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Looking to apply to ANG fighter unit


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So I am about a year out from gradutaing college with my Aeronautical bachelors degree. 3.6 GPA. I am looking to apply to my local ANG fighter unit. I have my commercial, Instrument, CFI, couple hundred hours of Civ flight time. What should I be doing now to get the ball rolling? I assume I should start getting ready to take the AFOQT and the TBAS? I've gathered a couple of LORs so far and not really sure where to go from here. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks. 

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18 minutes ago, Judgesmails said:

So I am about a year out from gradutaing college with my Aeronautical bachelors degree. 3.6 GPA. I am looking to apply to my local ANG fighter unit. I have my commercial, Instrument, CFI, couple hundred hours of Civ flight time. What should I be doing now to get the ball rolling? I assume I should start getting ready to take the AFOQT and the TBAS? I've gathered a couple of LORs so far and not really sure where to go from here. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks. 

The things you already know: Keep your grades up, study for and ace the AFOQT, and take the TBAS. Information on the AFOQT is abundant here. Use the Q&A section if you think your question is stupid, or already answered.


Start trying to visit the ANG unit during drill weekends. Be a sponge, and be yourself. Showing genuine interest shouldn't be hard since that's the unit you want to fly with, and they fly fighters. But never pass up the opportunity to STFU. Are you more interested in the unit because they fly fighters, because they fly your favorite fighter, or because of the location? The answer to that question will tailor a lot of your discussion with them or other units you may become interested in.

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2 hours ago, Kiloalpha said:

1. Finish College
2. Take AFOQT
3. Take TBAS
4. Find units that are hiring
5. Apply
6. If not hired, repeat 5 as necessary

If any of those steps seems confusing, there's a search function on this site that gives you access to the juicy info lying in the depths of BO.


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Am I allowed to take the AFOQT before I am finished with college?

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17 minutes ago, Judgesmails said:

Am I allowed to take the AFOQT before I am finished with college?

Yes. You can even start applying during your last year of college if the unit permits it (sometimes applicants are hired during their last year or last semester), but that's a bit rare from what I've gathered. Is there an AFROTC detachment at your college? If so, you might be able to arrange to take the test on campus with them. Each detachment usually administers it at least once per semester, but priority obviously goes to their cadets. If that's not an option, your local ANG unit might administer it on base from time to time. The recruiting office should be able to let you know.

Edited by mb1685
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  • 1 year later...
On 5/10/2017 at 2:40 PM, mb1685 said:

Yes. You can even start applying during your last year of college if the unit permits it (sometimes applicants are hired during their last year or last semester), but that's a bit rare from what I've gathered. Is there an AFROTC detachment at your college? If so, you might be able to arrange to take the test on campus with them. Each detachment usually administers it at least once per semester, but priority obviously goes to their cadets. If that's not an option, your local ANG unit might administer it on base from time to time. The recruiting office should be able to let you know.

I know this is an old post, however, when applying to guard units does it have to be the guard unit you're currently stationed to? How do interviews work, do you travel out of pocket? Thanks!

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10 minutes ago, Lyonconner said:

I know this is an old post, however, when applying to guard units does it have to be the guard unit you're currently stationed to? How do interviews work, do you travel out of pocket? Thanks!

You can apply to any unit you want. It doesn't have to be your own and yes, all travel expenses to interviews are out of your own pocket. 

Let me know if you have any other questions! 

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14 minutes ago, Lyonconner said:

I know this is an old post, however, when applying to guard units does it have to be the guard unit you're currently stationed to? How do interviews work, do you travel out of pocket? Thanks!

Most units do not require you to be enlisted at the same unit, and yes, you definitely pay your own way. Folks that are serious enough about interviews will always find a way to make it work out. The rest of the info you’re looking for can be found be searching around different threads, most notably the standard interview questions thread.

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  • 1 month later...
On 8/5/2018 at 4:17 PM, machloop said:

Anyone here currently a ANG fighter pilot? On a similar path here and trying to get a sense of what it's like to be a fighter pilot on base and so forth.

Define fighter pilot...

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On 7/2/2018 at 9:46 AM, cagg011 said:

Most units do not require you to be enlisted at the same unit, and yes, you definitely pay your own way. Folks that are serious enough about interviews will always find a way to make it work out. The rest of the info you’re looking for can be found be searching around different threads, most notably the standard interview questions thread.

Not required at any fighter unit I know. 

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4 hours ago, FalconAg said:

Tucson requires you to be a military member (or at least they did when I was applying ~3 years ago) but that is literally the only thing even close to a requirement to be a member of the unit that I've seen from any fighter unit.

Tucson has required applicants to be in the AZ national guard (army or AF) the last couple years. I doubt they will change that.

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On 8/13/2018 at 8:37 PM, va121mir said:

Tucson has required applicants to be in the AZ national guard (army or AF) the last couple years. I doubt they will change that.

Had an enlisted dude from our unit apply and get picked up by Tucson about 2 yrs ago. Not in that unit obviously, but he was military. 

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23 minutes ago, mp5g said:

Had an enlisted dude from our unit apply and get picked up by Tucson about 2 yrs ago. Not in that unit obviously, but he was military. 

I live about 15 min away and I'm enlisted in the reserves (AF) in Phoenix. They straight up told me no for the last two boards because I was not in the AZ guard.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've called 3 different units asking to start the process for a flight application and I haven't been able to get anyone on the phone.

Just voicemails every time. I've left voicemails with different offices at all 3 units and its been several weeks since then.

Is this common? I can't get in touch with a recruiter!

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You don't need to talk to a recruiter, you need to talk to a pilot to get hired.

 

If you want to set up tests and administrative things like that, try the local AFROTC unit as well.  They administer all of those tests. 

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I've called 3 different units asking to start the process for a flight application and I haven't been able to get anyone on the phone.
Just voicemails every time. I've left voicemails with different offices at all 3 units and its been several weeks since then.
Is this common? I can't get in touch with a recruiter!

Standard


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I've called 3 different units asking to start the process for a flight application and I haven't been able to get anyone on the phone.
Just voicemails every time. I've left voicemails with different offices at all 3 units and its been several weeks since then.
Is this common? I can't get in touch with a recruiter!

From my limited experience so far, if the unit isn’t hiring or hasn’t announced a board, they’re less likely to call back.

Most of the units post hiring information and the submission packet on their websites. So just keep checking their websites and keep calling! That’s what I’m doing. And good luck!


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