I've always wanted to join the Air Guard and my local unit has ATC as an option. Is anybody familiar with ATC in the Air Guard? ATC in the guard is part-time so I'd like to pursue a career with the FAA as well. Is it even possible to be a Guard member and be a controller with the FAA? As of right now I'm exploring two options:
*Join the Guard and once I'm done with basic and training apply with the FAA.
or
*Apply to these PUBNATs and take my chances or go to my local CTI program.
If I were to go the Guard route, once I'm done with basic and my year long'ish training in the tower/radar what would the process be like when applying with the FAA? I wouldn't fall into the VRA/Retired Military Controller categories so would I be OTS or need to go to a CTI school still?
Here are some words of advice before you make a mistake.
Ask for the phone number the of unit you will be assigned to. Then ask to speak to one of the lower enlisted individuals who is an air traffic controller. Now ask this guy what exactly do they really do in their unit as far as ATC is concerned. Chances are these guys have never set foot in a tower or a radar room.
Anything else you might do as an ATC Guardsman will be considered by the FAA as non-qualifying ATC experience. The most likely thing they do during their drills are going down to the motor pool and polishing HMMWVs all day long. Some of their hummers might have radio racks in them capable of communicating with aircraft and little more. Remember if it's not a Control Tower Operator rating (a CTO) or a radar approach rating, the FAA considers it be meaningless. I know this because I also have some non-qualifying time under my belt during my stay in the military. You might as well be a guy off the street who has no experience. Talking to a recruiter or some guy named Sergent so and so at the unit is like talking used car salesman. You're never going to get the truth out of them. I knew plenty guard controllers who never set foot in a fixed based facility.
When I was coming off active duty I was slightly interested in joining the guard as well. I talked to the recruiter and heard great things about the unit. I also talked to a NCO at the unit named Sergent so and so and I told him I am Sergent so and so and asked him not to blow any smoke up my a** about the unit. He just said more of the same.Then I asked to speak to a lower enlisted guy in the unit. Come to find out they never do anything remotely ATC related. I saved myself a lot of heartache and did not join. I suggest you do the same. However, there are always exceptions to the rule. You might be lucky and find that one unit in the U.S. who as an agreement with the local military ran tower to train. Don't hold your breath.
