104th Officer Applications

The following information is to be used by personnel interested in applying for rated and non-rated officer positions at the 104th Fighter Wing (FW), Massachusetts Air National Guard (MA ANG). The 104th Fighter Wing is located at Barnes Air National Guard Base, in Westfield, Massachusetts. The 104th Fighter Wing flies the F-15 Eagle. Boards are held, as needed, to interview qualified applicants for these officer positions within the Wing. Applicants are encouraged to keep their packages up to date due to the possibility of officer selection boards being held on short-notice.

In general, any individual, regardless of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or military status (civilian, enlisted, officer), may apply for an officer position at the Wing (depending on the position for which you are applying, there may be other position-specific prerequisites, such as a particular academic specialization or major field of study). Many prerequisites do not apply to professional categories, such as chaplain, legal, and medical officer positions. 

 APPLICATION PACKAGES

 Officer selection boards are very competitive. Applicants must prove their ability and potential to be a Wing member and officer, and in the case of applicants to Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) and other flying positions, they must also prove their capability to be a pilot. The application package is the tool we use to evaluate you, prior to the interview, on your potential. For this reason, the package should be professional and complete. If you're interested, start early. Even if a board has not been announced, it's a good idea to have your package submitted ahead of time. Incomplete packages won't be turned back. However, to minimize the need for follow-up requests, please try to submit your package when it's complete. Also, do not elaborately assemble your package using fancy binders, document protectors, or spiral binding. Sending loose pages in a plain manila folder is perfectly adequate. Mail your package to: 104th MSF/DPMAR, 175 Falcon Drive, Barnes ANGB, Westfield, MA 01085-1482.

 

AGE PREREQUISITES

 

 Applicants for a non-flying commission must be an undergraduate degree holder or higher and can be no more than 35 years old on the date they are commissioned. Applicants for a pilot position can be no more than 30 years old on the first day of their UPT class and may not have more than 5 years total active federal commissioned service.

 

PHYSICAL PREREQUISITES

 

 For those applying for a non-rated officer position, you must be able to pass a standard military physical, which includes being in compliance with weight standards.

 

 For those applying for UPT, you must have passed or be able to pass an Air Force flying physical. This includes vision standards. The minimum distant vision is 20/70, which must be corrected to 20/20. Near vision must be 20/20. The Air Force flying physical also requires a 64" to 76" standing height and a 34" to 39" sitting height.

 

 For current pilots applying for rated positions, you must be able to pass an Air Force flying physical.

 

 For those with a history of vision surgery, please read the Accession Medical Waiver documentation outlined in:

 

Accession Medical Waivers for History of Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) and Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) (SG Policy #00-003)

 

EDUCATION/TESTING PREREQUISITES

 

DEGREE: You must have completed your Bachelor's Degree. If you have not completed your degree, and you are exceptionally well-qualified, you may request a waiver, but you must first have earned a minimum GPA (depending on how many hours you have earned), at least 90 semester hours, and follow a plan which will result in a degree by the end of the fifth year of commissioned service. Current officers must already have their degree.

 

AFOQT: For applicants for positions other than UPT, you must take the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) and earn minimum scores of at least 10 in the Quantitative Section and 15 in the Verbal Section. For those applying for UPT, your AFOQT minimum Pilot score is 25, minimum Navigator score is 10, minimum combined Pilot and Navigator Scores is 50, minimum Verbal Score is 15, and minimum Quantitative Score is 10 (Note: AFOQT minimum scores are more rigorous if your degree is not completed). Contact the 104th at the telephone number below if you need an information paper on the AFOQT.

 

BAT: For those applying for UPT, you may elect to take the Basic Attributes Tester (BAT), which is used in combination with your AFOQT score and flying hours to calculate a Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) score. The BAT test is not mandatory to interview for a pilot slot. However, if selected it is required before being sent to UPT. Contact the 104th at the telephone number below if you need information about the BAT test.

 

PACKAGE INGREDIENTS

 

 PACKAGE INGREDIENTS FOR ALL APPLICANTS, REGARDLESS OF POSITION DESIRED:

 

 A cover letter to the board describing your intentions and wishes.

 

 A resume outlining your military and civilian experience.

 

 Your most recent point credit summary (AF Form 526), RIP, or SURF if current or prior military. Contact your military personnel office to request this.

 

 DD Form 214 (Discharge from Active Duty), if applicable. See your military personnel office to request this.

 

 Your last five appraisals, if current or prior military.

 

 Your AFOQT scores (a copy of the official AFOQT test score sheet). Please note that some officer Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs) have certain AFOQT minimums. If you haven't yet taken the AFOQT, call the 104th Fighter Wing's Military Support Flight at (413) 568-9151, extension 6981247, to schedule yourself for a test. You may also arrange to take this test from the closest military base, Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS), or Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) detachment.

 

 An official college transcript with a raised seal (some officer AFSCs have certain academic prerequisites).

 

 Letters of recommendation. These are optional, but helpful (two to three are sufficient).

 

 Other training certificates or documents you feel may enhance your package.