So, I was FINNALLY able to get in touch with a recruiter who will help me out. I spoke to him on the phone yesterday, gave him all my info and my AFOQT scores from my ROTC days and voila, tomorrow I have a meeting with him to fill out and submit my application for OTS....


For those of you who are interested, my top choices in order are:
1) Pilot (duh)
2) Navigator
3) ABM
4) Intelligence (Do you have to be intelligent to do intelligence?? )
5) Aquisitions


Keep your fingers crossed for me....

I will go one better, i will keep my legs crossed for you .

Awesome! I wish you good luck. If you got a pilot slot, would you want to track fighters, heavies or UAV's.

MIKE JG wrote:Awesome! I wish you good luck. If you got a pilot slot, would you want to track fighters, heavies or UAV's.

Is that even a question!

Actually these days, it is. Fighters means you WILL get depolyed on a regular basis. Heavies, not nearly as much if at all. UAVs, well you might just be able to fly from your base here in the states.

That whole QOL thing to think about if given a choice.

Friend of mine who was an AFA grad ended up choosing Heavies even though he could have tracked fighters. Chose the wife and family over the ability to climb straight up.

You can always get another family...only one chance to fly fighters!

Actually, I went to school with a guy who went to the AFA. He went straight to B-1s but a few years ago went to F15s. I actually saw him in that short-lived show "American Fighter Pilot". I think that was its name.

....

MIKE JG wrote:
Awesome! I wish you good luck. If you got a pilot slot, would you want to track fighters, heavies or UAV's.

Is that even a question!

Honestly, it's a tough choice and I've racked my brain on that one...

On one hand, yes it is AWESOME to fly fighters and and how many people can say "Yeah, I break the sound barrier on a regular basis while I'm at work". Plus, if I go career which right now is where my head is at, there's a lot more opportunity for advancement up the ranks and positions. yes this is changing, but for the near future that's just how it is.

On the other hand, heavies let you come home more often and thus it's a better family life. I have a buddy from ROTC who just finished his mission quals on the C-17 and wouldn't trade it in for anything. When in ROTC he was gung-ho F-15s.


My favorite aircraft with locations possibilities are below:

B-1B - South Dakota (No) ; Texas (No)
F-22A - Virginia (Yes) ; Alaska (Yes) ; New Mexico (No)
F-15E - North Carolina (Yes) ; United Kingdom (Undecided) ; Idaho (No)
C-17 - New Jersey (Yes) ; South Carolina (Yes) ; Washington (Yes) ; California (Undecided)
F-15 - Nevada (No) ; Virginia (Yes) ; Florida (Yes) ; Alaska (Yes) ; Japan (No)
F-16 - South Carolina (Yes) ; Arizona (No) ; Nevada (No) ; Utah (No) ; Italy (Yes) ; South Korea (Undecided)


Really tough choices, but it seems to me that the C-17 is the best choice for me location wise. I'm trying to think about as much as I can as to how each decision affects my life. The upside with F-16s and F-15s is that if I ever decide to leave Active Duty I could go into the ANG and remain in once place.

I hate UAVs but let's face it, they're here to stay. If I track fighter/bomber than I can expect at least one tour on UAVs so I'm prepared for that. As it is now you do one tour of UAVs before switching back to the cockpit, so I can suck it up for 4 years or so.

All decisions I'll come to when I get to that fork in the road


Also let's no forget, getting a pilot slot is really, really hard to do so I may not get it at all. Even if I do get one there's no guarantee I'll track the way I want to JSUPT, and could get stuck anywhere. At this point in my life now, I'll fly anything the AF gives me where I actually have to sit in a cockpit though

so you would honestly pass of as an F-22 driver if it was in New Mexico??? now I've heard it all LOL.

Don't take that the wrong way, I'm just kidding.

Actually I'm going through a simmilar dilemma as I try to make decisions about careers in the armed forces myself... its tough if family is involved!!!

Good luck to you.My dad retired after 32 years of service...You are a great American...Thank you.....P.S.....If you can tell them we miss the C-141....LOL...Hey good luck to you...if you do get in and by any chance get stationed at Patrick AFB flying 130's..stop by I'll give you some surfing lessons!!!!!GOOD LUCK.....FLY AIR FORCE!!!

Oh to be young again.....

Seems like the AF is hurting for pilots these days, all these voluntary recall offers and what not.

theoklahomaaviator wrote:so you would honestly pass of as an F-22 driver if it was in New Mexico??? now I've heard it all LOL.

Don't take that the wrong way, I'm just kidding.

Actually I'm going through a simmilar dilemma as I try to make decisions about careers in the armed forces myself... its tough if family is involved!!!

Holloman is great, the area around it is what brings it down.
need a few more classes to go through with ots but I honestly couldn't imagine being at the bottom all over again, very happy where i'm at.
good luck with the pilot thing but it is really tough. especially to get the 22.

Good luck Jumpshot.

I would fly any airframe out of any base they put me. Whatever they offer; you take it!

Or you'll end up like me, analyzing charts and graphs and balancing resources and blah blah blah...

Nothing wrong with the UAV track.
Home every night. Good food.
and you still get to fly a simulator..well sort of.

As for Jumpshot, I just finished 3 year Acquisition assignment. I can talk to you offline about leadership and experience opportunities in Program Management.

It wasn't too bad. When you consider the excellent pay and experience opportunities on active duty as well as for the civilian side as a Program Manager, you might be inclined to look more towards Acquisition if that is your liking.

I also know a few folks who went tankers and were not home long enough at all to do family stuff too.

Keith

If I was young and going into USAF I'd be a backseater in the RC-135... Learn another language and see the world!

Barry

Great job JS, but your choices are way off for now, you have a long road ahead and you know this and I am sure your father does as well.

I'm on several real world forums for military aviators, have you checked out baseops.net yet? Lots of info for UPT and such.

Jumpshot, Congratulations and good luck! Although there are many jobs in the AF, without a doubt, the ultimate is a pilot rating.

I flew satellites for many a year in the AF and although it's not the same as screaming through sky at mach 3, you don't get involved with those sudden stops at FL Zero!

If the flying thing doesn't work out, take a look at space ops (plenty of jobs in the civilian side when you're done!)

Good luck and I hope you get what you desire!