Afghanistan Contract Flying and your Resume

SRA_kbad

SRA_kbad

Scooter Trash!!!
Good for your resume or bad?

I brought this question up to a few different people over the past week. For the most part, almost all the folks I asked didn't think it would necessarily be good or bad, just another flying job on the resume. Now, when I asked the same question to a person of peticular importance at my airline, a person who has the authority to say "You're Hired", he brought up an interesting perspective. The "Cowboy" factor. With this type of flying on a resume, he would tend to look at it in a negative way. A cowboy if you will. Well then.
I personally look at it as a GOOD resume experience. Ability to work under high amounts of stress and what not.
What do ya'll think?
 
If you can fly at 2000 feet AGL in a small twin over a war zone with people shooting up at you all the time with their AK's and manage not to get completely freaked out, I think I'd hire you in an instant.
 
There are some to whom anyone who doesn't fly at 35,000 ft with fourteen redundant autopilots is a "cowboy". I have no use for them, and wouldn't be interested in working with/for them for any amount of money. There are others who fly at 35,000 ft with fourteen redundant autopilots who either have done flying that involved some chesthair, or at least respect those who have. I'd work with them in a heartbeat. It's self-selecting. Do what you feel...your future will take care of itself.
 
Should you have professional stories to tell from your experience there then I would see it as an asset. When I interview a pilot I am looking for an answer to a simple question...do I want to spend a five day trip with you? I figure you can fly and make decisions since you made it this far. Working in Afghanistan in support of troops is not a job to be taken lightly. I would want to hear stories of working and flying there as well as what led you to look for and take the job. Did you fly multi crew? Did you get shot at? How did you as a crew respond? Ever get a co-pilot who locked up? How did you handle this? Have you locked up? Where you ever scared?

There are tons of questions and stories to be able to tell. It's all how you can professionally spin it. I think you have one hell of a talking piece on your resume and if WILL separate you from the pack. Keep it professional and always show how it advanced you as a pilot.

Good luck.
 
I have applied to all of those afghan/Iraq jobs for the last two years. I can't even get a consideration and I've been there already. In this market I'd bet they have alot of former mil aviators with no jobs scooping those up. I'd say it is a benefit on a resume because it's outside the box, not that any of us could get hired on for the OCONUS stuff anyway.
 
USMC-SSGT said:
I have applied to all of those afghan/Iraq jobs for the last two years. I can't even get a consideration and I've been there already. In this market I'd bet they have alot of former mil aviators with no jobs scooping those up. I'd say it is a benefit on a resume because it's outside the box, not that any of us could get hired on for the OCONUS stuff anyway.
Click to expand...

Same here...I got a phone interview with Dynamic for their Dash 8 program. I was told "someone will be calling you soon to talk further", 2 weeks later got the email "We've decided not to proceed further with your resume"...I was really looking forward to some of that flying too :(
 
Well, one of our captains just got hired, starts in Jan. He said that their main issue is with finding folks with Dash-8 time AND a secret clearance. He told me that my chances are "good", since I have the clearance from the military. So we'll just have to see. Sending everything out tomorrow. Hopefully hear back from them later in the week.
 
What is the place looking for Dash 8 and a security clearance? My TS/SCI is expired but my Secret should still be good for another few years.
 
Does anyone know if for dynamic you have to move to VA or if that is just your "base" and you start there and go wherever they send you for a few months? Ive got the resume all done and email ready but before I hit send I dont want to waste their time if they want me to move.
 
As far as I know, they send you somewhere in the states to train in the aircraft, then after that, you ferry the plane to the desert. I'm pretty sure you are home based.
 
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