March ARB

[Goblin]

Question for the masses:

 

I'm an AD KC-135 guy and just got picked up for March as my 2nd assignment. Just wanted to get a feel for what to expect and see if anyone is out there or has experience there. I realize that its an associate unit and that can somewhat hurt career progress. If anyone has general info on the base, community, QOL, and places to live, it would be much appreciated. I'm a married guy w/no kids...wife will be looking to go to Loma Linda for school while we are there.

 

Thanks!

 

Goblin

[scoobs]

Riverside is boring. You're driving distance to the beach, mountains, and desert though. Riverside has some nice areas. Woodcrest, Canyoncrest, or Orangecrest. Those would be the closest to March. Redlands is the nicest city but definitely a commute. You could go south and look at Temecula or Murrieta. My first choice would be Canyon Lake. It's a gated community with a lake for fishing or wake boarding. The 215 and 91 are pretty awful. The location is nice to get out of town.

[MC5Wes]

Whatever you do. Don't live anywhere where you have to take the parking lot they call Hwy 91.

When I was there I lived in the old base housing. It backs right up to the base. The city took it over after the base closed. It was supposed to be Section 8 housing. But the city don't put impose income limits. So most of the housing is filled with people from the base.

They had a cypher gate by 4th Air Force when I was there. So most days I rode a bicycle to work. The other side of the housing is where the Commisary and BX is at.

[panchbarnes]

Riverside/March is hell in the summer time. Enjoy the hot breeze if you dare to go outside.

The area near the base smells like cow poop, you'll know what I'm talking about when you get there.

The 4+ hr drive to Vegas gets old after a while, especially when the 15 turns into a parking lot in the middle of the desert.

Edited June 24, 2015 by PanchBarnes

[pickles]

Are the TFI slots competitive in the KC-135 world? I am a Southern California native looking to make the jump into the AFR later on and I hear those assignments are the way to go for transitioning. 

[Duck]

Yes they are. Talked to the functional today and there apparently are guys lining up for that same reason.

[Fozzy Bear]

Without scouring this... March is DEFINITELY in need of full time ARTs. Hiring TRs, but if guys want to fly the tanker there, I can help. PM me or hit me at

www.pilotcoaches.com

coaches@pilotcoaches.com

 

[pickles]

Thanks Duck, good to know that there's always someone after something I want. 

 

[Duck]

Yeah, Pickles, the good deals are gone, just crap sandwiches left. But you know, stop-loss. Seriously though, you can always ask. I would suggest putting it #1 on your ADP and come up with some good reasons you need to be there. Also get your commander to back it on his remarks section and maybe even reach out to the functional on your behalf. That is how I have gotten the assignments I wanted that seemed tough to get.

Hopefully I didn't discourage you, just passing on any info I can get. Best of luck!

[Bat21]

What is the hiring climate like in regards to C-17's at March?

[foxzulu]

Is March a place that actively takes civilians that want to be reserve pilots?

[GlassEmpty]

Is March a place that actively takes civilians that want to be reserve pilots?

They took 2 off the street on my board. I was the only prior select. About 12 candidates in my interview.

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[foxzulu]

9 minutes ago, GlassEmpty said:

They took 2 off the street on my board. I was the only prior select. About 12 candidates in my interview.

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I've been told they really like STEM degrees. Is this correct? And do you know how many flying hours did those other candidates have?

[GlassEmpty]

I've been told they really like STEM degrees. Is this correct? And do you know how many flying hours did those other candidates have?

The two civilians that were hired both had licenses already. One was a commercial seaplane pilot with 2000+ and the other just a PPL working on his instrument rating. I don't know any of their school information though. I had a PPL and ERAU degree. I can honestly say I don't think their degree meant anything, but I'm just a lil co-pilot.

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[foxzulu]

2 minutes ago, GlassEmpty said:

The two civilians that were hired both had licenses already. One was a commercial seaplane pilot with 2000+ and the other just a PPL working on his instrument rating. I don't know any of their school information though. I had a PPL and ERAU degree. I can honestly say I don't think their degree meant anything, but I'm just a lil co-pilot.

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I have my ppl as well. Do you have any advice to the whole process and how to look better to the board? Should I try finding contact info for the squadron instead of going through a recruiter?

[GlassEmpty]

With the times right now almost all units are hurting for experience. A lot of aircraft commanders have left for the airlines or gave up full time slots. I'm not saying "nobody is hiring off the street newbs", but just that knowing the times may require patience.

I would absolutely say going through recruiters just doesn't work in Operations (IMHO). I was referred to online websites even from friends in high places. There are a few websites that give contact info out for units that are advertising needs. I'm only being vague because I honestly don't know the current needs of the squadron or others for that matter for UPT/new pilot hires.

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[foxzulu]

3 minutes ago, GlassEmpty said:

 

With the times right now almost all units are hurting for experience. A lot of aircraft commanders have left for the airlines or gave up full time slots. I'm not saying "nobody is hiring off the street newbs", but just that knowing the times may require patience.

 

I would absolutely say going through recruiters just doesn't work in Operations (IMHO). I was referred to online websites even from friends in high places. There are a few websites that give contact info out for units that are advertising needs. I'm only being vague because I honestly don't know the current needs of the squadron or others for that matter for UPT/new pilot hires.

 

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Ahh ok. So with just a ppl, I'd probably have to go for more before to consider myself competitive? And are these websites out there on the web so somebody who does substantial digging could find or is it kind of an elitist club?

[GlassEmpty]

PPL should suffice (again I'm not on he boards but it worked for me). I said experience more like prior military experience. That's the wave of hires I know quite a few units are looking for.

https://www.guardreservejobs.com/newjobboard/

Websites like these have good openings. We do a really bad job as a community of fixing things such as "how to get hired" once we move on. If you get hired you instantly have a new focus on the next stage. Each stage you will have hundreds of questions and this forum is the perfect start, even if it means asking the same question twice.

No I wouldn't say it's an elitist club but I think you've found the right place to start hunting.

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[foxzulu]

9 minutes ago, GlassEmpty said:

PPL should suffice (again I'm not on he boards but it worked for me). I said experience more like prior military experience. That's the wave of hires I know quite a few units are looking for.

https://www.guardreservejobs.com/newjobboard/

Websites like these have good openings. We do a really bad job as a community of fixing things such as "how to get hired" once we move on. If you get hired you instantly have a new focus on the next stage. Each stage you will have hundreds of questions and this forum is the perfect start, even if it means asking the same question twice.

No I wouldn't say it's an elitist club but I think you've found the right place to start hunting.

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I don't have prior military experience but in terms of a strong background I am a police officer/investigator. Would this at least satisfy some of those units' desires? And thank you for the website. Does March post on this website because it seems kind of bare?

Edited May 30, 2016 by foxzulu

[GlassEmpty]

I mean like qualified KC-135 instructor pilot experience where they can fill billets for aircraft commanders and fill voids.

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[foxzulu]

9 minutes ago, GlassEmpty said:

I mean like qualified KC-135 instructor pilot experience where they can fill billets for aircraft commanders and fill voids.

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Oh darn, I come up short there. Well thanks anyways!

[bb17]

6 hours ago, foxzulu said:

Is March a place that actively takes civilians that want to be reserve pilots?

I'm a civilian with only a PPL and was offered an interview there a few years ago so I assume that is still the case. I ended up going a different route though.