Hello, I am a CA National Guard flight applicant. I will be attending the September State Board. I was wondering if anyone out there who has been through the selection process would offer any tips or advice. What can I expect from the board members? Is their recommendation given to you right then and there at the interview? Thank you for any advice can offer.
Be familiar with the career progressions of a pilot, what type of commitment you are making to the state and a unit, why you are connected and rooted to the state of CA, and why above all else, they should hire you to be a pilot.
The actual process and formal procedures go like any other standard board.
I went through the CA board a little over a year ago. There were several other applicants at my board. I was the last one to get called into the room. You will do the normal courtesies (knock, enter when you get permission, stand at attention, salute the president of the board and greet him/her, then they will tell you to take a seat).
They will have already been looking at your packet for about 10-15 minutes before you even walk into the room. I had four people in the room with me (LTC, CW4, CW3, E8). They each asked a couple of questions like why do you want to fly, what have you been doing to prepare yourself. You talk a little bit about yourself and then before you know it its all over.
If you get selected, be prepared to wait a VERY LONG TIME to get a flight school slot, like a year to a year and a half going the guard route. I received my commission in May 07 and still have not gone to BOLC2 or Flight School yet. Good luck.
I went to the CA board a few months ago (by the way Gentry03, another guy was there that day named Gentry... any relation?). There was a LTC, CW3, and MAJ. They ask all the questions you might expect (why you want to be a pilot, talk about yourself, what do you think leadership is).
I am going to BOLC II in November and flight school in January. I commissioned August 07 so my total wait time was a little over a year. There was another guy there that commissioned that same month and he's going the same time I am. As far as I know, there are only two other guys from California that are going.
I found out their recommendation about 20 minutes after my board. Part of the reason for that though was because I had a flight to catch shortly after.
