Yes indeed. No one tells you that or atleast I didn't know until I started kicking and pushing for myself. I was opted to go Air Force Reserve but stumbled upon ANG. Most of their pilots are prior fighter guys (even some Navy fighter jocks). Then come some of the prior enlisted from various ANG units who qualify to become officers and pilots. However, each ANG unit is required to hire certain amount for pilot each year either off the street or in my case, from a totally different branch (however I did have to get an honorable discharge and there's no such thing as interservice transfer when to comes to ANG). The whole process took just about a month and with good timing, I got picked up by the SL unit. You can go to their site and find out which ANG unit is hiring.
Yes you get picked to go to a certain platform but you have to finish the AF UPT (T-6 and T-38). By the way, don't chat with one of those ****ing retired guys cause they'll tell you that you can't do it. I called that unit everyday, sometimes twice a day until the Major over there got fed up with me and told me to go take the AFOQT and transfer my transcript to them. Had an interview just about 1.5 weeks ago at the FLANG unit in Jacksonville by the board. Got a letter 2 days ago saying that I was accepted for UPT. At first I was told that I might end up flying a desk for a year or two before I get picked up but I guess it was just good luck and good timing.
Also, for all the FY04 guys out there who are being booted for having an A-minus average, DON'T LET ONE PERSON TELL YOU THAT YOU CANNOT GO MARINES or whatever else. If you want it bad enough, you'll have to show initiative and do it yourself. Call the damn AFRES unit at Eglin, find out which ANG units are hiring and hell, even if they aren't hiring pilots, do fly a desk for a year or two cause it's worth it flying one of the Ealges or Vipers. I also went forward and got my PPL while I was waiting to class up for API building upon my IFS time. (This was a definite plus on my application). So first, talk to all the people you can...take the AFOQT, BAT test, and Air Force PFT. Oh yeah, those FY04 guys who are thinking of going NFO for the hopes of that NFO to Pilot transition, DON'T....
Oh yeah, knowing an Air Force Colonel and having a Navy Commander write a letter on your behalf also helps

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