Need advice...Got AD and Reserve UPT slots
After 6 years in the AF as a non-rated dude I finally received a necessary medical waiver and am now pilot qualified. I’ve been lucky enough to get a reserve UPT slot to fly airlift (C-5’s) and am stoked to have this awesome opportunity. However, even before I applied to reserve/ANG units, I put in an application for the annual active duty UPT board to try all possible avenues. The board results came out today and I got a slot, so now I have to make a tough decision between two great opportunities: reserves vs AD.
The reserve lifestyle really appeals to me (homesteading, no staff tours, quicker path to the airlines, etc) however going active duty offers the chance to compete for a pointy-nose jet, which has always been a dream. All of my friends that fly heavies say to go the reserve route while my friends flying fighters say to role the dice with active duty to maybe get a fighter. Given that I’ll have 7 years under my belt when I finish UPT and incur the 10 year commitment, if I go active duty I’ll obviously be in for 20 years. I’d like to stay in the cockpit as long as possible with the goal of eventually ending up in the airlines. I’ve read enough posts indicating it’s financially a wash between retiring from active duty and then flying with an airline or getting with a reserve unit early and getting seniority quicker (but no active duty retirement). One person’s advice that resonated with me was, “this will be your one and only chance to fly a fighter while the airlines will always be there.” But that’s countered by what seems to be a much better quality of life in the reserves.
I’d really appreciate anyone’s opinion as to what route I should take. Thanks!!