HC-130 FTU time now. I'm not sure what their UMDs look like at the moment, but as matmacwc mentioned, their new accessions go out to the CAF for seasoning before going back as instructors. We have one of their helo FEs (sorry: SMAs), and the HC squadron downstairs is seasoning a radio operator.

I just got in contact with a NMANG Officer Recruiter who informed me that the 150th SOW is having upcoming UPT board(s) but are restricted to residents of New Meico only. Unfortunate for me as the 150th seems like a cool wing to fly for. So just FYI for any NM residents interested in UPT. I believe he said packages are due for one of the boards sometime in October.

Edit: This seems to be the same story with the AZANG as well.

Edited September 20, 2014 by SimpleJack

[topdeadcenter]

Thread revival: is there any T38 IPs that could shed some light on the process of getting selected for that assignment "off the street"? I understand it falls under the AFRC, so perhaps you could be hired directly like other reserve units.

[hindsight2020]

Thread revival: is there any T38 IPs that could shed some light on the process of getting selected for that assignment "off the street"? I understand it falls under the AFRC, so perhaps you could be hired directly like other reserve units.

Aggressor units? Off the street? Not gonna happen dude. First, you have to generally come from a pool with prior fighter experience, probably with a red air background in your history of previous assignments or interservice equivalent.Then you go through the vetting process normal-normal. As opposed to the great big hype of the "fighter pilot shortage", there's plenty of 11F people in the streets or in Active Duty wanting to flow to such an assignment, so the off the street need just isn't there. Same deal with IFF jobs et al.

In order for an off the street candidate to flow to such an assignment you'd first have to get hired by a vanilla fighter unit, get your cred there for a few years, then apply as a TR or otherwise. As you probably already know, the selection process to fighter units in the Guard/Res remains competitive.

Of course, if you're Somebody's son, this common wisdom can be waived. But that's true for anything in life, which is to say it's not worth spending any time on it. At any rate, good luck to ya.

Edited May 7, 2015 by hindsight2020

[BUSTED]

Aggressor units? Off the street? Not gonna happen dude. First, you have to generally come from a pool with prior fighter experience, probably with a red air background in your history of previous assignments or interservice equivalent.Then you go through the vetting process normal-normal. As opposed to the great big hype of the "fighter pilot shortage", there's plenty of 11F people in the streets or in Active Duty wanting to flow to such an assignment, so the off the street need just isn't there. Same deal with IFF jobs et al.

In order for an off the street candidate to flow to such an assignment you'd first have to get hired by a vanilla fighter unit, get your cred there for a few years, then apply as a TR or otherwise. As you probably already know, the selection process to fighter units in the Guard/Res remains competitive.

Of course, if you're Somebody's son, this common wisdom can be waived. But that's true for anything in life, which is to say it's not worth spending any time on it. At any rate, good luck to ya.

Not 100% accurate, but close. Currently, the VANG is using their T-38 Aggressors to give some "seasoning" to their new hires before sending them to the Raptor B-Course (not sure if AFRC is doing the same with their Raptors & 38s at Tyndall).

So they are putting inexperienced wingmen in those rolls... But only dudes who have already been selected to eventually fly the Raptor. Timeline being: UPT, IFF, Aggressor Wingman, then Raptor B-Course when able.

Reference Hindsights comments about fighter ANG/AFRC units being extremely competitive + the comment about needing to be someone's son... Now increase that competition level by a factor of 69.

If your question was about being hired by a UPT associate unit to be a T-38 IP for either UPT or IFF.... Not gonna happen, no matter who your dad is.

[dvlax40]

+ the comment about needing to be someone's son...

Checks