ART Pilot, ANG, AFRES pilot? What's the difference?

[woodreau]

I've seen a whole bunch of these pilot positions posted, you're a civilian federal service Air Reserve Technician. Once you get designated as a pilot, you have to join the Air Force Reserve, if you're not already in the Air Force Reserve. I ran into one, but didn't ask the question. She is a CBP Air Interdiction Agent, who in her former life was an Army helicopter pilot, but now flies B-52s in the Air Force Reserve.

So what's the difference between an ART pilot, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard Pilot?

Edit: Added Linky
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobId=66045360

[aloft]

Originally Posted by woodreau

So what's the difference between an ART pilot, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard Pilot?

ARTs are essentially full-time reservists, without actually being full-time reservists (which would make them AGR--active guard/reserve). They're technically civil servants in their full-time capacity, but their "day" job and their reserve job are essentially one and the same. They're just paid out of a different pot and don't have to wear a uniform every day.

Traditional guardsmen and reservists have normal civilian jobs and just do the guard/reserve thing part time. (I won't say "just one weekend a month", because guard & reserve flying has the same currency requirements as active-duty crews, so most guard/reserve aircrew put in way more than one weekend a month.)

[frog_flyer]

Originally Posted by woodreau

I've seen a whole bunch of these pilot positions posted, you're a civilian federal service Air Reserve Technician. Once you get designated as a pilot, you have to join the Air Force Reserve, if you're not already in the Air Force Reserve. I ran into one, but didn't ask the question. She is a CBP Air Interdiction Agent, who in her former life was an Army helicopter pilot, but now flies B-52s in the Air Force Reserve.

So what's the difference between an ART pilot, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard Pilot?

Edit: Added Linky
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobId=66045360

I've met her too. Cool chick.

I may be mixing up ART and AGR, but it's civil service. It's like having a full-time job at the post office, and then you come to the squadron to get your sorties in.

As an ART, your post office job is on base. (or AGR if I'm reversed)


.... you also get Mondays off, depending on the unit.


.... you also can work 11-12 days in a row. Week-UTA-Week.

[Doug Taylor]

Hey man, what's up with the "West Coast" gig, PM me brotha.

[germb747]

An ART is a civilian employee of the federal government whose job is based upon them maintaining their membership in the reserves. Our ARTs used to be on the GS pay scale (an IP who is a Captain, for example, would probably be a GS-13 or such). They're now on the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), which is a payscale I'm not familiar with. To become an ART (pilot), one must go through the same process any other ANG/AFRC pilot must go through (i.e. be selected, earn a commission as a USAF officer, graduate UPT, survival school, MWS school, etc.) After an initial active duty tour, the pilot becomes a "traditional reservist", who is required to work at least one weekend per month and two weeks a year (like someone said above, in practice it's much more). At that point, he can get a civilian job, do the reserves full time without becoming an ART (called 'bumming'), or apply for an ART position. There are also ways to stay on "active duty" in the reserves/guard if you're needing full time employment, which could involve a deployment or you may be able to stay on AD within your unit depending on the needs of the AF/unit.

The ARTs are thought of as the guys who "run the squadron" on a daily basis (Monday thru Friday; 0700-1600 with an hour lunch break), while the traditional reservists are primarily focused on maintaining currency (which, frankly, is a lot more involved than a civilian maintaining currency). ARTs will have a day job (such as training, scheduling, stan/eval, etc) that's related to their squadron's mission. ARTs can also fly (in uniform) on civilian status (they build LOTS of comp time that way when flying missions). They also benefit from job stability and the ability to have a predictable schedule (be home for Christmas, etc.). ARTs must also go on military status to fulfill their reserve obligation and are required to put in just as many active duty and inactive duty training days as any other reservist.

Hope that helps.