ANG Fighter Pilot Lifestyle

[EvilEagle]

Scoobs, so far I've been in the guard for about 3 weeks, 2 of them I was TDY. I can't speak too much to the big differences yet, however from what I've seen so far, this is going to be a much better fit for me.

[shift]

So a kid finally walks into his squadron feeling 10 feet tall with 508 seasoning days ahead of him and the impression he is God's gift to aviation. He dreams really are coming true. He is positive he will get offered a full time position when Joe Bag-o-donuts full timer retires in two years. There are all these airline guys hanging around talking about their great lives in front of him (the Lts don't get to listen to the quieter conversations when the guys huddle in the Flt CCs offices and ask each other if they think their A/B funds are safe or if the stock options will ever be worth more than $1.10 a share or if the company will still be around in 18 months or how the work rules have become so tough that it is really hard to even think about walking away from the wife and kids for 1/2 a day to get a fight-tank-fight at the "F-ing Guard" as their wife likes to call it). The Lt is sure that his fantastic squadron mates with their airline pirate stories about far flung drunken travels with Jack and Coke and super hot hostitutes will personally introduce them to the chief pilot of every major airline the very day he gets enough hours.

Then they walk into the blast furnace. It's not really a blast furnace but it seems like it to them. They see AD patch wearers coming around to interview for the full time positions and the Lts think they are getting screwed by the unit for not offering them the full time job. They also find out that there are not enough days coming down from the Guard Bureau for everyone to get their sorties. All the commanders talk about is "where are we going to get the days for this and that"...suddenly the hopes of "Guard Bumming" are dashed and that expensive new signature "That's right ladies...I'm a FIGHTER PILOT" sports car, Top Gun motorcycle, expensive boat and three bedroom house seem like a bad idea.

To top it all off, they are getting sh!t on for...not being on the right freq, when they are on the right freq they say the wrong thing, not being in position, missing the target, making switch errors, not knowing the threats, screwing up the EP, not being at the ops desk, the bar is dirty, we're out of beer, why aren't you in the vault...

The intensity of the crap seems to go up as the number of seasoning days gets shorter. Now it looks like I won't become a flight lead before my seasoning days are over. My Flight Commander is asking me what I plan to do for a job in four months when the unit cuts the cord. A job? Are they serious? Am I really not going to get paid to come in and study and fly and drink beer anymore? This is my job! I'm a fighter pilot! Haven't they seen my car and motorcycle and boat and big ass house? WTFO?!

Maybe I can go on active duty for a year or two and get some upgrades and then come back to the unit to compete for one of the full time instructor positions. My flight commander thinks that's a good idea and he gives me the phone number of the fighter assignments guy at Randolph. What, you're not taking Guard Babies into the active duty fighter squadrons...in fact AD guys are allowed to Palace Chase into the Guard at will right now? Wait a second, when I was "on active duty" during all my training everyone told me how lucky I was to be going to the guard. Why won't they let me suck up the bad deals on AD?

Holy Crap, this isn't how my dream is supposed to end!

That's what ANG fighter pilot life can be like for a young guy.

Here's the bottom line guys. Before you depart for UPT have a plan for what you are going to do full time when you get back. A Guard unit is a part-time gig and will not pay your bills overall. I suggest looking at it that way, therefore preparing for it, rather than the (what I've seen as) standard attitude and lack of planning of new guys coming back who ALL want that cushy full time job at the unit, and with the about-me SNAPS even a touch of expecting a full time position, doing every weasely thing to try and get one, then pissed and "I got screwed" if they don't. Sure, it's great and sometimes the timing works out. But your unit doesn't "owe you" a full time position and as a new guy in a Guard unit is usually a bad move (unless attitude/potential to go to WIC or all around ass-kicking guy, and a full-time guy leaves). The 2 years (roughly) you are gone plus the 1.5-2 years of orders you get upon return may seem like a long time, but it goes by quick. Again, have a plan. Worst is to NOT have one, then you are scrambling for money/jobs at the same time trying to get to the Guard 8-10 days a month, you're new and suck, you're flight commander is on you because you're new, suck, and aren't around, etc.

HAVE A PLAN.

Barney

This thread is gold and it has really got me thinking. I have been offered a position at a fighter unit as well as a heavy unit both in a short period of time. My dilemma is the location of each. The heavy unit is close to where I currently live. I would be able to keep my current civilian job that pays well and was pretty difficult to get. If I go with the fighter unit I will have to move too far to keep my current job and will more or less be "scrambling" for a job during/after seasoning.

[devilviper]

This thread is gold and it has really got me thinking. I have been offered a position at a fighter unit as well as a heavy unit both in a short period of time. My dilemma is the location of each. The heavy unit is close to where I currently live. I would be able to keep my current civilian job that pays well and was pretty difficult to get. If I go with the fighter unit I will have to move too far to keep my current job and will more or less be "scrambling" for a job during/after seasoning.

Pretty tough to pass up a guard fighter slot. You've got four years to put together an employment plan; you only get one chance in life to become a fighter guy. In four years, who knows if your current employer will still be around or if you'll even want to work there. Nothing is guaranteed, but depending on where your unit is, there are ample opportunities for aggressive young guys in the commercial sector.

Since I only post infrequently, I'll share my background. I'm guard fighter baby whom went traditional right after seasoning and I'm not a airline pilot - I'm in the technology business world. My comments are through that lens - I don't know much about an airline career. Balancing a real job and the guard is certainly not easy - but it is doable and far more rewarding than I could have imagined. Nothing will be handed to you on plate - on either the guard or civilian side of your life, but then again if you want to be a fighter guy, you probably (or at least should) have an affinity for tough challenges. You do have one distinct advantage over the AD guys who come to the guard and then try to go traditional: you've had a real civilian job before. Further, you'll be able to transition back to the civilian world far sooner in your career. It's very different for a 35 year old AD major looking to transition into the business world than a 26 year old captain.

Good luck - you're fortunate to have the chance to be among an increasingly scarce breed - guard fighter babies.

DV

[SocialD]

This thread is gold and it has really got me thinking. I have been offered a position at a fighter unit as well as a heavy unit both in a short period of time. My dilemma is the location of each. The heavy unit is close to where I currently live. I would be able to keep my current civilian job that pays well and was pretty difficult to get. If I go with the fighter unit I will have to move too far to keep my current job and will more or less be "scrambling" for a job during/after seasoning.

If it's even a question, you've already found your answer...

FWIW, being a young guy in a fighter squadron is the best just in the world!

[trailmix]

I haven't posted on this forum since I got my ANG fighter slot 6 years ago- but I felt compelled to throw in my $.02 here.

I originally agreed with B-O about his comment "You will either sell your mother to be a fighter pilot or you wont" and when I got the phone call at work that I had a slot (sts) my very next call was to my boss to say "Thanks for everything- I'm outta here" And my initial thought was: If you're the type of of person who is asking about deployments etc. before making the decision then chances are you're going to mentally fold up somewhere between IFF and B-course. Because you have to want it... bad enough to sacrifice more than just a few months in the sand box. Long days, studying in the vault, endless queep, checkrides etc.

So, here are my last 2 years of experience being a MR fighter dude in the guard. I have loved it. I have had AGR employment the whole time without having to worry about an MC-12 tour,being an ALO, or TAMI 21. I also haven't had to worry about PCSing every 3 years and keeping my flying billet. I didn't have to worry about what airplane was up on the screen behind me at assignment night. I've had the benefit of MQT and FLUG with highly experienced 2-3000 hour IPs who have been in the jet for 20 years. I've been to the AOR twice, for about 3 months each time. Do you have to go to the AOR as a guardsman? No... but if you dont want to put bombs on target, why are you signing up? Loops to music? Could my base get BRAC'd tomorrow? Sure could- but as a young MR fighter pilot you are in demand and getting a job at a different unit is easily doable. If not- you're back on the street where you are now but with a nice bit of experience for your resume.

So really the only question is: Do you want to be a warrior? Do you want to fly, fight and WIN or just fly? Do you want to be in an elite fraternity of pilots with a common bond that spans generations? Are you willing to sacrifice more than just 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer?

Think about it... hope that helps.

TM!

PS- Parting shot: if you have been offered a fighter slot and had to think about... don't take it.

[devilviper]

PS- Parting shot: if you have been offered a fighter slot and had to think about... don't take it.

Social D and Trailmix: Shack!

If you're not willing to give up your left nut to fly fighters, you might want to do some serious soul-searching. The training pipeline (which goes way past RTU), is not a cakewalk - at several points you'll be relying on sheer determination/desire to get through.

DV

[Guest]

I have had AGR employment the whole time,,,

Could my base get BRAC'd tomorrow? Sure could- but as a young MR fighter pilot you are in demand and getting a job at a different unit is easily doable.

Holy shit, really? There are that many ANG fighter units looking to hire a two year experienced guy as an AGR full timer out there?

That's unfuckingbelieveable.

[Termy]

AGR? No. But at least in the F-16 guard units, getting hired as a MR junior captain is not too tough right now. I think the combo of the 10 year UPT commitment and to a lesser extent the fact not everyone makes it through the pipeline means that guard units always look for "young but mission ready" guys. When my last viper guard unit lost its jets, every O4 and below that wanted to continue to fly vipers found a new home. (rough breakdown: three agr, four full time art, and a couple traditionals.)

[Guest]

AGR? No.

Noted. Thanks.

But at least in the F-16 guard units, getting hired as a MR junior captain is not too tough right now.

That's good news.

Not sure how to manage your scientific assessment of available openings except to say getting hired as an MR junior Capt traditional guardsman and that same guy becoming and AGR pilot are a long way apart...which was my apparently too subtle hint.

The training pipeline (which goes way past RTU), is not a cakewalk - at several points you'll be relying on sheer determination/desire to get through. DV

Compared to becoming a herbivore where the "training pipeline" is a cakewalk?

[Termy]

I think what was too subtle was trailmix writing in two separate sentences two different issues: finding agr work and finding a job at a different unit. I didn't read what he said as those being one in the same; they most certainly are not.

[trailmix]

Holy shit, really? There are that many ANG fighter units looking to hire a two year experienced guy as an AGR full timer out there?

That's unfuckingbelieveable.

Yes, there are. Fewer UPT slots, a 10-year AD committment slump, and NGB turning off all TX courses means the young side of the house is very empty. I went AGR to AGR as an inexperienced 1LT, and the guard picked up the PCS tab. Again, I'm only conveying my experience, which has been great thus far. Even if I had to go to being a TR I would have gladly taken it (sts) as oppsoed to converting to the pred.

The bigger issue in question here isn't emplyment status.... the question is: "Do you want to be a fighter pilot or not? Do you want it enough to be a TR guy and work outside of the guard if we can't keep you on full time?" Staying AGR is just gravy- you're staring at a guaranteed single-seat cockpit and "shift" was asking the wrong questions IMHO. So why don't you have a scotch and chill out a bit?