Air Force Loadmaster pipeline… how does it work?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2022
- A thorough video on the process of becoming a loadmaster. What happens when you arrive at your unit? How many schools? And the career progression of a loadmaster as they gain experience. Don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe.
#loadmaster #aircrew #c5galaxy #airforce #usaf - กีฬา
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Ive heard a lot about how everyone wants to be a loadmaster until they have to try to be one. But I am desperate for this and cant wait to enlist.
Currently in the loadmaster pipeline. They changed it up a little bit. 8 weeks for Aircrew Fundamentals at JBSA, after you are given your airplane and first duty station. BLM is no more. Then you have 4 weeks of Loadmaster/FE/Boom training, still at JBSA. Then SERE, Then you go to IQT, which is Altus or Kelly. Then you’re sent to your first duty station assigned to you.
Thanks for the update! Yeah I figured they'd do some structural changes to the training.
@@Outlawv21992 They're still changing it all the time, trying to keep the washout rate at a reasonable level. Its not now, but I heard it was as bad as 80% the month before I arrived.
@@ranger_8717 EVERYBODY thinks they can be a load. Till they try to be a load.... it's not easy but it's the most rewarding career in the Air Force EASILY. 2% of the Air Force enlisted corp flies.... so it's highly selective...
@@Outlawv21992 Yeah, just talked to an instructor today, was only 34% at the highest, rumors be ruming ig. Still pretty bad though. 25ish currently.
@@ranger_8717 yeah that makes more sense.... there is still a pretty high washout rate once you get to your squadron. we had a few that got thru all the schools and still couldn't get an upgrade once at the unit.... people who don't study get found out QUICK. So stay in the books and you'll be fine...
I was a 60551 air cargo specialist at DoverAfb in the 80s.The loadmasters pretty much left us alone unless something was wrong with tie down. And those fellas like to party.I still miss the Airforce
Yes we have a high propensity to party in crew rest. The loads still do this. Lol
Great content brother! I cross trained as a c-5 load at Travis. Leaving for school soon!
Awesome brother. Glad I could help and congrats!!!
Appreciate the information, recently took my picat and qualified for load, meps soon🤙🏽
CONGRATS MY GUY!!!! HIT THEM BOOKS!
Currently in the pipeline now and over a year in the airforce gotta love it ✌
Congrats man. It only gets better
Hey JB... "Outlaw V2"... Watched your video... Hope all is going well wherever you are these days...!
Of course man!!!! Another load enters the chat. Lmao
Omg, thank you… I want to cross-train into being a C17 loadmaster within my unit. This video honestly scared me, but I want to challenge myself. I’m studying to raise my scores, but the loads have encouraged me to cross-train. Thank you again for all the info-time to hit the books.
Do it girl!!!! You won’t be disappointed. Sorry it took me so long to reply. I didn’t have my YT studio on to keep track. Let me know how it goes. I’m a cross trainee into C5 and it was the best life decision I ever made short of going into the Air Force to begin with.
You should really do it it's an amazing experience
Great content! Would love to hear stories about dangerous situations you encounter as a loadmaster.
That’s a great topic. Honestly the most dangerous thing about the job outside of flying itself is loading operations. Inside a tight confined space. Lots of noise. Heavy pallets traveling fast. Dangerous environment to work in. Outside of that the stairs on all C5s are extremely steep and it’s a harrowing fall to the cargo floor. Or outside the plane if u fall
Down the crew entrance ladder. Which was common.
@@Outlawv21992 man I have some stories I was actually half way up the stairs to the troop deck and the pilots never called out their altitude we were landing in Baghdad and we hit the deck hard it ripped my flat flak jacket off just trying to hold on to the rail
Man sometimes it got really crazy you know if you are a loadmaster we really don't get credit for what we do until that whole debacle with pulling troops out of Afghanistan to me that was a stupid move I mean what the hell are you thinking you're just going to leave everything there that was the stupidest move I mean guys gave their lives over there and then a bomb gets detonated at the airport and you lose more troops and you're supposed to be like some hero president I'm sorry I don't really talk about politics all that matters is the guy next to you and that's it
I remember one time we had to jettison fuel on the outskirts of Spain and I remember looking out the window and there was people fishing I guess they weren't fishing much longer our engineer said that we had an issue we needed to jettison fuel to make good touchdown so we had to get rid of extra weight man I'm pretty sure those guys fishing we're pissed because we put jet fuel all over their ass it was kind of funny but we were still in the situation I remember looking out the window and I could just see it spraying. I was just like I told the pilots I said this is why they hate the USA
@@matthewnewland3791 yeah I’ve had some
Scary landings on C5s especially going into Baghdad and balad since a “go around” is NEVER a good idea in a war zone with traffic everywhere all blacked out. My scariest landing was in Moron AB Spain coming thru the weather at 100’ not lined up with the runway.
Ha, ha! Funny dude. The training sure has changed since I became a loadmaster in 1966😂 Basic at Lackland, Loadmaster school at Sheppard, C141 school at Dover, first mission to Vietnam. Total time from getting off the bus at Lackland to standing on the ramp at Cam Ranh Bay 4 months. Seventy plus C141 missions to Vietnam from Dover and McGuire then C130’s in Vietnam for 366 days. Best 4 years of my life. Had to get out though. Figured I cheated death enough.
Yessir. Being a load is a great career man. Tons of memories
Went to Spain to Zarago on TDY one time partied with the aircrew on a KC-135 left the next day that entire plane reached of booze everybody was still drunk from the pilots to the boom guy and it was fucking awesome!
Yeah being aircrew was a whole diff experience in the military. We tended to party hard on the road but worked our asses off at work. My first mission my instructor got me so drunk in Germany I could barely walk. The next day when we got alerted he was somehow fine and I was hungover so bad. And he Q and A’d me on my publications for the entire 10 hour flight into Balad Iraq. Taught me a valuable lesson. Party hard. But be ready to work the next day.
Great video! I’m 22 and have been back and forth on enlisting reserve for USAF. My cousin & her husband both serve(d), my brother is US ARMY, and I got buddies in USMC and Veterans from the Navy. I currently work for an airline doing frontline ramp services. loadmaster seems similar to the loads I do other than calculating weights and balances and the contents that are being loaded. Which is a separate job by FAA standards for commercial airlines. I am highly interested in it, but I wonder how different it would be being active duty versus reserve? If you happen to know anything on the process for reserves and becoming an aircraft loadmaster- that’d be sick! Or if you can refer me to another video that covers it.
Thanks again for the informative and honest video! 😁
No problem at all. Yeah ramp services jobs in the civilian side would be a tad different since loadmasters have preflight responsibilities on the aircraft and we are the Subject matter experts at the airplane on how and where everything is loaded. Load plans FREQUENTLY need to be changed and adjusted based on flight plans, weather, etc. Knowing ramp services and basic cargo handling will help you in school no doubt. So the process for reserves and active duty in the beginning are the same. Since during training you will be required to be full time military and will be paid as such. So training can be up to about a year and you will be alongside active duty and other reserve students during training. Once your training is over and you report to your assigned flying squadron is when being in the reserves versus active duty will change your path. Typically reserve flyers are required to fly on a certain schedule to maintain currency in the aircraft. I'm not sure of how frequent but active duty was required to log at least ONE sortie every 60 days or you will go non current. As a reservist when you go into your flying phase is when you would fly for your squadron. I know several reserve loadmasters and they usually have other jobs they go to regularly, and some are reserve loadmasters that go to their military jobs daily and are called "Air Reserve Technicians" or ARTS. Which you choose will be up to you and the manning levels at your squadron. Hope that helps.
gonna be doing this soon and start talking to a recruiter soon as well
Good luck man!!!!
what bases are the best for loadmasters? and where do you go as a loadmaster is it just back and forth to the middle east or do you get to travel the world and country seeing and experiencing nice things. i saw a video and he said it’s basically going on vacation
It really depends on your airframe and what you like. C5 has Travis in Cali and Dover in Delaware. C17s and 130s have more choices and some overseas bases. Generally 130 bases are the worst. Where u go depends on the airframe and the state of the world when you’re flying. I flew during the war so it was a lot of Europe and Middle East flying which meant BIG MONEY per diem paydays. I also went to Brazil. Chile. Thailand. Japan. Guam. Etc depending on the mission cut. C5 and C-17 do a little of everything. And I wouldn’t say vacation per se but all the places I visited I got to go out and enjoy the scenery for free. So it is kinda like a paid vacation. I’ve been to Hawaii prolly 20+ times.
Damn man that's crazy I was a C5 loadmaster Dover 3rd airlift squadron you hit this right on the head I transferred from c5's to c-130s out of Dyess Air Force the 40th airlift screamin eagles but you tell it so correct thank you for your service brother once a load always a load
For sure man!!!! It’s a brotherhood for real. Thanks for your service and the support to the channel.
What do you like more: C5 or 130?
@@user-zx9dj3sy8u Well I was never on 130's so obviously im partial to C5. C130's do some cool low level stuff and airdrop and austere airfield stuff. However I'll ALWAYS take landing with the biggest airplane in the world and MOGGING out the whole airfield for a few days... LMAO!
great stories, this is my dream job bro
Go for it man. Don’t let anything stop you cause it’s a dream job for real!
Were you been at brother? I like your videos.
Check out the video two prior to this. I discuss my leave of absence from TH-cam But I’m back. Living life. Tryin to focus on the rest of life
Good in depth info. My Daughter is training to be a Loadmaster and started fundamentals this week. We were on our 3rd recruiter and a year of waiting before she got what she wanted. She told him, loadmaster is the only job I want. Question: When do you know in training that you find out which airframe she gets. She wants c17 but we'll see.
It’s usually sometime during initial training like BLM. First term airman have to find out during BLM cuz after that it becomes airframe specific (loadmaster initial qualification) training. The locations are different. Also tey to have her put ALL C17 bases on her dream sheet.
My daughter is a few weeks ahead of yours. She got her assignment during week 3 of BLM.
Say they probably changed a lot since I was in because I joined in 2003 we had to fill out a dream sheet first. And then when I was in eauc they went off your dream sheet to tell you what airframe that you would fly on like me I was initially supposed to go to c-17s out of Charleston but I wanted Dover because my sister lives in New Jersey but it was nuts because he was like duck duck what plane are you going to get goose I mean they'd call your name out and say you're going to see fives you're going to c-130s you're going to 17
I’m a C-17 loadmaster and a recruiter, if you want to learn more about both sides of the fence, feel free to reach out to me
Post ur email address in ur post edited so people will see it in ur post.
Yea how can I talk with you?
I just graduated BMT and am now at loadmaster training. I’ll be on the C17
Congratulations man. Feel free to add in the comments what is still accurate and what is not as far as the pipeline. I mean i went thru almost 20 years ago.
Most of the information you gave is still accurate. However, basic loadmaster now happens at Lackland and you only go to Altus for specific aircraft training.
@@Stormtrooper371 Yeahhhhh they were talking about a restructure to do that when we were at Altus for C5 BLM. I went C5's so my deal was Lackland, Washington, Altus for all the requisite schools. I was only rushed thru because I was a SSgt and a permanent party cross trainee into the career field. So we get priority to move thru the pipeline over first term airman.
Just so everyone’s aware, the CEA position this fiscal year active duty is downsizing. Consider joining the reserve / guard as a loadmaster so you’ll know your base / aircraft. If you want to do the real deal, find an HC / MC 130 unit ;)
Hahahaha he said the “real deal”. Trust me nothing was realer than landing a C5 in Balad and Baghdad 2003-2006. But today. Yeah it would prolly bore me to tears. Thanks for the info as well.
I’m actively in the loadmaster pipeline, about 2 months away from graduating. Currently on the AFSOC MC-130J’s. Hit me with questions.
I’m a SAT at lackland and start on Monday. Any tips on the overall loadmaster pipeline? Like sere or iqt?
how often do you work
@@komea12 5 days a week! Daily schedule differs & depends on if you’re flying at night or during the day. You’ll usually fly once or twice a week.
Can I have only GED and be accepted
@@vibranium1581 yes just got my joblist back and only reason load master wasn't on there was my left eye
I'm meeting again with my AF recruiter next week to talk more on jobs and contract. I already did my meps process and test scores with the Usmc but didn't get the job I wanted and was on open contract. But was wondering if reserves and working a decent civilian job is a good idea. Cause I qualify for aerospace technician and alot of good jobs that are in need.
Service is always a good idea cuz the benefits are crazy for reserves and active duty. AD is just a diff life for the most part. Cuz u are a full time soldier. However benefits are huge for both
Hey man I’m 20 and more than likely going to enlist next year. How often do loadmasters deploy nowadays? How often do you get to do your job for the day then go back to your room on base for the rest of the day? It seems like you’re never in one spot for too long. Just want to know more about how many days I’d actually get to do my own thing like drive around or ride a motorcycle. Thanks.
It REALLY depends on airframe. C130s will forward deploy for a certain amount of time usually. Like you can do 60-90 days at a forward base in theater. And then go home and train for the rest of the time. C5 and C17 are more heavy strategic airlift. So you’ll go on pre determined missions with SRTs ( scheduled return time) of 10-14 days usually. You’ll fly for that time then return home till you get another mission. During the war peak I was flying 270 days a year on average. But that’s rare these days I’m sure.
I crossed trained from a 2w1 maintainer to a 4ao medical admin hated it tried to transfer to the guard to be a loadmaster and never got the call and when my time was up I left and regret it to this day.
Yeah sometimes it’s all about timing. As I mentioned in my video when I crosstrained in was in a restricted career field to crosstrained out of. But 9-11 had just happened which meant 1A2x1 was in a much higher demand. So I was approved and never looked back. 30 countries and 4000 flying hours later and over 1200 of those combat hours it was the best decision I ever made
I'm getting trained in the basics of LM, FE, and BO under the afsc I got lucky enough to snatch, then ofc the specific training being once I have an actual base assignment; What are the differences in operations as loadmaster between the three major aircraft, like airdrops for instance, extra training for that or just different training
Yes. C5's dont do airdrop anymore as that mission has been taken over by C17s. C5's are too difficult and time consuming to rig for airdrop. And tbh airdrop is becoming less and less of a strategic necessity in war. They've been doing it since WWII but the way technology has advanced, we are launching rockets into countries for weeks before a single soldier enters the country who all flew there commercial... LOL
What is the basic overview of what you will do if you are assigned to C5, C17 or C130's? Is one better than the other?
Really depends on what you want to do with your career flying. Those three airframes have widely different roles. The C17 and C5 are tasked with mostly heavy intercontinental airlift. So you'll be flying frequently overseas and then back to homestation either in the states (C5/C17) or somewhere possibly overseas (C17's). C130s are mostly used for utility airlift in theater. Short cargo runs either deployed to the desert or wherever else. C130's also fly a lot in support of army exercises and joint service exercises. C5's NEVER deploy to forward operating bases. C17's occasionally do.
hey man, any tips for someone enlisting this year? i want to be a load master but i dont know what to be researching before i go into meps, i already took my asvab with a 75
Sorry it took me so long to see this. I don't get notified for some odd reason. Yes! Go in with a guaranteed job. Tell your recruiter you want a guarantee. IF you have the scores then you have the leverage. I got lucky to become a load, but some come in and never get the opportunity. Either way good luck on your journey my guy!
@@Outlawv21992 thank you so much i didnt think i could get a guarantee with the air force, and no worries about reply time i appreciate the help/advice
@@philippedrosi1335 They may tell you you can't but i always countered them with "who would go to some far off land not knowing what they are going to be doing?" You just gotta be straight up with them on your intentions. If it's JUST a load you want to be and you medically qualify and your scores are qualifying you have some leverage with them. THEY want you to be in, so they have to provide you with a service and try and get you guaranteed.
Good luck with it man!
@@Outlawv21992 okay sounds good man, thank you
Which countries did you visit when you were a loadmaster?
About 30 of them. The list goes on and on. Chile. Brazil. Antigua. France. Spain. Peru. Germany. Thailand. Iraq. Afghanistan. Kuwait. Liberia. Mongolia. Japan. Korea. Okinawa. Kyrgyzstan. England. Guam. Newfoundland. Italy. I think that about wraps it up. I may have left off a few.
Hey man you probably won’t see this in time but I go to meps friday and load master is one of my top jobs. I was wondering if it’s family friendly at all. Obviously there’s a lot of travel involved but I’m married and was wondering if I could get some insight on family life
Yeah man how’d did it go? Did u get load? In 2003-2008 we were really busy so I was TDY a lot but I feel that u will still get family time due to post mission crew rest that you get after a mission. Leave. Weekends when ur home etc. it’s not all that bad.
@@Outlawv21992 I just graduated BMT on the 18th! I’m in Tech School now for Fire Protection. It was another job I really wanted but thought I wouldn’t be able to get because I’ve heard it’s a rare one. When I saw it I picked it instantly and I figured it was more family friendly anyway lol. I think I’ll enjoy it a lot man!
Do you have to have specific degrees or background knowledge before loadmaster training?
No not at all. Just have good enough ASVAB scores to qualify and be kinda good at math. And you need to have good study habits cause memorizing some of the limits is paramount to success.
Does it take a long time to get picked for loadmaster? I want to do it but I also want to ship pretty fast. I’ve already been to MEPS
The only person who can answer that is recruiter cause that is based on Air Force needs now. That change weekly. Soo 1A2x1 is the Career AFSC. Ask ur recruiter. It’s hard to medically qualify so I Kno they always need people. But not everyone qualifies. Medically or ASVAB scores
@@Outlawv21992 thanks, also I am set to ship for PJ on the 29th but I honestly don’t think I’m ready, specifically for the water. What is the best way to go about telling my recruiter I want to switch to loadmaster?
@@SladeGorman let him
Know Immediately. cuz if you’re worried about the ware part ur not ready. A fellow LM i know went to PJ school and it’s NO JOKE. HE WAS PSYCHO working out and made it thru. Just tell him now.
Outlaw, Thanks for sharing the process. Question: Is this process similar for AF Reserves? I am looking into joining the Reserves @ March AFB
It 100% is. Most training u will be on active duty orders till u are done with training. It could be a year or more
Whats up brother do loadmasters carry weapons, because they do fly in risky areas. . .just incase something goes wrong how do you and the pilots defend each other?
Yes anytime we fly overseas we are carrying 3 9mm pistols as part of our deployment package. Typically two loads and the scanner (an engineer) will carry concealed so passengers don’t know who is armed and who isn’t. If we don’t have passengers we are authorized to secure the guns in the gun box until we land. When we go into crew rest we turn the guns over to security forces for them to hold until we leave again. And when we do we pick them up and start over. Our orders to defend the airplane in flight are to protect the crew if necessary to include deadly force. Anytime we are going to an unsecured airfield we will bring Raven personnel (heavily armed security forces).
@@Outlawv21992 sounds like something I would love to do. this job has caught my interest man. They said I need to score 57 on the asvab but what is the asvab based on?
@@thegreat1548 well it’s been years since I’ve taken it but study guides are available everywhere. It divides how smart a person is into four groups of skills. General. Electrical. Mechanical. And administrative. By looking at your scores your recruiter will direct you to your strengths. Using the ASVAB as a guideline. And certain fields have minimum prerequisites. A 57 in general is easy. I scored I believe a 92 general. Had no issues but my study plan was solid.
@@Outlawv21992 awesome thanks so much dude.
What is the minimum contract for load master, 4 or 6 years?
There is no minimum but the Air Force typically only enlists people for 4 or 6 years. With 6 year enlistments they usually offer something like automatic E3 for first termers only.
88 seats upstairs, a loadmaster handing out box lunches. NOPE!
Well it's only 73 seats in the troop compartment. You could include the courier compartment seats but you were somebody if we were letting anyone up there... Or you were an attractive single female... LOL
@@Outlawv21992 Was it every 74 pax seats or am I just wrong? Have flown as pax on a C-5 a few times and was a crew member on C-141b > C-17. Once, somewhere "over there" saw two Travis C-5 loadmaster mix it up out on the ramp, UFC style. I'm married to a retired C-17 loadmaster. 😀
@@kennixox262 theres 73 pax seats in back and two LM seats... rear facing... and we have another i believe 15 seats total in the relief crew but we rarely let people fly up there. Unless they are VIP's or high ranking officers. Yeah LM's are some crazy folks... I myself got in a near fight on the airplane with another load.. he threw some shoring at me... LMAO
@@Outlawv21992 I also remember a Travis C-5 at Norton, and out the corner of my eye, an object flying down the forward ladder out the door and onto the ramp. The young Captain had a broken pelvis from that slip and fall incident. It was nasty.
@@Outlawv21992 It has been a long time since I have flown as a pax on a C-5 and 17 years since my own retirement. It is all starting to fade from my memory. Still, I always thought that it was 74. Wonder if that was a C-5A thing. Probably not. I do remember being seated near the lavatory. Glad those hot and sweaty days are behind me. Did have two Space A dependents get into a fist fight on one of my flights and was called down from the cockpit to give a good verbal lashing. I think from Mildenhall back to CHS. We could hear the yelling upstairs.
I’m not to great with math does this job require great math skills and also how available is this job and is it a hard job to get
I wouldn’t say it requires GREAT math skills but there is some long division involved at the BLM level to understand how weight affects center of gravity. Operationally this is done with usually a hand held computer that does the math for you. Availability of this job goes up and down depending on Air Force needs and only a recruiter can answer that at your time of enlistment. I would say because enlisted aircrew makes up only 2% of the Air Force that it’s not easy to get. It has a high rate of washout due to survival school and the inability to progress thru training for whatever reason. If u study hard and u “want it hard enough” once your in training then it’s not all that bad.
@@Outlawv21992 thank you so much for the feedback man
Do you guys carry guns?
Yes. We are usually armed anytime we have passengers. Concealed carry on the aircraft.
So you need to know how to swim?
It would be HIGHLY advised yes