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ANG- Looking for answers

Old 08-09-2015, 04:39 PM
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Default ANG- Looking for answers

Hi everyone,
Im considering joining ANG but I can't seem to find the info that I would like to have.
I am currently 20 years old and will be a sophomore at a state university next fall. I have my PPL and am hoping to at least be IFR by the end of my college career. By joining the guard I hope to get a pilot slot because flying military aircraft has always been a far fetched dream of mine. I am not looking to join the guard to receive free training or to get my college tuition paid for, I simply think it would be great experience for later life.

Should I wait until after college to join the ANG if at all?
Is there a "basic training" period after i join the ANG?
If so, what does it consist of?
How many ratings will I earn under the ANG training?
What are the chances of being considered for a fighter slot?
How often will I be able to fly with the guard if I do enter?

As you can tell I know never little about the ANG but would appreciate any and all answers!! Thanks
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Old 08-09-2015, 06:21 PM
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Start here

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/n9...-reserves.html

then go here

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/n9...ary-route.html

This should get you going in the right direction. Do some more searching on the topic on this forum and baseops.net. Beware asking questions there without doing research, it's a pretty tough crowd on the newbies. Don't start multiple threads asking the same questions over and over.

Good luck
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Old 08-09-2015, 06:24 PM
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You can join as an enlisted now, if the unit is accepting recruits.
Yes, AF Basic training, if you enlist plus any tech schools for your AFSC.
Not sure nowadays, plus probably the least you would do is 6-9 months total.
You don't earn ratings; you eventually earn your wings, FAA Comm, MEL and Instrument, like any AF pilot.
Yes, any unit plane that accepts you for UPT.
Pretty much as much as you want.

Find units in your area, ANG or AF Reserves and visit a recruiter AND, most importantly, meet some officers in the flying unit(s). Some units want to see you commit by joining as an enlisted, others not so much. You will have to pass the writtens, the entry physical and whatever unit interviewing process. It's pretty competitive in some locations and begging in others.

GF
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Old 08-09-2015, 06:29 PM
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Thank you both for the info!
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Old 08-10-2015, 07:39 AM
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Lots of upward movement in the ANG right now. We have lots of Lt Col's with 20+ years, senior enough at their airlines who that just don't feel like spending 60+ days in the desert every 12-14 months so they're pulling the plug. The ANG is a great place for a Lt Col to park himself and make $45,000 a year in a part-time job, but as soon as the ops tempo kicks up a knotch noone wants to be here.
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Old 08-10-2015, 11:09 PM
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Cool Do not enlist if you are already in school!

Clay,
You do not have the time as a person looking to fly in the guard to screw around with enlisting as a lot of the UPT boards have 25-27 year old cutoffs, yes you can be 29.5 and still make it happen, as I did, but why chance it? If you enlist, they ask for 4 years minimum as a rule of thumb and remember you need to meet the boards requirements if you want a guard unit. Also, you might be able to get a service, ie officer recruiter, not enlisted, to pay off the rest of your degree. Then get commissioned and off to flight training. I have been an officer in two services and have too many nightmare enlisted recruiter stories. They have a job and that's to meet their quota, just ask them. Hope this helps. Natty
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Old 08-10-2015, 11:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Natty View Post
Clay,
You do not have the time as a person looking to fly in the guard to screw around with enlisting as a lot of the UPT boards have 25-27 year old cutoffs, yes you can be 29.5 and still make it happen, as I did, but why chance it? If you enlist, they ask for 4 years minimum as a rule of thumb and remember you need to meet the boards requirements if you want a guard unit. Also, you might be able to get a service, ie officer recruiter, not enlisted, to pay off the rest of your degree. Then get commissioned and off to flight training. I have been an officer in two services and have too many nightmare enlisted recruiter stories. They have a job and that's to meet their quota, just ask them. Hope this helps. Natty
OP is 20 years old. That is plenty of time. He can wait two years to start chasing this dream as on off the street candidate when he gets a degree. Or, if he finds the right unit that likes him and puts him in a loadmaster or maintainer slot he is doing a two year pre interview while he finishes a degree. It seems in my 16 years at UPT that there are plenty of prior enlisted (some prior AD) who have gotten to pilot training for ANG/AFRC at 24 to 25 years of age, and some all the way to the limit of 30. I've seen folks enlisted in one unit get picked up by other units. Just like investing, don't put all your eggs in one basket.
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Old 08-11-2015, 02:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Tweetdrvr View Post
OP is 20 years old. That is plenty of time. He can wait two years to start chasing this dream as on off the street candidate when he gets a degree. Or, if he finds the right unit that likes him and puts him in a loadmaster or maintainer slot he is doing a two year pre interview while he finishes a degree. It seems in my 16 years at UPT that there are plenty of prior enlisted (some prior AD) who have gotten to pilot training for ANG/AFRC at 24 to 25 years of age, and some all the way to the limit of 30. I've seen folks enlisted in one unit get picked up by other units. Just like investing, don't put all your eggs in one basket.
I agree. I enlisted in the ANG at 20 as a boom operator with 2 years of college under my belt. Spent way more time than I should have finishing my degree, but still got picked up for a pilot slot. Very few units that I know of have age cut offs as low as 25 now days, some maybe as low as 27. I think the cutoff in my state is 28 (must start UPT prior to 30). I would do some research on what and where you would like to fly. If you are interested in a specific unit talk to the pilots there. Many ANG units will put a lot of emphasis on hiring prior enlisted airman over off the street guys. I have sat on interview boards and I can tell you that the "I want to serve my country" answer is a hell of a lot easier when you are in the interview wearing a uniform. I hear off the street guys tell me all of the time that they have always dreamed of serving their country, but when I ask "If we don't hire you as a pilot would you enlist?" they look at me like I asked them if I could sleep with their wife. The ANG is looking for people that want to be in the military not guys that just want to be pilots/ want a fast track to the majors (not that the OP said/implied that, just throwing that out there.)
Also, I haven't heard of any min commitment after enlisting prior to commissioning. If you accept a enlistment bonus their may be a clause that prohibits commissioning, but that only means you would have to pay back the bonus. Regardless, a four year enlistment prior to commissioning is nothing. You will eat up 2 years of it finishing your degree and another year just waiting to start UPT since most units hire at least 1 year prior to your anticipated start date.
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Old 08-11-2015, 09:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Hansel View Post
I agree. I enlisted in the ANG at 20 as a boom operator with 2 years of college under my belt. Spent way more time than I should have finishing my degree, but still got picked up for a pilot slot. Very few units that I know of have age cut offs as low as 25 now days, some maybe as low as 27. I think the cutoff in my state is 28 (must start UPT prior to 30). I would do some research on what and where you would like to fly. If you are interested in a specific unit talk to the pilots there. Many ANG units will put a lot of emphasis on hiring prior enlisted airman over off the street guys. I have sat on interview boards and I can tell you that the "I want to serve my country" answer is a hell of a lot easier when you are in the interview wearing a uniform. I hear off the street guys tell me all of the time that they have always dreamed of serving their country, but
when I ask "If we don't hire you as a pilot would you enlist?" they look at me like I asked them if I could sleep with their wife. The ANG is looking for people that want to be in the military not guys that just want to be pilots/ want a fast track to the majors (not that the OP said/implied that, just throwing that out there.)
Also, I haven't heard of any min commitment after enlisting prior to commissioning. If you accept a enlistment bonus their may be a clause that prohibits commissioning, but that only means you would have to pay back the bonus. Regardless, a four year enlistment prior to commissioning is nothing. You will eat up 2 years of it finishing your degree and another year just waiting to start UPT since most units hire at least 1 year prior to your anticipated start date.
Guys,
I totally agree on rushing the unit. I do not agree if a unit, who knows you just paid for college, on your own, then asks you if you will enlist to show your serious. Just tell them the truth that you paid for your degree and want to start pilot training at a young age as you hope to be in a leadeship role some day, they will back off. I also agree the guard is more enlisted to officer friendly, but if they are willing to take him for UPT, then that's what we should be advising him to do. If they were to guarantee him UPT after two-four years enlisted, that's different. We all know there are no guarantees in life. I agree at UPT there are older folks coming through, but I have also been a maintenance group commander and seen the opposite thing happen when someone gets deployed etc and the time slipped by. I have also seen the same folks get married and have kids and then they feel behind and change their mind, I am sure you have seen the same. The good thing is he can take all of the advice we are giving him and do his own research. All of us have had different life experiences. The financial side of things have not been discussed, so my advice is go to a military pay scale chart and see if you can even afford to go enlisted post school with possible school loans etc, another eye opener for some of the troops out there. There are plenty of units out there that will not ask you to go enlisted to prove your intents. Just get out there and start rushing, never too early. Best, Natty
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Old 08-11-2015, 10:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Natty View Post
Guys,
I totally agree on rushing the unit. I do not agree if a unit, who knows you just paid for college, on your own, then asks you if you will enlist to show your serious. Just tell them the truth that you paid for your degree and want to start pilot training at a young age as you hope to be in a leadeship role some day, they will back off. I also agree the guard is more enlisted to officer friendly, but if they are willing to take him for UPT, then that's what we should be advising him to do. If they were to guarantee him UPT after two-four years enlisted, that's different. We all know there are no guarantees in life. I agree at UPT there are older folks coming through, but I have also been a maintenance group commander and seen the opposite thing happen when someone gets deployed etc and the time slipped by. I have also seen the same folks get married and have kids and then they feel behind and change their mind, I am sure you have seen the same. The good thing is he can take all of the advice we are giving him and do his own research. All of us have had different life experiences. The financial side of things have not been discussed, so my advice is go to a military pay scale chart and see if you can even afford to go enlisted post school with possible school loans etc, another eye opener for some of the troops out there. There are plenty of units out there that will not ask you to go enlisted to prove your intents. Just get out there and start rushing, never too early. Best, Natty
I will agree that the key is to do your research and talk to the units that you are interested in. Each organization is unique and have different desires. I will also agree that if you decide to finish college than the best option (at least initially) would be to not enlist. At that pint you might as well start applying.

My advice, for what it's worth, enlist now in an Ops centric career field (life support, crew chief, enlisted aircrew if you are interested in heavies, etc - Not security forces, personnel etc), let the ANG pay for your remaining school and then apply for a UPT slot. But that is merely the route that worked for me, as Natty stated, listen to everyone's advice and decide what works best for you.
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