Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

Currently wrapping up F-16 crew chief training, and I want to check the current ANG fighter hiring climate. Age: 28 (turning 29 in January) F-16 ANG Crew Chief: Enlisted 9/24, shipped to BMT 4/25, heading back to home unit in about 3 weeks. Day Job: Legacy Airline 737 FO 5600 hours E145, E175, B777, B737 Type ratings Warbird and formation time (Pilatus P-3, Nanchang CJ6, Yak 52, T-33 Shooting Star (type rating expected Q2 2026) Volunteer SAR pilot, instructor, FEMA Incident Commander qualified (CAP) Bachelor's with a 3.8 GPA Current Scores: P:99 CSO:99 ABM:97 ACAD:89 VERB:94 QUANT:76 PCSM:88 I've p…

Currently a fixed wing pilot, looking for information from a 60 guard/reserve rescue guy on what that switch would look like? Let me know if you’d be willing to PM.

Hey all, I have been doing a ton of research, but could not find a clear answer. I am a current Federal Government employee working for the FAA. I have been applying to Guard and Reserve boards. If I get a job with the USAF reserves, my federal pension (FERS) with the FAA continues to accrue and build as if I never left while in USAF training. In addition, my military pension will build at the same time (as long as it is Title 10), and thus I can "double dip" and build two pensions for the same time period simultaneously (https://www.fedsmith.com/2013/04/14/retired-reservists-can-legally-double-dip/). I am also looking at the ANG. Does anyon…

Is it standard practice to follow-up with a phone call to a unit after the packet has been submitted? I know this is common practice in the civilian world, no idea about military. On the same note, is there a general time frame it takes to hear back from a unit if they are going to invite you for an interview? I guess for me the anticipation is the worst part of it.

Nuggets up. Got a call today from the retention office. The guard is giving away 20k bonus to pilots and those in pilot training. Does anyone know if AFRC is doing the same? Asking for a friend.

I am trying to enter the Air Force National Guard and my recruiter is requesting documents pertaining to my gallbladder surgery that I had done over 10 years ago so that he can send me to MEPS for the physical. I can't really find any documents and have gone to my doctors' offices (surgeon and gastroenterologist) and even the hospital where the surgery was performed, but all of them have destroyed the records because it was so long ago. After my gallbladder, was removed I never had any complications so there was no need to see any doctor since.My recruiter won't send me off to MEPS without any record of it, is there anything I can do?

Hello, I am looking for anyone who has some knowledge on this certain topic. I am very interested in flying within an Air National Guard unit. I am looking into enlisting within a unit because I know it will increase my chances for an interview and possibly being selected within the unit I join. I recently graduated college this year with a BS degree. I am also looking at applying for an officer position within the unit. I have been told that it is harder to be selected for a UPT slot from being an officer already due to the "commitment I would have within the unit already," and what the unit would have already invested in me if I was chosen for an officer position…

Hello all, It's been a while since I've been here, but I've put in my packet for a boom operator position in a local tanker squadron. They recently got back to me and invited me to go to an "orientation" What can I expect? Is it going to be a group or individidual thing? I'm thinking it's a walk around the hangar and then a meet & greet. What should I wear? I'm thinking "business casual" type stuff with appropriate tennis shoes because we may be on a flightline. Any tips besides study up on the aircraft/unit? -Thanks

I'm considering joining my local Air National Guard and have a couple of questions regarding initial pay. I have a bachelor's degree. I understand that I would go in as an E3. Since everyone in BMT is an airman (E1), would pay be as E1? If so, would E3 be sown on and E3 pay be at or after Tech Scool? Is there retroactive pay? Also, I've seen some airman drill before going to BMT, would pay then be as E1 as well? Who actually pays during the trainings: the federal government or the state? Bonus question... I have a full-time job and since I'm voluntarily joining the ANG, are they legally bound to hold my position until I finish and come back as opposed to being called…

I am trying to get a Guard Pilot Slot with a C-130 unit. My wife and I are trying to find what the typical pay is for a student at UPT. Also, how much can a 130 guy get after UPT just being a Guard Bum. just trying to get info. Jason

Before I get someone’s guess at my base, I figured I would reach out to the bros on here. We have a Title-10 mission at my base and we get fed man days from AMC and TACC quarterly through the M4S system. Last year I had guys that were on orders the whole year (365 days+) and it got me thinking, if or how could I get them a pilot bonus. Has anyone had any experience getting a traditional pilot on full time title-10 orders eligible for the bonus? I figure this could potentially help retain some guys if I can figure out a way to put some extra $ in their pocket. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Hey everyone, I'm highly considering competing for a pilot slot in my current ANG unit. Once concern I have is how ANG pilots are able to balance their full time job and home life with their flying commitments. Is it true that you go into the unit once a week? Do you find yourself having to take off of your full time job to fly? Any information will be helpful!

This seems to be a difficult question to search for. If I have missed a relevant thread I apologize. I'm looking for real world examples of guard or reserve pilots (traditional part time) schedule/life set up. I know after seasoning I'll be making around 10-15K a year and committed to 6-8 days a month. Right now I'm planning on supplementing my wifes income with CFI work, some freelance website building, doing the house work/watching the kids, etc. I have thought about the Airline/ANG combo and I just think that is too many days away from home for me, especially when you consider a commute (looking at around 20days away from home at a min right?). But I'm wonderin…

Just got picked up (HC-130 106th RQW) are there such things as a pilot signing bonus?

I am currently in the process of rushing units, and have submitted an application to the active duty rated board. It may seem like I am getting a little ahead of myself with this post, but I am thinking about what goals I would like to achieve if I can be hired to fly for a guard unit. I have an interest in going back for an Aeronautical Engineering degree in order to qualify for Air Force Test Pilot School eventually one day. I didn't rediscover my passion and enthusiasm for aviation until I was into my final year of college. Is this possible to apply for USAFTPS if you are a Guard pilot with all of the educational qualifications? Or is only available to AD pilot…

I find myself in an interesting situation. Love my squadron but we are entering a transition. I won't fly the new aircraft for a few years. In the meantime, I would like to go back to UPT or UCT and instruct. Does anyone know of a path for an ANG pilot to do this? Any ideas? With ADOS, MPA, PFI there has to be a way, right? Filling a need with someone willing and able to fly seems like an easy kill to my smooth brain. Any info or ideas would be really helpful.

I wanted to see if I could get an accurate idea if what my unit is telling me is true. I have been a traditional member of the Guard for about 7 years, 6 years post UPT. For almost half this time I have lived where my guard unit is and the other half supported a solid one day drive to commute to and from my civilian job. About a year ago I got picked up by a major airline and have been supporting the citizen soldier concept since then, while driving 9 hours a week to get to my civilian job, no direct airline flights from my unit location. Recently I started talking to another guard unit, in the state where I have my civilian job, and they seemed interested in…

I’m struggling to find some info. How can an ANG Officer find when they are eligible for promotion? My DOR to O-4 was 1 Oct 19, and my unit is having a mass exodus of O-5s this year freeing up a ton of O-5 billets. Would I be eligible to meet next years O-5 board and pin on 1 Oct 23? Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

This post is for my roommate who wants to get some information on becoming an Air National Guard helo pilot. I was telling him all about my path on applying to every Fighter unit out there for the guard and he loves the idea of staying with a unit for the full 20 years, but could he do it as a helo pilot as well? Has anyone been through this route? If so, I would love some input. Is the process the same for helo units? Anyone know of anymore ANG wop-wop units out there besides: 106 RSQ 176 WG 920 RSQ 129 RSQ ??? Thanks

Hello all, I searched through the threads but couldn’t find any recent information. Now that I received TFOT dates, I’m trying to give my current employer an estimated timeline of my absence. Can anyone give recent info on how long seasoning is based on experience or through the grapevine? Thanks in advance!

Would you guys be willing to give out some gouge on the quickest way to the major airlines after finishing up guard seasoning orders. ~700 TT. Fighters. Thanks! Please include variables like what’s the best regional airlines to fly for is and how long do guys expect to fly for them until being hired at a major.

I went back through 10+ pages of archives here to see if there was a thread I could bring back from the dead. I couldn't find one so I'll make a new one. I just recently transferred from the ANG to an AFRC IMA job. This post and thread will be a place holder for more information when I have more time to sit down and write a novel of my experience with this process. Like anything military personnel/administrative related, it was a nightmare... so far. Hopefully it'll all be worth it. I've got my 20+ years already, but decided I didn't want to fly anymore or do the UTA thing anymore and didn't quite think it was a good idea to retire yet so I decided to try the IM…

Searched a bit but no good info on how the process works if someone wanted to transfer from an ANG unit to AFRES. Been in the Guard a while but know almost nothing about AFRES. Location of the AFRES base and proximity to family is the motivating factor. Currently rated in a fighter and would be going to another fighter if it happened. Is the process similar to getting hired in the guard? Are there any major drawbacks going to the reserves? Part time vs. Full time work better in one vs. the other?

I understand that an Air National Guard member isn't a veteran and isn't entitled to Veteran benefits unless they complete 20 years of service or are called to active duty by the Federal Service under Title 10 I believe for a minimum amount of months. What is the minimum amount of active duty time required to earn veteran status and what other ways can an ANG serviceman become a veteran? Is veteran status awarded after the honorable discharge?

Standard assertion that: I looked and decided this merited its own thread, but mods please delete if this is not the consensus. I wanted some opinions on what an ANG unit's conversion back to manned from UAVs might look like. Does big Air Force see these units the same as it does manned units changing missions? That is to say, is a mission change such as this likely even if it's possible? How many UAV units are "future proofing" by sending their studs through full up UPT? Some initial limiting factors -change to the original manned aircraft bed down facilities that would prohibit the return of manned aircraft. -spin up of ops and mx personal giv…