Do any recent TBS grads or others in the know have any idea what the recent trends are with regards to pilot slots being given at TBS? Is this a common thing and is there a certain TBS class which traditionally has more pilot slots available? I am wondering because I am too old to get an air contract before I go to OCS, but my OSO says I should be okay getting a ground contract and then he says try to get air at TBS. I am 31 so I can see why this is my only option. I am hoping to go to OCC 191 and then Charlie Company if all goes well. Thank you.
-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
Air slots at TBS?
- Thread starter dcnj
- Start date
The word when I was at OCS about a year ago was that there were only going to be a few slots at the end of TBS, usually guys who already had air contracts who dropped them to go ground. Others might know more than me, but there will be only a few ... and they will be fought hard for. I wish you the best of luck!
s/f
s/f
There have been TBS classes in the past year that anyone who pretty much qualified for an air slot and wanted one, got one. But it hasn't been like that lately, so pretty much in the end you have about 3-4 SNA slots available for ground assignables, and maybe 3-4 SNFO slots. I will tell you what I heard was, that the class that everyone got the air contracts if they wanted them, the stipulation besides you pass the ASTB and physical and all, was that you were less than 30 years old. Hope this helps.
stevo01
Registered User
i was told that the flight slots are slim for this 191?(the january occ). So i was wondering, since i have a better chance of getting selected with a ground contract, will it be easier to get an air at TBS if???? i have already passed the ASTB and Flight Physical, or do they take that into consideration?
Follow-up Questions
Has anyone else heard of the <30 age requirement for air slot at TBS? Or, has anyone heard of someone >30 getting an air slot at TBS? I doubt if I would be able to get a flight physical before OCS as I am too old for an air contract. But I am hoping they let me take ASTB before I go. Thanks for all the help and best of luck to everyone.
Has anyone else heard of the <30 age requirement for air slot at TBS? Or, has anyone heard of someone >30 getting an air slot at TBS? I doubt if I would be able to get a flight physical before OCS as I am too old for an air contract. But I am hoping they let me take ASTB before I go. Thanks for all the help and best of luck to everyone.
BILLDO said:
There is a max age for air contracts and 30 is definitely above that. I think that the age limit is 27 but I might be wrong...
T-man said:
age waivers This link might help.
hisairness
Registered User
The typical number of air contracts is usually about 1, maybe 2. For my company we had 1 slot and 30 people wanted it. At TBS .001 can make a difference between who is where in the ranking. Get the contract before you come to TBS!!!!! But also don't become all about my grades and trying to be number 1, just too many factors and circumstances make that happen. Try to work together to make everyone in the platoon successful and a better officer, be honest with people, companies where alot of Lt's are dropped, end up more cut throat. One recent company had a bunch of Lt's dropped right before mess night, and I think that's just unsat!! And by not means help that officer to bring them that close to graduation and crush them. I know some people need more time before being sent into the fleet. I'm talking about officers with good averages being recycled for a few minor slip ups and just because they aren't popular a week before graduation. Went off into left field, but my honest option.
Never give up what you want for MOS. That being said, OSO's are famous for the old Get your foot in the door, then switch for the air contract once you get to TBS bit. The companies are generally getting 30 spots for infantry, logo and supply, one or two for each intel, and 1 or 2 air competitive air slots, and those are COMPETITIVE. You will be up against priors fresh from Iraq, division 1 athletes, academy grads, etc...
Now take this with a grain of salt ... but when I was at TBS (2 years ago) there were NO AGE WAIVERS being granted for anyone who was older than 29. I got an age waiver and I was 28 and a 1/2 but got commissioned before my 29th B-Day.
We had a guy in my TBS class, just turned 30, prior enlisted on the aviation side, stellar record and lots of connections with higher ups who went to bat for him but in the end ... he was solely denied the slot due to his age.
Supposedly there was a study done that correlated attrition with age.
I'm not knocking your recruiter and things may have changed but I would try and get some info from someone closer to the source cause your recruiter may just be trying to meet his numbers.
Also, DO NOT GO TO TBS ON A GROUND SLOT WITH THE SOLE INTENTION OF GETTING AN AIR SLOT!!!!!!!!!!! If that's icing on the cake then fine ... but if you're not gonna be happy with Infantry, Logistics, Arty, etc. don't do it. Your just gonna make yourself miserable and probably those around you too.
Peace,
-Spin
If you really NEED to fly jets, go Air Force. If you go Marines and you're not able to fly, there will be no tears shed. Given the new flight contract DOR policy, there will be far fewer open air slots available than in previous years. And don't trust your OSO when he delays an "easy" task, such as switching a contract.