How do I join the national guard?
#23
Line Holder
Joined APC: Feb 2018
Posts: 48
#25
If he does the former, he'll have a few thousand hours of fixed wing time as an AC, be in zone for O-4 in the air guard (or already an O-4), he will have completed the ATP CTP years ago and will already be at a 121. In the current hiring environment he would almost certainly be at a major 121 already, but if not, definitely in the left seat at a regional by then. At present, his chances to do a few years of active duty/ADOS in a C17 and then transition back to weekend warrior status and go straight into flying for a major 121 outfit, even AA/UA/DL/FX, would be high. So most likely, by year 10, he's an air guard O-4 and has been an FO at a legacy for a few years, building time and holding a line. If he goes LCC, he's maybe a captain already.
If he goes army guard aviation and isn't one of the 14 people in the army guard lucky enough to get fixed wing in West Virginia at some point in his career, by year 10 he'll probably be a CW3 rotor guy, making less and flying less per month/year than his C17 guard/reserve O-4 counterpart. He might be at a regional but he will have had to have done a rotor transition program with a regional airline and essentially gone back to flight school to build time. He'll be at a regional or right seat at an LCC by the same point in his career, and though RTAG and other similar organizations are wonderful at hooking up helo bros with 121 jobs, he'll have to put in at least a few years at a regional building fixed wing time if he wants to eventually go to a legacy or brown/purple, whereas his O-4 air guard equivalent can skip the regionals completely in the current hiring environment.
By year 20, both are flying for a major 121 outfit, but here's the difference - the guy who did college first and went air guard is retiring as an O5/O6 and has a significantly higher reserve pension and higher seniority at their airline than the guy who went straight into the army guard, is retiring as a CW4 and had to do transition programs and regionals and maybe even additional stepping stones before they ended up at UA/AA/DL/FX together.
Again, not trashing the high school to flight school program or helos. Just saying, if your goal is to go guard/reserve aviation and then the airlines, the air guard/reserves seem to be the obvious choice from a career opportunity perspective.
#27
Occasional box hauler
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,636
No need to apologize for choosing a service path you have derived satisfaction from. As everyone who has served knows, there isn’t necessarily a very strong correlation between the value of your service and how easy it is to transition to the civilian world, regardless of career path. I have a kid who wants to fly helos in the Marines, never mind his dad’s time in the USAF and easy transition to the airlines. If it gives him satisfaction that’s great. Hopefully, the rest will take care of itself when the time comes. Definitely a difference between talking career progression to a airline gig (relatively objective) vs form of service that will provide highest job satisfaction (subjective).
#28
Hey no worries, I'm not a very good example of the advice I'm giving. I joined the Coast Guard and transitioned to the Navy half way through my career. Saying that CG aviation is "dysfunctional" and has less opportunities than its DOD counterparts is an understatement. With that said, I, too, have had a great time, it's been a unique, interesting career, and I regret nothing. The advice I give is more in terms of if I was trying to get to the 121 environment as fast as possible, based on what I've seen/learned over my career.
#30
Line Holder
Joined APC: Feb 2022
Position: Cherokee FO
Posts: 30
Checking In
Checking on the BogiDope career board seems like lots of units are hiring, doesn't really thrill me when the deadline is a month out and I have so much further to go degree/flying/fitness-wise.
Any other sources of information on hiring? I spent a weekend going to every ANG/AFR wing homepage, half of which just redirect to the USAF recruiting website but others were better with PDF's of their hiring packets.
M/26/USA, finishing up aviation degree at Midwestern 141 school, supposedly will be done May 2023, not married to any base or airframe, thrilled to serve the AMC or adolescent wish fulfillment with ACC.
Any other sources of information on hiring? I spent a weekend going to every ANG/AFR wing homepage, half of which just redirect to the USAF recruiting website but others were better with PDF's of their hiring packets.
M/26/USA, finishing up aviation degree at Midwestern 141 school, supposedly will be done May 2023, not married to any base or airframe, thrilled to serve the AMC or adolescent wish fulfillment with ACC.
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