Question regarding ATC Jobs

Vengeance

New Member
Hey guys, I am currently a CFI and I had planned on doing the USAF ANG ATC program. Anyone in the know on what to expect and does the AF ATC Certification approve me to also do FAA Air Traffic Control? So when my USAF contract ends will I be able to apply for a job within the FAA? Thanks in advance.
 
does the AF ATC Certification approve me to also do FAA Air Traffic Control? So when my USAF contract ends will I be able to apply for a job within the FAA? Thanks in advance.

Absolutely! You'll be able to apply to any VRA announcements. You'll get ahead of the OTS line if your referred via a VRA announcement. If you get a tower in the AF then you can also apply to any CTO announcements.
 
Take your age into consideration also... you must be in the hiring process prior to turning 31 or else you will be ineligable. If you get a tower job with the ANG and earn a CTO you will also be eligable for a federal contract tower job making between 60-70k/year.

AS a VRA you will get a 20K bonus for taking a job with the FAA, start the academy with almost double pay and based on how many years you do you will start to accumulate more vacation time from day 1.


(I didnt know there was an ANG program for ATC? hmm...)
 
Yea they do suprisingly. They have numeros bases for ATC. I'm 20 years old so hopefully I'll be able to jump on board that bus asap. Thanks again guys appreciate the advice.
 
Well this would be my area of expertise...

After you get your rating in the ANG, you can get an FAA job. I (and 5 other trainees I was in training with) was applying for this job while I was still in training. You definitely don't have to wait until your contract is up. I still have 3 years left on my contract and there are numerous FAA controllers in my guard unit.

Not all VRA's get the 20K bonus (I didn't, nor did anyone in my unit so far and we have had 5 people hired onto the FAA in the last year). There are a lot of stipulations that go into that.

Vengeance, you could join any day you want to. We had three 19 yr olds training with me.

You will still have to go through OKC academy, no matter if you get hired center, tower, or terminal. But you get to skip basics, and yes, you do get about double the pay of the CTI and OTS peeps.

Let me know if you guys have any questions.
 
Cool Thanks for the great information. A few questions how long did the training take you? For the ANG? And also when you signed up were you guaranteed a job as ATC within the ANG? Like did you sign a contract stating ATC is the only job you will do?
 
If you have never been in the military, you have to go through about 6 1/2 weeks of basic training, then 4-5 months at Technical School (where you start learning ATC), then you go back to your base for anywhere from 6 months to a year of training.

Yes, you sign up to do ATC in the guard. However, due to the higher rate of washouts, you could still be retrained if you wash out. I"m not exactly sure what the rules are. But if you sign up as ATC, you WILL be given the chance to become ATC. I'd talk to a recruiter to find out what happens if you fail out of ATC. I don't know. We had 2 people wash out while I was in training and they both were given different jobs.

Oh ya...last I knew, they are giving a $15K bonus for ATC right now.
 
Now is the 6 months after that straight? Or do I show up once a month for 6 months for the training?

You will be on active duty orders from the time you go to Basic Training until you get your facility rating. The once a month starts AFTER you get your facility rating. For all purposes, I would reserve a year and half for all training.
 
Not really. You have to go to the Air Force Tech School, which is 3 1/2 months ish, then you have to go to your duty station and get facility rated there, which takes up to a year. I highly doubt the FAA would let you take that much time off.
 
Not really. You have to go to the Air Force Tech School, which is 3 1/2 months ish, then you have to go to your duty station and get facility rated there, which takes up to a year. I highly doubt the FAA would let you take that much time off.
As far as the FAA is concerned, they are required to give you time off for reserve/guard military duty, just like any other employer. They do not have a choice, nor can they fire you for it (but I wouldn't do it prior to your 1 year probation being up) (See: USERRA)
 
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