planecrazyjenn

AnotherPilot, definitely call the unit nearest to you. There are units that will pay back up to 20K worth of student loans, and I do know people who've had that happen. I joined with none, so I didn't opt for that. Check out the ANG's website as well, as I'm sure it talks about the benefits...even your nearest unit has a website that'll detail benefits and etc.

TheGeneralMcC

I am a sophomore at UND and am looking at different options after college. I talked to a recruiter today and he told me that ANG pilots are chosen to go to OCS from their enlisted ranks then after OCS they go to pilot training. Is this true?

Slice

Sounds like he wants you to enlist. Some units do it that way, some don't. In my unit, if you are enlisted you are guaranteed an interview. That being said, we haven't sent one of them to UPT in the 9 years I've been with the unit. I was from the outside as well. Unless you're young and only want to be with that one unit or need $ for college, I'd hold off on enlisting for now and gather more info.

planecrazyjenn

Slice where ya out of? (didn't see it on your profile, sorry if that's been answered elsewhere)

I know my unit prefers prior enlisted, but not so much from our own unit. We just picked up a new guy for UPT...he came from a viper unit, even though we are 10's.

TonkaF16

AnotherPilot,

Think "Total Force" instead of just ANG. Remember that there are a whole lot of changes going on in the military right now (BRAC), don't limit yourself to just the ANG, there are just as many opportunities in the reserve structure.

Show them you're a good dude that they want to be around the next two or three decades. The total force has a much longer vision than the active duty and it is critical that the right personalities are hired/retained to keep a unit relevant and desirable.

Here are some terms to help you out:

TR: Traditional Reserve = Part timer (a guy that pay the mortgage with some other job)

ART: Air Reserve Technician = Full time civilian GS, part time military (retires some where around 57 and a half, if they can still get into the cockpit)

AGR: Active Guard Reserve = Full timer, lifestyle is very similar to that of an AD officer but does not PCS, still gets to retire like the AD after twenty with an immediate retirement. Generally puts up with more AD crap than a TR.

IMA: I don't really know about this but this position exists, maybe the other dudes know.

Best of luck on the hunt and IF you enlist (I was for 5 years) pick a unit and show them that you are a good dude; they will take care of you when the time comes.

Tonka

TankerDriver

There are opportunities to get paid more in the guard and reserves than you can on AD, but you will work more hours doing it. For example, ART's in my unit do 9 hour days to get every other Friday off, but will fly at night after their day job to burn their FTP's (turns into a 14-15 hour day). Then, there's drill weekend, so there are two weeks out of the month where you'll work 12 days straight without a day off. As a ART, a young captain can be a GS-13 (in these regions, that's about $80-85k a year salary) and then FTP/RUTA's, SOF and Charlie alerts, you can pick up another $15-20k a year. So, 6 digits aren't out of reach. However, you don't get the tax benefit you would on AD because of BAH and BAS. For example, with an O-3 making $2,400 a month on BAH and BAS, that's almost $30,000 a year the IRS doesn't even see. Probably about a $5-7k tax savings per year.

u2drvr

The U-2 interview process is not spooky at all, it's all described on the Beale AFB website and we'll explain it in depth to anyone who asks. We have been hiring a lot of USN/USMC pilots lately. We interviewed one Army C-12 pilot years ago and it did'nt go so well...have'nt been willing to do it since. In general, however, interservice transfers for pilots are highly unusual.