DinaMight
-
Posts
35 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Blogs
Downloads
Wiki
Posts posted by DinaMight
-
-
12 hours ago, tarheelaviator said:
Was shown something similar and found someone who would work with me anyway. Everything can be bypassed.
Maybe even bypass the 6 months and start earlier?
-
-
10 hours ago, tarheelaviator said:
To illustrate how freaking incomprehensible the boards' selection criteria is there is someone bragging on the FB group about being picked up for pilot with a PCSM of 32, AFOQT pilot of 73 and 0 flying hours. Granted they are saying their undergrad GPA was 3.5 but that's still ing nuts. Is this how these boards decide on pilot candidates?
Yeah but she shared her TFOT application and one can see why she was selected. Its that "Whole Person Concept" the AF loves to talk about. No flight hours but lots of leadership and volunteer experience. LORs from O6s and such.
By the end I get the impression that for USAF, its better to have 100 hrs and lots of volunteer experience rather than 500 flight hrs and no volunteer experience.
-
5 hours ago, mb1685 said:
I'd assume your recruiter means that in 2 days they're going to start setting up a MEPS appointment to have you swear in. The first time you swear in, it's just to DEP (Delayed Entry Program). You're not obligated to much other than meeting with your recruiter and other selects about once a month for DEP calls and getting the ball rolling on things like your flight physical and paperwork. You can still turn down the selection at any time. This would technically be a DEP Discharge, which is mentioned somewhere in AFRSI 36-2001 if you want to dig through the regs. I don't think that requires any sort of waiver to reapply, but you will have to disclose the fact that you applied and turned down a position. It's probably anyone's guess as to whether a particular selection board will find that significantly objectionable or not, but it's probably going to be neutral at best.
Once everything is squared away and you're about to actually report to OTS, you'll go back to MEPS a few days before and swear in again. This time you're swearing in to EAD (Extended Active Duty). From this point on, you're officially "in" the military and it's a more involved process to have you released. The ability to do this might change depending on particular circumstances at the time, but short of a major war and/or critical manning issues, you generally have the option to DOR (Drop On Request) while at OTS and get discharged from the military. If you do this, you'll get a DD214 since you were on active duty and it will indicate that it was an entry-level uncharacterized discharge. Because of this, you'd need a waiver to rejoin the military in any capacity (have a look for "RE code" sections of governing documents). Not impossible but not a guarantee either.
Short answer: you definitely don't have to decide within 2 days.
So if you leave after DEP then you'll need to disclose that you turned down a slot, but if you turn it down prior to DEP then you don't need to mention it?
By the way, the latest version of this AFRSI 36-2001 I could find is 2005, has there not been any newer publications since?
-
On 4/14/2020 at 12:35 PM, Little Birdie said:
FY 21 UFT Board has been pushed back to 15-17 Dec 2020. Applications due on 3 Nov 20.
Do you have the schedule for FY21?
-
On 4/23/2020 at 5:11 PM, WeatherLion said:
Long story short.
I've been accepted for CSO for the Active Air Force after being forced to pick it as an alternate choice to Pilot. It's not what I wanted, but it's still an honor to be selected, and I've heard from friends in the Air Force that it's not uncommon to go from CSO to Pilot once you're already in for 3 or 4 years. Problem is I'm currently 28 with 5 years prior enlisted service and I might need an age waiver if I want to switch to pilot.
I ALSO have an Active Duty Package in with the Navy. The board is set to meet the 3rd week in May 2020 with the results being released the 4th week. This package is only for pilot. I have a pretty good chance of getting it, but I definitely do not want to close the door on the Air Force for good and find out I didn't get accepted to the Navy and have no options left.
My question is, how long do you have after you are selected in the Air Force before you are required to give them an answer, either accepting or declining? Is there an AFI that says this somewhere? I have heard that you have until the next fiscal year before you give them an answer but I am not positive.
Thank you for your time.
Damn, i hope you found an answer already. So how long do you have actually??
I just found out I got CSO for a recent board and I am in the same boat. I fear if I turn it down I will be severing ties with the USAF. I need time to make this call and my recruiter is only giving me 2 days...
-
I am thinking about applying for the FY21 OTS boards and I just wanted to assess how the acceptance rates will be for upcoming boards.
I ask because I have noticed a pattern.
- ~2012 there was the sequestration and the acceptance rates for anything in the USAF fell to all time lows. A void was created and needed to be filled.
- 2016-2019, these four years saw acceptance rates rise and peak around the '18-'19. A buddy of mine who was in AFROTC tells me pilots acceptance rates was as high as 90%.
- The USAF then started having problems with classes being overfilled and candidates having their EADs pushed back creating a ripple effect.
- 2020, I just applied for an OTS board this year and the acceptance rates (results not yet published) from what I can gather on FB and Reddit seems to suggest a decline for pilot slots down to ~40%
I speculate it will continue to drop for the next couple years. This COVID thing probably exacerbated this decline to some degree which I cannot specify.
Does anyone have any rumors or solid intel to confirm or deny this?
-
On 5/17/2020 at 2:14 PM, tarheelaviator said:
I can 100% confirm they will see it as a positive. I was in a similar situation to him and turned down a CSO offer last year. Everyone I've mentioned it to during squadron visits, Zoom meetings and phone calls from Guard/Reserve squadrons saw it as dedication to being a pilot and said they would have done the same thing.
Was it the same when reapplying for OTS?
-
Just curious if OTS rated boards have a supplemental board like AFROTC does and when is it?
What happens to the slots filled by cadets who end up being DQd or leave for whatever reasons?
-
46 minutes ago, tarheelaviator said:
Wait you are a professional pilot (commercial?) and they offered you CSO? God who the on these boards actually has any common sense?
No am currently working on my commercial at a flight school. At this point I have already invested a lot of money into this so to hang it up and put in on hold for 8 years will not leave me in good footing with the airline industry once I get out of the USAF.
-
On 2/3/2020 at 10:53 AM, tarheelaviator said:
The whole if you turn down a previous non-pilot offer to try again for pilot it will hurt your chances isn't really true either. Bottom line don't let your recruiter(s) scare you into taking a job you don't want.
How do you know this? I am considering dropping my slot but my recruiter told me if I did as such, I could essentially toss away the dream of being a USAF pilot.
-
On 5/14/2020 at 3:41 PM, Kiloalpha said:
Thanks! PCSM is 94. AFOQT is 98 pilot, 96 nav, 83 academic, 94 verbal and 60 quant.
Congrats man! I was curious, on top of your PCSM did you have strong academics or volunteer work (they seem to love this one)?
-
On 4/27/2020 at 9:27 PM, Terminator5lf said:
Apologies I attached it
Terminator5lf, can you link the source document?
-
On 1/13/2020 at 8:51 AM, tarheelaviator said:
Hi all,
Thought I'd create a separate thread from the AD UFT one. Anyone else reapplying/applying to the active duty civilian boards for active duty Air Force (not Reserve)? Curious if anyone else has had any success getting a UPT slot this route.
As a quick lesson learned from the last board don't let your recruiter force you to put any job on your sheet other than pilot. My recruiter(s) made me believe it was required to put alternate jobs beside pilot (put CSO as the 2nd choice just to get pushed through). Turns out that is not true and is absolutely not required. If your recruiter tells you this is required just move on and call a different one don't make my mistake.
Cannot stress this enough, I was in the exact same shoe and listed 4. Pilot CSO RPA Missileer
Picked up for CSO. Life has already set me deep into a professional flying career and now this is requiring me to essentially choose one or the other.
If anyone has info on how to go about turning down the slot and reapplying please share your experience, I am all ears.
To everyone that got selected, congratulations A LOTand to those who weren't. Keep at it. I know the feeling. It took me ROTC and then OTS to get here. You know the process is arduous but the reward is worth the effort.
-
1
-
-
Hi folks,
I'm looking to like to apply for a USAF pilot slot in near future. I have no military experience, but several of my buddies are and after hearing their stories, I know this is definitely something I want to do. Here's my scores.
AFOQT Scores: Pilot: 98 | Nav: 87 | Acad Apt: 62 | Verbal: 32 | Quant: 88
PCSM Score: 76/88 (no hours/with flight hours)
Age: 23
GPA / Major: 2.76 in History
I just started working towards my Instrument Rating if thats important, anyways, how do these scores fare?
Thanks for the feedback!
-
On 8/20/2019 at 6:57 AM, matmacwc said:
Try for the waiver, but they are going to ask what is preventing your condition from coming back tomorrow. I’m guessing nothing is preventing it so the answer will still be the same.
I've been out of the program for over a year now, how can I still go about a waiver or reappeal process?
-
On 7/13/2019 at 7:54 PM, thoma015 said:
A guy in my UPT class got a waiver for this very issue under the REACT study. I'd say try again with a waiver request.
Was he diagnosed with his condition before or after commission? I've head the standards change depending on which side of the fence you're currently on.
Also, what's REACT?
-
On 7/8/2019 at 12:15 AM, matmacwc said:
Did your eye get fixed? If not, no.
My condition isn't fix-able. I've been told it's hereditary or possibly a injury from childhood, you can say the explanations are endless.
Regardless, my guess is that if I can somehow disprove the docs original findings by providing biannual exam results I can say "look, it's dormant" then would I have a shot to get in?
-
Back in 2018, I was medically DQ'd for a cornea thinning issue for RPA. Long story short, I've since started working towards my PPL and as of current, in the final stages of getting a loan so I am committed to civilian flying however, maybe years later down the line, would I be able to reapply for Pilot in the USAF through OTS?
Part of me still longs to fly for the USAF which is partly why I'm getting biannual checkups on my condition to establish some level of recorded medical history but I understand the odds are still stacked against me.
I just want to know if I should just leave the dream of flying for the USAF and wholly commit to flying on the civilian side or is there maybe, just maybe, still a way? The thought was reignited couple months back when I found out the age limit was raised to 33 (I'm 23). I just want a straight answer and stop with the wishful thinking if there is nothing there to grasp.
Thank you.
-
Any B2/B52/B1 pilots/CSOs can chime in on their lifestyle, deployments, training or bases?
-
Hi folks,
I'm hoping to get some insight as I start looking into applying for ANG units. I've already taken the AFOQT and TBAS. My understanding is that you can take it only twice, these were my second scores. How do I look?
- BA in PoliSci (recent grad, 22 yrs old)
- GPA 2.75
- Currently a restaurant server part time (worked various jobs in my college life and at once was working two jobs over 30+ hrs and full time student)
- 24 flight hours; No PPL
- AFOQT: P 98 N 87 A 62 V 32 Q 88
- PCSM: 76
- Letters of Rec include one from my college professor and my current restaurant employer
Over the past few months, I have looked at many applications for ANG UPT and a good majority of them ask for the PPL. It's not mandatory but as always "it really helps." Since I don't have my PPL, just how much of a disadvantage am I from other applicants? I have just started paying off my school loans (amounting to 15k) and I still need to allocate some funds for flying and this would put me in a really tight spot financially so I am just really hesitant to go forward with getting my PPL. This isn't to say my desire to fly is any less than anyone else, but would it be perceived that way?
These are my most pressing concerns at the moment, any feedback would be most appreciated. Look forward to hearing back from the community!
-
I got a feeling this is a huge shot in the dark ,but I''m currently looking into applying for the ANG and hoping for a position flying, but I know USAF medical standards can be pretty strict compared to the other branches. I've looked into all the other branches and AD or Reserve, but long story short, ANG is the direction I want to go in right now.
I have an issue of corneal degeneration in my right eye at the moment that has never been a problem to my vision and last I saw the optometrist my vision was still good but I fear that this may not completely put me in the clear as far as flying for ANG is concerned. It's never been a problem as far as I can tell and I have seen a few specialists regarding my eye and reached conflicting conclusions. Some say it'll possibly worsen over the next 10-20 yrs and others say it won't worsen. Like I said, they're pretty broad conclusions. With this in mind, can I still be medically qualified to fly in the ANG?
What do you guys think? Do I still have a shot?
I'm of the belief that as long as there remains a way, it no longer becomes can't do, but just another problem to solve type of guy. I understand that there are several waivers out there, but I wouldn't even know where to start or if there is a hub with all that info. Who would I be able to speak to about all this? I've talked to a recruited but he couldn't really help me with my question. I think this could be more specific or pertaining to a case by case type situation.
Thanks for the help!
-
Hi folks,
I found out last November in my IFC that I had a condition known as Terrien's Marginal Degeneration. In addition, I have corneal thinning of around 50% of normal thickness. My CC told me last Friday that because of all this( or because of one of these things), I would not only be DQd from all rated but from also commissioning. USAFSAM determined that the condition was unstable with some 20% likelihood of worsening but when I sought second opinions, all came back saying that the condition was pretty stable with low probability of worsening since its been there since my youth. I'm in my early 20s and my vision is fine.
I understand the risk assessment associated with this situation and them looking at it from a financial perspective but how does it DQ me from rated AND non rated? I am in my final year of ROTC with an RPA slot and these past few days have what I consider to be the most frustrating days of my life. I think much remains to be answered and all of the sudden a decision was hurriedly made on my future. I just thought this would all be a part of an on-going process, not just a talk with the CC and that's it. Also, all waiver and ETPs are out of the option for some reason.
The big questions I have now is can they decide to drop someone on a dime without looking to get a reevaluation or another opinion? How did I pass the DODMERB but not the phyical for commissioning?
If anyone could share their 2 cents on the matter I would absolutely appreciate it.
- DinaMight
-
Good morning to all,
In late September, I went up for the Rated Supplemental Board and unfortunately, was not selected. I found this out in late September. The thing is, I retook my AFOQT awfully close to the Supp. Board date. Although most might dismiss the possibility of my scores still making the board, it should be noted that my scores actually came out in 6 days, as such, that possibility should be increased to some respect. My PCSM went from a 59 to a 76. Here's the timeline to help with my story.
Timeline:
- 16 Feb - Received RPA (PCSM was 57 when sent to board)
- 9 Aug - TBAS retake (PCSM improves from 57-59)
- 13 Sep - AFOQT retake
- 19 Sep - Find out my AFOQT scores (PCSM improves to 76)
- 29 Sep - Receives call from CC. Not selected.
When I found out I didn't make it, a question that was really on my mind was whether or not the new PCSM got factored in. I asked my CC and he was quite confident that my scores were in fact NOT factored in citing the fact that AFOQT scores take two weeks to come out and that close proximity (probably intersecting) with the time the board meets makes it not likely that my scores made it in. At the same time, he does not believe that even had I notified the cadre immediately (on the 19th) that they would have made it to WINGS.
What is WINGS...
On the 19th, I checked the PCSM site and sure enough, my PCSM was updated. Because the PCSM site showed my scores had been updated, I had no reason to assume that WINGS would not have updated it. As such, I made no further effort to double check and inquire if my scores were ready for board simply because I did not know that there was even another way (and what turned out to be the only way that mattered). I believed I had all avenues covered.
I personally beat myself for not having been more proactive about ensuring my records were up to date, but I feel frustrated with my cadre's handling as well. The decision to retake my AFOQT was fraught with postponements and 1 on 1 conversations between me and the cadre, as such, one would assume my decision to go with retaking the AFOQT to be something they were aware of. Even a few days after I took it, one of the cadre members came up to me asking how I think I did, (again re-ensuring the idea that they knew about me retaking the AFOQT.) My question is, if they knew about it, why too did they not be more proactive in getting my scores up to WINGS, knowing that this is something that is quite personal and essential to me. With their knowledge both within and outside ROTC, they would definitively have much better position to see whether or not I was on track or not.
The big questions I have for you all really is to understand how PCSM scores go into WINGS.
-
Does the CC fill out a Form 22 to update PCSM onto WINGS?
- Is that the job of the CC or the NCOs?
- Can cadets check their PCSM on WINGS?
- Does WINGS display the date a change was made to your PCSM scores?
I have tried to make this as comprehensive as possible so that you guys can have every aspect taken into consideration.
Other than that, that is all. Thank you folks!
Respectfully,
DinaMight
Thin Cornea
in Aviation Medicine
Posted
I don't have the specifics number but is there a regulation against having a thin Cornea? It's only on one eye and my eye doc told me "it wasn't nothing to worry about" because in the two years he's checked it, it has not progressed.
Anyone run into this hurdle before? Were you able to still fly?