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Scheduling TBAS between Active Duty and Guard/Reserve


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Posted

Hi,

I'm applying for both active duty and guard/reserve (OTS and hopefully UPT) to maximize my chances of a pilot slot. But I'm a little confused on how it works when taking on both routes at once. It's important to note that I'll be 32 years old in September so I'm really trying to get a lot done at once.

I took the AFOQT through active duty (99 pilot) . My recruiter scheduled it for me at a MEPS station. Now I'm ready for the TBAS. And the Medical.

He can schedule the TBAS for me, at the earliest, for mid July. He told me that I'm kind of "locked" to the MEPS station I took the AFOQT at and he wouldn't be able to relocate me to another one without a lot of "red tape". The next active duty rated board is in September. 

I'm close to finishing up my guard/reserve package with LORs and everything else (PPL check ride in a couple of weeks). Just waiting on the PCSM score because of the TBAS and flight hours (my recruiter told me he'll add them later).

The issue really is that I want to take the TBAS earlier at a different location. A lot of the guard units I want have UPT package submission deadlines between mid to end of July and I'd really like to have my PCSM before that. 

My question is:

Should I tell my active duty recruiter about this? That I'm applying for guard/reserve as well and would like to have my MEPS / TBAS at a different location if it can be done earlier? 

Or should I just ask individual guard unit recruiters about that?

And if I did somehow manage to take the TBAS through a guard unit or AFROTC detachment, will that automatically be combined with my AFOQT and flight hours on my active duty profile? In other words, is there a central database of PCSM scores and Medical Screening that is shared among active duty and guard/reserve? 

2 answers to this question

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Posted (edited)

You don't necessarily need to go through a recruiter to take the TBAS. I had better luck cold calling the POC/Test Controller listed for the Education Office at a number of Air Force bases within a day's drive of me.

As far as I'm aware PCSM scores are universal through AFPC.

Edited by NABO
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Posted

Yeah, if you’re waiting on a recruiter to make things happen quickly, you’re gonna age out.
 

And, FWIW, the age waiver is for the moment you start UPT; not the date you’re hired, so it’s likely gonna be on the radar of hiring units, anyway. Especially with Guard’s disjointed process, there’s a chance they make you run a waiver anyway. I know you’ve got a little over a year, but with the process hiccups and high competition (not to mention if you’re trying fighters), I wouldn’t feel overly comfortable that you’ve got it locked without a waiver and maybe get out ahead of that process before you interview, too. Especially if you don’t have medical done/scheduled yet.

Try what @NABO said above, or call every ROTC unit within the distance you’re willing to travel and plead your case. No guarantees they let you, but at least you’re trying and not waiting on a recruiter to do the heavy lifting. 

As for the database sharing of scores and what not, I’m not 100% sure. I remember there being an issue with Res and Guard with who “owns” your MEPS packet and, I think, that also applies to FC1 (more so with who pays for it “owns” it).

Good luck!

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