USAF OTS: Waivers for standards? Advice wanted!
Yakazuki
is appreciated, as I'd really like some straight answers from people who
know.
I am a 27-year old college student, and I have decided that a USAF career
would be ideal. I am a miltary brat-my father retired as a USAF Major, so I
do know a little about what I'm getting into. I have a lot of experience
with PC system networking and programming, and hold an amateur radio
license. I had planned to attend OTS after graduation and then go to
communications and computers training.
The point:
1. I have talked to a recruiter and he stated that a college GPA of 2.5 is
REQUIRED for even applying to OTS. Is a waiver available? I will have a 2.2.
I was an engineering major with disastrous results; I am now a biology major
with good progress. Do they make any exceptions?
2. Legal issue. Two years ago I was working in a 1-hour photo lab, and
thought it was cool to help some friends out and develop some film for free.
Stupid. Company found out, fired me, and had me charged with breach of
trust. Never went to trial; I was put in a pre-trial intervention program
(comm. service, prison tour, etc.) and it's off my record.
Could I get a waiver for the GPA, and would/could I need/get one for the
legal issue? I planned to be totally forthcoming about info in any security
interview for a clearance; this was my only tangle with the law.
Thanks!
Ogden Johnson III
: I am a 27-year old college student, and I have decided that a USAF career
: would be ideal. I am a miltary brat-my father retired as a USAF Major, so I
: do know a little about what I'm getting into. I have a lot of experience
: with PC system networking and programming, and hold an amateur radio
: license. I had planned to attend OTS after graduation and then go to
: communications and computers training.
You did not indicate specifically whether or not you were speaking with
the USAF equivalent of the Marines' Officer Selection Officers. If you
are not speaking with the Officer Recruiters, you should be.
Waivers are not uncommon. If your GPA has been good since the change of
major, the trendline is in the right direction. 'Youthful indiscretions'
such as you describe are prime waiver material. And, although I believe
the 26-1/2 age limit on non-prior service accessions is still in effect,
it too is waiverable, particularly in today's competitive arena. Yours
is, though, one situation where the Officer Recruiter is a good person to
have on your side as you tip-toe through the accession minefields.
OJ III
Yakazuki
Thanks for the reply. Yes I am talking to an Officer Recruiter. He won't go
into detail over the phone; I have an appointment to meet him next week.
Also, the USAF lists age requirements as 30 for non-rated candidates and 27
1/2 for rated applicants. Am I in error? Thank you.
Ogden Johnson III wrote in message ...
Rick & Andrea
Yakazuki wrote in message ...
>Mr. Johnson,
>
>Thanks for the reply. Yes I am talking to an Officer Recruiter. He won't go
>into detail over the phone; I have an appointment to meet him next week.
>Also, the USAF lists age requirements as 30 for non-rated candidates and 27
>1/2 for rated applicants. Am I in error? Thank you.
>
No, you are not in error. I just went through OTS with people well in their
30's. Make sure you listen to Air Force information, not Marine Corps,
there is a world of difference. Your legal issue, were you convicted?
That is what will be asked in the application process, not if you have ever
been harassed by police or fired. GPA, I don't know where you heard about
2.5, I just know of a gentleman in UPT with less than a 2.5. You will have
to take the AFOQT, and do well on it to make up for your age and low GPA.
Make sure you talk to a recruiter who has gone through the OTS process
before, not someone who has to call to Randolph to get an answer to every
question. Don't take any shit and don't give up, takes some people numerous
times to get in. Best of luck. Also read OTS web page. www.afoats.af.mil
Rick
Yakazuki
Your info was very informative, and has given me some confidence. As for my
legal issue, no I was not convicted. They put you in a first-time-offender
program, (others in the program had DUI, shoplifting, public drunkeness,
excessive speeding tickets, etc.), make you do community service, and take a
tour of a prison, and that's it. No trial, no judge, no conviction. There is
no mention of it on my record and that's the idea. For a security clearance
I would tell them, since that info must be buried somewhere for the right
people to see.
As for GPA requirements, I spoke to a seargent in the Columbia, SC recruiter
office, and he stated that a 2.5 GPA is required just to apply to OTS.
There's no way I can get it up that high in 8 months, and I can't believe
that the USAF would overlook other considerations based on grades alone. I
do think that when the recruiter interviews me he/she will find that I am
highly motivated and have some unique technical aptitudes, and I only hope
that this will win their support.
Thanks again.
PS Any thoughts/advice on OTS? I heard you should bring a laptop computer?
Rick & Andrea wrote in message ...
AlReinauer
true regulations are a minimum of 2.0.
The 2.5 in my case was the fine line of minimum and minimum to get my
recruiter's endorsement. No matter what ( unqualified or not ) the recruiter
is required by law to sumbitt your packet exactly as you desire.
Ogden Johnson III
: Mr. Johnson,
:
: Thanks for the reply. Yes I am talking to an Officer Recruiter. He won't go
: into detail over the phone; I have an appointment to meet him next week.
: Also, the USAF lists age requirements as 30 for non-rated candidates and 27
: 1/2 for rated applicants. Am I in error? Thank you.
No, I'm just mumble years out of date. ;-> Just as with the eyesight
requirements for aircrew, max ages for first enlistment/officer accession
increase and decrease in an inverse relation to the number of people
trying to enlist/accession.
OJ III
Rick & Andrea
AFB education center. He is the one I worked with to get in, and he knows
all the ins and outs. You will have to go through a recruiter, but he can
give you some information. Just call the base operator at 895-1110 and get
the extension for education office. Good luck.
Rick
>>>Mr. Johnson,
>>>
>>>Thanks for the reply. Yes I am talking to an Officer Recruiter. He won't
>go
>>>into detail over the phone; I have an appointment to meet him next week.
>>>Also, the USAF lists age requirements as 30 for non-rated candidates and
>27
>>>1/2 for rated applicants. Am I in error? Thank you.
>>>
>>
>>
Jason Dotter
>
> Yakazuki wrote in message ...
> >Mr. Johnson,
> >
> >Thanks for the reply. Yes I am talking to an Officer Recruiter. He won't go
> >into detail over the phone; I have an appointment to meet him next week.
> >Also, the USAF lists age requirements as 30 for non-rated candidates and 27
> >1/2 for rated applicants. Am I in error? Thank you.
> >
>
> No, you are not in error. I just went through OTS with people well in their
> 30's. Make sure you listen to Air Force information, not Marine Corps,
> there is a world of difference. Your legal issue, were you convicted?
> That is what will be asked in the application process, not if you have ever
> been harassed by police or fired. GPA, I don't know where you heard about
> 2.5, I just know of a gentleman in UPT with less than a 2.5. You will have
> to take the AFOQT, and do well on it to make up for your age and low GPA.
> Make sure you talk to a recruiter who has gone through the OTS process
> before, not someone who has to call to Randolph to get an answer to every
> question. Don't take any shit and don't give up, takes some people numerous
> times to get in. Best of luck. Also read OTS web page. www.afoats.af.mil
>
> Rick
I completed OTS a year ago and will graduate USAF Pilot
Training next Friday. Currently, the age limits are: You
must be less than 27 1/2 years old when you _start_ (I'm
pretty sure it's start) pilot training, if you are a
non-rated applicant. If you are a rated applicant (pretty
much ex-Navigator) then the age waiver is up to 30 years.
If you're guard or Reserve, and a rated applicant, then the
age waiver is up to 33 years. So pretty much if you're
looking at going through OTS this means you're not an
officer yet so more than likely non-rated. So your age
limit would be 27 1/2.
If you have any more specific questions about OTS or SUPT
I'd be more than happy to answer them.
My e-mail is jddo...@ebicom.net
-Jason