Airline Pilot Central Forums - Guard pilot to IP

Exchange program? As in a free lunch? I don't know exactly what you are asking about but I suspect you have bad gouge.

There are no free lunches first of all. The options are two. Are you wanting to go AD or remain a Reservist? The link provided above is to the 340th group which is an AFRC group that conglomerates all the Reserve IP squadrons across AETC UPT locations. They are basically classic associate units that provide Air Force Reserve pilots to supplement the AD IPs to push the lines at UPT. All locations except Sheppard have T-6, T-1 and T-38 reserve squadrons. Getting a job under one of the 340th Group units is no different than a Guard/Reserve unit job as a traditional reservist. You are a part-timer, have your IDTs and annual tour to burn. I hear the MPA money is skosh at these units, and that it is somewhat of a hassle to get mandays for travel/work depending on the leadership. These positions require you change units permanently, so no "exchange tour" here.

Getting an AGR or ART job is possible at these units, but extremely uphill. They are known for giving just-separated AD folks bidding rights for these jobs mainly because these folks are separating right out of an AETC stint, and have no concept of what it is to be a Reservist (i.e. they think Reserve life is just like AD and not getting deployed is good enough for them so they play ball and make everyone do more with less). That said, I've known Reservists from other units flow into a full time job at these units, so it's possible to get a full-time gig if your connections are right. Pertaining to the AC qualification for crew airframe qualified folks, it's a requirement but I've heard there is a co-pilot waiver for the right people. All in all I wouldn't bother applying for a job at 340th with just a copilot qual, unless your daddy is the 340 OG/CC or something like that. I'd go ahead and get the AC qual and then apply.

Now for the AD side of things. No free lunch here either. As you already know, you're too young to qualify under the selective recall for separated/retired folks. you have an initial commitment balance left in the Guard, you don't qualify. What you're inquiring about is basically asking AFPC to let you into AD. Your desire to snag an AETC stint doesn't mean $uck all to them. They'll put you where they need you. No "I'll do 4 years AD then go back to the Guard" exists. Most likely they'll stick you in an AD Herk squadron and you know better than I do what that means to your QOL. Not having a Herk to fly is quite literally better than what an AD Herk squadron has in store for you as a lowly co-pilot. We have a dude in our squadron who got BRAC'ed twice in two years from Guard units, so I know the anxiety of having to find a new unit you're probably going through. My suggestion to you is don't let that get the best of you. You do not want to go AD if you can help it.

So your options are simple. Apply to the 340th for an IP position, be it a TR position or a full-time position, but recall this is no different than changing units, it's not a temporary thing. Or try to get into AD and understand you owe them the whole ADSC and as such you will PCS and be sent where mother blue needs you (most likely a herk unit) and no longer have the option to go back to the Guard unless you straight up Palace Chase, again no exchange tour exists.

My advice to you? I'm a younger guy as well, and if I were you I'd only consider the 340th gig once you have the AC qual and only if you are intending on making an airline career in the future OR intend to relocate to a UPT base for the purposes of obtaining full time employment with them long term. The reason I say this is that if you do not intent to become a full-timer at some point, then you probably don't want to be a local to these sh$tholes. Therefore as a commuter, the commute will kill you depending on the distance you commute and how understanding your employer is. In my experience, outside an airline schedule, forget it, the Reserve IP unit monthly requirments are generally not 9-5 job friendly, so you'll end up hating life and/or falling behind your employer. It also sounds you're still too young to be on the airline rat race so most probably you're bumming, which is not generally possible to do at the 340th units either.

Thence, if being a reserve IP as a part-timer and commuter is not what you're looking to do, then I would straight up look for another Guard/Reserve unit to work for, instead of touching the idea of AD with a 10 foot pole. Don't do it, it's a one way street my friend. I bet you can find plenty of Guard or Reserve Herc units looking to entertain a young guy. Hell, I bet a 135 outfit in a location favorable to you could entertain your application with the right blessing of your BRAC'ed leadership. Even more crazy, but still doable, as a young guy you could even snag a fighter TR Guard/Reserve job and that would be 100 times better than entertaining the possibility of 8+ years of AD. As a Guard guy, you are far far far away from being out of options and forced to entertain AD. Now, if Guard bumming and/or the part-time paycheck is part of the reason you're entertaining AD, then I guess you should have thought about that before you went Guard/Reserves. I say that as a trougher myself who is able to "tread water" on a bum paycheck and understands that as grateful I am for that opportunity I recognize my household won't accept the variable income status as a viable long term plan, so I'm sensitive to those issues as well.

Good luck brother, BRAC sucks, TFI sucks, but AD sucks even more. At least in the Guard/Reserves you get a smaller paycheck but your job is still primarily to fly (pending TFI of course...I digress), in the AD your primary job is being a boxchecker, not to be a pilot, to each their own but that wasn't my motivation for serving. To each their own. Once again good luck.