Soliciting volunteers for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Beta Test Program

SUSPENSE FOR APPLICATIONS: 3 NOVEMBER 2008

1. THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE AIR FORCE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT "ONE ASPECT OF OUR FUTURE SUCCESS IS THE PROPER DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS) IN THE AIR FORCE."
HE STRESSED THE NEED TO RAPIDLY BOLSTER THE EQUIPMENT, TRAINING AND OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY OF THE UAS. IT IS CLEAR THE COMBAT CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE UAS HAVE GREATLY SURPASSED ALL EXPECTATIONS. THEIR RECONNAISSANCE-ONLY ROLE HAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE STRIKE, FORCE PROTECTION AND SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE. AS A RESULT, THE AF IS EXPLORING OPTIONS TO CREATE AN INDEPENDENT UAS OPERATOR CAREER FIELD WITH A TRAINING PIPELINE SEPARATE FROM CURRENT AF PILOT TRAINING.

2. WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING HIGHLY MOTIVATED OFFICERS FROM VARIOUS CAREER FIELDS, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING UAS OPERATORS. THE FIRST TEN OF THESE SELECT OFFICERS WILL START UAS OPERATOR TRAINING IN JANUARY 2009 WITH ANOTHER TEN OFFICERS STARTING IN APRIL 2009. THESE OFFICERS WILL PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN DETERMING THE FEASIBILITY OF A DISTINCT UAS OPERATOR TRAINING PIPELINE.

3. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR THIS BETA TEST PROGRAM ARE: 
A. LINE CAPTAINS WITH FOUR TO SIX YEARS TOTAL ACTIVE FEDERAL COMMISSIONED SERVICE (TAFCS) AS OF 5 JANUARY 2009. 
B. PILOTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
C. COMBAT SYSTEM OFFICERS, PANEL NAVIGATORS, ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICERS, WEAPONS SYSTEM OFFICERS AND AIR BATTLE MANAGERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE IF THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN TRAINING, AWAITING TRAINING OR PREVIOUSLY ELIMINATED FROM UPT.
D. NON-RATED LINE OFFICERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY PROVIDING THEY MEET ALL OTHER ELIGIBLITY REQUIREMENTS.
E. BE LESS THAN 30 YEARS OLD BY 5 JANUARY 2009.
F. AIR FORCE OFFICER QUALIFICATION TEST (AFOQT) MINIMUM SCORES OF PILOT > 25, COMBINED PILOT/NAVIGATOR COMPOSITS >50 (IF NO AFOQT ON FILE, COMPLETE THE AFOQT NLT 31 OCT 08. CONTACT YOUR SERVICING EDUCATION OFFICE TO SCHEDULE THIS TEST).
G. TWO YEARS TIME ON STATION BY 1 JULY 2009.
H. NO PREVIOUS MILITARY PILOT TRAINING EXPERIENCE.
I. SEE CONTACT LENS RESTRICTIONS IN PARAGRAPH 4.D.2.

4. IF YOU MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA OUTLINED ABOVE, YOU WILL NEED TO:
A. COMPLETE THE TEST OF BASIC AVIATION SKILLS (TBAS) NLT
31 OCT 08. TESTING LOCATIONS ARE FOUND AT: HTTPS://PCSM.AETC.AF.MIL/BATLOCATIONS/BATLOCATIONS.HTM
B. COMPLETE AF FORM IMT 215 (AIRCREW TRAINING CANDIDATE DATA SUMMARY). HTTP://WWW.E-PUBLISHING.AF.MIL. IF THE APPLICANT ALREADY HAS A PILOT CANDIDATE SELECTION METHOD (PCSM) SCORE, ENTER THIS SCORE IN BLOCK 14. THOSE APPLICANTS WITHOUT PCSM AND/OR AFOQT SCORES SHOULD SUBMIT THE APPLICATION WITHOUT THEM. THE AFOQT AND PCSM SCORES WILL BE VERIFIED WITH THE RESPONSIBLE AGENCY AND NEED NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE ELECTRONIC APPLICATION. IN ADDITION TO YOUR COMMENTS, INDICATE IN BLOCK 17 (REMARKS), THE DATE AND LOCATION (ED CENTER) YOUR TBAS TEST WAS ACCOMPLISHED. OBTAIN YOUR SQUADRON/CC AND GROUP/CC EQUIVALENT RECOMMENDATIONS (NO HIGHER) IN BLOCKS 18 AND 19 OF THE AF FORM 215. NO OTHER LETTERS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR YOUR SELECTION.
C. FORWARD YOUR ELECTRONIC IMT 215 TO: SPECIALFLYINGPROGRAMS@RANDOLPH.AF.MIL BY 1600 CST, 3 NOV 08. THIS PACKAGE WILL INCLUDE THE AF FORM IMT 215.
D. IF SELECTED AS A FINALIST, YOU WILL NEED TO:
1) PASS A UAS OPERATOR-SPECIFIC MEDICAL EXAMINATION AT BROOKS AFB, SAN ANTONIO, TX ON OR ABOUT THE WEEK OF 17-21 NOV 08 (THIS TDY WILL BE CENTRALLY FUNDED).
2) NO SOFT CONTACT LENS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF EXAM. NO HARD CONTACT LENS WITHIN 90 DAYS OF EXAM. NO PRK OR LASIK SURGERY WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF EXAM.
3) BE ABLE TO OBTAIN; AND IMMEDIATELY APPLY FOR A TS CLEARANCE.

5. THE FIRST PHASE OF UAS TRAINING BEGINS WITH INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT TRAINING (IFT) AT PUEBLO, COLORADO (5 JAN 09 CLASS START DATE), FOR THE FIRST SELECTS. THE NEXT GROUP OF SELECTS WILL START IFT IN APRIL 2009. ANY APPLICANTS FOR THE FIRST ROUND WHO ARE NOT SELECTED WILL AUTOMATICALLY COMPETE IN THE SECOND ROUND SELECTION PROCESS. AFTER IFT GRADUATION, SELECTEES WILL ATTEND THE UAS LEAD-IN COURSE AT RANDOLPH AFB. FROM THERE, SELECTEES WILL ATTEND UAS SPECIFIC TRAINING AT CREECH AFB. THESE NEW UAS OPERATORS WILL REPORT TO AN OPERATIONAL SQUADRON AT EITHER CREECH OR CANNON AFB. UPON SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF TRAINING, INDIVIDUALS WILL INCUR A SIX YEAR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE COMMITMENT (ADSC). HOWEVER, IF THIS BETA TEST IS TERMINATED OR THE OFFICER IS ELIMINATED, THE ADSC WILL BE WAIVED. FINALLY, DUE TO THE COMPRESSED TIME LINE OF THIS PROGRAM, THE FIRST GROUP OF TEN OFFICERS MAY HAVE LESS THAN 30 DAYS FROM NOTIFICATION TO THEIR CLASS START DATE.

6. FOR THOSE OFFICERS INTERESTED, PLEASE DISCUSS THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH YOUR COMMANDER. REMEMBER ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TO AFPC (SPECIALFLYINGPROGRAMS@RANDOLPH.AF.MIL) NLT 3 NOV 08.

7. POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS PROGRAM IS HQ AFPC/DPAOT3, DSN 665-2330 (SPECIALFLYINGPROGRAMS@RANDOLPH.AF.MIL).