Additional Jobs during Service

[adlzman]

Hello!
I'm new to this forum, and I haven't found a question for my unique interests, so I am posting my personal situation seeking advice.

Long story short, I'm a college sophomore who has developed a newfound interest in serving. I have some pilot cousins, a few ancestors who served in the AirForce, and I have recently decided that I would love to be either a fighter pilot, chopper pilot, or cargo pilot. Really, I just want to fly.

However, I have a really good deal at my university so I cannot give that up. My major is either going to be Finance or Accounting (currently undeclared). So my question is: how would one either apply for the Air Force with another job, OR, apply for two jobs in the military (I was thinking I could perhaps be both a pilot and accountant).

Thank you in advance!

 

[Capri120]

Look into OTS. Once you have your Bachelor's degree, you can take the AFOQT, and apply. It is 9 weeks of military training, after which, you are commissioned and if you do well enough, get a UPT slot for pilot training.

 

[Stealth_81]

If you go active duty as a pilot, you will not be able to also be an accountant, either for the Air Force or as a second job. Active duty pilots will also have an administrative job within the squadron in addition to their pilot duties. If they are not on the flying schedule they work on their administrative job. These extra roles can be jobs like Director of Training (keeping all squadron training records and making sure everyone is current), Director of Scheduling, Weapons, etc.

If you want to be a pilot and also have another job then the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve would be your options. However, getting a UPT slot for someone off the street is a long process. Once you get a slot as a civilian, you can expect 5-6 years of full-time commitment to your Air Force job of flying before you would go to traditional reserve or Guard status and be able to have that accounting career.

Stealth_81

 

[adlzman]

If you go active duty as a pilot, you will not be able to also be an accountant, either for the Air Force or as a second job. Active duty pilots will also have an administrative job within the squadron in addition to their pilot duties. If they are not on the flying schedule they work on their administrative job. These extra roles can be jobs like Director of Training (keeping all squadron training records and making sure everyone if current), Director of Scheduling, Weapons, etc.

If you want to be a pilot and also have another job then the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve would be your options. However, getting a UPT slot for someone off the street is a long process. Once you get a slot as a civilian, you can expect 5-6 years of full-time commitment to your Air Force job of flying before you would go to traditional reserve or Guard status and be able to have that accounting career.

Stealth_81

First of all, I would like to thank you and Capri120 for your responses.

However, in regards to an administrative job, could that include accounting in some way or another? Like perhaps instead of keeping training records, keeping financial ones?

 

[buffalo]

First of all, I would like to thank you and Capri120 for your responses.

However, in regards to an administrative job, could that include accounting in some way or another? Like perhaps instead of keeping training records, keeping financial ones?

Managing the squadron's SNAKO fund would be as much financial responsibility as you'd have in a flying squadron as a new pilot. Or maybe being a DTS reviewer in the support flight.

 

[Stealth_81]

As Buffalo said above, there isn't really a job in the squadron relating to accounting. The admin jobs are flying-related jobs that pilots would need to fill like weapons, or flight commander. Also, your job within the squadron changes as different needs arise. As new pilots rotate in and out of the squadron people are moved to different jobs so that they can become familiar with all of the roles. In son's three years in Florida he was Assistant Weapons, Assistant Scheduling, and then Director Scheduling. At his new base he was plugged in as a Flight Commander right away because the current FC was rotating out a week after son arrived.

Stealth_81

 

[Pima]

Are you a college RISING Sophomore or a RISING junior? Big difference when it comes to AFROTC.
~ Rising Sophomore you can enroll as a AS250. You will have to be selected for Summer Field Training in the spring of 18. If not selected they can dis-enroll you out of AFROTC.

My personal opinion is that you go OCS/OTS.

You state you want to fly. Have you taken any flying lessons yet? You get an advantage/edge if you have flight hours.

Do you have any medical issues? As a ROTC cadet you will be required to take the DoDMERB, however as a cadet that is selected for rated you will be required to pass the FAA FC1 flight physical. DoDMERB exam is 45 minutes. FAA FC1 is a 3 day exam that will include everything from head to toe, including EKGs, eye exam, dental exam, etc.

If you get pilot and wash out, than you probably will ride out the rest of your career in the Accounting and Finance field. That is IF they decide to keep you. Washing out of UPT equals going to a board and they decide if you are allowed to switch into a non-rated career field.

If you talk to most rated officers, they will tell you they don't want a 2nd job, but they all have one. They want to fly everyday. Sadly, that is not reality, and they know it. Thus, the 2nd job they want is tied to flying.
~ My DH, Bullet, flew the 15E. His 2nd job was tied to Weapons. He made it his job to be the GO TO guy regarding weapons. There is no need to be the GO TO guy/gal in accounting/finance unless as other stated you are the SNACKO.
~~ Bullet was a WSO. He was an AFROTC grad with an Aero engineering degree. As stated he worked his 2nd job as the specialist, knowing 1 day he would leave the AF. He did leave after 21 years. He took a high GS position at the Pentagon in the F35 program. Now, that might not seem like a biggie, afterall he flew the 15E. However, the 35 is single seat...no WSO. Unique to say the least that the guy in charge of the requirements for a single seat was the back seater and not a pilot. It was his 2nd job as the Weapons guy that got him the job for his career after the AF.

I get you love the major, but you need to ask which one you want more.
I suggest you read Raimius's blog regarding the reality of UPT. It is a few pages in, but it is truth. UPT is not easy.
https://www.serviceacademyforums.co...s-experience-blog-posts-from-elsewhere.35795/

If in the end being an accountant and getting your CPA is what you want more than go non-rated and fly on weekends in a Cessna or Piper or apply Guard so you can do both. If you want to be a pilot in the ADAF and willing to live this life, than go AFROTC or OCS

 

[adlzman]

Are you a college RISING Sophomore or a RISING junior? Big difference when it comes to AFROTC.
~ Rising Sophomore you can enroll as a AS250. You will have to be selected for Summer Field Training in the spring of 18. If not selected they can dis-enroll you out of AFROTC.

My personal opinion is that you go OCS/OTS.

You state you want to fly. Have you taken any flying lessons yet? You get an advantage/edge if you have flight hours.

Do you have any medical issues? As a ROTC cadet you will be required to take the DoDMERB, however as a cadet that is selected for rated you will be required to pass the FAA FC1 flight physical. DoDMERB exam is 45 minutes. FAA FC1 is a 3 day exam that will include everything from head to toe, including EKGs, eye exam, dental exam, etc.

If you get pilot and wash out, than you probably will ride out the rest of your career in the Accounting and Finance field. That is IF they decide to keep you. Washing out of UPT equals going to a board and they decide if you are allowed to switch into a non-rated career field.

If you talk to most rated officers, they will tell you they don't want a 2nd job, but they all have one. They want to fly everyday. Sadly, that is not reality, and they know it. Thus, the 2nd job they want is tied to flying.
~ My DH, Bullet, flew the 15E. His 2nd job was tied to Weapons. He made it his job to be the GO TO guy regarding weapons. There is no need to be the GO TO guy/gal in accounting/finance unless as other stated you are the SNACKO.
~~ Bullet was a WSO. He was an AFROTC grad with an Aero engineering degree. As stated he worked his 2nd job as the specialist, knowing 1 day he would leave the AF. He did leave after 21 years. He took a high GS position at the Pentagon in the F35 program. Now, that might not seem like a biggie, afterall he flew the 15E. However, the 35 is single seat...no WSO. Unique to say the least that the guy in charge of the requirements for a single seat was the back seater and not a pilot. It was his 2nd job as the Weapons guy that got him the job for his career after the AF.

I get you love the major, but you need to ask which one you want more.
I suggest you read Raimius's blog regarding the reality of UPT. It is a few pages in, but it is truth. UPT is not easy.
https://www.serviceacademyforums.co...s-experience-blog-posts-from-elsewhere.35795/

If in the end being an accountant and getting your CPA is what you want more than go non-rated and fly on weekends in a Cessna or Piper or apply Guard so you can do both. If you want to be a pilot in the ADAF and willing to live this life, than go AFROTC or OCS

I'm gonna answer your questions quickly: I am a rising SOPHOMORE, NO flight hours, and no medical problems.

As I said before, I would want to fly! Washing out would really not be the course I would like to go. Plus, I wouldn't be the top dog as Bullet was.
I had never considered the Coast Guard! Now that I think about it, one could even fly in the Navy, so I should really broaden my search. Would you happen to know anything about their processes?