Old 11-12-2017, 07:51 AM
  #4  
BeatNavy
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Joined APC: Jun 2015
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Originally Posted by BigIron View Post
i know of several Marine Corps RW pilots that are now flying KC-135, definitely possible.
The USMC/USN (and USAF) helo guys all went through fixed wing training initially, which the AF counts for the sake of transferring wings through an ARB when they come into the ANG, so they don’t have to do UPT again. Maybe T1s, but i know one who went from his helo tours straight to Altus. The army only does straight helos initially in their UPT equivalent. Even army fixed wing, a short course in Cessna 182s and King airs (which just transitioned to some other small single engine in lieu of the 182), and which is taught by contractors, is not recognized by the USAF as legitimate fixed wing instruction or good enough to count for UPT, and full UPT is still required for army guys going to ANG/USAFR, and the associated age/commissioned time in service limits for UPT apply, which is the big limfac for army guys (FWQ did not have those limitations, but that is gone now). I know of a few high time fixed wing army guys who flew a few thousand hours in king airs, Dash 7s, C27s, and UC35s and still had to go through UPT or FWQ (before FWQ was ended) when they switched.

This is why the Army guys (especially commissioned) have such a big disadvantage. It’s 1.5-2 years before the unit gets them back from training. So by the time the ADSC from army flight school is up, most people are 29/30 or older, and unless they were warrants, they are senior captains/majors. Fighter units especially, but even heavy units, don’t seem to want those types, especially since waivers/ETPs are required for UPT. I’m not saying it’s impossible. After a long time rushing it worked for out for me, and I know of a few other army guys (some flyers, some ground pounders) who made it into UPT. I haven’t met one other former army pilot who was commissioned the whole time in the army and who went to UPT. The others i know were warrants first and then LTs when the ANG/USAFR hired them, or ground pounders who could get out at year 4 or 5. Being a senior captain RW only guy is not an ideal position when rushing guard units. But it isn’t impossible, and the shortage is helping.
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