What advice would you have for someone frustrated with an officer recruiter?

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 May 2017 17:25:57 -0400

I have been trying to go up for an Air Force officer board to become a pilot for the past year and a half. But I've been more and more worried that my recruiter just isn't allowed to tell me no. My PCSM is competitive, my grades are ok, I'm prior service (active Marine, aviation MOS) with HQ USMC permission to separate via interservice transfer, I have good letters of -continued in comments-

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made May 11 at 2017 5:36 PM

Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth — Thu, 11 May 2017 17:36:44 -0400

If you aren't getting anywhere withthe recruiter then ask him to let you speak to the flight chief. If he says no, look up the squadron he is assigned to online and get the number to the commander. Call him directly and tell him you don't feel that this recruiter is helping you in any way. That should light a fire. AF Recruiters are good but they are seekers mostly of enlisted. You have to get real pushy about your way ahead if you wan't them to respond. Good luck

Response by SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM made May 11 at 2017 5:40 PM

SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM — Thu, 11 May 2017 17:40:10 -0400

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member -I can understand your frustration, however until you are on the side of that spectrum, I confidently doubt that you can truly understand the daily pressures that this job entails. Granted, I understand that you want matters to automatically favor you and move immediately at the pace of what you want, however it simply does not work like that; yet there are so many influencers that affect your path that I guarantee you are not aware of. Factors such as qualification criteria, position availability, and organizational needs. Although you were qualified a few hours ago, you may become disqualified by later today/tonight or tomorrow morning. In addition to, Recruiters strive with being aligned with the latest policy messages based on the fast paced, dynamic, rapidly changing environment and culture of the organization in order to give you the most accurate information. With that being said and all things considered, I ask for you to exercise patience with your Recruiter as the industry is literally a fast moving train in which they are doing their best to stay abreast of. I can personally account for the speed as I have delivered information to a potential applicant in which 30 minutes later it was obsolete. In addition to, based on the information you know with regards to the path that you are looking take, ensure that you are 100% qualified for the position. This in turn will alleviate the associated challenges that your Recruiter already faces daily as it stock piles on his/her shoulder with each passing day. Hope this helps and may matters work in your favor.

Response by LCpl Shane Couch made May 11 at 2017 5:40 PM

LCpl Shane Couch — Thu, 11 May 2017 17:40:29 -0400

Threaten to go Navy pilot, see if that lights a fire under his/her ass. I had another friend that was also having trouble with his Air Force officer recruiter, until he threatened to withdraw and go Navy instead. Speaking of, why Air Force over Navy? I would think the transfer from Marine to Navy might be easier. But then again, what the hell do I know. Good luck brother on getting what you want to do, no matter which branch.

Response by LTJG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2017 5:46 PM

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 May 2017 17:46:21 -0400

...recommendation,
From O-6 aviators as well as my state congressman. But I'm concerned my recruiter just doesn't want to send me to a board for some reason. I was supposed to go up for a board this past January. I had everything I needed beforehand submitted. All that was left was for my recruiter to set a MEPS date for medical. I already had a class 1 flight physical from the Naval Hospital. But then I got a call from him saying saying that paperwork deadline had been moved to a week earlier and that I was basically SOL until the next board. Now this setback made me extremely motivated to make sure I was good to go on time. I applied to re-take the AFOQT and got a more competitive score (which took until this month even though I started the process to re-take it 4 months ago) I would call my recruiter with increasing frequency to update him on my status and so he didn't forget about me, asked about medical and MEPS, now to the point where the point where I have to refrain from calling once every two days because I'm afraid he's getting annoyed of me (squeaky wheel gets the grease?)
Now here I am, one week and two days before the paperwork deadline AGAIN and I still haven't gotten any information from him about if I'll be able to get a MEPS date in time. I'm wondering if I did something wrong? If there is some disconnect I'm just not seeing, if he's not allowed to flat out tell me no until I give up? I've asked a few friends of mine that are officers in the Air Force and they've described this as extremely weird and irregular. I can't go to a different officer recruiter because they're not allowed to steal from other districts, and my DD-Form 368, request for conditional release, expires in a few months, so if I can't go up for this board, that will have been an extremely long year of jumping through hoops getting my hopes up for absolute nothing.

The frustration is very real as I'm about to turn 26 as well as go on a deployment in a few months(which wouldn't have been a problem because even if I am/was selected, my recruiter said I probably wouldn't get orders to OTS for another 7-8 months to a year anyway, which would leave me available to deploy).

My Army SIFT is 71 so I could always pursue that if this ends up not panning out, but I've really put s lot of hard work and dedication into doing this and belief in the Air Force's mission of breaking barriers in air and space fields. (I'm a bit of an idealist that probably drinks more of the kool aid than I should but still)

Any advice would be extremely appreciated. This community is always very helpful and not afraid to be brutally honest when the situation calls for it.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2017 1:54 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 May 2017 13:54:26 -0400

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member when I had friends who wanted to join and the recruiter tried giving them the "promise this and that" and then had issues we just went to another recruiter. Their loss and the guys/gals got what they wanted. Is there another recruiter in the area?

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made May 12 at 2017 4:37 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Fri, 12 May 2017 16:37:39 -0400

This guy doesn't deserve your "business". Talk to the Navy, Marine, and Army recruiters. If they provide better service, bail out of the AF deal.