Wish me luck, applied for a new job yesterday...

So I've been in the Colorado Air National Guard for a long time, over 18 years at my current unit.  I've reached a ceiling there rank wise, there simply isn't a way for me, as a dentist, to get promoted to full colonel.

A friend of mine who used to be at my unit with me, sent me a listing for a full colonel spot about 45 minutes away from my house.  It's with the Air Force Reserves, so technically I'd be switching services, but ostensibly the same and the transfer shouldn't be a big deal.  It's an IMA position, so basically surge support for the unit.  Rather than me doing the 1 weekend a month thing I'd be helping them out a few weeks a year.  So that's better and worse for me, in one respect I now get my weekend back, which is good for my family, but I have to take more time away from my practice.  I think that's a worthwhile swap though, especially to get the promotion to full colonel.

I was at the base last weekend for duty and talked with my commander and squadron commander, they both support me pursuing this, so I spent the day doing paperwork and putting in the application.  Which promptly got returned to me for some changes, since the military wants things a particular way and doesn't necessarily tell you that to begin with.  I made those changes and resent the application yesterday, which was accepted and forwarded to the next stop.

I really, really want this spot!  I have no idea how many applications they'll get, how I'll stack up, whether they'll give a local guy preference or what.  I did email the local contact there introducing myself, haven't heard back from him.  I have good performance reviews, good fitness scores, should get good recommendations from my group and squadron commanders, my resume and biography are good/decent.

Man, I want this job, I hope that I least I get called in for an interview....

Good luck! I just started a new job after 10 years at my old one. I had similar motivations of being topped out and the opportunity to have more time with my family. It's an adjustment, but it's also fun to have new challenges to tackle. Hope it works out for you.

Good luck!

Glad you had the balls to apply. So many of us don't.

Colonel pay will be nice...Colonel retirement will be even nicer!  

Good luck.  I never served but my wife is the youngest of 6 kids who's father was career Air Force.  My wife is the only one who did not join the military or marry the military.  Her brother graduated Annapolis.  Another sister was a AF Major, married to an AF Major; now married to a retired Navy Physician's Assistant.  Her closest sister is married to a retired C17 Pilot, etc.  

When younger, I didn't have what it takes to "work for that company" but I also didn't have any exposure to understanding the careers you could make in that company.    

Good luck and thanks for your service.  

Good luck!!!

Thanks guys.  Now I'm second guessing how I wrote my biography.  I'm thinking I should've put more of my civilian stuff in it but I was under the impression that it was just supposed to be military stuff.  Can you tell I really want this position?  lol

I can tell. Good luck. It sounds like an interesting role. 

Good luck!

My troop is an IMA out of GA and works for me at the Pentagon but from home (in Georgia). She's absolutely killing it. I think the IMA program is a good option to get support specific missions that you may not have the manpower to do with RegAF folks. 

Good luck!

Good luck!

It's easy to change jobs. I do it every 13 weeks typically in wildly different enviroments at every change.

Fingers crossed for you.  I ended up retiring from the Army Guard after Active Duty so my wife and I don't have to worry about health insurance in our old age.  One maybe benefit to switching to the Reserve is you could widen your search to other states.

Good luck Doc!

You'll get it - I got my fingers crossed for you.

Good luck.  As mentioned, a little PIA now, will reap benefits in the retirement years.  Plus, it's something you want to do.

gotta wonder how many people are in your position ie Dentist plus AF Col candidate?

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Not sure about that.  I know I'm the only one in my unit, there's no one in the Wyoming unit and there's no one in the smaller Colorado Springs unit.  Not sure about the larger Colorado Springs unit or Nationally.  I do hope that they give preference to local people vs deciding to take someone from across the country for instance...

Good luck to you!

I'm actually trying to get back on active duty.  I separated in 2014 and I just contacted the recruiter this past weekend to see if getting back in is an option.  I'm hopeful but everything I've read sounds like the Air Force rarely takes prior-service back unless it's a critically manned career field.

Good luck to you.  

I once was doing a site recon on an old doctor's office and the owner was present.  I was interviewing him to include in my report and he told me he was in the Naval Reserve and his rank was Rear Admiral.  I thought that was so cool.   

So, update.  I heard back from the email contact, turns out that when the AF listed this position, they coded it for someone who's already a full Colonel or has been selected for full Colonel.  So that automatically makes me ineligible, as I'm neither of those and there's no way for me to get that at my current unit.  He also mentioned that he thought there was a requirement for a specific residency, but when I checked the listing that wasn't there.

So if the military is going to do their typical, rigid thing, I'm going to get rejected.  If they can see past that, and maybe get no applicants because it's basically impossible for a dentist to get full colonel, I may be considered.  Not holding my breath tho...

Hopefully it goes well, every once in a while surprises slip through buracracy. 

It's surprising common in my business world that job postings get written such that no candidate exists who meets all the "specs". I dunno why people do this, but it is common. 

Somehow, people still get hired. I don't know the military, but don't fret yet.

In reply to docwyte :

There's a lot of rules to how to post jobs and what rank they're posted for. Especially for officer positions at a certain rank. Unfortunately, even if they wanted you, if the position isn't built for 05 then they'll have to do a change request through manpower requirements. I believe its called an OCR or ACR. It might be a little bit more loose for Reserves but that process can be pretty long because of laws involved etc. And to promote someone into a position for the sole purpose of hiring them is pretty far out. 

The civilian hiring and govt hiring process is archaic and E36 M3ty. 

I am currently working at A1 to innovate a lot of our talent management processes. But we can only do so much at once. Especially with policy, congress, and laws involved. 

In reply to yupididit :

Yeah, I know.  This is an O6 billet though, so they should be able to take an O5 that's "in the bucket" for O6 (like me!) and then promote them if they want.  They're going to have a heck of a time finding an O6 dentist, the only way most of us can get that is be a medical group commander and this position is a step down from that.  Or be an O6 in another IMA billet, but why take this one unless you live local and are traveling to your current billet. 

I feel it's far fetched that I'm the only applicant but it's possible that I am...

In reply to docwyte :

Good luck with your application but I especially want to say thank you for serving!

In reply to docwyte :

Need me to ask around ARPC? I have a couple connects up there.