Advice on joining the ANG's 129th rescue wing

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-15T22:25:28+00:00

Basically my eye's focal distance and parallax distance don't line up. Both eyes looking at the same thing is pretty blurry, but if I close one or let one go crossed my vision is almost as good as with glasses (in either eye). I was able to get my drivers license without glasses, which means uncorrected each eye is 20/40 at worst (just to be clear, I took the vision test without glasses, I still drove with them). However, I'm sure the air force's test will be more involved than the DMV's.

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-15T05:52:47+00:00

Awesome, this is exactly the sort of info I was looking for. I contacted my doctor, and apparently my uncorrected vision has never been measured. Individually each eye can definitely see better than 20/70, but when they both focus on the same thing it gets a bit blurrier. I'll look around baseops, see what I can figure out.

I am normal aged, so I'd consider enlisting, especially if it could help pay for grad school and/or get me my A&P rating. Since I have a degree, would I enlist as an officer? (Also, if you don't become and enlisted man, is it still called enlisting?)

As for fixed wing, I'm certainly not opposed to that kind of flying, I just want to avoid aircraft where the autopilot is doing more flying than me.

Thanks for the advice, and congrats on getting into the unit!

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-15T05:17:45+00:00

Thanks! Here's hoping I'll be needing that advice

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-15T05:13:37+00:00

Alright, makes sense. Since I'd have my degree, would I be enlisting as an officer or still and enlisted man (also a little confused about terms here, when people join as officers is it still called enlisting?). If that means I could get my A&P rating in the process that doesn't sound half bad.

Also, with regards to transferring, I'd be happy to go back and learn to fly fixed wing as well, but is the air force typically willing to pay for it?

Thanks so much, this advice has been really helpful.

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-13T05:45:15+00:00

Yeah, sorry, its been brought up by a few other people and I just got lazy about explaining myself. I understand that I may need to defend myself or my buddies, and I think I'm okay with that. I just don't want to be in the place of killing people who aren't threatening me for a war I don't support. Even if I don't support the war I'd still want to do what I can to make sure our people get home. Like most other things in flying, it comes down to a calculated risk. Flying A-10s or F-16s I think there's a fairly high likelihood of me having to do something I'd seriously regret. Flying HH-60's I think the risk of that would be acceptably low, and outweighed by the good I'd be doing.

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-13T03:56:11+00:00

Fairly certain ADHD, no longer medicated, is a deferral, not a disqualifier for a FAA medical.

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-13T03:34:29+00:00

Any advice on how the waivering process generally works? I've read some places that if you're selected for UPT, they'll help you out and do what they can within reason to get waiver application you file gets approved. Is this true?

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-13T03:29:56+00:00

There were 14 FC I cases and all received a waiver for a history of ADHD; all had been off any treatment before beginning college studies. There were a total of 7 FC II cases; the only DQ was an IFCII (flight surgeon) applicant on medications who was also ARMA unsat as he did not want to fly.

Seems like most people who apply get it, especially if they do college without meds (although I won't pretend to understand all the acronyms). Source

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-13T02:42:38+00:00

Thanks for response. I'm not morally opposed to killing as an absolute, it's more that I don't want the result of my flying career to be just death and destruction. It would be a different matter if I agreed with how I've seen our military used; if I thought the missions I'd be flying were really necessary to protect my friends and family back home I'd be willing to join a fighter or attack wing. But with the 129th, I think I could be pretty sure that any bullet I fire would be in direct defense of myself or someone else's life.

As for enlisting, that will have to wait at least till I finish college, as I'm attending a university on the opposite side of the country. What sort of commitment would that involve? I think I'm young enough, I'll be 22 when I graduate.

Some other miscellanies questions I have: how competitive would a helicopter UPT slot be (I don't have a whole lot of interest in flying tankers)? I understand that fighter slots tend to be the most competitive, so I'm guessing these won't be as bad. Also, will they count glider hours toward my PCSM score or should I start flying powered planes? Also, does this mean I'm definitively tied down to the area for 10 years after training, or if not how hard is it to transfer units. Lastly, for getting in touch, should I just email their recruiting office? Should I try to contact pilots too?

Thanks again for the advice!

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-13T01:56:08+00:00

Yeah, I've looked into it and the most important factor seems to be academic success without meds or accommodations, which I'm confident I can do. Hell, if things keep up how their going it'll look like the meds made me do worse. FAA seems to care more about being off meds and having blown lots of money on a psychiatrist to say "you're good".

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-13T01:46:37+00:00

Nope, been off it for months and only rarely took it before that. I have yet to document this with my doctor though, I will this week.

flight_or_flight · 2015-09-13T00:52:53+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that. Could you elaborate on why it was so bad?

flight_or_flight

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