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NABO

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    Guard Pilot Training Orders

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted · Edited by NABO

    Hi all,

    I'm looking for some detail on the "type" of orders that would come with the 3-4 years of pilot training + seasoning in a guard unit.

    I'm a guard off the street hire anticipating starting the OTS/UPT pipeline next year. I'm currently in the process of switching civilian jobs in the meantime, and am reviewing prospective opportunities. As one would expect, I'm looking at applicable military leave policies as well.

    The company I plan to sign on with provides paid military leave for employees that are "deployed for an active duty tour for a declared military action (to include Homeland Defense)." This is what leads to me to the above query, as all I know about OTS/UPT/FTU orders is that they are normally Title 10 and are considered active duty. Are these sets of orders explicitly listed as training orders, and furthermore what are the different categories of orders that are applicable for Guardsmen (i.e. school vs combat deployment)?

    I'm essentially just trying to align actual AF terminology with that of the mil leave policy and see if my UPT/FTU orders would be eligible. 

    Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

    Valsalva during FC1

    in Aviation Medicine

    Posted · Edited by NABO

    Hi all, Headed to Wright Patt for my FC1 soon.

    Can anyone give clarity on what the flight doc looks for when you're asked to perform the Valsalva? I know they look for movement of the tympanic membrane/eardrum but I was hoping to find more clarity on this.

    I have some scarring my on eardrums from childhood ear infections that otherwise do not affect my hearing or ability to equalize. The Valsalva in particular allows me to clear my ears, though I only hear the "pop" in my left ear. I had a civilian ENT observe this as well and they were able to verify seeing movement in the left ear drum but not the right. 

    I have much better success clearing both ears with the Toynbee Maneuver (swallowing with nose closed) and have used this for scuba diving and unpressurized flights with zero issues (I hear a equally loud pop/clearance for both ears). If I combine this maneuver with the Valsalva, my ears will clear 100% of the time, however I'm not sure that this would generate the ear drum movement in my right ear that the doc may be looking for.

    That being said, should I expect the flight doc to be evaluating this solely on eardrum movement? I'm guessing they will also ask if your ears cleared, which in my case the answer would truthfully be a yes, even if not visible. In others' experience, could I expect the doc to "take my word for it?" If not, would additional baro chamber testing be expected or allowed?

     

    Upon recently reviewing my MEPS paperwork, the doc marked UNSAT for my Valsalva after previously marking and crossing out SAT, which has prompted my concern around this issue.

    This test seems partly subjective and it would be helpful to know the general outlook that the flight doc may have on this as far as eardrum movement and non Valsalva equalizations go.

     

    Interestingly, the Valsalva is mentioned in the Waiver Guide as the standard benchmark for evaluation but mentions the Toynbee and Frenzel maneuvers as safer alternatives to achieve the same result in the very next sentence. 

     

    Any insight, advice, or recent experience would be greatly appreciated!

    An early what are my chances (Mid 20s edition)

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted · Edited by NABO

    #1: You're still in the goldilocks zone IMO. Similar to you, I started this process and took all my tests at 25, and got picked up for fighters of the street at age 26. Age is very unit dependent, some prefer young guys out of college, while others see value in someone with more life/professional experience. Through this process I've seen several people get picked up for fighters at 28, 29, and 30. Furthermore, this may vary by year as units decide to hire young one year and balance it out with an older hire the next. Overall, If you are competitive in every other way, I do not see age as something that will negatively impact you until maybe 28. That gives you a solid 2-3 years to apply/rush as hard as you can. Come interview time, you may very well be asked why you didn't start earlier or pursue an AD commission. Have a real and honest answer ready and it should be a non-issue.

    On that note though, why wait until spring to do your tests? Definitely give yourself 2-3 months to study, but you should want to get them done ASAP, as the last thing you want to be doing is trying to harass a recruiter to schedule you in time for the spring "batch" of boards. I made this mistake peak-COVID and wished I had started it earlier.

     

    #2: Echoing above, but this is again very unit dependent. IMO, the general rule of thumb is that local ties can always help you but the lack thereof won't necessarily hurt you. I've been at several rush events and interviews where it felt like there was only one or two guys from the opposite coast, but they were still invited out the same as the local guys. If the unit really likes you, they're not going to care where you live, as long as you can convince them that you're willing to drop everything and move there when that time comes.

    Sometimes though, with all other things even, they will go with a local guy as a tiebreaker. You can't control the board's selection process and there's really no way around that except to be yourself and show why you'd be the best fit for the squadron, both on paper and in person.

     

    I can only speak from my own experiences, but this is what I've found through the process thus far.

    Long story short, I think just about everybody in the "circuit" has had these same concerns at some point, it's only natural. Though I wouldn't let either of them prevent you from pursuing this with your full effort, and given your current situation I certainly don't think either would preclude you from getting a slot. 

    Good luck!

    • Like 2
    • Upvote 1

    Upcoming Boards

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted

    On 5/7/2021 at 8:27 PM, StevenL7 said:

    Just heard back on visits for 122FS, POC said visits are by sq invite only. I asked about when applicants would get invites and will update when I hear back, has anyone received one yet? Not sure if they've already been sent out or if they will send them out after the application deadline. To those that have/do, best of luck!

     

    On 5/7/2021 at 8:44 PM, ecc97 said:

    I can confirm the above, I was told the same thing today.  

    I haven't heard anything, or gotten any communication since I submitted my app, other than being told rushing was invitation only.  With that said, I would guess invitations will go out after the application window closes, as that has been my experience.  Good luck everyone.

    Applicants were invited out for April and May drill weekends but they are trying to bring in different people for each rush event so I would expect there are pending invites for June/July weekends.

    Good Scores... But Old(er)

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted

     

    1 hour ago, FDNYOldGuy said:

    See if you can knock out MEPS or an FC1 (extremely hard, these days, but you never know). Network and talk to as many people as you can. You never know who might help along the way. 

    Can anyone technically go to MEPS or get an FC1 without having already been hired or having some type of commitment? I was under the impression that you had to sign on the dotted line somewhere prior to these getting stamped.

    Upcoming Boards

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted · Edited by NABO

    2 hours ago, amz129 said:

    Congrats! I have a 99 pilot, 96 nav, 95, 79, 97 with a 99 PCSM with 1251 hours. But I have no military experience. Were you able to visit VT back in October? I'm wondering if that made the difference

    That weekend was cancelled 24 hours prior due to a COVID outbreak in the unit. As far as I'm aware there were no in-person visitations this year.

    • Upvote 1

    23 Year Old Guard/Reserve Pilot Applicant

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted

    Go Frogs! 

    Scores are solid for sure. Definitely so if you're looking at heavies.  If you just graduated, do you have a job lined up? It's obviously still early but the sooner you can add some professional experience to your resume the better. 

    Shame the Flying Frogs wasn't around when I was undergrad, sounds cool.

    Upcoming Boards

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted

    54 minutes ago, ZR-1 said:

    Looks like they sent emails to everybody today.

    Averages of all applications received: GPA 3.23, Age 26, PCSM 81, Pilot 89,
    Nav 75, Apt 63, Ver 67, Quan 57.

    Averages of those selected to interview: GPA 3.34, Age 22.5, PCSM 91, Pilot
    98, Nav 91, Apt 81, Ver 80, Quan 76.
     

    Looks like they prefer guys just coming out of college. Starting to feel real old at 25 👴.

    • Upvote 1

    Upcoming Boards

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted

    22 hours ago, Lisenbyjacob said:

    115 applicants and the average flight hours between them 200 hrs 😳  I'm starting to feel a little inferior. 

    I took those as being the average numbers of those selected for an interview, not the entire applicant pool. I’m sure the average flight time is skewed high if they invited one or two high hour ATP guys. I bet (hope) the median is much lower.

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