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Air National Guard gouge
- Thread starter Swanee
- Start date
I am. Life happened. But now I'm TDY to SoCal for a few months, so time came back.
I always figured you for more like a Delta Tau Chi kind of guy.
You're not wrong, but there is a fraternity for almost everyone. It might not be the airplane you want to fly, or the place you want to fly it, but the Guard does a really good job of putting like minded folks in the same place.
Unless you've been blackballed because you're not a good person to hang out with- that tends to follow you around.
But for you, there is a waiver! ?
hlg6016
A/C Wings Here
And you where doing an awesome job of looking after that car too!
So...what? The ANG doesn't need the dues?!?
I was kind of using his placeholder as an excuse to procrastinate....I figured I'd write up any additions I had once he posted. Sorry we suck! #ReserveLife ?♂️
Okay- getting started here. The Joining Process.
I'm at the MQ-9 FTU (FRS) doing a TX-1 (CAT Other) course at March ARB. Not a bad place to spend the next five months. I joined the Mi ANG, and I'm with the 172d Attack Squadron in Battle Creek.
First thing is first- no matter what happens, no matter how many Gold wing guys and gals you have in your new squadron, they will act like it's the first time someone has ever come from the USMC or Navy to the ANG.
There are 3 types of jobs in the ANG. One is as a drilling status guardsman. This is your "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" job. But 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year is BS. You have a lot more days allotted to you to fly. Some are title 10 (federal) orders, some are title 32 (state) orders. You can get about 100ish days a year worth of pay as a DSG- many times more- as a DSG you can go on 365 day orders. There are more of these at RPA units than anywhere else, but they are out there.
Two is as an Active/Guard/Reserve job. These are title 10 orders, just like AD guys are on. Once you get an AGR job, the AGR title stays with you (unless you go to Safety or IG, then they stay with that billet, but those guys were generally AGR before, or will be after). So once you're AGR, you're always AGR, unless you fuck it away. Don't ever fuck this away. Don't expect it coming in the unit, usually they'll put guys on 365 day orders to see if they're a good dude first. But if you are offered AGR, take it. It is the best kept secret in the military. It gets you an AD retirement
Third is as an Air Reserve Technician. These are DSGs who are employed full time as a GS employee in the unit, but wear uniforms and rank in execution of their duties. They are weird, unionized, and their time doesn't count towards AD retirement in the military system- but it does in the GS system, and in the Reserve retirement system. It's something to think about and a good deal for Lts. Not so much for Captains with 10+ years of experience coming in the door. But I know a lot of guys who have sucked up an ART tour to keep the bills paid. (My old man included).
Getting your foot in the door: cold calling works! It's better if you have someone you know in the unit, but at the same time if you know that you want to go to that unit, or live in that area, call the recruiting office. Tell them that you are a pilot and want to talk to whomever is in charge of hiring pilots. It's most likely a Capt or a Major in either the Ops Group or Ops Squadron. (Yes, there is a difference, No, I'm still not exactly sure why they do it that way).
Definitely make plans to visit- but do so when the hiring guy says it's best to. Sometimes that is drill weekends, sometimes that isn't. If you can pull a CCX to their unit, do it. Wear a flight suit, and bring a bottle of (not cheap, but not super $$$ either) booze for the guy who will show you around. Expect to meet some guys and be "vetted". Quals are helpful, but being the right kind of guy that everyone wants to be in the squadron with for thee next 10+ years is more important. So "good dude/bar game" is the strong point here.
Once they ask you to join them, you'll be transitioned over to a couple of different offices. You'll deal with a SGT (which could be an E-5 or an E-9, they're all Sergeants, and their version of the SgtMaj or CMC is their "Chief" who is both a Master Guns and a Sgt Maj rolled into one- they're also ancient dudes..). They have you fill out some forms and what not.
The one that you REALLY need to fill out first, because for Officers it has to go to Manpower or Millington or wherever, is the DD-368. It's a Conditional Release Form. It tells the ANG unit that you are indeed going to be released on a certain date. This is your best bet to not have a break in service. With this form they can run the rest of your stuff while you are still on AD in the Navy or Marine Corps. I did not get a DD-368 because the USMC has a moratorium on releases to any service other than the USMCR for O-3s and below for 73XX and 75XX's.
As you join, no matter what paperwork you submit, and what is says on the paperwork, they will screw up your Date of Rank, Date of Effective Rank (the ANG frocks guys like whoa), Pay Date (Pay Entry Base Date for USMC), total time of commissioned service and total time in service. If you have a break in service these dates have to be adjusted forward the number of days your break in service occured, except your pay date. (Read, they screw it up). Your "servicing" personnel center has to help you fix it. That's the big Admin shop for the wing. Think IPAC, but on a much smaller scale, and they don't work anything other than Tues-Thurs 0900-0915.
Also, keep all of your PME certs, all of your awards, and all of your FITREPS. If you can get your RS and RO to complete your separation FITREP it will make things easier, if not, you'll get a break in service unobserved from your leadership once you join. But it's important in the AF that you don't have ANY date gaps. They have to fill in date gaps with administrative gap reports. The 2 week gouge in the USMC doesn't apply here. No gaps... Ugh. The positive thing is that they only care about your last 3 FITREPS. So if you have adverse material, or sub par material, or rock star material 4 FITREPS ago- they don't care about it. Just the last 3.
I joined as an intel guy and waited for my Aeronautical Review Board to be complete. This wasn't that much of a heartache, and it got me in sooner, because I had to be completely separated from the USMC before they'd run my ARB. Once my ARB was completed, I was designated an 11FX (11 = Pilot, F - Fighter/Attack/Recce Qualified, X = T/M/S not from the USAF) and given Air Force pilot wings to wear in addition to my Naval Aviator wings. But that's the ARB. Not this one. Though if you're joining, this is an important distinction- if you're going to an RPA (UAV) unit, you still want to be an 11FX, not an 18AX (RPA pilot) as an 11FX has much more opportunity to fly in the USAF.
From soup to nuts the paperwork process took me about 4 months, once I was out of the USMC to sworn into the ANG. You have to be accepted by the State, then accepted into the AF Reserves, then confirmed by the Senate. So it can take a little bit of time. @RedFive Please add more. My notes are scribbly. I'll also add a link to a dropbox for examples of forms and letters.
Next section will be Medical...
I'm at the MQ-9 FTU (FRS) doing a TX-1 (CAT Other) course at March ARB. Not a bad place to spend the next five months. I joined the Mi ANG, and I'm with the 172d Attack Squadron in Battle Creek.
First thing is first- no matter what happens, no matter how many Gold wing guys and gals you have in your new squadron, they will act like it's the first time someone has ever come from the USMC or Navy to the ANG.
There are 3 types of jobs in the ANG. One is as a drilling status guardsman. This is your "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" job. But 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year is BS. You have a lot more days allotted to you to fly. Some are title 10 (federal) orders, some are title 32 (state) orders. You can get about 100ish days a year worth of pay as a DSG- many times more- as a DSG you can go on 365 day orders. There are more of these at RPA units than anywhere else, but they are out there.
Two is as an Active/Guard/Reserve job. These are title 10 orders, just like AD guys are on. Once you get an AGR job, the AGR title stays with you (unless you go to Safety or IG, then they stay with that billet, but those guys were generally AGR before, or will be after). So once you're AGR, you're always AGR, unless you fuck it away. Don't ever fuck this away. Don't expect it coming in the unit, usually they'll put guys on 365 day orders to see if they're a good dude first. But if you are offered AGR, take it. It is the best kept secret in the military. It gets you an AD retirement
Third is as an Air Reserve Technician. These are DSGs who are employed full time as a GS employee in the unit, but wear uniforms and rank in execution of their duties. They are weird, unionized, and their time doesn't count towards AD retirement in the military system- but it does in the GS system, and in the Reserve retirement system. It's something to think about and a good deal for Lts. Not so much for Captains with 10+ years of experience coming in the door. But I know a lot of guys who have sucked up an ART tour to keep the bills paid. (My old man included).
Getting your foot in the door: cold calling works! It's better if you have someone you know in the unit, but at the same time if you know that you want to go to that unit, or live in that area, call the recruiting office. Tell them that you are a pilot and want to talk to whomever is in charge of hiring pilots. It's most likely a Capt or a Major in either the Ops Group or Ops Squadron. (Yes, there is a difference, No, I'm still not exactly sure why they do it that way).
Definitely make plans to visit- but do so when the hiring guy says it's best to. Sometimes that is drill weekends, sometimes that isn't. If you can pull a CCX to their unit, do it. Wear a flight suit, and bring a bottle of (not cheap, but not super $$$ either) booze for the guy who will show you around. Expect to meet some guys and be "vetted". Quals are helpful, but being the right kind of guy that everyone wants to be in the squadron with for thee next 10+ years is more important. So "good dude/bar game" is the strong point here.
Once they ask you to join them, you'll be transitioned over to a couple of different offices. You'll deal with a SGT (which could be an E-5 or an E-9, they're all Sergeants, and their version of the SgtMaj or CMC is their "Chief" who is both a Master Guns and a Sgt Maj rolled into one- they're also ancient dudes..). They have you fill out some forms and what not.
The one that you REALLY need to fill out first, because for Officers it has to go to Manpower or Millington or wherever, is the DD-368. It's a Conditional Release Form. It tells the ANG unit that you are indeed going to be released on a certain date. This is your best bet to not have a break in service. With this form they can run the rest of your stuff while you are still on AD in the Navy or Marine Corps. I did not get a DD-368 because the USMC has a moratorium on releases to any service other than the USMCR for O-3s and below for 73XX and 75XX's.
As you join, no matter what paperwork you submit, and what is says on the paperwork, they will screw up your Date of Rank, Date of Effective Rank (the ANG frocks guys like whoa), Pay Date (Pay Entry Base Date for USMC), total time of commissioned service and total time in service. If you have a break in service these dates have to be adjusted forward the number of days your break in service occured, except your pay date. (Read, they screw it up). Your "servicing" personnel center has to help you fix it. That's the big Admin shop for the wing. Think IPAC, but on a much smaller scale, and they don't work anything other than Tues-Thurs 0900-0915.
Also, keep all of your PME certs, all of your awards, and all of your FITREPS. If you can get your RS and RO to complete your separation FITREP it will make things easier, if not, you'll get a break in service unobserved from your leadership once you join. But it's important in the AF that you don't have ANY date gaps. They have to fill in date gaps with administrative gap reports. The 2 week gouge in the USMC doesn't apply here. No gaps... Ugh. The positive thing is that they only care about your last 3 FITREPS. So if you have adverse material, or sub par material, or rock star material 4 FITREPS ago- they don't care about it. Just the last 3.
I joined as an intel guy and waited for my Aeronautical Review Board to be complete. This wasn't that much of a heartache, and it got me in sooner, because I had to be completely separated from the USMC before they'd run my ARB. Once my ARB was completed, I was designated an 11FX (11 = Pilot, F - Fighter/Attack/Recce Qualified, X = T/M/S not from the USAF) and given Air Force pilot wings to wear in addition to my Naval Aviator wings. But that's the ARB. Not this one. Though if you're joining, this is an important distinction- if you're going to an RPA (UAV) unit, you still want to be an 11FX, not an 18AX (RPA pilot) as an 11FX has much more opportunity to fly in the USAF.
From soup to nuts the paperwork process took me about 4 months, once I was out of the USMC to sworn into the ANG. You have to be accepted by the State, then accepted into the AF Reserves, then confirmed by the Senate. So it can take a little bit of time. @RedFive Please add more. My notes are scribbly. I'll also add a link to a dropbox for examples of forms and letters.
Next section will be Medical...
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