Exercise Sunshine Rescue

Maj. John Tucciarone, 301st Rescue Wing helicopter pilot, prepares an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter for takeoff from the Air Dominance Center, Georgia, during exercise Sunshine Rescue Jan. 23, 2023. This exercise trains Airmen on leading edge Combat Search and Rescue capabilities for next generation warfighting. During this exercise, Tactical Air Control Party and Pararescue Airmen will use advanced communication and command and control technologies interlinked with A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft and HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters to simulate warfighting in highly contested environments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kelly Goonan)

Air-To-Air refuling training

Maj. Patrick Woodruff, 39th Rescue Squadron pilot, flies an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft underneath a KC-46 Pegasus aircraft during an air-to-air refueling training exercise over the Gulf of Maine, July 13, 2023. The 39th Rescue Squadron routinely conducts refuel training, honing their skills for combat search and rescue missions. The HC-130J’s ability to receive fuel in flight extends its range, increases its flexibility and improves interoperability with other aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darius Sostre-Miroir)

Distant Fury Stallion 23

A 920th Rescue Wing HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter flies toward USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), a littoral combat ship, off the coast of California during Exercise Distant Fury Stallion 23 on Dec. 7, 2023. This joint exercise, in conjunction with Exercise Steel Knight 23.2, presented a uniquely suited opportunity in remote, austere conditions to validate the wing’s interoperability within the joint team while reaffirming the wing’s lethality, precision and ability to fight and win in future operating environments, such as the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicole Koreen)

301st RQS conducts alternate insertion, extraction training

Maj. Alexander Layendecker, 301st Rescue Squadron pilot, conducts preflight procedures inside an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, March 9, 2023. The 301st RQS operates HH-60G helicopters that execute the wing's combat search and rescue mission; to plan, lead, and conduct military rescue operations and missions to deny competitors and adversaries exploitation of isolated personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darius Sostre-Miroir)

Reserve seeks pilots

Published Jan. 15, 2024
By Andrew Biscoe
Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --

The Air Force Reserve Command has a critical need for pilots – some 300, actually.

Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command addresses this need through current pilot affiliations from active duty, as well as by training new pilots.

Most of AFRC’s pilot positions are filled by current pilots who are leaving active duty but wish to continue serving in the Reserve.

“The transition for pilots from active duty to the Reserve is through two primary programs: PALACE CHASE and PALACE FRONT,” said Michael LoForti, acting chief of the air, space and information directorate’s operations resource division at Headquarters AFRC . “We use both programs to get 11/12X Air Force Specialty Codes to the AFR. Affiliations account for replenishing about 75 percent of our pilot manning in which we lose around 300-350 per year through normal attrition, to include retirements and mandatory separation date limits. The remaining pilot positions must be filled by training new pilots.” The other 25 percent of pilots come from other sources, primarily the Undergraduate Flying Training (UFT) program.

“These candidates are hired off-the-street to the 11X Air Force Specialty Code,” LoForti said. AFRC typically receives 100-115 pilot training slots per year. Candidates must be selected for UPT by an AFRC pilot training selection board. These boards convene quarterly in January, April, July and October.

Master Sgt. Alexander James, AFRC’s officer accessions program manager, cited ongoing efforts to streamline the affiliation process for individuals transitioning from active duty to the Reserve.

“We're reinforcing our connections with hiring units -- particularly with the chief pilots who play a pivotal role in this process,” James said. “Strengthening the relationships between our recruiting team and chief pilots is crucial for smoothly bringing fully qualified and non-prior-service applicants into coveted pilot positions.” An event is planned in the spring that should also help tally more pilot candidates.

“I'm thrilled to share that we are in the early stages of planning a significant pilot recruitment event this spring,” James said. “Our aim is to attract the nation's top pilots from renowned pilot universities, contributing to the growth and excellence of our team in AFRC.”

AFRC typically receives 100-115 UPT slots per year from higher headquarters. For more information on AFRC’s UFT program, including eligibility requirements and how to contact a recruiter, get sponsored by an AFRC unit and apply to a selection board, please visit https://milrecruiter.com/afrc-uft/.