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My class started out with 32 guys and we graduated 16
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These days, it seems if you've got a pulse you can get a slot for UPT. I listened to all the new co-pilots coming into my squadron who said they didn't actually want a pilot slot, but were given one. These were mostly Academy grads. It made me nauseated remembering how in the early 90s guys were fighting viciously for slots as most of the Air Force was undergoing RIFs.
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You ain't kidding. To add to what you write: Guys aren't washing out of UPT anymore. For the first time ever, a number of guys have been washing out of the A-10 initial qual course for a myriad of reasons, but normally for inability to multi-task, low SA, or safety. A-10 qual has traditionally been considered one of the easier initial qual courses, compared to the F-15/16. As it turns out when the washout paperwork is being completed, that the guys in question were having all sorts of flying problems throughout their UPT career, but the UPT bases seemingly "passed the buck" to the LIFT (initial fighter training 6 week course) and RTU (A-10 training) squadrons.
Regards the Academy guys: From what I understand of the Academy, if you're qualified for a pilot slot, you pretty much get one (with the exception of the same early-mid 90s time when the AF didn't need pilots), whether you want it or not. I knew guys that didn't want to be pilots, but were grilled during job selection at the Academy regarding why they had no desire to fly, and pretty much forced into it. I too was in ROTC at Riddle during the 89-90m timeframe and remember well when a pilot slot was highly coveted; at the time, there only 100 available nationwide for ROTC.