25JAN21 PILOT/NFO BOARD

[Marmaduke123]

I have seen people get picked up with those scores. Me being at 5/7/5 cuts it way to close. Though I have used up all my tries, so I’m stuck now with the scores now. The thing I’m worried about is a DNR this round because of not having any more test tries.... ?

Keep the faith man and I hope you get it. There are guys who make it with our scores and some with better ones who get denied so it's gotta be the whole package thing along with some luck as with all things.

On a side note would you consider Marine Aviation or trying your luck with AF in case you hit the limit?

 

[PontusPilot]

Keep the faith man and I hope you get it. There are guys who make it with our scores and some with better ones who get denied so it's gotta be the whole package thing along with some luck as with all things.

On a side note would you consider Marine Aviation or trying your luck with AF in case you hit the limit?

Have talked to marines, but they are a chore too. I need to re take my ACT, because I am 1 point short of what I need to apply... so if I do get a DNR will start preparing for that. Air Force didn’t even return my calls when reaching out.

 

[KaleDaSquid]

Keep the faith man and I hope you get it. There are guys who make it with our scores and some with better ones who get denied so it's gotta be the whole package thing along with some luck as with all things.

On a side note would you consider Marine Aviation or trying your luck with AF in case you hit the limit?

Good luck with the AF LOL! I personally think their system is wonky. Unless you have a PPL, do not even try. I scored in the top 3% and still got denied to apply to board.

 

[Marmaduke123]

Have talked to marines, but they are a chore too. I need to re take my ACT, because I am 1 point short of what I need to apply... so if I do get a DNR will start preparing for that. Air Force didn’t even return my calls when reaching out.

Persistence is key to everything man, keep chuggin I know I will!

 

[Marmaduke123]

Good luck with the AF LOL! I personally think their system is wonky. Unless you have a PPL, do not even try. I scored in the top 3% and still got denied to apply to board.

They have that odd bracket system for hours. After 15 flight hours you get decreasing returns for that composite score I believe. From what I read they view OCS (OTS) as just a auxiliary place to get pilots with way more emphasis on their academy. Their system is pretty off beat you are right - surprised they denied you, any explanation?

 

[KaleDaSquid]

They have that odd bracket system for hours. After 15 flight hours you get decreasing returns for that composite score I believe. From what I read they view OCS (OTS) as just a auxiliary place to get pilots with way more emphasis on their academy. Their system is pretty off beat you are right - surprised they denied you, any explanation?

The Capt. I talked to said it was because of a lack of a PPL on my application. I was in AFROTC was number 1 or 2 in my class. They gave flight seats out to aviation cadets first. ran outta seats before I could select. The O6 at the time wrote me a stellar LOR. Also got a good one from his replacement (O6) the following year and the O4. All members of the Det and did not mean squat. Now I am trying my luck with the Navy.

 

[Marmaduke123]

The Capt. I talked to said it was because of a lack of a PPL on my application. I was in AFROTC was number 1 or 2 in my class. They gave flight seats out to aviation cadets first. ran outta seats before I could select. The O6 at the time wrote me a stellar LOR. Also got a good one from his replacement (O6) the following year and the O4. All members of the Det and did not mean squat. Now I am trying my luck with the Navy.

Crazy - so it's true that the Academy is the end all be all for the AF. Didn't figure it was that bad though... like others have said a billion times before, you look like a shoe in (unless there is a very large skeleton in your packet we don't know about).

 

[Ghost SWO]

The Capt. I talked to said it was because of a lack of a PPL on my application. I was in AFROTC was number 1 or 2 in my class. They gave flight seats out to aviation cadets first. ran outta seats before I could select. The O6 at the time wrote me a stellar LOR. Also got a good one from his replacement (O6) the following year and the O4. All members of the Det and did not mean squat. Now I am trying my luck with the Navy.

I was in the same boat, 97 Pilot 97 CSO, no AFROTC though. Recruiters told me no on the conference call because of my GPA. Jokes on them, Navy said yes lol.

The process you go through to even submit an application for the USAF is a weeding-out process. Most people don't want to put the application together themselves and then wait nearly 2 years to see if they got one of the few remaining slots left over from the Academy and AFROTC.

 

[KaleDaSquid]

Crazy - so it's true that the Academy is the end all be all for the AF. Didn't figure it was that bad though... like others have said a billion times before, you look like a shoe in (unless there is a very large skeleton in your packet we don't know about).

No skeletons (that they will find muahahahah). Seriously, I am vanilla. I use my turn-signal, take my vitamins, even say my prayers before bed lol

Just have had some bad luck with applying to the AF. Cant complain, I have an amazing job right now.

 

[Ghost SWO]

Crazy - so it's true that the Academy is the end all be all for the AF. Didn't figure it was that bad though... like others have said a billion times before, you look like a shoe in (unless there is a very large skeleton in your packet we don't know about).

I wouldn't say end all be all but most of the slots (maybe more in the way of selection percentage), are given to the academy so getting in there to be a pilot gives you a better shot than everyone else. Then they give around 400 slots to ALL AFROTC for each year. I think there was a year when around 650 were selected out of ROTC (2019). Then the poor saps that are AD or civilians get the scraps and that's where the infamous 10% selection rate comes from.

 

[KaleDaSquid]

I wouldn't say end all be all but most of the slots are given to the academy so getting in there to be a pilot gives you a better shot than everyone else. Then they give around 400 slots to ALL AFROTC for each year. I think there was a year when around 650 were selected out of ROTC (2019). Then the poor saps that are AD or civilians get the scraps and that's where the infamous 10% selection rate comes from.

My Det class was 26 with 20 being flight majors. It was a bloodbath to get the spots. The top 3 class apps were not and none of us got Pilot lmao. We all got offered missiles ?

Edit: The thought of Minot makes me cringe.

 

[Aviate11]

AF Reserves is a bit different than AD. You actually interview with the unit you’re interested in. They truly take a holistic approach. However, it is still really competitive and is by no means easy lol. My unit has a board in March. If you’re already in, you build your package yourself and send it to the hiring manager in the unit. Usually one of the senior pilots. Then they review your package and if it’s good enough they’ll interview you. Then they essentially vouch for you to AFRC (big Air Force reserve) and AFRC will determine if you’re an ideal candidate. Reserve units usually only hire one or two UPT candidates a year though. So it’s tough.

 

[Ghost SWO]

My Det class was 26 with 20 being flight majors. It was a bloodbath to get the spots. The top 3 class apps were not and none of us got Pilot lmao. We all got offered missiles ?

That's why I hold the opinion that ROTC is one of the worst ways to become a pilot because so many pilot wannabe's don't want anything else but pilot. If you don't get picked up for the job you want which has few slots for every Det, you're still tied to a military commitment in a job you don't want.

Wow missiles, yikes. I guess they need those guys pretty bad because no one wants to be stuck in terrible assignment locations.

AF Reserves is a bit different than AD. You actually interview with the unit you’re interested in. They truly take a holistic approach. However, it is still really competitive and is by no means easy lol. My unit has a board in March. If you’re already in, you build your package yourself and send it to the hiring manager in the unit. Usually one of the senior pilots. Then they review your package and if it’s good enough they’ll interview you. Then they essentially vouch for you to AFRC (big Air Force reserve) and AFRC will determine if you’re an ideal candidate. Reserve units usually only hire one or two UPT candidates a year though. So it’s tough.

Reserves are nice in a way because you're filling an open slot that already exists right? I've heard horror stories where they make a person enlist and then some get selected, some don't lol.

 

[Aviate11]

That's why I hold the opinion that ROTC is one of the worst ways to become a pilot because so many pilot wannabe's don't want anything else but pilot. If you don't get picked up for the job you want which has few slots for every Det, you're still tied to a military commitment in a job you don't want.

Wow missiles, yikes. I guess they need those guys pretty bad because no one wants to be stuck in terrible assignment locations.


Reserves are nice in a way because you're filling an open slot that already exists right? I've heard horror stories where they make a person enlist and then some get selected, some don't lol.

I’m not sure for street to seat. I think you still talk to a recruiter. And if you’re picked you’re guaranteed to be with that unit. That’s what is nice about the reserves. If you ONLY want to fly a certain aircraft then you can only apply to a unit with that aircraft. And I’m pretty sure AFRC comes down and disseminates a certain quota each year for each unit and a board will be held. Same for guard. It’s all about availability from what I’ve seen. But they’d never have you commission and not guarantee you a UPT slot. Enlisting... that’s a different story ??

 

[Aviate11]

For example this is what you should expect from a unit for pilot positions. Some units literally have you send your package via email in a large PDF.