#41

If you go, go Guard/Reserve. We come from similar backgrounds and it has been incredible so far. Certainly stressful and full of bureaucratic crap but that’s same thing different day from civilian work.

WRT timeline, I had 10 months between my FC1 and OTS. 9 months from AFRC board OK to OTS. Once you in process in person with the 340th, you should be close. If you’ve been picked up by a 135 unit, you’ll fly the T1. The only way guard/reserve go 38s is if they’re going to a fighter unit. Especially reserves, they have very very limited 38 allocation.

I see most of your questions addressed above, I think I can add a couple notes: - As a Reservist, you'll funnel through the 340th. They'll do their best to keep you on orders continuously from the start of OTS to finishing B-course & SERE. I'd say not to plan to PCS or otherwise return home (holidays notwithstanding) till all of that is over. This is different than how it used to be and different from how the Guard does things. - Remember entitlements are non-taxable (BAH, BAS, and flight pay). You won't get BAS at OTS. OTS you'll be paid as an E5. Your O1 pay starts after. - I'm also a reservist and my company also does some differential pay. LES is all that was needed. YMMV

It's hard to say, the timing will depend on several factors beyond your control. Mine was about a month from AFRC board passage to swearing in, then another 8 months till OTS. What I can say is that once you've gotten rolling (OTS), the reserves will do their best to stack you back to back with as little time in between as possible. I had about a week from OTS to UPT show date. You have to strike the balance between being patient and being ready to go on fairly short notice.

Thanks for the info! I'm happy as long as I can go home for a few days!

I know AETC goes on exodus over Christmas (10 duty days). What's the word on how that works for new studs who are pre-solo/pre-flight line? I start in one of the Nov classes. Will we be allowed to take leave and head home for exodus? Thanks!

I don't mean to hijack but I have a question that may relate: I'm Reserve and my wife will be staying in place for school while I'm in UPT. Everything I've heard to this point is I'll be in the dorms since I'm unaccompanied. Does anyone have details on dorm rules/regs? Will I be able to stay off-base in a hotel when she visits? I know she can't stay with me. OP may be interested also.

I'll update as well: Air Force Reserve Hired Mar 2015 FC1 Nov 2015 AFRC Board approval Dec 2015 Sworn in Jan 2016 TFOT/TFIT: TBD UPT: TBD

This. If you want to join a unit, you need to do the leg work and make the necessary tradeoffs/sacrifices.

You've got time to get this worked out. The delay after getting LASIK to being OK to take a flight physical is 1 year. You're years away from that point. HOWEVER - before going down the LASIK path you need to make sure that you're compliant with the pre-op limitations. I'm not a doctor but the -3 diopters of astigmatism may be at play here. PDF below. There are others on this board who can answer questions regarding waiverability if you exceed the limits, I don't know. http://www.wpafb.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-150310-028.pdf

The new process for Reserves, per the 340th, is that you'll PCS to UPT directly after OTS (with 6 days of leave in between). Then you'll be at your UPT base until your class starts. That's the best/most recent info I've been given to date.

1 - R20/200 L20/300 2 - No 3 - did LASIK a month after I passed my PPL checkride

Give a heads up to your surgeon's support staff. Get a copy of the checklist included in your file. Let them know you'll be coming in for more follow-up visits than they likely do normally. I got lucky, mine were totally cool about it and I didn't pay anything for the extra visits, they just did it and filled out the checklist. Speaking of which, make sure you get copies and do your homework on making sure it's filled out. As far as type of surgery goes, I did Wavefront LASIK which from everything I've seen is the best option right now (doesn't mean it's especially expensive). I'm happy to answer other questions if you have them. I had an excellent experience and am 20/20 or better 2 years on.

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-150310-028.pdf

does alimony count as a dependent?

This helps - thanks!

I've found my way to the '15 military pay tables, figure '16 won't be much different. The basic pay is straightforward but how do the allowances work? If I'm single/no dependent do I only get BAH if I manage to get off-base housing in UPT? What's the subsistence allowance? Finally, does all this get taxed normally or are some parts exempt? Thanks!

Yep. It's also clearly part of the way squadrons manage their pipeline. I think it will be difficult to get permission to post POCs for lots of places. I've specifically been told if I post an email/phone # online, I'll make the insta-shit list. Everyone is different though.

Congrats! That's a very quick response. Nordo on my end so far, wasn't expecting anything until ~2 weeks from now.

Roger that, thanks! AFRC response should be soon, hopefully.

you going ANG or Reserve?

Bump. You hear anything? 3-6 mos is what I have in my head but don't have much info to go on, that's more of a guess.

That's the weird part, I took form T and my scores still changed... Odd.

Did AFOQT scoring recently change? I went through and re-checked on the website and my scores are definitely different than they used to be... e.g. my Nav went from 88 to 97.

This. Don't give info alone, give context. At least for me, I gave a history of my wanting to fly and everything I've done to get to the interview. Were most of those steps the same as everyone else? Sure. Did my circumstances (LASIK, time to completion, working full time while going after it, etc.) give me some unique story? Yep. Pick the point of the story - showed dedication, persevered through XYZ, etc. and then fill in the blanks. I wrote my cover letter this way and more or less walked through it in the "tell us about yourself" part of the interview. Also show that you've thought it through and have plans (e.g. what will you do for civilian work if you're ANG/AFR) so they get that you're full-concept ready to rock.