Alert Detachments

[Guest skipro101]

Florida ANG fighter wing has an alert detachment in homestead florida. Anyone here know how the alert detachment thing works? There are several other units that I am considering that have them...most of the time they seem to be in the better of the two locations.

Do newbie pilots generally stay with the main base or what? Anyone from Florida who can help me out? Homestead is so close to Miami and man that sounds nice...

Thanks!

[PapaJu]

Well not sure but I think I can help.

The detachment is a protector of the southern tip of the US. Also doing this are the Reserve 482nd wing also at Homestead and the Naval wing at Key West. This ANG unit is a 24 hr on-call unit, so it's consisted of locals who can quickly answer the call. The F-16 Reserve unit may take 2 days to mobilize, so the ANG unit dates back to the Cold War era to protect the US from Soviet threats in Cuba. They fly F-15's.

Just to give you an indication of where the AFB is, Homestead is located approx 30 mi south of Miami. It's really the middle of nowhere, lots of farmland around here. Homestead and Florida City (small municipality bordering it to the south) are the last cities on the Florida mainland before you hit the Keys. It's not such a long haul, probably 30-45 minutes from where you'd most likely live.

As far as the wing goes, I know a couple of guys in the 482nd and it sounds like a good wing. Get to do training missions out over Biscayne Bay and the like, I'm guessing the 125th does the same. Not sure why you'd want to move to Miami (unless you're a northerner or something ), but Florida does have its opportunities. Good luck.

[ 12 March 2004, 23:23: Message edited by: sleepyfenian3 ]

[Guest AirGuardian]

Posted by sleepyfenian3

"Not sure why you'd want to move to Miami (unless you're a northerner or something!"

My guess is the South beach area of young age modeling types.... Now that's a TEN(Tan bodies, Ethnic relations, and Narcotics) Opportunities for some, security clearance breakers for others. Have fun!

[PapaJu]

Well that's Miami BEACH you're talking about-the original post, which I was referring to, said "Miami." :D

[Guest skipro101]

Thanks for the info sleepy!

Yea, I live in ohio and I want to be someplace where it never goes below 50. Ever! hehe....unless there is good skiing around...then ill make an exception

Im going to apply to

Florida 125th Fighter (f-15s)

Louisiana 159th Fighter (f-16s?? im not sure)

Hawaii 199th Fighter (f-15s)

Toledo 180th Fighter (f-16s) (home state, so family is close and its home...so ill make an exception for the crappy weather)

Colorado 120th Fighter (f-16s) (good skiing!)

Fresno 144th Fighter wing (f-16s) (or maybe F22s with the marriage of units)

I Florida is my dream choice, with ohio hawaii and louisiana comming in close second.

Wish me luck.

[ 14 March 2004, 20:47: Message edited by: skipro101 ]

[Guest thtflyer]

Originally posted by skipro101:

Thanks for the info sleepy!

Yea, I live in ohio and I want to be someplace where it never goes below 50. Ever! hehe....unless there is good skiing around...then ill make an exception

Im going to apply to

Florida 125th Fighter (f-15s)

Louisiana 159th Fighter (f-16s?? im not sure)

Hawaii 199th Fighter (f-15s)

Toledo 180th Fighter (f-16s) (home state, so family is close and its home...so ill make an exception for the crappy weather)

Colorado 120th Fighter (f-16s) (good skiing!)

Fresno 144th Fighter wing (f-16s) (or maybe F22s with the marriage of units)

I Florida is my dream choice, with ohio hawaii and louisiana comming in close second.

Wish me luck.

Just a heads up, Fresno isn't real friendly to anyone not already in the unit.

[Guest riceowl63]

Louisianna is -15s. I here they like to hire from within the unit too.

[Guest skipro101]

"Fresno isn't real friendly to anyone not already in the unit."

"I hear they like to hire from within too"

Heh, yea, im going into this assuming that all units are like that. I mean, you're never going to hear "yea, i hear ### unit likes to hire people they have no relationship with at all"

I understand some units are more strict on it than others, but im wondering how many people get hired without being in the unit first.

Im not going to enlist...so I really cant get around being an "outsider". :rolleyes:

[Guest AirGuardian]

Never know unless you try! Basketball saying: "You'll never make the shot you never take!"

Just have your stuff together and be unique in a good way - personality carries alot of weight. You've got to remember these boards have been going on for decades, so they already know what they want - being exceptional and personable never hurts. In-house guys bring alot of "having worked with/for the unit" experience, so try to leverage outside talents of yours that are unique to you! Chef/Bartender/Mechanic/Waiter/whatever will always have some sort of spin-off as far as having learned something about people/things. Maybe the unit is looking for a ringer for their baseball team, etc. and you were an all-state champion, all I'm saying is who knows what might help! Best of luck to you all!

[Guest skipro101]

thanks! Ill be sure to play all the angles.

[Guest Luke]

Skipro,

Be careful about applying to Hawaii. When they interview, they are interviewing for F-15 and I believe the other was kc-135. It is not an interview for just F-15's. Second, make sure you save your money and think you have a good shot, otherwise you will be like me, $1,500 in the hole for an unscheduled vacation. I got an alternate slot, but in the guard it doesnt count for a whole lot! Have to admit, it was a nice trip though.

[Guest skipro101]

Lucky,

wow, ..did you end up going with them?

When you say F-15s and KC-135's, do you mean that you dont get to choose which one your applying for? That would stink.

Right now, I have 1.5 years left of school, and HI doesnt want to look at you untill you have graduated...so i wont be applying there this year. When I do, ill be sure to go into it with the idea of getting a nice vacation..with an visit to the base as a nice addition.

Thanks for posting!

PS...did they seem nice?

[Scooter14]

I know you guys are in it to fly the fast-movers and I think that's great, but consider one thing about a unit like Hawaii. If, for some reason, you get done with Tweets and you don't have the scores to go on to T-38's, or you get done with -38's and don't have the scores to go to IFF, or you wash out of IFF, you're probably going to have to find another unit to sponsor you the rest of the way. That unit won't be a fighter unit, either.

With Hawaii, if you have a problem like that, they'll let you stay in the unit as a Tanker/C-17 pilot, you'll go through Tones, you won't have to call another unit to beg them to pick you up, and you'll go back to Hickam. Not a bad location.

I don't see this as a drawback, I see it as a great way to keep your options open.

BTW, two of the Hawaii guys to go through here so far since I've been here have gone to T-38's. Both good dudes, too.

[Guest Luke]

Skipro,

You dont really get to choose as far as I know. They seemed like a pretty cool bunch of dudes. From what I also understand, they really like to select from their own unit. A pilot at my base was once selected for a slot from them, and then somehow denied because he wasnt from there. Dont have the full story, but that is what he told me. Like I said, I liked the trip, but my wallet didnt!!

[Guest skipro101]

Ya, Im hearing that a lot lately...units want people from their own units.

All I can do is try my best....