USF (det 158) rated slots/ questions

[Lyonconner]

First and foremost thanks for reading, I’m currently enlisted in the af. One year mark is coming up in August, I signed a four year contract and haven’t been able to start college yet (different story). I’ve been saving up for my ppl and doing research on Rotc vs guard/reserve. I want to fly tankers, or any heavy jet to be fair. 

Im 20, I’m a little stressed about what I should be doing now up until I’m in Rotc. I’m worried Rotc won’t be the best way to get a pilot slot. I’ve been considering calling the detachment but I’m not sure what to ask. By the time I’m in Rotc I’ll be 24 (unless I get accepted into a scholarship program). This is a very hard goal I’m shooting for, I applaud anyone who’s made it far enough to earn their wings. 

Sometimes I feel discouraged and unmotivated to keep chasing this dream, I don’t know what I should do. Right now I’m being the best maintainer I can be and learning my job, working on starting college. I don’t want to lose sight of my goals and hope to hear some more advice. This forum is awesome, I’ve posted a few similar threads. Anyways thanks for reading! 

Edit: forgot to ask for advice on detachments around the Tampa area, specifically USF.

Edited July 18, 2018 by Lyonconner
Forgot to ask about det 158

[hurls]

I can't cite my source on slot allotment, but I'm pretty sure that each detachment gets a varying amount of pilot slots each year.

11 hours ago, Lyonconner said:

Im 20, I’m a little stressed about what I should be doing now.

I'm sort of in the same boat. Feeling like you aren't doing anything at 20 can be a wonderful thing though, A LOT of people in our entitled generation are absolutely ok with doing nothing at our age... be glad you have the opposite mindset in your head and you have already taken steps toward your goal. I'm a sophomore in college and screwed around a bit in my early years and I finally have buckled down and gotten serious with my goals... even if I'm close to being 2 1/2 years behind. Is that discouraging? A bit. Motivating? Absolutely. 

Hurls
 

[Lyonconner]

3 hours ago, hurls said:

 

be glad you have the opposite mindset in your head and you have already taken steps toward your goal. 

 

The steps I’ve taken aren’t very big steps. I feel the motivation but the foggy path to upt is a stressful path to take. I know I’ll figure it out however I can. I will say this though once I’m actually a cadet I will try and be the best cadet I can be. I’m not a very academic person so I’m a little worried I won’t be able to easily get a slot. I’m sure there will be a lot of people going after the same goal as mine in my class. I’ve read the post about increasing your chances, seems like good advice. 

[Trapped in ROTC]

On 7/17/2018 at 8:34 PM, Lyonconner said:

I’m worried Rotc won’t be the best way to get a pilot slot.

Can't promise it's the best way, but right now the selection rate for pilot slots in ROTC is very high. I have friends who got selected with PCSM scores near the minimum to qualify. Assuming you spend 4 years in college there is no guarantee the selection rate will stay this high in 3 years time when you can apply for a slot. However, I would be willing to bet it will be close since big blue is short 2000 pilots and whatnot.

On 7/17/2018 at 8:34 PM, Lyonconner said:

By the time I’m in Rotc I’ll be 24

Whether ROTC is the best way to wings or not, college is a necessary step to get there. The sooner you start the better. The selection rate can't get much better but it can get a lot worse. If you wait until your 24 to start school without any credits (assuming you don't), you will be 28 or 29 when you graduate. That does not leave a lot of wiggle room in case you have a delay. After 30 you have to apply for an age waiver.

[Yaweh]

Hey I was enlisted and didn't separate till I was 25, my advice is you've got plenty of time so do not worry too much. Utilize Tuition assistance the best you can and try completing some cleps. I clepped the shit out of some classes and it saved me a ton of time. I think there is a limit to how much cleps you can use towards a degree but its free so why not do it if you think you can pass it. Go to the education office and talk with one of the colleges nearby and take a few classes or register online for a school and keep pushing. The good news is some of the training you received in the Air Force colleges will count as credits and that will put you closer to your Degree. 

 

A different path is I think you can apply to the Prep school for the Academy if you are under the age of 22 and are Single with no Dependents. This could be a path, I knew a guy who wasn't that smart and he managed it. Anyways keep pushing you have got plenty of time. 

[BoneDust]

Not to discourage you but when I competed in the Spring of 2015 I didn’t get squat even though I had the second highest PCSM at the det. Didn’t get anything in the fall supplemental. Got picked up randomly for RPA then Pilot a month later. Now in the J model FTU. Moral of the story is don’t be discouraged, if it’s your dream then go after it rather than wonder what if later on. Keep in mind selection is half the battle. You still got a year of training after the fact. 

Edited July 25, 2018 by BoneDust

[Mr.Elephant]

If it's something you want get after it and don't stop until you do.  Simple as that.  Get up every morning and work towards that goal. 

Look at the steps that will get you there and then handle them one at a time.  Get that AFOQT knocked out.  Don't just knock it out, knock it out of the ball park.  Then take the TBAS.  Don't just take it, demolish it.

If you start ROTC when you're 24, you'll graduate at 28.  Age limit for UPT is 30

Max PCSM score is 99 - get as close to that as possible

If you're living off an E-3/4 wage... skip the bars for now and  save your money for the flying time.  Study, work, fly, repeat. I promise the bars will be there later.

Get a degree you care about.  Not one you think the will help you get a pilot slot.  You'll do better in a program that you care about, and your GPA will reflect that.

Look for people who say yes and figure out the answers to the hurdles in your way. 

Look back and be tired for the right reasons.

[patsng]

I too was in your shoes back in 2005. At the time, I had just finished a 4 yr enlistment and just started sophomore yesr at PSU ROTC. 3 yrs later I graduated with a pilot slot and found myself at UPT in Columbus. Since then I’ve flown C-17s on back to back Ops assignments and am still flying in my current assignment. 

There’s multiple ways to get that pilot slot. It just depends on what avenue you want to pursue (ROTC, Academy, OTS). Feel free to PM if you need any advice. Good luck!

Edited September 29, 2018 by patsng

[Dynamite]

Being in a similar situation years ago, I wish I would have gotten some guidance back then that would have saved me a lot of time in the process. With that said, I'd highly recommend guard or reserves over AD. Things worked out in the end and I'm a currently a reservist in pilot training.

Best advice,

Take advantage of TA and CLEP/DANTES exams to get your Associates Degree and CCAF Associates degree. many universities offer classes on base a couple of days a week. Go to the education office to look whats available at your Base. The exams are free to take the first time and they give you full college credits. 

Once the CCAF is complete, educate yourself on the AU-ABC program provided by the Air Force. In which you can transfer the full 60+ credits you have obtained through your AFSC and the classes you have already taken to a participant college/university to complete the bachelor's. (this would save you a lot of time in school) 

You can complete the bachelor's in less than the 3 years you have left and could possibly get your PPL in that time as well. By the time you separate, you can decide to either join a guard/reserve unit(or just get out completely) and start rushing/applying to units in locations you want to live, already meeting the basic qualifications. Good luck.