Advice for Army Veteran

[thedonald]

Sorry for the newb questions.. but I'd appreciate some advice.

Long story short, I'm about 18 credits away from a bachelors degree in a business related field. I dropped a class last semester after the add/drop period (stupid, i know) and accrued a $5500 debt with my university. Now, I cannot register for classes until that is paid in full, and honestly, I dont really think I would enjoy that career path anyway.

I originally wanted to enlist in the Army as an air traffic controller but the MOS was not available. I ended up joining as a 12N (heavy equipment operator).

I have nearly a years worth of benefits on my GI Bill and have been considering applying to ATC schools. From what I understand they want a bachelors degree. Would my military service/credits earned make that waiver-able? Also, my credit is not the best at the moment. I'm concerned about this as well when it comes to clearance.

Any help would be appreciated. Pretty much want to know if this is a possible career option for me or if I'm wasting my time with the credit issues and not having a bachelors degree.

 

[Mike Kilo]

In the past bids they have counted three years of good work history (military should work great) as equal to a 4 year degree. There is really no reason I can see to get a degree in aviation. If you want to get a degree pick something more marketable imo.

I can’t recall if they had a CTI only bid last round, I think it was just prior exp military bid and all the rest lumped into another bid.

As for credit people seem to do okay by being able to show that you are working towards making things right and paying the debt off. Even if below the minimum payments at least pay something.

 

[MJ]

There’s not any significant benefit to getting a CTI degree... you’d get to skip basics at the FAA academy. Your chance for employment with the FAA as a controller is the same with or without. If going to school, a real degree would have more practical use.

 

[thedonald]

I would still have to get accepted into the FAA training though, right? I guess that was my main question about getting accepted into that. Not actually getting an aviation degree.

 

[StealthChain]

I would still have to get accepted into the FAA training though, right? I guess that was my main question about getting accepted into that. Not actually getting an aviation degree.

I am prior military and in school for my bachelors. I applied with the last OTS bid (this is open to all applicants, so long as you meet requirements, being prior military and assuming you were active duty for at least 3 years you meet those requirements) and put myself in pool 1. There is pool 1 (prior military and those who have gone to an atc school) and pool 2 (all others who have college degrees or work experience not necessarily atc related). Being pool 1 you automatically move on to take the ATSA once the notifications are sent out. This bid that ended in July of 2017 took about 2 1/2 months for those notifications. You will, at the least move to this step. Moving on from there is based on how well you do on the ATSA which is all up to you. As far as clearance goes, as someone else has already stated that if you can show you are working on paying off your debt you should be fine.

 

[MJ]

You don’t need a degree to apply. Go through the hiring FAQ and see if that explains things.

 

[thedonald]

thanks all

 

[thedonald]

I am prior military and in school for my bachelors. I applied with the last OTS bid (this is open to all applicants, so long as you meet requirements, being prior military and assuming you were active duty for at least 3 years you meet those requirements) and put myself in pool 1. There is pool 1 (prior military and those who have gone to an atc school) and pool 2 (all others who have college degrees or work experience not necessarily atc related). Being pool 1 you automatically move on to take the ATSA once the notifications are sent out. This bid that ended in July of 2017 took about 2 1/2 months for those notifications. You will, at the least move to this step. Moving on from there is based on how well you do on the ATSA which is all up to you. As far as clearance goes, as someone else has already stated that if you can show you are working on paying off your debt you should be fine.

I can and should apply to multiple locations and vacancies right?

 

[breakaway2000]

I can and should apply to multiple locations and vacancies right?

It's a nationwide bid, which they've been running 1 per year the last 4 years.

He's a rough synopsis of what you have in front of you.

1. Being prior military means you are already granted the same benefits as a CTI (Collegiate Training Initiative) ATC graduates. You will get to bypass the BA (Biographical Assessment) and move right onto the AT-SA test, which you can find a synopsis and advice here...
ATSA Compilation

As others have said, being prior military means that a CTI degree will not help your chances of getting hired. In fact, as a prior military member, as long as you score between an 80-100 on the AT-SA, you will get preference over CTI graduates.

2. There are two avenues into ATC at the moment, OTS (Off the Street) bids and Prior Experience Bids. As mentioned above, you already qualify for OTS bids, but you can go to a CTO (Certified Tower Operator) school like Air Traffic Control School Air Traffic Controller Training / Academy / College - Advanced ATC Valdosta Georgia United States which will help you get employment in a contract tower after graduation to meet the FAA 52 week post certification minimum standards to apply to a prior experience bid. The benefit to being prior experience is it allows you to bypass the FAA academy (currently hovering at a 50% pass rate) and go directly to your facility. If you need any specific info about advanced ATC PM @ajmezz and he might be able to help.

For anyone above the age of 25 whose passion was ATC, I would advise going to a CTO school as well as applying to the OTS bids. The CTO gives you a 'failsafe' option. Even if you were picked up on an OTS bid and failed the academy, you can always continue to apply to prior experience bids and bypass the academy as long as you meet the 52 weeks post certification minimum standards. It also allows you to apply up until the day you turn 36 as oppose to 31 for OTS bids as well.

Good luck on the journey.

 

[thedonald]

So, any resume I submit on USAjobs for an open ATC spot will automatically put me in the nationwide system or am I in the wrong spot?

 

[thedonald]

And yikes. I'll be 31 at the end of March :/

 

[CF]

Don't vets get 35 as the age cut off?

 

[Stinger]

So, any resume I submit on USAjobs for an open ATC spot will automatically put me in the nationwide system or am I in the wrong spot?

You're not eligible to apply to ATC spots on USAJobs right now because those are all for current FAA controllers. You'll need an OTS general public job announcement, the last one was in early July. The next one won't be until next year some time. With turning 31 at the end of March, you'll unfortunately age out prior to the next OTS announcement. I don't know if it'll be possible to get a CTO from a school prior to your birthday, I'm not sure what their timelines are, but I expect that to be a slim chance.
Do you happen to live within 50 miles of Long Island, NY? There may still be an opportunity to apply to one job announcement coming up if you do.

 

[Stinger]

Don't vets get 35 as the age cut off?

Unless I'm mistaken, that's only for prior controllers.

 

[CF]

Unless I'm mistaken, that's only for prior controllers.

That sounds right, I tried poking around the FAQ but it doesn't make mention of limits.

 

[thedonald]

Well shit

 

[ajmezz]

Due to your age, If you really want a career as a controller, look into advanced atc and see if they accept the gi bill. They regularly staff their 3, soon to be 4, towers with graduates to build their time and move on to the FAA or Federal contact. Assuming everything works out, you’ll have a couple years left before you age out with the FAA on a prior experience bid. Also, apply to an OTS bid if one comes out between now and your bday.

 

[Stinger]

Due to your age, If you really want a career as a controller, look into advanced atc and see if they accept the gi bill. They regularly staff their 3, soon to be 4, towers with graduates to build their time and move on to the FAA or Federal contact. Assuming everything works out, you’ll have a couple years left before you age out with the FAA on a prior experience bid. Also, apply to an OTS bid if one comes out between now and your bday.

Wouldn't he have to be a 2152 prior to reaching his 31st birthday for FAA consideration? If he successfully does that, then the higher age limit of 36 applies to get hired by the FAA. Otherwise it's only the contract towers he'd be eligible for, and maybe DOD.

 

[breakaway2000]

Wouldn't he have to be a 2152 prior to reaching his 31st birthday for FAA consideration? If he successfully does that, then the higher age limit of 36 applies to get hired by the FAA. Otherwise it's only the contract towers he'd be eligible for, and maybe DOD.

Per the bid, he'd be alright.

• Age Requirements: Notwithstanding section 3307 of title 5, the maximum limit of age for an original appointment to a position as an air traffic controller shall be 35 years of age for those maintaining 52 weeks of air traffic control experience involving the full-time active separation of air traffic after receipt of an air traffic certification or air traffic control facility rating in a civilian or military air traffic control facility. Maximum Retention Age: 5 U.S.C. 8335 (a) and 5 U.S.C. 8425 (a) require mandatory separation at age 56 in a career controller position

 

[thedonald]

Due to your age, If you really want a career as a controller, look into advanced atc and see if they accept the gi bill. They regularly staff their 3, soon to be 4, towers with graduates to build their time and move on to the FAA or Federal contact. Assuming everything works out, you’ll have a couple years left before you age out with the FAA on a prior experience bid. Also, apply to an OTS bid if one comes out between now and your bday.

Where are these OTS bids if USAjobs is just for current ATC's? Sorry, couldn't find it in the FAQ