GasPasser

I know several people who have come "off the street" into ANG and Reserve units into pilot candidate slots. For a candidate off the street, a PPL is not required, but it will hurt your chances if you don't have one. If you enlist in the unit first, the PPL is not an issue as I've seen them select booms/FE/Loadmasters and crew chiefs for UPT and then pay for their PPL before sending them off to UPT.

Jetjok

Jonsey,

Yes, you're correct. You have a very, very slim chance of making it a reality. It has nothing to do with the fact that you're competing with ROTC guys, or AFA guys, or the fact that you're "just an A&P mechanic", or the fact that you'll have perhaps 200 hours in a 172. The facts are these: 1. you will be competing with everyone else looking for a flying slot where you're applying; 2. they are all as motivated and as smart as you are, and some are more motivated and smarter; 3. The military takes very few candidates into pilot training, and those numbers will become less and less, because of the push to UAV's; 4. If, by the grace of god, you do manage to get a slot, you still have to perform. First in OCS, then in UPT, then in CCTS (aircraft specific) training, then in survival schools. Fail in any one of the above and you're history.

Is that to say that it can't be done? Of course not! It's just to say that it's hard. Damn hard. It will be the hardest thing you will have ever accomplished in your life, both up until that point, and probably for the rest of your life as well. Is it worth it? YES. Should you try for it? I'd say YES, but realize that it won't be the end of the world if, for whatever reason, you don't make it. Military flying is not a place that suffers poor performance or poor attitude, and thankfully so. If you make it, you'll have won the lottery.

And as an aside, I'd not ever mention again that you didn't want to fly fighters. Very uncool.

JJ

Jones14

Haha, something about that line just cracked me up. It being a very true statement is probably why. I'm not really sure what my deal is. I've seen them fly at airshows and I'm always completely in awe of what man has created. Thinking, "wow there's a person in that thing!?" as it performs a high speed pass. I just don't have a desire to fly them... yet, I suppose.

So, I could presumably take the tests, get qualified and send out my resume and wait for them to call on me for an interview without any real solid commitment to the military? Since this takes years sometimes, I could work a civilian A&P job and get my PPL and work on my hours in the mean time. So IF they called me up, and IF I managed to get a slot I would then be off for training for several years? Someone mentioned in a previous post that your civilian job will hold your spot during training. Does this mean that IF I made it to the point where I could fly I could do this almost like a part-time deal, and also work my civilian job when I'm not needed? That would be right up my alley, getting the best of both worlds.

One last thing, what is the difference between the ANG and the Reserves?

Thanks fellas.

blastoff

That's kind of the point whole Guard/Reserve system. Uncle Sam gets a trained military force that he doesn't have to pay full time for...reservists get the best of both worlds. Most Guard/Reserve pilots are airline pilots and take Military Leave (as required by law) from their civilian job to go do Military stuff as needed.

As far as you're concerned...nothing. You should go after slots wherever they are.

They are separate organizations under separate commands. Both are part of the "Reserve Component" of the Air Force.

Down the road, each has nuances that may cause you to want to switch to one or the other. Leave that for down the road.