Looking for advice: health, age, and timing

[greenmountains]

First, thanks to everyone for your contributions to this site as it has been an invaluable resource for me. I have a question on timing that I need help with but I will have to give you some context so bear with me.

I will be completing/submitting an application for OCS as soon as I can in the hopes of getting a pilot slot. I feel that one of my weakest areas is management experience so I took a job this summer as the crew manager on a veggie farm. I also chose this position because my boss could prove to be a valuable source for a LOR (state senator). My problem is that I have developed an inguinal hernia that I will obviously have to take care of before I submit an application. From what I've read here there is a mandatory 6 month wait before I would be eligible. My question is do I get this surgery done ASAP because I'm turning 24 in a month and need to get the ball rolling even though having surgery now could jeopardize my employment and LOR? or can I wait till October when the season is over and try to submit my application a year from now? I feel that there are advantages to both options but I need your help determining how they would affect my application.

Another question that I have has to do with flight experience. I have my Private Pilots Certificate but haven't been able to fly in the past 4 years because of the cost. I am currently looking into soaring and was wondering if any of you knew if this was considered a competitive skill to a review board? It is certainly more feasible with a low income and it will diversify my experience. These seem like advantages to me but if flying less but in a powered aircraft is more important I could bite the bullet and spend a little more cash.

Thank you in advance,

T

 

[exNavyOffRec]

First, thanks to everyone for your contributions to this site as it has been an invaluable resource for me. I have a question on timing that I need help with but I will have to give you some context so bear with me.

I will be completing/submitting an application for OCS as soon as I can in the hopes of getting a pilot slot. I feel that one of my weakest areas is management experience so I took a job this summer as the crew manager on a veggie farm. I also chose this position because my boss could prove to be a valuable source for a LOR (state senator). My problem is that I have developed an inguinal hernia that I will obviously have to take care of before I submit an application. From what I've read here there is a mandatory 6 month wait before I would be eligible. My question is do I get this surgery done ASAP because I'm turning 24 in a month and need to get the ball rolling even though having surgery now could jeopardize my employment and LOR? or can I wait till October when the season is over and try to submit my application a year from now? I feel that there are advantages to both options but I need your help determining how they would affect my application.

Another question that I have has to do with flight experience. I have my Private Pilots Certificate but haven't been able to fly in the past 4 years because of the cost. I am currently looking into soaring and was wondering if any of you knew if this was considered a competitive skill to a review board? It is certainly more feasible with a low income and it will diversify my experience. These seem like advantages to me but if flying less but in a powered aircraft is more important I could bite the bullet and spend a little more cash.

Thank you in advance,

T

If you are trying for SNA the most important thing is ASTB followed by GPA, get the surgery now, they won't care about leadership, if you were going for another designator the answer might be different.

I lost track of how many guys I had picked up aviation that had great ASTB scores and really did nothing but go to college, and nearly all didn't have any flight experience, again a good ASTB will trump all, and a poor ASTB overshadow the great things a person has done.

 

[greenmountains]

OK, thanks for the advice. Now that I am a month into my job I feel committed to it. Although my future is the priority in my mind would it be detrimental to my competitiveness to wait until I was a young 25 yr old? I guess the root question is how much does ones age actually affect the decision of the board?

 

[P3 F0]

You have a known medical issue, and unknown other issues, which are going to eat up time getting resolved. At 25, you would be nearing the age limit for application. The earlier you get the ASTB done and your package submitted, the better off you'll be.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Don't spend any more cash on flight training. Beyond the certificate you already have, more experience will not make you more competitive in the eyes of the board. People have gone through training with zero flight time and a degree in something completely unrelated to aviation, it all comes down to GPA and ASTB, as NavyOffRec said.