Getting bored with the airline life

[frisco]

Interested in ANG/Reserve UPT slot. 

Former enlisted Active Duty Green Beret. 

Currently a regional airline captain. 3000 hours total time. 500 TPIC.

Bachelors degree in the Arts, 3.0 GPA.

AA degree in Professional Flight. 3.7 GPA

LOR's from previous COs.

No check ride failures.

No criminal history or any other back flags that I can think of.

2 speeding tickets. Both over 5 years ago.

No tattoos

Had PRK almost 10 years ago. Current eyesight meets 20/70 standard now.

Age 31.

About to take the qualifying tests within the month. I'll update when I get the scores back.

Any shot at fighters for the guard/reserves or did I miss my shot due to my age? I'm absolutely open to heavies as well. I'm just trying to figure out what basket I should put most of my eggs in.

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by frisco

[PilotPitts]

Age is a factor. That being said I know a guard and a reserve guy, both fighter, who got age waivers in the last year. They were just over the limit (30) by less than a year at the start of UPT however. You'd probably be at least 33 before you'd start UPT with the standard Interview/Paperwork/OTS wait time. Still doable I'd say, although I don't have much knowledge of age waivers beyond just knowing a couple guys who got one.  I'd blast apps out to everyone and see what bites.

 

 

[brabus]

Agree with Pitts - send your app to everyone you're interested in.  Your age will hurt you, but it's not a deal breaker for some units; the trick is finding out which units care less about age waivers.  Based on your resume highlights, I think there'd be several units willing to talk.

[FDNYOldGuy]

I got a waiver at 36 (will be 37 by the time a T6 seat graces my rear) with non-prior service, so it's entirely possible. It's all about the legwork that you put in yourself to show them (squadron, recruiter, boards, etc.) that you're ready to go and finding a unit that wants to also put in the work to get the waiver moved up the chain. Get your AFOQT/TBAS testing done, get working with a recruiter to get MEPS and (if you can) FC1 out of the way, and research/network the shit out of this site and every other person that farts in your general direction you think might be able to help. If you get all your tools working and put in max effort, anything can happen.

I just stuck with heavies because I knew competition was lighter, my chances were better, and the ball would be moving faster; all important since I was working against Father Time. I also realized in my info-gathering efforts and convos with squadrons that I'm much more of a heavy-mentality/fit kinda guy, but that'll depend on your personal preference and the MO of units you're interviewing with. I got my share of rejections or just no reply email at all for packets sent, but I went 2 for 2 for interviews (an ANG and a Reserve) when I got lucky.

I chose Reserves, besides the dudes I met/the plane/the squadron vibe hitting it out of the park, also because everything I saw pointed to the process with the Reserves being much more streamlined and quicker than ANG, although I've heard NGB is trying to speed their process up. And that was the case: I hadn't even spoken to a recruiter or taken an AFOQT a year ago and I'm heading to Inprocessing 1 year and 1 day from the when I sat down for the AFOQT, so it definitely went pretty quick.

You can certainly make it happen if you put in the work to get yourself as spun-up as possible; make connections everywhere you can that might be able to help you along the way; and put together a solid, professional packet to apply to a lot of places and don't let any rejections shut you down. All that stuff, coupled with being a good dude/bringing good "whole person" concept to the squadrons, can give you a very solid shot.  

Good luck out there. Feel free to hit me up if you have any other questions. 

[pilot]

I’m older than you and left an airline job to go fly fighters. It’s possible. Try to get on at a major in the meantime unless you have a flow. You’ll likely be on orders for 5+ years. Would suck to give up that lost potential seniority.