TOL

Today, the last business day before my 31st birthday, I received a tentative offer letter (TOL) from the FAA. This means I am in the door. It could not have come any further down to the wire than this. I had pretty much given up hope about a month ago and I can't believe that it's all coming back together!

Update

On November 29th I will be ineligible for hire by the FAA. But I can't believe it: Less than one week before my 31st birthday, I finally got my interview. This happened earlier today. The interview went well thanks to the guide over on the StuckMic forums -- it was pretty much spot on. They are rushing things along to ensure that I get my TOL (Tentative Offer Letter) in time -- the TOL locks my age in. More info to come soon. I just can't believe that it is actually working out. I couldn't have cut this any closer.

Still Searching

I've been out of the Navy since June 1st, 2010.  I've applied for a lot of jobs, mostly within the Department of Defense (DoD) - Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.  The FAA was not accepting applications for prior military controllers for a number of months, but recently opened back up.  I've been considered for many jobs, but not selected.  Two pieces of advice: First, it really helps if you are qualified in both radar AND tower - most of the jobs I've seen require a Control Tower Operater's (CTO) license.  Second, most DoD jobs will go to retired military controllers (those who completed 20 years), but not always.  Connections and networking are both key.  With any luck, I'll have a job before I turn 31.

ATC Beyond the Navy

I'm nearing the end of my enlistment and looking at ATC opportunities outside of the Navy. My decision to get out of the Navy is based on many factors, most notably my age. To work for the FAA, I need to be offered a job prior to my 31st birthday. The FAA is not my only option, but the one I prefer. Other opportunities include civilian DoD (Department of Defense) and government contractors - primarily Midwest and Serco. If I get a DoD ATC job prior to my 31st birthday, I will still be eligible for the FAA later in my career. Midwest and Serco, however, do not lock in my age for the FAA.

I've been researching the hiring process for quite some time. There is far too much information for me to post here. The best resource I found is StuckMic - an ATC forum. There are many people much more knowledgeable on this subject than myself and post there regularly. Many rumors also circulate on that site, so research with discretion. I will continue to post to this blog with updates as my career progresses. Thanks for reading.

PS: I'm safe and back from Iraq. I just realized I haven't posted since my return.