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Nova1976

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Posts posted by Nova1976

    Civilian vs. Enlisted Crew Chief

    in Q & A Forum

    Posted

    9 hours ago, EvilEagle said:

    I know a LOT of guys that have enlisted to get to know pilots and get a pilot slot.  Of those I know of 3 that actually got the slot (there are more, I just don't know them).  I do know at least 20 crew chiefs in my unit that joined with that plan then life got in the way.  

     

    Remember, after tech school you'd still have OJT then you have CDC's and all your new tech stuff.  You could end up working in phase, if you are a part timer you'd only see guys on weekends, etc.  It takes a lot more time to get to know guys as a crew chief than you'd think.  

     

    I definitely recommend holding off and rushing (unless you are totally stuck on your hometown unit like N730 said).  What are your other scores?  They all matter, not just pilot/nav.  

    Eagle,

    My other scores are average (I have been told that its not worth retaking to risk giving up the 97 pilot). I'm not against branching out but my hometown unit is my obvious first choice. Is there a better enlisted route that would get more pilot exposure? Like flight equipment or Intel? If not, I will just plan on attending as many UTAs as possible. They hold a board every 2 years and the last board was this summer so I was assuming I had enough time to enlist and get back from tech school by the time the next board rolls around.   

    Civilian vs. Enlisted Crew Chief

    in Q & A Forum

    Posted

    2 hours ago, N730 said:

    I mean, unless you are just dead set on your hometown unit, I wouldn't enlist. That is a delay of years (I don't know exactly how long) and you still aren't guaranteed to be picked up. Getting to know the pilots is important, but to put it in perspective, I'm civilian and was hired by a fighter unit that I didn't rush. There are multiple fighter units that don't even allow rushing.

    Units are just different, some put a HUGE preference on their enlisted members, some only hire from within, and some don't care at all.

    If you are getting interviews you are on the right track. you have a TON of time, so I'd keep pushing for a year or two before considering enlisting.

    What are you AFOQT/PCSM like? If you scored the interview, I assume their pretty decent.

    Awesome, thanks for the perspective. As for my scores, 97 AFOQT Pilot and 95 PCSM (97 once I get to 200 hrs). From my understanding, you can attend pilot boards and commission as soon as you get back from tech school so I would be sacrificing about a year or so of board opportunities. I'm still fairly new to the process and from my perspective, prior enlisted have had the edge at the units I have visited. But like you said, they are all just different. I'm sure I will find my spot, being patient is the hard part!     

    Civilian vs. Enlisted Crew Chief

    in Q & A Forum

    Posted

    Hey all, I'm looking for some opinions/advice. I'm 22 yrs old, just graduated engineering school in the spring (3.3 GPA), and am currently working as an engineer. I have my PPL with about 150 hours TT (80 Tailwheel), good pilot scores, and I own my own J3 cub. I'm just getting to the point this year where I have checked all the boxes to apply to guard/reserve units (I didn't go the ROTC route because of collegiate baseball). I have gotten one fighter interview so far at my hometown unit that went well. They had all good things to say and didn't have any feedback for me other than they didn't know me well enough. Long story short, they hired all prior enlisted (Crew Chiefs).  I have come to the realization that getting to know the pilots is over half the battle in getting hired, and that it's even more of a challenge if your civilian with no prior military experience. Now, I'm seriously thinking about enlisting at my hometown unit as a Crew Chief in order to get to know the air frame, serve, and to prove myself to the pilots. Basically I'm asking advice on if enlisting as a crew chief is a safe gamble to take (due to time) or if I should keep rushing/applying to units as a civilian and take my chances? I know nothing is guaranteed, although I want to provide myself with the best possible chance of getting picked up for a pilot slot somewhere. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated! Thank you!    

    Standard Interview Questions

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted

    I recently Interviewed at a fighter unit and this thread helped me a ton! Most of the questions asked where already stated here and there was some personal questions asked about my packet. The interview was unexpectedly very relaxed. Although, after the interview I forgot to ask the board when I should expect to hear back from them. (Rookie mistake) 

    My question for you guys is, how long did it take for you to get input back? If so, did you get a call even if you were not selected? Just trying to get an idea of what to expect now, and in the future at other interviews. 

    Good Luck!  

    What are my chances? (ANG)

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted

    17 minutes ago, EvilEagle said:

    Every unit is different but all the fighter units I know of put weight on all your scores.  Verbal skills - used every single day.  Academic aptitude is whether you can learn and process new information quickly - no brainer there for fighters especially. 

     

    If I were you, I'd retake the test.  Those scores aren't very competitive for our squadron at least.  YMMV. 

    Understood, will plan on retaking the test asap. Thanks again

    • Like 1

    What are my chances? (ANG)

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted

    Thanks for the reply! I apologize. Here are the rest of my scores. I had been told previously that only my AFOQT Pilot and PCSM where the scores that mattered as long as the other scores where passing.

    P: 97    NAV: 84    ACAD: 41    VERB: 36    QUANT: 48    ABM: 95    CSO: 84 

     

     

    What are my chances? (ANG)

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted

    Hello everyone,

    I would like to start off by saying thank you to those of you that are reading this that have served and are currently serving this country. I hope to join you soon!

    (New member here) I am a college senior finally getting to the point where I can start applying seriously to guard units. I'm graduating this spring with an accredited engineering degree and have my PPL with around 120 hours along with my tail wheel endorsement. I will be applying to several upcoming UPT boards in the north east focusing on fighters for now. I'm just trying to get an idea of my competitiveness as well as gain any tips on rushing units and getting to know the right people! I have wanted this for my whole life and I am determined to do whatever it takes to accomplish this goal. 

    My Numbers:

    AFOQT Pilot: 97

    PCSM: 95

    PPL: Yes, (mostly tail wheel time on tundra tires and skis)

    GPA: 3.3 (Deans List several times)

    Age: 22

    Work experience: I now work part time as a mechanical engineer and have worked on farms my entire childhood and thru high school.

    Extra Curricular activities: Baseball in both high school and college, National Honor Society in high school

     

    Any input or advice anybody has is much appreciated! Thank you and Godspeed. 

     

     

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