Mom_CHgn
Member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2015
- Messages
- 163
Class of 2020 LEAD applicant here. I've been enlisted for almost four years now and am currently an E-4 testing for E-5 this year. I am applying for direct appointment to the USAFA because my age renders me ineligible for the preparatory school. I have known four Airman get picked up for the prep school from AD and am helping another Airman in my squadron submit his package for the class of 2021. In the event that your DD does not get accepted into the prep school and instead enlists, it is my opinion that she should definitely consider applying to the USAFA earlier in her enlisted career rather than later. The chances of her getting picked up for a prep school slot while she still meets the age requirements are significantly higher than the odds of a direct appointment, especially if she has a solid civilian record to reinforce her accomplishments while she is enlisted.
While it is ambitious and admirable to want to make E-5 before submitting her application through LEAD, she'd basically have to strategically plan out her entire enlisted career and accomplish every task she needs to first try. Step one is enlisting as E-3 from day 1 of BMT. Step two is working toward and earning SrA below-the-zone before 1 February, which means she'd have to enlist specifically in the month of March to keep her time in service at a minimum to help with making the age cutoff. Then, once she has put on E-4 BTZ, step 3 is studying for and passing her WAPS test. When she does that, she'll be granted a promotion date and a "line number" (which are both announced in late August each year). Depending on her line number, she could put on E-5 within a few months to a year of finding out her line number.
I say all of this because I don't think it's worth the time and energy to strive specifically for E-5 before applying to the USAFA. It might make her application look a little better, but not enough to warrant nearly four years of strategically going from day-to-day not able to mess up in fear of your entire plan shattering to pieces. And besides, she's in a much better position professionally to apply as an E-3 or E-4 while not bogged down by the administrative workload of a junior NCO. All of this is just my personal opinion, so take this as you see fit.
She is just 18 (as of March). So that would give her 3 1/2 years. She has plotted all of this out. I however am along for the ride. I will pass this along to her. She has been back and forth with her ALO and local AF recruiter. She is dead set on USAFA, becoming an Officer, flying and then working for Alaska State Troopers.lol No seriously she is a little high strung (for me) and very goal oriented.