Mustangcbra

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone might be able to give me some advice on joining with the Air Force Reserve. I am 25 years old, graduating in June with a four year degree and have a Commercial Multi-Engine license/ instrument rated with about 200TT and 50ME. I have gotten a hold of a recruiter with some of my questions but our e-mails are brief and speratic at best.

I plan on possibly joining with the 914th Airlift Wing Niagara Falls, NY flying the C-130's. Does anyone know where I would do the flight training and how long it takes? Will it help me that I have previous experience? Do the reserves provide student loan help or sign on bonuses ever and if I was married can my spouse live on base or nearby with me while I'm away for flight training? Also how many hours can I expect to fly once back home? I would like to use this as a spring board as a career as an airline pilot while following my dream to fly for the Air Force at the same time.

Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated as I have been trying to get a hold of my reigonal officers recruiter for about 4 months now.

Thanks in advance for all the help!

nestor2k

First of all New York has Guard & Reserve units, big difference is the chain of command. Guard goes thru the State Governor and Reserve doesn't. Pros & Cons on it. Although having such licenses is a plus, they are not required. UPT bases are Laughlin (Del Rio, TX), Vance (Enid, OK), and Columbus (ColumbusMS). There are others but are only for active duty.

Since you will be PCSing, YES, you will be able to bring your wife and kids with you. You will have the option in living on base or off base; that depends on your orders and/or military housing office.

You should finish UPT with about 200 hrs and then will go to Little Rock AFB in AR (for C-130). How much you will fly after you get back to your unit will depend mostly in the Ops Tempo and mainly on you.

The application process is a long one, so I recommend you to move more aggressively towards it. Have other units in mind, since some might be full or might not be sending anyone to training in a few years. There is a maximum age limit.

Check with multiple recruiters since every state might have different benefits and reserve might have something different also.

Good luck and start making phone calls.

Texandrvr

I would move very fast. Because, unless things have changed(and they may very well have) you need to be on schedule to graduate UPT by the age of 27.5. That's without a waiver; and yes, there are waivers for everything. The question is, does the unit want you bad enough to get you a waiver.

If you want to be an airline pilot, there is no question you would be making the right move by joining the AF, guard or reserve. These days you're going to need the extra money, security, health care, and retirement that the reserves/guard provide.

Mustangcbra

Thanks for the input it has been helpful. I have an appointment with an A-10 pilot at Selfridge next week so I will finally get some of my questions answered. Is there anyone that can think of some good questions I should ask him other than the normal stuff?

UPTme

You need to start UPT by your 30th birthday.