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Published list of OTS start dates?


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Hello all. I'm a civilian who got hired by a C-130 guard unit.   Does anyone know if there is a published list of OTS / COT start dates? I just passed my FC1 and am expecting to have dates assigned in the next couple of weeks, but I'm wondering if I'll start OTS before the end of the year. Also, does anyone know how Christmas / New Year factor into the training cycle?

 

Thanks!

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Congratulations bud!  I have not heard of anything for this fiscal year yet.  Based on what I've heard from many Guard guys, it is not very likely to get into a class in such a short timeframe...then again, there is always a possibility since the FY hasn't started.

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Yeah for some reason I didn't even factor in FY into my reasoning, which is stupid because I technically hired for FY18. 

 

My squadron commander has has told me to prepare for late fall of this year, but I'm interested to see how many class start dates might be available before the end of the year. For example, if I start in November, would they just give us a day or two of leave for Christmas, or would they just push the next class start date until January? Or neither? I've got a 3 month old at home in Atlanta, so the drive isn't bad for baby and mama to come visit, but it would be nice to know if I'll get to spend the first Christmas with the baby. Selfish, I know...

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1 minute ago, mb1685 said:

Check this out: https://airforcejourney.com/2017/04/30/fy2018-tfot-schedule-unofficial/

Looks like they circumvent the holiday leave issue by not having classes that take place around that time.

Bingo, that's the perfect link. Looks like it'll be January for me at the earliest. Ughhh... The waiting game is killing me.

 

Thanks!

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1 hour ago, Future_Herc_Driver said:

Yeah for some reason I didn't even factor in FY into my reasoning, which is stupid because I technically hired for FY18. 

 

My squadron commander has has told me to prepare for late fall of this year, but I'm interested to see how many class start dates might be available before the end of the year. For example, if I start in November, would they just give us a day or two of leave for Christmas, or would they just push the next class start date until January? Or neither? I've got a 3 month old at home in Atlanta, so the drive isn't bad for baby and mama to come visit, but it would be nice to know if I'll get to spend the first Christmas with the baby. Selfish, I know...

Gotcha...i guess you might have a few days or so as exodus break.  Would be worthwhile to go visit.  I know I would.

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Seems like they're trying to get away from scheduling OTS classes in a way that requires a break. Which, with the program only eight weeks long versus the thirteen it was five years ago, should be a lot easier to do. People who got this September for a class date and are Guard/Reserve are getting to do SERE in early December instead.

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18 hours ago, sforron said:

Seems like they're trying to get away from scheduling OTS classes in a way that requires a break. Which, with the program only eight weeks long versus the thirteen it was five years ago, should be a lot easier to do. People who got this September for a class date and are Guard/Reserve are getting to do SERE in early December instead.

True to an extent.  Some are starting UPT in December and the ones starting in later Jan are going to SERE in between. 

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I think 18-01/02 start next week, 18-03/04 start 09 Jan and 17 Jan, 18-05/06 start Late March.

Odd class numbers (I think) are civilian classes and even numbers are prior service, their program is a week shorter.  But I am no expert, off the street as well.
Sounds like we could be showing up at the same time - I'm a reserve KC-10 hire looking at a Jan or March OTS date.

Good luck!

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37 minutes ago, extender10 said:

I think 18-01/02 start next week, 18-03/04 start 09 Jan and 17 Jan, 18-05/06 start Late March.

Odd class numbers (I think) are civilian classes and even numbers are prior service, their program is a week shorter.  But I am no expert, off the street as well.
Sounds like we could be showing up at the same time - I'm a reserve KC-10 hire looking at a Jan or March OTS date.

Good luck!

Classes are definitely a mix of AD/prior service and civilians (and Guard/Reserve accessions and AD accessions). I'm slated for 18-06 and there's a bunch of AD people on the Facebook group. It's all TFOT now -- there's no more AMS. TFIT (the first week) has been chopped and there's a computer course prerequisite instead now.

Edited by mb1685
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2 minutes ago, mb1685 said:

Classes are definitely a mix of prior service and civilians (and Guard/Reserve and AD). It's all TFOT now -- there's no more AMS. TFIT (the first week) has been chopped and there's a computer course prerequisite instead now. I'm slated for 18-06 and there's a bunch of AD people on the Facebook group.

I had read about the online course pre-req. Sounds like I'll be able to knock that out during December drill (I hope) while I'm down there for the Christmas party anyway. My squadron commander has been very understanding of the new addition to my family and has encouraged me to stay at home and be a new dad for as long as I can. Would love to get paid to knock out the online course since there's really nothing else I can do during drill weekends anyway. 

 

Does anyone know if there are published course start dates available for UPT? I know it likely varies slightly by UPT base, but it seems like most of the guys from our unit end up going to Columbus. 

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1 minute ago, Future_Herc_Driver said:

Does anyone know if there are published course start dates available for UPT? I know it likely varies slightly by UPT base, but it seems like most of the guys from our unit end up going to Columbus. 

There are 13-14 classes a year - so roughly every 3 weeks of the FY.  
My unit always ends up at Laughlin it seems - from what I've heard from ROTC dudes Vance is the most requested - so if you preference Laughlin or Columbus you'll probably get it easier.  I don't know though.  I lived at Laughlin ages 1-5 when my dad instructed there, and my grandpa flew U-2s there so I'm gonna be requesting Laughlin first.

8 minutes ago, mb1685 said:

Classes are definitely a mix of AD/prior service and civilians (and Guard/Reserve and AD). I'm slated for 18-06 and there's a bunch of AD people on the Facebook group.It's all TFOT now -- there's no more AMS. TFIT (the first week) has been chopped and there's a computer course prerequisite instead now.

Thanks!
And wow - I've been reading through that blog (airforcejourney.com) somebody shared.  I thought I read all I could about OTS and watched enough videos to get an idea... that was an information overload/gold mine! Gonna have to keep biting off chunks of that night by night. 

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12 hours ago, Future_Herc_Driver said:

I had read about the online course pre-req. Sounds like I'll be able to knock that out during December drill (I hope) while I'm down there for the Christmas party anyway. My squadron commander has been very understanding of the new addition to my family and has encouraged me to stay at home and be a new dad for as long as I can. Would love to get paid to knock out the online course since there's really nothing else I can do during drill weekends anyway. 

 

Does anyone know if there are published course start dates available for UPT? I know it likely varies slightly by UPT base, but it seems like most of the guys from our unit end up going to Columbus. 

Yeah OTS is now 8.5 weeks for everyone. They will send the pre-rec course out no later than 60 days prior to start date. And this is not a course you can knock out in a weekend, just the CBT's are 30 hours of computer work and then you have some other work they ask you to do. I steadily worked on it for the full 60 days, considering I juggled it around my family, civ job, and all the other stuff that goes on concurrent in the training pipeline. So don't expect to get paid for doing it. 

UPT classes start roughly at least once a month. For the reserves we got a dream sheet to pick our base, and 90% got their preferred base. Not sure how the guard works though. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi, does anyone know how likely you are to get a job in the field you apply for, once you get accepted for OTS with a bachelors degree? and what are the physical exams for civilians trying to join the airforce as officers with a bachelors degree?

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  • 2 months later...
On 9/7/2017 at 8:35 AM, Heavywanabe said:

Yeah OTS is now 8.5 weeks for everyone. They will send the pre-rec course out no later than 60 days prior to start date. And this is not a course you can knock out in a weekend, just the CBT's are 30 hours of computer work and then you have some other work they ask you to do. I steadily worked on it for the full 60 days, considering I juggled it around my family, civ job, and all the other stuff that goes on concurrent in the training pipeline. So don't expect to get paid for doing it. 

UPT classes start roughly at least once a month. For the reserves we got a dream sheet to pick our base, and 90% got their preferred base. Not sure how the guard works though. 

I'm heading off to ots in two weeks and no one has mentioned anything about a prerequisite course. I even asked my base training manager about it and she said she hasn't heard anything about it.  The reporting instructions doesn't mention anything either. Should I be worried? I'm in the guard.

 

Edited by Vixty
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There most definitely is a prerequisite course that you are tested on during the first or second week of OTS now. Start making phone calls/emailing people. If you don’t have OTS contacts for that, I can dig them up and PM you.

Edit: Pulled them up & PM’ed. Anyone else in a similar situation let me know and I’ll do the same.

Edited by Sit On Acorns
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