Air National Guard ?

kyledouglas84 Newcomer

Hi, i am considering joining the Air National Guard as an air traffic controller and then trying to become a civillian atc when my training is over. Anyone done this before? Just wondering if i will be able to do this and how i will apply to the FAA if there is not an OTS enrollment open ?

ColtsATC Trusted Contributor Indy

Guess that would be my department. I'm in the Missouri ANG as ATC and i work for the FAA at ZID, Indy Center. Yes, a lot of people have gone through the ANG ATC then got picked up FAA after training, there are 6 of us that were in training together and now we all work for the FAA. Once you finish your "seasoning" as we call it (your time at your facility where you get your facility rating), then you have to a do a deployment. You can do as little as 3 months. Once you do that deployment, you qualify for VRA hiring, which is year round.

A few guys snuck through that and got hired as VRA right after their training was over with, without a deployment, but the FAA caught on to it finally, so now you have to take a deployment. They aren't bad though. It's good money and good experience. I'm in Iraq right now. I volunteered for a 6 month deployment for some extra cash (Over here, I make about 2 1/2 times what the FAA starting pay is) since my training at ZID is frozen until at least october.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Badgerlandpilot Newcomer

I'm thinking about the same route. Are you doing ATC in Iraq or do they have you doing other stuff during your deployment???

ColtsATC Trusted Contributor Indy

ATC. Wouldn't do any other job over here. 12 hour shifts blow. Lol. I'll take my 8 hour rotating shifts anyday

Radium Epic Member SoCal Tracon

If anyone tries to give you another job in Iraq other than ATC... run.
A buddy of mine who was Base Ops (Airfield Management) went over when I did (as ATC).... he went as 1/2 ass cop (dont remember their real name). Anyway his work shift was 12hr days (not including arming up/de-arming... ie 14hr days) and he did like 13 on 1 off, 14 on, 2 off.

No freaking thank you.

Meanwhile I was in my AC'd box (was actually really cold) doing enroute traffic. Good times.

kyledouglas84 Newcomer

Did it take you guys long to get a deployment? Or could you pretty much go as soon as you were done with the seasoning days ?

Kabar Rookie SUX

Are you tower or enroute? I worked in Kingpin last fall, those ATC guys in the next room sure could work some magic with the crap we threw at them. I remember leaving there wondering how in the heck we never killed anyone (UAV's don't count as kills). As you say the pay there is insanely good. I would recommend the deployment to anyone

Radium Epic Member SoCal Tracon

Hes Radar I believe, you cant do enroute anymore, its contracted out or with the Iraqi's... I THINK Ali Center was the last one (military), and thats long gone now.

You worked Kingpin! How did it feel to be hated by every controller in Iraq for the sh*t sandwich you fed us?

ColtsATC Trusted Contributor Indy

I"m CERAP. Combine EnRoute Radar Approach Control. We own up to FL280.

It's not so much the shit sandwich they fed me (yes, I spelled out shit because there isn't much of a filter on this site lol), it's the fact they don't quite understand that my radar SUCKS, and I lose targets a lot. So they don't bother telling me when a/c are transitting or higher/lower than what they told me 20 minutes earlier...and I get an RA lol.

LTKL Newcomer NC

The Guard is a great way to go. I've been in for 8 years now and I work at PCT. You'll start off with higher pay (even though it's still not high... yet) and have less training at OKC. Being in the military has tons of benefits. You should be able to get a deployment pretty soon after being rated, but there's not usually a guarantee. If you volunteer, you can probably find a spot without waiting too long (a couple months). There are lots of posts on here with tons of info on this. Good luck!