I am more than happy to review your OTS application. I have reviewed a lot of applications over the years so I am more than happy take some of that experience and provide tangible feedback for how you can look at your own application in a different light. I try to provide all comments from the perspective of how I think the board will perceive your application. I then try to convert that perspective into honest, candid feedback.
Future Applicants
The two pieces of your application that you have the most control over are the TFOT Applicant Profile and the Personal Statement. I can look at Letters of Recommendations and the Commander’s Comments and Recommendation (page 6 of the AF56), but there are a few reasons I don’t like to review these:
- By nature these are products owned by the author and written in their voice. If I provide feedback I feel like I am speaking on their behalf and because I don’t know them or you personally, it feels dishonest to me.
- I am not a commander and have never written either product before. When I get to this point, it will be a very personal exercise for me and I would have my own idea for what I would want/need from the applicant to make it shine. Anything extra the applicant would do outside of that idea would be wasted effort.
- I have been desensitized by reviewing hundreds of OTS applications. I fear that anything I write would sound the same as the collective of applications from over the years. If I help applicant A and applicant B for the same board, I fear a board member would catch a hint of that collective and this would put both at a disadvantage.
Non-Select Applications
The easiest way for me to provide insight on an application is for me to see the application the same way the board saw it. The easiest way for me to see this is for you to send me a sanitized version of your “app” packet.
Application Review
Send whatever you want me to review to airforceotsguy@gmail.com. It is easiest for me to provide “comments” in a Microsoft Word (.docx) format, but I’ll take whatever format is easiest for you that is readable on Windows.
Once I receive your submission I will update the below table with just enough information for you to see where you are at in the queue. I am working on my master’s so I am extremely busy, but I created this table in the interest of transparency. If you need a quicker turnaround let me know and I will bump you up to the top of the list.
I am taking forever to get through these, so thank you for your patience.
UPDATE 6/12/2018: I acknowledge that I am doing some of these out of order. The reason is because some have reached out to ping me again, or they are working on their own timelines/deadlines. I welcome all “pings” so if you want a quicker turnaround shoot me a follow up email.
UPDATE 9/26/2019: OBE stands for overcome by events, which means I have reason to believe a review is no longer needed. I have been working with many of you via email to provide the best support based on your needs. Good luck to all applicants!
Application Review – PENDING
| ID | Submitted | Received/Due | Complete | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | as@yahoo | PS | 30 Jan 20 | |
| 2009 | rb@msn | App Profile | 4 Feb 20 | |
| 2010 | bc@gmail | PS | 27 Feb 20 |
Application Review – COMPLETE
| ID | Submitted | Received/Due | Complete | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | as@yahoo | App Profile/PS | 24 Jan 20 (31 Jan) | 27 Jan 20 |
| 2006 | sd@gmail | Resume | 18 Jan 20 | 22 Jan 20 |
| 2005 | kd@s | App Profile/PS | 15 Jan 20 | 21 Jan 20 |
| 2004 | ck@gmail | App Profile/PS | 15 Jan 20 | 17 Jan 20 |
| 2003 | cb@gmail | App Profile/PS | 11 Jan 20 | 16 Jan 20 |
| 2002 | sd@gmail | PS | 4 Jan 20 (8 Jan) | 11 Jan 20 |
| 2001 | dk@us | App Profile/AF56 | 3 Jan 20 | 6 Jan 20 |
| 1923 | jm@yahoo | App Profile | 23 Dec 19 | 26 Dec 19 |
| 1922 | ch@gmail | App Packet | 21 Dec 19 | 27 Dec 19 |
| 1921 | bg@gmail | PS | 15 Dec 19 | 18 Dec 19 |
| 1920 | ck@gmail | App Profile | 9 Dec 19 (20 Dec) | 17 Dec 19 |
| 1919 | ar@gmail | PS | 11 Oct 19 | 20 Oct 19 |
| 1918 | em@yahoo | App Review | 10 Oct 19 | 20 Oct 19 |
| 1917 | tw@gmail | App Review | 4 Oct 19 | 4 Oct 19 |
| 1914 | tv@us | App Review | 26 Sep 19 (29 Sep) | 30 Sep 19 |
| 1913 | ds@gmail | LOR | 5 Sep 19 (10 Sep) | OBE |
| 1905 | do@gmail | App Profile | 26 Jan 19 | 29 Sep 19 |
| 1916 | kb@us | App Review | 26 Sep 19 | 26 Sep 19 |
| 1915 | xc@us | App Review | 4 Sep 19 | 18 Sep 19 |
| 1912 | ds@gmail | App Profile | 5 Sep 19 (9 Sep) | 9 Sep 19 |
| 1911 | lm@edu | PS | 1 Jul 19 (5 Jul) | 6 Jul 19 |
| 1910 | jm@gmail | PS | 26 May 19 | OBE |
| 1909 | ja@us | App Profile | 6 Jun 19 | OBE |
| 1908 | cl@yahoo | PS | 8 Jun 19 | OBE |
| 1907 | dk@us | NS Package Review | 27 Mar 19 | OBE |
| 1906 | me@us | App Profile | 3 Apr 19 | 10 Jul 19 |
| 1904 | ed@gmail | PS | 21 Jan 19 | OBE |
| 1902 | lc@gmail | App Profile Bullets | 2 Jan 19 | OBE |
| 1903 | cb@af | App Review | 4 Jan 19 | 27 Jan 19 |
| 1901 | jf@m | PSv2 | 31 Dec 18 | 2 Jan 19 |
| 87 | lc@gmail | AF56 | 6 Dec 18 | 17 Dec 18 |
| 88 | jf@yahoo | PS | 24 Dec 18 | 26 Dec 18 |
| 86 | rt@us | App Profile | 9 Dec 18 | 9 Dec 18 |
| 85 | zc@us | PS | 7 Dec 18 | 7 Dec 18 |
| 84 | zc@us | App Profile | 7 Dec 18 | 7 Dec 18 |
| 83 | aa@yahoo | AF56 | 6 Dec 18 | 7 Dec 18 |
| 82 | aa@gmail | PS | 4 Dec 18 | 4 Dec 18 |
| 81 | aa@gmail | App Profile | 4 Dec 18 | 4 Dec 18 |
| 80 | hn@us | App Profile | 13 Nov 18 | 14 Nov 18 |
| 77 | az@us | PS v2 | 3 Dec 18 | 4 Dec 18 |
| 76 | cs@us | PS | 3 Dec 18 | 4 Dec 18 |
| 79 | rt@us | LOR | 4 Dec 18 (4 Dec) | 4 Dec 18 |
| 78 | cw@gmail | PS | 3 Dec 18 | 3 Dec 18 |
| 75 | cw@gmail | App Profile | 1 Dec 18 | 3 Dec 18 |
| 74 | rd@gmail | LOR | 23 Nov 18 (26 Nov) | OBE |
| 73 | rd@gmail | PS | 23 Nov 18 (26 Nov) | OBE |
| 72 | rd@gmail | App Profile | 23 Nov 18 (26 Nov) | OBE |
| 71 | pc@us | LOR | 1 Nov 18 | OBE |
| 70 | pc@us | AF56 | 1 Nov 18 | 2 Dec 18 |
| 69 | pc@us | App Packet | 1 Nov 18 | 2 Dec 18 |
| 68 | az@us | PS | 28 Nov 18 | 1 Dec 18 |
| 67 | ca@gmail | Resume Bullets | 21 Nov 18 | 1 Dec 18 |
| 66 | bd@gmail | PS | 9 Nov 18 (1 Dec) | 18 Nov 18 |
| 65 | jz@gmail | PS | 6 Nov 18 | 18 Nov 18 |
| 64 | pm@yahoo | App Profile | 10 Nov 18 (18 Nov) | 17 Nov 18 |
| 63 | pm@yahoo | PS | 10 Nov 18 (18 Nov) | 17 Nov 18 |
| 62 | lr@yahoo | App Profile | 22 Oct 18 | 17 Nov 18 |
| 61 | am@gmail | App Profile | 19 Oct 18 | 16 Nov 18 |
| 60 | am@gmail | PS | 19 Oct 18 | 16 Nov 18 |
| 59 | pk@gmail | App Profile | 8 Nov 18 (16 Nov) | 16 Nov 18 |
| 58 | tc@gmail | App Profile | 18 Oct 18 | 14 Nov 18 |
| 57 | aa@yahoo | PS v2 | 13 Nov 18 (14 Nov) | 14 Nov 18 |
| 56 | bb@gmail | PS | 7 Nov 18 (13 Nov) | 14 Nov 18 |
| 55 | bb@gmail | LOR | 7 Nov 18 (13 Nov) | 14 Nov 18 |
| 54 | bb@gmail | App Packet | 7 Nov 18 (12 Nov) | 12 Nov 18 |
| 53 | aa@yahoo | PS | 5 Nov 18 (12 Dec) | 12 Nov 18 |
| 51 | bl@vt | App Profile | 24 Oct 18 (9 Nov) | 6 Nov 18 |
| 52 | bl@vt | PS | 24 Oct 18 (9 Nov) | 6 Nov 18 |
| 49 | dr@us | LOR | 17 Oct 18 | 6 Nov 18 |
| 48 | dr@us | PS | 17 Oct 18 | 6 Nov 18 |
| 44 | jm@gmail | PS | 1 Nov 18 | 4 Nov 18 |
| 50 | jm@gmail | LOR | 1 Nov 18 | 4 Nov 18 |
| 47 | tt@gmail | LOR Selection | 31 Oct 18 | 4 Nov 18 |
| 45 | ch@us | PS | 26 Oct 18 | 4 Nov 18 |
| 43 | ch@us | LOR | 26 Oct 18 | 4 Nov 18 |
| 46 | sm@gmail | Eligibility Review | 2 Nov 18 | 4 Nov 18 |
| 42 | dr@us | App Profile | 17 Oct 18 | 30 Oct 18 |
| 41 | sh@gmail | PS | 16 Oct 18 | 27 Oct 18 |
| 40 | sh@gmail | App Profile | 16 Oct 18 | 27 Oct 18 |
| 39 | mw@outlook | PS | 15 Oct 18 | 27 Oct 18 |
| 38 | am@gmail | LOR | 7 Oct 18 | 18 Oct 18 |
| 37 | na@yahoo | PS | 2 Oct 18 | 17 Oct 18 |
| 36 | bj@gmail | PS | 28 Sep 18 | 17 Oct 18 |
| 35 | at@us | PS | 28 Sep 18 | 14 Oct 18 |
| 34 | at@us | App Profile | 28 Sep 18 | 14 Oct 18 |
| 33 | rb@yahoo | PS | 27 Sep 18 | 12 Oct 18 |
| 32 | rb@yahoo | App Profile | 27 Sep 18 | 12 Oct 18 |
| 31 | rh@gmail | LOR | 26 Sep 18 | 12 Oct 18 |
| 30 | rh@gmail | PS | 26 Sep 18 | 12 Oct 18 |
| 29 | as@yahoo | App Profile | 26 Sep 18 | 28 Sep 18 |
| 28 | rh@gmail | App Profile | 26 Sep 18 | 28 Sep 18 |
| 27 | mj@us | PS | 19 Sep 18 | 27 Sep 18 |
| 26 | mj@us | App Profile | 19 Sep 18 | 27 Sep 18 |
| 25 | as@yahoo | Civ App Profile | 17 Sep 18 | 23 Sep 18 |
| 24 | py@us | App Profile | 11 Sep 18 | 20 Sep 18 |
| 23 | kb@gmail | PS | 12 Sep 18 | 15 Sep 18 |
| 22 | kb@gmail | App Profile v2 | 12 Sep 18 | 15 Sep 18 |
| 21 | kb@gmail | App Profile | 9 Sep 18 | 11 Sep 18 |
| 20 | rb@yahoo | Previous App | 5 Sep 18 | 6 Sep 18 |
| 19 | mm@att | PS | 21 Aug 18 | 03 Sep 18 |
| 17 | hg@gmail | PS | 20 Jul 18 | 19 Aug 18 |
| 18 | jr@icloud | PS | 11 Aug 18 | 19 Aug 18 |
| 16 | jd@gmail | PS | 10 Jul 18 | 31 Jul 18 |
| 15 | ld@me | App Packet | 22 Jun 18 | 23 Jul 18 |
| 12 | jm@gmail | App Packet | 03 May 18 | 12 Jul 18 |
| 11 | jt@gmail | App Packet | 09 Apr 18 | 11 Jul 18 |
| 9 | cs@gmail | App Packet | 30 Mar 18 | 11 Jul 18 |
| 8 | ah@gmail | App Packet | 22 Mar 18 | 10 Jul 18 |
| 7 | df@gmail | App Packet | 22 Mar 18 | 18 Jun 18 |
| 6 | ac@us | App Packet | 21 Mar 18 | 17 Jun 18 |
| 14 | jz@gmail | PS | 03 Jun 18 | 17 Jun 18 |
| 10 | cs@us | App Packet | 05 Apr 18 | 12 Jun 18 |
| 5 | ch@yahoo | App Packet | 21 Mar 18 | 12 Jun 18 |
| 4 | sm@yahoo | App Packet | 20 Mar 18 | 11 Jun 18 |
| 3 | ml@us | App Packet | 19 Mar 18 | 04 Jun 18 |
| 13 | cf@hotmail | App Packet | 07 May 18 | 18 May 18 |
| 2 | nl@ns | App Packet | 19 Mar 18 | 27 Apr 18 |
| 1 | cf@outlook | App Packet | 16 Mar 18 | 16 Apr 18 |