Reserve to Active duty during UPT for Age waived trainees

[katdude]

Has anyone ever heard of pilots switching to Active duty from Reserve during UPT? Especially is such a thing possible if the dude is over age 30 and got a waiver to get to UPT?

As Active Duty doesn’t do age waivers, potentially older dudes can finally end up in Active Duty if such a thing as joining the Reserve/Guard first and then transferring over is possible..

[FLEA]

More important question to ask is: if you were already hired by the reserve/guard, why would you want to switch!?!?!

[katdude]

@FLEA Reasons may include

- A strong desire to serve in Active Duty but not being otherwise eligible due to age.

- Opportunities available to Active Duty pilots that may not be available to Reserve/ Guard Pilots.

- Desire to have a full time job that pays retirement benefits that pays right after 20 years of service

- Desire to have frequent PCS and actually live in different parts of the world.

And perhaps many other reasons I can’t think of. Has anyone seen this happen?

[Inertia17]

Haven't seen it happen. But the way things are going I don't think you will need to worry about catching orders or opportunities.

Sounds like a question for a Reserve Liason at the Stud Sq.

[LookieRookie]

50 minutes ago, katdude said:

@FLEA Reasons may include

- A strong desire to serve in Active Duty but not being otherwise eligible due to age.

- Opportunities available to Active Duty pilots that may not be available to Reserve/ Guard Pilots.

- Desire to have a full time job that pays retirement benefits that pays right after 20 years of service

- Desire to have frequent PCS and actually live in different parts of the world.

And perhaps many other reasons I can’t think of. Has anyone seen this happen?

Get career AGR status and allow ARPC to manage your career.

[matmacwc]

22 hours ago, katdude said:

Has anyone ever heard of pilots switching to Active duty from Reserve during UPT? Especially is such a thing possible if the dude is over age 30 and got a waiver to get to UPT?

As Active Duty doesn’t do age waivers, potentially older dudes can finally end up in Active Duty if such a thing as joining the Reserve/Guard first and then transferring over is possible..

What do you really want, you aren’t spelling it out.  Unit switched airplanes, don’t like airplane type, struggling in UPT, want a full time job?

[brabus]

Nowadays you can do all of the things you listed in the ARC, and fairly easily as well. The big difference is you can do these things generally when you choose to and no one will force you to do any of them (AD is opposite on both accounts). And to be clear, many dudes get retiremet the day they leave the ARC, exactly like AD. So with that knowledge, why do you really want to go AD?

[FLEA]

I would advise against the misconception that i had when i joined which was that AD got to "see more action" than the reserve. Unless you define action as the combative word gymnastics you use to spar with against the MPF airman holding your PCS orders. Yeah i got at least 3 air medals worth of that bull shit. 

[katdude]

@brabus Thanks for the perspective.. Being able to choose your assignments and not being forced is something I deeply value. Agree that with the current opstempo you can get enough Reserve points for retirement pretty soon.

However I am in a unique situation, as I am a physician on the civilian side. And Pilot-Physician program is Active Duty only. So basically I can either stay in the Reserve as pilot and work at civilian hospital in free time (have to manage two jobs but potentially make more $$) or I can get it all under one roof and be Active Duty Pilot Physician (be more stable but potentially less $$).

I have an inclination towards fighters but considering my age (30) I would be happy just to go to UPT and fly anything. Most Pilot Physicians get their hands on fighters so going active in UPT might help me too? Lots of uncertainty and dilemma - I don’t know what can be done, but for now at least I am trying to join the Air Force Pilot club interviewing for Reserve UPT pilot slot. (Of course I need an age waiver)

@matmacwc That’s my situation, appreciate any thoughts. 

@FLEA Action is what you seek, I understand you don’t have to be AD to see more action. But perhaps covert ops at Area 51 would be delegated more to AD..

Edited September 18, 2018 by katdude

[brabus]

I don't know anything about the pilot-physician program beyond it's existence, but I am fairly confident it will not help you get a fighter - that's still merit-based in UPT on AD.  The best "guarantee" for a fighter is getting hired by an ARC unit that flies fighters.

The AD, regardless of job type, is generally the antithesis of stability.  Your alternative of part time ARC pilot and civ doc will likely be far more stable than anything AD will offer.  Additionally, if you go pilot physician on AD, my bet is you do not get to "see the world" (at least any good parts); that's such a specialized position that I'm guessing there are only a few spots at very specific locations.  Pilot physicians are not a normal position at any "standard" flying base.  Additionally I'd look heavily into the program and what it entails long term - do you stay on a relatively normal flying track or do you do one assignment and then off to Walter Reed for you?  Bottom line is the last time I heard of a pilot physician in the Viper world, it was 10 years ago and they had done one assignment as a pilot/flight doc, then went onto some medical-only assignment.  Do your research, it may not be exactly what you want long term.

There is pretty much no limit to what you can possibly do in the world with ARC vs. AD.  There are ARC personnel working green door projects, at DARPA, doing 3 year assignments in Europe, working at AOCs, flying test, shooting ISIS in the face, fucking up travel vouchers, and torturing dental patients.  The ARC "one weekend a month/2 weeks a year" is not the baseline these days for a lot of people...if you want to do more than that (and you have to has a pilot), there are limitless opportunities.

[katdude]

I am so glad I found this forum. So much insight from experienced current pilots. Very helpful. Thank you @brabus !

So I will stick to my current path of trying to go to UPT with a Reserve heavy unit and be a civ doc. I love the T-1s too and landing a C17 or KC10 absolutely is a great achievement. I don’t like Heli or turboprop track as much. In case a Reserve Viper unit agrees to pick me up later on based on UPT performance, I’ll make the switch. 

Given the uncertainty with AD and not being able to choose assignments, I agree I have to research about the Pilot Physican program heavily and how much flying they actually get to do before going active. Perhaps I would ultimately just stay in the Reserve, especially if there is no limit to what Reservists can do vs. AD

[Hopefulflyer389]

FYI- the 134th FS is having a UPT board next year and they will potentially do an age waiver: 

https://www.158fw.ang.af.mil/BECOME_A_PILOT/

[matmacwc]

Active duty will take you, have your CC talk to AFPC.  Do you want to talk to an active duty pilot doctor?  I can put you in touch with one of the more active ones involved in fighters.  His additional duty was flight medicine, it was a good deal for him.  PM me and I can get you in contact, if you halfway have a doctor/pilot mentor I understand.  

[katdude]

@Hopefulflyer389 thanks for that info! Age is not on my side so I want to get to UPT asap. Their board is next year and perhaps UPT in 2020. If I am not selected by other boards by then I will apply for it.

@matmacwc Yes I would love to talk to an active duty pilot physician to know more. PM on its way. Thank you!