Figured since I just got my orders today, I'd post this up for anyone who may be interested.
I'm posting this as an example of another way to get to 20, or to get fixed wing time, or (like me) just do something that not many people have done.
I'm a senior LCDR, FTS helo bubba type, have roughly 2,700 hours in the H-60 and a little less than 200 hours in mil and civ fixed wing. Prior enlisted, so total time as of today is about 15 years.
From the Air Force side:
In June 2018, I emailed the IST office, AFPC.DP2LT.InterserviceTrans@us.af.mil, and sent them my last 3 FITREPS and a brief resume. Didn't hear anything for about a month so I followed up. The AF asked for my entire NATOPS jacket, I scanned it and sent it over. Didn't hear anything for two-three weeks. Found the IST phone number and called, turns out they had me marked down as an Army helo bubba. Once they fixed that, in about a day I heard that the H-60 and the KC-135s would take me. I agreed to the KC-135.
All pilot ISTs are required to have a 6 year commitment. Not a big deal for me, that'll put me right at 21 years total. Those 6 years should give me a good amount of time to build up my fixed wing time.
The AF office asked for a bunch of stuff, gathered it all up and sent it in. My flight physical was required to be completed by an AF flight surgeon, other than that the paperwork was all pretty easy to get off of BOL and NSIPS.
From the Navy side:
Followed Milpersman 1300-81. There is a blurb in there saying you are ineligible for an IST if you have been told via email, voicemail, letter, carrier pigeon, smoke signals, or telepathy of PCS orders. I kept my cards close, told my CO and had my letter and his endorsement letter in a folder for him to sign as soon as I told him. Turns out he was cool with it but the last thing I wanted was for my detailer to catch wind of it and cut me orders before I officially submitted my package.
Other than the CO endorsement letter and my personal request, the entire process on the Navy side is completed via NSIPS. It took roughly 3 months to get approved by PERS and the Deputy Navy Secretary for Manpower and Personnel Affairs.
Once my package was approved by PERS in late October 2018, it then went in front of the official AF IST board in Dec 2018. Currently they are selecting at 100%, they need pilots! Was notified in late January 2019 I was officially accepted. After that, completed more paperwork and waited for Senate confirmation. Took almost 5 months for the Senate to stamp it approved, which happened at the end of June 2019.
Fast forward to today, I'm commissioning into the USAF next month, heading to the KC-135 rag this fall, and then PCS OCONUS around the start of 2020. Took about a little over a year from start to finish. At current op-tempos, I should get approximately 1,500-2,000 hours in the next 6 years, and with the way the Air Force works, I'll be able to literally spend my entire career flying.
Oh, and @webmaster or @Gatordev, can this fella get some wings of lead along with the wings of gold on my profile?
Is this what you said to the detailer?