Ex-mil in majors vs ex-mil in minors

[enigma]

I'm curious to find out what percentage our participants are ex-mil in the regionals(or any professional job other than a major airline), and what you guys think about the attitudes exhibited by some of your major airline employed ex-mil brothers in the Mil vs Civilian thread. Specifically, the thread was started when an ex-mil guy stated that AA should not hire exclusively at the bottom of the Eagle list because that would not allow for the ex-mil pilots to get the job they deserve.(paraphrased), and I wonder if those of you who didn't go straight to UAL/AA/FDX/SWA/DL/NWA, etc think that the job you do now, is beneath you. It appears to me that the originator of the argument really believes that anything other than a major airline is beneath an ex-mil pilot. As for me, I've been doing this for more than a decade but never at a major.
A large minority of my fellow pilots in that time period have had a military background, and I never heard them comment that they were working at a job beneath them. We talk more about women, boats, politics, and money than about our backgrounds.

What do you think?

8N

 

[av8instyle]

Personally, I don't necessarily think mil dudes feel the job is "below" them, or maybe they do. I just think that most Mil guys feel they've paid their dues once already. And they have. My commuter job was much less painful than my full time military job. Besides the flying, I actually have to work.

Other than that, this thread is just opening another can of worms.

 

[enigma]

av8instyle, Thanks for the response. I posted this question because the other discussions degenerated into civilian versus military. As previously stated, I've flown with a whole lot of ex/retired military pilots, non of whom were able to get on with a major. Mostly because their stint was up at the wrong time. The ex-mil guys I've flown with certainly don't seem to have a problem with taking a job at the bottom of some seniority list, they were just glad to have a job. Then I read some ex-mil guys explaining how forcing all AA newhires to go right seat for Eagle would chase away all of the potential military experienced newhires, because those candidates would rather not have to start out at the bottom. That does not jibe with my experience. So I ask the question, Why would someone state that ex-mil pilots don't want to go to the bottom, I KNOW that they will go there if that is the only job available.
regards,
8N

 

[dualrated]

When I was at a regional, there were a couple of ex-AF guys and one ex-Navy in my new-hire class. They didn't seem to mind taking a job on the lower rung, but the rest of us were wondering why they were "over here" instead of "over there".

Me and one other guy were ex-Army pilots, but as all the army pilots know, that doesn't really count.

I haven't read this weeks raging debate about Mil vs. Civ, but I do know that the latest APA proposal for onelist doesn't have all new-hires going to the RJ. Management has stated that they will oppose any system that won't let them hire directly into mainline, so APA has tried to design a system to work around this.

 

[Chickenhawk]

I know nothing about true civilian flying (flying the kids around the patch on Sunday doesn't count) and look forward to some 5000 hour dude teaching me the ropes when I start at a regional. I probably would've been at a major if not for current events, and my buds are on me for even getting out of the military right now. But, I am certain that I can't compete with the Flying school trained cargo/banner/regional guy who has lived 121/135 their whole life. Like every other military guy...I'll learn.

Can't imagine feeling "superior". Though I am in every other respect.

 

[bobbysamd]

Regional military interviewees

I remember two older ex-military guys from my WestAir/United Express interview in 1990. One was ex-AF who just got current; the other was an ex-Navy. Neither were fighter jocks, from what I recall. I hit it off with the ex-AF guy; we talked about sharing a place during training. The Navy guy sat in with me during my interview and piped up with an answer for which I was searching. I didn't especially appreciate that.

I was rather surprised to see military pilots interviewing with a regional. I don't recall seeing any more military pilots at my other regional interviews.

 

[sleepy]

At my airline, ASA, we have quite a few ex-military (and not just helo guys either). Where else can they go right now in the airline business?

 

[Draginass]

As a former military pilot, would not have even considered going to a regional, because the poor compensation and the fact that I would have to commute for that same compensation. I could make a lot more money in another profession, and not have to spend gross amounts of time away from home. There's only one reason to put up with the rigors of the commercial pilot profession, and that's money.