Regional FO thinking about joining the AF Res
 

Hey guys

I’m currently a 28 year old FO flying for a regional as an FO. I’ve been here 2 years and am about to upgrade but have always wanted to fly in the Air Force. I’m just looking for some guidance maybe from people who have done the regional to Air Force route. What’s the process like, is it dooable, is it worth it? I’m about to upgrade to captain here in the next couple months and I know that if I join the reserves I’d have to put my career on hold to complete OTS/training. Just looking for some insight and advice from those in the military or going through the process.

Thanks

Hurry up. I think the age cutoff is in the low 30's now but I think you need to start the process at least two years before you hit that age to comfortably have time to jump through all hoops.

You don't want a double commute, strongly recommend shoot for unit(s) located where you live, want to live, or would be happy living. If that's a big hub for multiple majors, even better.

Shoot for air guard first, USAFR second.

Consider fighters vs. mobility. Slightly different lifestyles. Mobility is more like airline operations. Fighters (most of which are actually dual role fighter/attack) is a lot of work to stay current. Any reserve flying job is more than two days/month, two/weeks per year. Many are a lot more.

Network if you can, engage units directly. You'll typically have a leg up with a unit local to you, especially if you're a long-term resident.

Lots of detailed info on baseops.net (read before you post questions).

If you have an idea of what planes/units you're interested in, someone here on APC may be able to put you in touch with someone.