6 Steps to Getting a Pilot Slot
I see it all too often, people want to join the military and fly for an Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve, but don’t know how to apply. There is just too much information spread all over the internet, however, there is not just one source of consolidated information. That’s why I’m going to share with you the 6 steps to getting a pilot slot in the Air Force Reserve Component.
Research
One of the biggest perks about joining the Air National Guard or the Air
Force Reserves is the ability to pick your aircraft and/ or location you wish
to live. As a result, you must start the process of getting a pilot slot with
the research phase and find out what opportunities (aircraft and base
locations) exist within the Guard and Reserve. Begin by asking yourself what it
is you want out of the military, then find the opportunities that exist to help
you achieve your goals and dreams.
In addition to choosing the aircraft
you wish to fly; you also need to consider the base location. These can be
found online by going to the following websites:
https://www.afrc.af.mil/Units/Units-by-State/
Unit Selection
Once you have found a handful of units you wish to apply to, the next
step is to begin contacting and networking your way into those squadrons. You
can either choose to cold call the units directly or if you have a good
recruiter, they can help bridge the gap between the applicant and the hiring
manager within each squadron. Part of your networking will come in the form of
“rushing” the squadron. This is much like rushing a fraternity in college, in
that you are provided an opportunity to meet the other members of the squadron
before the next interview to better position yourself against the other
applicants. The hiring process is a whole person concept, which includes
college GPA, AFOQT and TBAS scores, PCSM scores, letters of recommendation,
resume, cover letter, and finally personality. Rushing the unit allows the
personality piece of the application to come to life. You can only get so much
from paper, so squadrons prefer to meet the applicant in person.
Recruiter
There are two different types of recruiters depending on your situation.
If you are not currently in the military you will need to contact an Officer
Accession Recruiter (OAR), but if you are already serving in the military on
active duty you will need to contact an In-Service Recruiter (ISR). There are
many different types of recruiters out there from the ones who will hold your
hand every step of the way, to the ones who will tell you how to do something
and expect you to take it from there. Whether it is the hands-on or the
hands-off approach, you need to know what the recruiter does and how they can
help you along your journey. The OAR is an officer recruiter that is specific
to your geographical area and is tasked with screening candidates for
qualification, knowing the hiring landscape, and building relationships with
units who are hiring. When you speak to an Officer Accession Recruiter be
specific about what you want, tell them you are looking to apply for a pilot
slot and would like to schedule a date and time to take the AFOQT.
Testing
During the testing phase of the process, you will be required to take the
Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) and the Test of Basic Aviation Skills
(TBAS). Most of your preparation should be given to studying for the AFOQT well
ahead of contacting a recruiter since a majority of the PCSM score is derived
from the AFOQT results. The recruiter will schedule you to take the required
test, but only if you are ready. That’s why it is important to have studied
before contacting the recruiter, so you take the test and expedite the process.
I equate the AFOQT to the SAT college entrance exam since it is similar in
testing style and carries just as much weight on the results. AFOQT study
guides, practice tests, and testing materials can be found by clicking HERE. The TBAS is a computerized test that is
administered to candidates to test psychomotor skills, spatial awareness, and
multitasking abilities. The PCSM score is a combination of the AFOQT, TBAS, and
any logged flying time and is a composite score used to quantify a candidate’s
aptitude to succeed in UPT. The PCSM score is equivalent to the percentage a
person will complete the pilot training process. For example, a score of 75 on
the PCSM would relate to a 75% chance that the candidate will complete pilot
training. A competitive PCSM score also just so happens to be 75 as well. PCSM
scores are used during the hiring process to rank potential applicants against
each other.
Application
Packet
The application packet will consist of the following items: College
Degree/ GPA, AFOQT and TBAS scores, PCSM scores, letters of recommendation,
resume, cover letter. This will be used to determine qualified candidates and
who will be chosen for interviews. The big focus areas for your application
packet are the PCSM score and letters of recommendation. A competitive PCSM
score can take you a long way, but so can having a military pilot or even
someone in the squadron you are looking to join write you a letter of
recommendation. Typically, a Guard or Reserve squadron will only hold
interviews for the Undergraduate Pilot Training slot once or twice a year. Of those
who were interviewed, one or two people are chosen to fill the available pilot
slots and one person is chosen as the alternate (in case someone doesn’t make
it through the initial medical screening).
Interview
If you have received an invitation to interview, then the squadron wants
to hire you and it’s your job to win. It will still be a competitive process
but you have passed all the testing and checked all the boxes up to this point.
The interview is a personality assessment to determine if you will be a good
fit for the squadron. Interview questions are usually based around the TMAAT
format (tell me about a time), where you will be given the opportunity to
discuss the skills, leadership, and drive you possess to make it through
training and become a contributing member of the squadron. The best advice I
can give anyone preparing for an interview is to be relaxed and be yourself. I
know that can be difficult but the interview board truly wants to get to know
who you are and what you have to offer, not a nervous wreck who studied
interview questions and responds to questions with a robot-like script.
Conclusion
The process of getting a pilot slot in the Air Force can be confusing and overwhelming, but don’t let that stop you from pursuing your dream. Use these 6 easy steps to getting a pilot slot as a guide to help you get started on your journey to becoming a military pilot. If you want to know more, I invite you to check out my book Alternate Route: The Ultimate Guide to Become a Pilot in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. There you will learn more in-depth information relating to the process of getting hired, what the training timeline looks like, and what your new life as a military pilot will look like after initial training.
Purchase Test Prep book on Amazon at the following link:
Air Force Officer Qualifying Test Prep
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