I'm scheduled to interview with an Air Force Reserve unit (for the second time) sometime this spring. Let's assume I get the job and go through the 2 years of training and end up flying with this unit. If I suddenly decide that I really like the military life, what would be involved in transferring from the reserve to active duty? I know most people make that transfer in the opposite direction, but is it possible to go from reserves to AD?

For the record: I'm not joining the reserve for the sole purpose of switching to active duty. I've been debating AD vs the reserve for a while, and I'm still not 100% sold on either, I just know I want to join the military.

If I don't get this slot with the reserve, and I decide to do AD, what is the process for deciding who gets a pilot slot? I know I'd go through OTS. After OTS, does anyone who wants to be a pilot get to go through UPT, and then if you don't wash out you get to pick a plane based on your class rank? Is that kinda how it works? Thanks a lot.

 

I can't speak for the Reserve to AD part of the question, but the UPT part I can comment on. If you get a pilot slot from OTS, then the track select after T-6's at most bases gets you to the type of aircraft. The same thing happens again when you finish T-1, T-38, T-44, or rotor training (Sheppard only has T-38's on base but now has the option to send someone to T-1 or to Corpus for C-130 track which has been exercised a few times). You fill out a dream sheet with your choices and then get matched w/ an assignment (the higher your rank, the more likely you'll get a top choice, but it all depends what the class has to choose from). The only constant these days is that things are constantly changing in the rated world.

 

Getting on Active Duty as an already rated Reserve pilot is almost certainly gonna be easier than getting an AD OTS pilot slot--those tend to be few in number. Getting the Reserve slot is also, of course, challenging. Going from there to AD will be situational--the Needs of the Air Force At the Time. Are we drawing down, are we building up, does AFPC know which way to jump to meet whatever total end strength versus rated requirements? The big picture is a big puzzle. No one here can tell you how it'll be in two years time. Best wishes.
Zach

 

What (if any) is the difference between retiring after 20 years of AD and retiring from 20 years of Reserve service?

 

Depends. Retiring as a 20 full-time reservist, nothing except not having to move every few years and not getting screwed with a desk job(most likely). You start collecting your retirement check immediately. Retiring after 20 as a traditional reservist, you can't collect your pension till 60(with some changes to that recently due to GWOT).

 

[quote=GunnF16;552516](Sheppard only has T-38's on base but now has the option to send someone to T-1 or to Corpus for C-130 track which has been exercised a few times). [quote]

Can you expound on this at all? I thought ENJJPT was fighters or bust...

Is this basically for the folks that are not deemed to be suited for fighters?

 

Before 2 years ago, ENJJPT used to be T-38's or washout, but now they can get them to a different base to find a crew aircraft if the leadership thinks he/she can still hack flying, but don't trust the student to end up in a single seat fighter (this option came about before the recent changes in T-38 drops w/ UAS, spec ops, etc). Now, since a drop will have fighters, bombers, spec ops, and UASs, there are plenty of options besides the single seat fighter these days. But I think it's like that from any of the T-38 tracks at the rest of the UPT bases as well.

 

I can't help you out when it comes to going AD from Reserves, except to say you'd probably end up behind the stick of a UAS right now.

However I can tell you I can count the number of happy AD pilots I know on about 2 fingers and the number of unhappy reservist pilots I know on zero fingers. You do the math. This is coming from a purely AD perspective, but if you want to fly and see interesting places while defending your country, go Guard or Reserve. I promise every cool job you have ever heard that the Air Force does is done by a guard or reserve pilot. Want to go to Antarctica on a C-17. Go guard. Want to be a Hurricane Hunter go reserve.

AD does a lot of desk work (around 95% of my job is doing what was once an enlisted guys job) and going to the Died and no where else. (Around 90% of my flights after UPT are out of there.) Though the job security is better, you WILL NOT be a pilot on AD. If what you want to do is fly stay the heck away from AD like the plague.

 

You don't know me but... make it 3.

You must have a group of bitter friends. Misery loves company. Must be an awesome ready room!

On the day you join APC and with your 4th post you spew this crap? If YOU are not happy fine. Don't lump all of AD in with your bad situation. Pass your gas elsewhere. If you don't like your job...get another job.

OBTW...15 yrs straight in the cockpit....livin' the dream.

 

Whoa, I actually got the account to answer this guys question if you must know.

I'm sure there are more happy pilots in Florida than where I live, but just a poll around the tanker community will back me up. Generally if you are at an AMC base the guard gets the trips, we get the 'Died. If you aren't at the Died, you are doing menial paperwork... all friggen day. My buddy went to AC upgrade and had 1 non deployed TDY in over 2 years. I have been luckier than him, but not by much. At home station we fly once every 2 months or so. Most of our beans are done in the sim. It's just a fact.

If someone had told me before I joined this was the case I wouldn't have signed up, especially if I knew about the Guard. I promise I'm not alone in this sentiment. I acknowedge that not all of us feel this way, but at least from where I'm from its a healthy majority. I wish I was livin the dream too, but it just doesn't happen for a lot of us, and this guy should at least know there is more to the AD than recruiting commercials make it out.

Didn't mean to offend just giving my $.02