Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 2/20/2009

Question
QUESTION: Good Evening Sir,

I currently got selected to become an Air Battle Manager for the United States Air Force. I wanted to know if, in your career, did you ever hear of ABM's upgrading to Navigator or Pilot after they've already completed UAT. I do not want to turn down this great opportunity but I would like to still fly more than anything.

V/R
Yair

ANSWER: Congratulations,
Not many folks get to be Air Battle Managers (ABMs).  It's not easy, but yes, I've seen ABMs become pilots.  It's difficult to transition from any non-pilot job to being a pilot.  However, ABMs are now rated officers, meaning their job requires flying.  It's much easier to transition from one rated career field to another rated career field.  For example, if you were a Security Forces officer and wanted to be a pilot, you might as well forget it.

All ABMs are assigned to flying duties after completion of undergraduate training at Tyndall AFB, Florida.  Usually you will be assigned to an E-8 JSTARS squadron at Robins AFB in Georgia, an E-3 Sentry squadron at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, or sometimes to a NATO AWACS squadron in Geilenkirchen AB in Germany.  A very few will go to Alaska or Japan where there's only a few E-3 aircraft.

Therefore you'll have experience in an aircraft and will be familiar with aircraft systems, airspace management, communications, weapons systems, and combat tactics.  This makes your transition to a pilot much easier.

It may take a little time, but being an ABM is definitely a good way to pursue your goal of becoming a pilot.  Even if you aren't successful, the career of an ABM is pretty good.  When I took over as commander of my first AFB, my predecessor was an ABM.

First off, be sure that a pilot is really what you want to be.  To the uninitiated, it can sound more glamorous than it is.  It depends upon what you fly. I started out as a cargo pilot and after awhile the excitement wore off and I realized I was nothing more than an airborne truck driver.  I know tanker pilots who got out as soon as possible because they didn't want a career of flying circles in the sky.

Like the old saying goes, "Be careful what you ask for, you just may get it."

Good luck, you're off to a great start.

Colonel H

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Good Afternoon Colonel,

What kept me from becoming a Pilot or CSO is the fact that my Pilot/Nav scores on the AFOQT were horrendous at best. Is that something that I have to re-take while in the Air Force or is there equivalent testing to compensate for the information obtained from those scores? Thanks again.

V/R

Yair

Answer
Yes, you'll have an opportunity to retake an exam later on, that will be easier to pass because you'll have more experience in an aircraft.  Pilots/copilots get bored on flights with lots of air time, so quite often they'll offer you a chance for practice time in the right-seat in exchange for teaching them a little of what you do.  It gives them hands-on experience as to what you do and makes them a better pilot because they can respond to your requests.  When the ABM tells the pilot, "Turn left to 270 degrees," so you can get a better radar picture, he won't hesitate and say, "Why?"  Technically it's illegal but it goes on every day and nobody will ever admit it.  I know several pilots who started their career that way, as ABMs.  You should see how much "stick time" an Army gunner on a helicopter gets.  Pilots will sell their soul to get behind a machinegun.  During the Kosovo campaign I saw Chinook pilots kill millions of trees and rocks while gunners did the flying.
Best of Luck,
 Colonel H