JimHalpert

Hey there,

I'm currently an 18 year old instrument rated private pilot with over 100 hours of flight experience and looking to make a serious career out of flying. I have always wanted to become a military pilot, but I also want to get into civilian aviation (preferably corporate). From what I hear, ANG/AFR seems to have the best gigs around. I have also been intrigued by the idea of a USCG aviation career. I would love to fly rescue missions and the prospect of becoming a USCG aviator intrigues me, but I don't really know much about the lifestyle, competitiveness, length/location of deployments, etc, so I'd love to hear from some Coast Guard flyers if there are any here. I've been on baseops.net and read a lot about ANG/AFR aviation, but I've read very little about USCG aviation. I am 100% committed to this and will do whatever it takes to serve and to fly. It seems I have a few options at this point.

A) Enlist in an ANG/AFR unit, graduate college in 5-6 years, and hope to pick up a pilot slot from the unit I enlisted in.*

*I've talked to both an ANG pilot and an Army officer. Both have strongly advised me against enlisting, but I'd like to hear your opinions.

B) Graduate in 4 years, focus on grades, community service, building my resume, possibly a double major, making myself competitive for the guard, etc.

C) Showing my dedication by working hard, busting it out and graduating in 3 years with (hopefully) good grades.

D) Graduating in 4 years while working my ass off to pay for more ratings (Multi/comm/CFI/etc).

E) Something else?

For someone my age and in my shoes, what would be the best route to pursue a steady military flying job and how can I get started as early as I can?

galaxy flyer

Jim

First, for any military flying slot (except Army warrants), you'll have to complete college.

Second, an ANG/AFRes UPT slot is golden, if you can get selected. I did it umpteen years ago and it made a career. Visit some units, see how they select candidates and whether enlisting is useful; it varies by unit, mission and situation. Remember most states have tuition programs for enlisted ANG members. Look around, don't go to only one unit, everyone is a bit different. AFRes is different, there is a semi-annual board at HQ. You can be selected by a unit and sent to the board or apply directly, thru a recruiter, and the board will select a unit, if selected. I was an Ops Officer and OG/CC and sent, at least, 15 UPT candidates to the board and all were sent to UPT, one dropped out of OTS.

USCG is, I understand, very competitive and hard to get into. The flying training is mostly USN, helicopters are predominant mission with not too many fixed wing flying. Some good assignments are possible, but active duty only.

GF

rickair7777

USCG is some good flying, but there's a catch...

They don't give flight guarantees (with one possible special exception for affirmative action). You have to join and complete OCS (or the USCG academy) and only then do you find out if you get to fly. If you don't get a flight slot, you are stuck with a commitment.

JimHalpert

What is the procedure for visiting a unit? I assume they're located on secure military bases, and that I can't just waltz in and say hello whenever I feel like it. Do I call in advance and set up an appointment? How do I get in and talk to the right people on a visit?

Isn't the ANG/AFR just as if not more competitive than the coast guard? As for helicopters, I would love to fly one, but what would my after military job prospects look like if I went that route?

galaxy flyer

Jim,

First, speak with a unit recruiter, lay out your goals, how you would like to achieve them, emphasize your commitment to serve in the military. Usually, the recruiter can, and will be willing to, arrange an informal visit with the flying squadron commander or ops officer. Come prepared, dressed smartly with a resume. Again establish your desire and commitment. Then follow up with the recruiter. Each unit will have only one or two slots per year, so standing out as being a potential officer and pilot is important-look professional and learn about the unit and it's mission. Be able to show willingness and ability to learn--AF UPT isn't that difficult, but being able to absorb a lot in a limited time is tough.

Recruiters, in my experience, don't get much reward by getting a UPT candidate selected, but they look at as a professional "feather in their cap". They are graded on meeting recruiting goals and successful entries, not one UPT guy. Help them out--study for the written entrance exam, be ready and cooperative about getting the physical done, having a Class 1 helps but isn't a guarantee. Color vision tests have been a leading failure area, you might see a civilian eye doc.

As I said, go to several units, if geographically feasible. You don't have to tell each unit you have been looking elsewhere, either, at first anyway. Once you have visited a couple, got a feel for the unit, the process and where you want to go, THEN, focus on that unit. Stay in touch with the unit, the recruiter, be a friendly nuisance even.

Part of this is what mission do you want to fly--fighters, tankers, airlift, etc. that might give you a start on where to go. Units vary, too. Some don't want to have many LTs out of UPT, some don't care. Some want in-state members only, some do not care. Some want you to enlist, some don't care. I took guys, in unit, outside, in state and not, a guy with B747 freighter time who wanted to give his service back to his adopted country, enough loadmasters to have one in each seat.

All this is what I did many years ago, was selected in an historic downtime for UPT slots--post-Vietnam. I saw and selected many guys and gals the same way. One came from Texas to the Northeast because he couldn't get anywhere with units there. Promised he would stay, that he deserved a chance yada yada. He kept at it until myself and the chief pilot said, let's give the chance. Graduated ATC Commander's Trophy and held to his promise becoming an IP in 5 years in unit.

WRT USCG, not sure about which is more competitive, there are more pilots in the combined ANG-AFR though. For active duty, the CG is more competitive due to its size and attractive mission.

GF

rickair7777

That depends. With the UCSG you have to
1) get accepted and finish OCS
2) Be medically qualified to fly
3) Get lucky and have a flight slot available...no slots that week? No problem, you can go drive ships, count whales, or clean up oil slicks for 4 years. They'll give the flight slots to some guys in the OCS class.

Actually if you do 1) and 2) your odds are decent. I don't know but suspect that people who graduate from OCS around late May (when the USCG Academy gets out) may not have a lot of flight slots available. Finish OCS in February, you have a better shot.

With the ANG/USAFR a lot of it depends on the unit in question...if they fly transports in an out-of-the-way location they might have trouble recruiting and retaining ex-active duty pilots so they need to hire more off the street. The C-5's in Dover and C-130's at Charlie West and Cheyenne, WY come to mind.



If all you fly is helos, then you have to start all over and build fixed wing time to get an airline job. But when you finally get 1000 TPIC fixed wing, your military flying background will help open doors at the majors.

But it's not unusual for Navy (and maybe USMC/USCG) helo pilots to do a tour as an initial instructor pilot flying single-engine turbo-prop trainers (T-34, T-6). If you can rack up 1000+ hours you might be good for the majors, think most will accept single-engine turbine time if it's military.

galaxy flyer

Dover C-5s has been looking for pilots since '78, they always need guys.

GF

Faixa Azul

I vote for A and B. Or A and C. If you have a state in mind and want to go to college in that state near the Guard unit, you lose nothing by enlisting in the unit with the stated goal of getting a commission and going to UPT. Bust your butt in school, continue to fly, work hard in the unit, and your chances are good with that unit.

Your chances are also good with another Guard unit if a UPT slot doesn't pan out in your unit. If I'm the squadron commander of a unit and you've worked hard for me for four years and we just couldn't make UPT work for whatever reason, I'd call every unit I could to advocate on your behalf. ANG commanders have huge networks, and their endorsement can carry alot of weight.

You have to go to college anyway. There is no reason you couldn't finish in four years while enlisted in an ANG unit. Good luck!

JimHalpert

I've actually been thinking a lot about this because I go to school 30 mintues from Travis AFB, although I have two major qualms about enlisting. Like I said, I have been advised by a few friends who served as officers in the united states military (one being a former ANG pilot) that enlisting as a path to a commission is not the way to go and that I shouldn't be using a non-rated job as a path to a rated one. Secondly, I am hesitant to take an extended break from school for BMT/Tech. I don't know how to do it (my school offers no program for leave beyond a quarter), and I'd much prefer to buckle down and get all my schooling done in one sitting. Also, while I don't personally have any qualms about spending a year on deployment in the middle east, I'd imagine it would put quite a dent in my academic record. If enlisting is what it takes to get a flying slot in a unit, then I'll do it without hesitation. But if there is another way, I'd like to explore it first.

KennHC130

IMO Jim, coordinate a visit to the unit through the UNIT's recruiter and sit down and shoot straight with them. Tell them your goals and desires and ask the question whether or not it would prove advantageous to them and you to enlist in their unit with the goal of a rated slot upon graduation. Honesty is the best policy. Best of luck to you.