No Luck with Guard -- Should I go AD? Pros and Cons?

[DeskDriver2023]

Good scores (all 90s AFOQT, 99 PCSM), older duder (mid-late 20s), well liked by people, been trying to go guard with no luck and AD route is looking more appealing. Don't really give a shit what I fly at this point. PPL, anything is more exciting than a clapped out 172.

Need some honest feedback. What if I don't care about queep as that's all I've known in my career working for alphabet soup agencies in the USG? What if I don't care about getting deployed? Asshole managers/supervisors have been the norm for me. Looking for some earnest pros and cons. I'd do just about anything at this point for time away from full time desk flying land under fluorescent lights til my skin is wrinky and my dick doesn't work.

 

-DD

Edited April 16 by DeskDriver2023
typo

[stlpilot11]

How long have you been rushing units for? Have you visited the same units multiple times? What's your end goal? 

[DeskDriver2023]

Been rushing for a year and a half or so. Haven't visited anyone multiple times, only via invite and have mostly gone for fighter squadrons. End goal is to fly CAS/OCA, so mostly have been rushing A-10 and Viper units. 

[herkbum]

Multiple visits shows the unit you are interested. We never hired anyone that we hadn’t seen stop by a few times.


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[Dynasty22]

Three years of being played by AD recruiters followed by 3 more years of rushing Guard and Reserve units. Do both until you get the slot.

[nsplayr]

If you're still under the age cap (seems like you are), you could go active duty. Otherwise the above advice is good - show up multiple drill weekends in a row at your target units. Ask if you can do that, don't just wait to be invited. Bring some beer.

Open your aperture too if you're willing to fly anything. Rush heavy units as well as fighters. And I hate to say it but you could consider flying Navy too; at least talk to a semen recruiter. Good luck!

[fritz51]

Rush/apply to heavies. Worst that can happen is you get reps for your future fighter interviews. Best that can happen is you find that you actually want heavies (happened to me) and get hired.


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[Polar Bear]

On 4/15/2024 at 9:43 PM, DeskDriver2023 said:

Good scores (all 90s AFOQT, 99 PCSM), older duder (mid-late 20s), well liked by people, been trying to go guard with no luck and AD route is looking more appealing. Don't really give a shit what I fly at this point. PPL, anything is more exciting than a clapped out 172.

Need some honest feedback. What if I don't care about queep as that's all I've known in my career working for alphabet soup agencies in the USG? What if I don't care about getting deployed? Asshole managers/supervisors have been the norm for me. Looking for some earnest pros and cons. I'd do just about anything at this point for time away from full time desk flying land under fluorescent lights til my skin is wrinky and my dick doesn't work.

 

-DD

What’s wrong with AD?

[DeskDriver2023]

23 minutes ago, Polar Bear said:

What’s wrong with AD?

AD gets trashed on this board constantly as if it's a raw deal

Edited April 17 by DeskDriver2023

[stlpilot11]

As many others have mentioned, visiting the same unit multiple times is what will really get you hired. Also if you can try to stay as local as possible that is something else units love to see. If you just want to fly consider rushing heavy units as they'll have a fraction of the applicants that fighter units get. Definitely nothing wrong with AD, just depends what your goals are and if you're willing to take any assignment. We're all just a little biased here.  

[BL_224]

One other thing I would add is, if you’ve only been at it for a year and a half. Don’t lose hope, a lot of guys have been rushing and applying to unit for well over 2-3 years. This is a exercise of perseverance.  It took me about 1.5-2 years to get hired. If this is something you truly want to do keep at it and keep rushing units and showing face (like others in this thread have mentioned)

[Yeti_72]

On 4/16/2024 at 12:43 AM, DeskDriver2023 said:

Good scores (all 90s AFOQT, 99 PCSM), older duder (mid-late 20s), well liked by people, been trying to go guard with no luck and AD route is looking more appealing. Don't really give a shit what I fly at this point. PPL, anything is more exciting than a clapped out 172.

Need some honest feedback. What if I don't care about queep as that's all I've known in my career working for alphabet soup agencies in the USG? What if I don't care about getting deployed? Asshole managers/supervisors have been the norm for me. Looking for some earnest pros and cons. I'd do just about anything at this point for time away from full time desk flying land under fluorescent lights til my skin is wrinky and my dick doesn't work.

 

-DD

AD selection also isn't an easy path but yes if flying is your goal i would work both avenues. I met a guy recently who rushed the same unit for 4 years before he got hired

[Polar Bear]

23 hours ago, DeskDriver2023 said:

AD gets trashed on this board constantly as if it's a raw deal

True. The Navy/Marine peeps on Airwarriors are so much happier for whatever reason. 

[O Face]

On 4/16/2024 at 11:18 PM, Polar Bear said:

What’s wrong with AD?

[O Face]

On 4/16/2024 at 2:21 PM, DeskDriver2023 said:

Been rushing for a year and a half or so. Haven't visited anyone multiple times, only via invite and have mostly gone for fighter squadrons. End goal is to fly CAS/OCA, so mostly have been rushing A-10 and Viper units. 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a year and a half of rushing is just getting started. I know it seems like an eternity, while in your 20’s, but if you’re a gov employee, as you stated, then you certainly should understand the glacial pace the system moves in. Have you interviewed anywhere more than once?  You do realize that guard units typically select pilots only once per year?  So in a year and a half you haven’t even been through the cycle more than once.  Other than that, the advice offered to all the others on similar threads still holds true:

-Widen your net (Heavies, Reserves, USAF, USN, USMC)

-Enlist in the unit

-Practice your interview skills

-Get more flt time

-Polish up your resume

-Network

 

 

[DeskDriver2023]

2 hours ago, O Face said:

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a year and a half of rushing is just getting started. I know it seems like an eternity, while in your 20’s, but if you’re a gov employee, as you stated, then you certainly should understand the glacial pace the system moves in. Have you interviewed anywhere more than once?  You do realize that guard units typically select pilots only once per year?  So in a year and a half you haven’t even been through the cycle more than once.  Other than that, the advice offered to all the others on similar threads still holds true:

-Widen your net (Heavies, Reserves, USAF, USN, USMC)

-Enlist in the unit

-Practice your interview skills

-Get more flt time

-Polish up your resume

-Network

 

 

Thanks for the input. I do understand all of those things, and you're correct, I am just getting started in the grand scheme. My main concern is aging out - a waiver is all but a death sentence looking to go Guard/USAFR from what I can tell.

While I am lamenting my lack of progress, I am also improving my application by getting more hours/certs, reaching out to more units, bolstering my resume, and reaching out to folks who may have some contacts on the inside. Thanks for the advice.

 

-DD

Edited April 18 by DeskDriver2023

[FDNYOldGuy]

Not a fighter dude, but my guess is that, even thought you're not above the age-waiver land, Reserve/Guard fighters usually shy away from folks close to that range. They got burned by the oldies in the past bailing out mid-UPT and there are pieces to a fighter track that are tougher as an older person. You're playing a numbers game and betting on the longer shots by narrowing to fighters; more competition for fewer seats. If you really just want to fly anything, you really should start looking at heavies. 

If you want some autonomy, start rushing heavy Reserve/Guard units. As many before have said, 96.69% of people usually enjoy wherever they end up as long as they embrace it. "Bloom where you're planted." 

AD has its place...and it's life. If you want life autonomy, (more of) a choice of what you fly (depends where you're hired, obviously), and the ability to get that airline line number started years earlier, you probably are infinitely better off holding off for Guard/Reserves. You might have a "better/faster" chance flying just going AD, but you risk getting pulled by your hammer around the world. As for flying fighters, you're putting WAY more in the hands of the fates than if you get hired by a unit. Your skills, your competition...errr classmates..., available 38 slots, and the needs of the AF all dictate more than you "wanting to fly fighters." You could be a strong above average 5th in a class that gets six 38 slots or you could be a hot shit 3 in a class that gets two slots. You could get that 38 slot and they only have 2 fighters in the drop, so FAIP or bombers for you. All of that is decided by random luck and timing. Then again, some folks are in it to win it and wanna ride or die AD. It's certainly admirable and a guaranteed paycheck for 12-ish years. It really is only something you can decide. 

Lastly, look into Reserves more. Guard is great and less AD-light, but it's much more disjointed in the hiring due to the inherent state by state nature. Each Guard unit has its own separate hiring apparatus with separate recruiters; Reserves can get you started (MEPS, forms, basic intro stuff) for any airframe (I think they still do Unsponsored...) and you can begin rolling as you're rushing multiple Reserve units.

Whichever path you choose, 100% rush multiple times to the units you truly want. They're getting lots of hotdogs tossed their way; be a more memorable hotdog.

Be a good human, put in the work to make them want to pick you, and don't stop until you've gotten the last TBNT. it's tough competition and no one is gonna just hand it to you, so don't give up. 

Good luck!

Signed,

A happy Reserve heavy driver that started UPT 7 years above the age cutoff ***(DISCLAIMER: during a VERY different hiring environment, so not happening very often anymore)*** and has greatly enjoyed the adventure I've been fortunate enough to experience thus far. 

[O Face]

Excellent post by @FDNYOldGuy  well said and laid out clearly. To @DeskDriver2023: you seem to have a good attitude. Keep grinding.  I know it’s a very frustrating process, if you’re wanting to fly anything painted grey and paid for by Uncle Sam, apply everywhere. Most will agree the ANG is the best of what’s left. If heavies are interesting to you, I’d highly recommend you enlist as a Loadmaster, Boom Operator or some other enlisted flying position. My buds in ANG heavy units will all agree the best chance of getting picked up there is be a bro who they’ve flown with.   Hang in there, happy hunting. 

[bs98]

I would recommend pursuing AD/ANG/AFRC all simultaneously. For me, it was actually faster to get hired by a reserve unit since the AD recruiters couldn't get my paperwork right to save their lives. 

As for your goals and ideal air frames; I thought I saw the A-10's were going to the boneyard? Explore other mission sets that might interest you: gunships, OAK-1, CV-22, CSAR? If you find those missions to be in line with your interests, then you can go into AD with ideal airframes in helo, heavy, and fighters and not be too upset with whatever track you find yourself in.