Rama

Air Guard units are a good way to go.
you could still work in the civilian sector after training.

ThatOneAviator

I have heard about this and also the coast guard. I want to look more into these.

ipdanno

Realize that Air National GUARD (ANG) and Coast GUARD (USCG) mean two very different things. The USCG is a full time Active Duty federal entity, just like the Navy, Army, Marines and Air Force (shall we include the US Space Force?). The USCG has a Reserve component, just like the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force.

I know the AF Reserves (and ANG) will send someone to Undergraduate Pilot Training, and maybe the Army reserves, but I don’t think the Navy, Marine or CG reserves will send anyone to UPT. I’m not sure. I believe they get their aviators from separating active duty folks.

The Air National Guard is much closer to the Air Force Reserves than to the USCG. The ANG is primarily controlled at the State level, but all flight training is through the active duty Air Force, the same as the AF Reserve.

If one were to join the ANG or AFRes, one could expect about two-three years of fully active service, 1 1/2 of that at UPT+, the next year+ at your unit doing training and seasoning. Then revert to Traditional status and return to your regular (or new) job.

If your long term goal is to end up in the airline world, and you think you could make it through the military system, I think the ANG or AFRes could be a great way to start and accelerate your progress.

rickair7777

Correct. The Navy (and presumably the USMC) did hire OTS reserve aviators and train them decades ago, but no longer. To get a flying job in the sea service reserves you need to already have mil wings. It would be hypothetically possible to get trained by ANG/USAFR and then later transfer to a sea service reserve flying gig without having done regular active duty. But for the most part if you want to stay TR and avoid a ten-year AD obligation, ASNG/USAFR are the only options.


Yes. Best kept "secret" in aviation.

galaxy flyer

Just to clarify, in the ANG/AFRes, you still have a 10-year committment just to that branch of the service. You can move between units, even missions if you want to move or your civilian job moves you. There’ll be some negotiation as units typically don’t want to lose UPT grads they sponsored. Changing mission can get sticky and you won’t move into a fighter from a tanker.

tnkrdrvr

Actually, even fighter to tanker is negotiable. However, some negotiations may require a marriage/pregnancy with the chief pilot’s daughter/sister.