Needing Some Council on My Situation

[dmnhntr]

Ladies and Gents,

 

I'm currently active duty USAF.  I'm doing my level best to earn a pilot slot.  I'm not keeping my eggs all in one basket.  I'm looking at active USAF as well as ANG/AFRES.  I'm also looking at the USMC.  I haven't heard a whole lot from the USN.  I'm studying Aeronautics at ERAU and my grad date is April 2019.  That would put me at 30.  Before graduating, I'm looking at going to ground school as well as getting at least 10 flight hours under my belt to improve my PCSM score.  This is the dream.  All that being said, I could potentially transfer to another university that will potentially put my grad date in April/May 2018.  But, haven't heard back from them yet.  Could potentially this week.  Look forward to y'alls thoughts and council.  Forgive me if I put this in the wrong forum.

Edited April 2, 2017 by dmnhntr

[RTB]

27 minutes ago, dmnhntr said:

Ladies and Gents,

 

I'm currently active duty USAF.  I'm doing my level best to earn a pilot slot.  I'm not keeping my eggs all in one basket.  I'm looking at active USAF as well as ANG/AFRES.  I'm also looking at the USMC.  I haven't heard a whole lot from the USN.  I'm studying Aeronautics at ERAU and my grad date is April 2019.  That would put me at 30.  Before graduating, I'm looking at going to ground school as well as getting at least 10 flight hours under my belt to improve my PCSM score.  This is the dream.  All that being said, I could potentially transfer to another university that will potentially put my grad date in April/May 2018.  But, haven't heard back from them yet.  Could potentially this week.  Look forward to y'alls thoughts and council.  Forgive me if I put this in the wrong forum.

If it's the dream, absolutely go all in - AD / AFRES / ANG.  Since you're currently USAF, you understand some of the pain associated with life on AD, and these boards are full of legitimate (and sport bitching) gripes from AD flyers.  By all accounts, the best QoL with least amount of queep or pain would be a stand alone ANG or Reserve unit that isn't integrated with AD.  But you can't just send an application in to them and expect to be hired.  You need to visit the unit during drill weekends.  Find out who their hiring POC is and figure out how and when to visit.  Get to know them, let them see you're not a douche (don't act like a douche).  Do this for multiple units. Find out when they're hiring and who to contact about it by visiting some of the websites that specialize in tracking that stuff...you can find the info on them here on Baseops.  I think there's a new one that recently launched that has all the upcoming hiring board info (Bogidope?)

But also put applications in to AD for a slot.  Cast the net wide as I've said before.  You'll undoubtedly find people who will tell you no or you're too old or whatever to discourage you.  Screw them.  Find someone else and keep at it until you find the right path.  And the right path is most likely whichever path leads to a pilot training slot soonest.  And since age is becoming an issue for you, try to transfer to complete the degree sooner. 

As for USN and USMC, that's a whole different rodeo.  Significantly different lifestyle than AF.   Read up on what some Marine guys on here have to say about flying there.  

Good luck! 

[oldfuck]

Some units will let you apply as an undergraduate, so long as you're able to fulfill the degree requirement before UPT. Each unit has different requirements, but I have seen a few that will accept packages from applicants with as little as 90 credit hours. Check unit websites and go through their application package requirements, usually there is a section that will detail that bit of information for you. I'm in a similar age situation, and not expecting to graduate until I'm nearly 29, but I will be sending applications out as early as next semester.