UPT student here just trying to learn how this all works. Going from AD pilot to guard/reserve, how much does my airframe on active duty matter to a guard/reserve unit?

Examples: could a C17 guy get into an F16 unit? HH60 guy into a C5 unit? F22 guy into a C130 unit?

Any relevant information is welcome, obviously a newbie with some curiosity.

I wonder if this question has ever been asked before in the 16+ years of archived data on this site...

As a UPT student you probably have 6-9 years to go before this is even an option. 

It's much easier to get hired by a guard/reserve unit that flies the jet in which you are already qualified. Otherwise they have to find and pay for a training slot for you. If you're not already qualified then fighter going to another fighter is easier than heavy to fighter. It's not uncommon to switch airframes in the guard/res, but timing is everything and it may or may not work in your favor. No one can say what it will be like 10 years out, your dream unit might not even be flying the same jet by then.

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Bottom line:

Heavy - Heavy = Easy

Fighter - Heavy = Easy

Heavy - Fighter = not Easy

On 8/15/2020 at 10:48 AM, D-ron said:

Otherwise they have to find and pay for a training slot for you.

Huh?

I’ve heard this misnomer a number of times. Who has to pay for what?

If you get hired by a fighter unit and are not qualified in their jet, that means they like you and are willing to request/use a IQ/TX resource to get you qualified. There is no “pay for you.” The only “pay” is the use of an allocated IQ/TX resource that the unit projected they would need in the previous 1 or 2 FYs. Sometimes the Guard gets more resources that they need, sometimes not enough. Timing is everything and there is no justice.

But, no. A unit doesn’t “pay” to send someone to IQ/TX training. Although, it does pay to be nice to CR.

On 8/15/2020 at 11:04 AM, Scooter14 said:

Bottom line:

Heavy - Heavy = Easy

Fighter - Heavy = Easy

Heavy - Fighter = not Easy

The Guard gets one T-38 transition per year. If you didn’t fly T-38s in UPT and get hired by a fighter unit, that means you won the lottery and the T-38 slot is likely yours.

Requires lots of precoord with NGB, but can be done.

Edited August 28, 20205 yr by Pancake

On 10/31/2020 at 2:39 PM, texancrier said:

Late response from me- but thanks for the info. Does "The Guard" mean the entire ANG nationwide, or each unit respectively? And 't-38 transition' means a non-fighter qual'd rated pilot?

Just trying to understand how it all works. Thanks again

Probably the whole ANG. But those slots can be built in the QMW if needed. T-38 transition is for people who flew toners in Phase III or have been out of a T-38 for a while. It’s to enable success at IFF and is at Randolph.

It’s a “TX” course that doesn’t result in a qual.