Originally Posted by mayutt

Especially with current drawdowns, I would think you would be wise to apply for both AD and Guard slots. The USAF/ANG may decide which you do for you.

Originally Posted by crewdawg

Go over to the baseops.net forum and read around a little and you'll get most of your questions answered. More or less there is A LOT less BS and a lot more flying. More control over what you fly/where you live. Also, on AD you could possible be sent to UAVs or have your next assignment be a non-flying job (not always a bad thing, but I'm guessing you just want to fly). The downside is there are budget cuts coming soon and who knows if your chosen unit will still be there, but you can move from unit to unit, of your choosing (as long as they like you and will hire you). Also, the Guard can't guarantee you paycheck for the next 10-12 years. Having said all that, go Guard and never look back. Goodluck!

Just remember, you're and officer first and pilot second.

Originally Posted by Agflyer

Go visit your local guard unit and see what they have to say. I doubt any of them regret the path they've taken. I don't think you'd find the same level of satisfaction at ANY active duty unit you might visit.

Originally Posted by drago630

Don't be discouraged, most units don't require 2,500 hours to apply. Many units will still hire folks off the street and send them to pilot training. It all depends on the current manning of the unit including age, experience, etc.

I would do both and keep options open. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Talk with some of the pilots in the guard unit and find out what the culture is of that unit. That determines the lifestyle in most guard units.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by rickair7777

First question is what do you envision yourself doing in 20 years? Do want to be flying airplanes, maybe airlines or do you think you might like to move on to other things?

AD BS factor is higher but there are leadership and other opportunities which can only be found in the AD. I personally had a couple of rare opportunities to do some very fulfilling AD jobs while in the Navy reserve, but I never saw any ANG people in those roles.

Personally I would go guard if I had to do it all over but I hesitate to dictate to a young person who hasn't had all of the experiences I have. You need to make up your own mind.

If you just want to fly, ANG for sure.

Regrading sequestration...you'd need a crystal ball to know how that's going to play out. Will it even happen? Will AD, reserve, or guard bear a lopsided proportion of the pain? Who knows. The navy has pretty much already said that our reserves will not be cut, but will rather be used as a less-costly means to pick up the slack from the AD cuts.

Another advantage to ANG is you can pick a unit that's not going UAVs in the immediate future. I'm not sure if AD will guarantee you manned aircraft at this point (I think they are going to split the pipeline souring eventually).

Apply to everything, if you get two offers at once, then choose.

Originally Posted by kaputt

Alright, so figured I would update this thread. Especially since I have a new question to ask, though it's sort of along the same lines.

I was not picked up for the ANG board. They had 80 applicants so it was very competitive. Certainly was a great learning experience going through the process though. Seems like an awesome unit with a great mission.

Anyway, I kept my package in for the Active Duty board, and as a matter of fact the board met this week and the results will be posted on February 27th. However I also recently found out that I was selected to interview for a Reserve KC-135 unit. So my question now is, what are some of your thoughts on going the Reserves route vs going active duty? Is it similar to the Guard?

One thing to keep in mind is I will probably hear about Active Duty before I get an answer from the Reserve unit. Would it be wise to turn down a pilot slot from active duty (assuming AD selects me of course) in order to pursue a potential reserve slot? Or should I just take the first thing to offer me? For what its worth I love flying, want to fly as long as possible, and would want to work for the airlines at some point in the future.

On another note, for those of you with knowledge, how rewarding is the KC-135 mission? Especially on the Reserve side?

Thank you in advance. This whole thread has already been a big help.