Getting Out Plans?

[Skyrunner]

Try not to chase the buck

I was AD for 11 years. All 130s. Going to an ANG 130 bum job. All my buds decided to stay in because of the money (mainly healthcare). I love these guys and respect them, but they are staying in for the money, which, IMO, should not be a strong reason to stay in. If you want to continue serving and fighting wars, great. I just don't want to hear these guys complaining when the airlines start hiring again and they are locked into an ADSC.

Stability of a guard job is my priority. Same place and steady work. My kids get to grow up with the same friends and attend good schools. Besides, Home Depot is hiring. Now I finally have an excuse for my wife of getting my dream job, working full-time with power tools and driving a forklift.

Regards,

SR

 

[CCDiscoB]

Pony251 Wrote:

After you get over the pride thing, going to the AF is a pretty good deal.

You Navy guys crack me up. You make it sound like you're stepping down from a Cadillac to a VW. Like I said earlier, "I think it's funny how all these Navy dudes are running to the AF and ANG." If the AF is so bad why don't you guys just go to the Naval Reserve?

 

[KC-10 Driver]

HoursHore,

If you can line up a guard/reserve flying job (even as a part timer), you should get out if that's what you want to do.

I've been a bum on two different occasions, and I've always made more than enough money to feed my wife and kids. The worst part of troughing is buying the major medical insurance for a family (and I live in NJ, among the highest insurance rates in the nation). If you are single, it's almost a no-brainer.

Of course, every unit is different as far as letting you work. But, whenever it became apparent that the squadron purse strings might be tight for a while, I would find work outside my unit. You can always freelance, so to speak.

In my case, I pulled shifts in the host unit's active duty command post as a duty officer (the active duty AF paid my mandays). On another occasion, I volunteered to do five weeks at Ramstein, Germany working at the AMC command post there (that was an awesome assignment -- Germany in the middle of the summer & my family with me).

What I'm trying to say is that if you are single, and find a guard/reserve job to pay the bills & stay current, you should get off active duty if that's what you want.

Take the leap, and don't look back. You want to be available when you win the airline-job lottery!

Good luck.

 

[KC-10 Driver]

Oh yeah, it wouldn't hurt to find that Sugar Mama too!

 

[orioncontract]

I couldn't resist!

CC
The Navy Reserve has standards--you guys get our rejects!

All seriousness now, we're joint down my way, and the differences come down to this (stand by for oversimplification):

Air Force has the money (no expensive ships to spend it all on), so you have a better lifestyle (build the golf course and Q, then beg for some more $$ to build the runway and ramp). Navy/Marines share the money (and the Marines definitely get the short end of that "deal"), but have the freedom to act (no Supervisor Of Flying looking over our shoulder) specifically in regards to regulations (if it does not specifically say we can't, then we can). The Air Force guys kind of find Navy flying liberating so to speak, but don't appreciate the amenities.

We've had a few go AD AF, but of the four going/gone, three are/were helo looking to build multi time via blue uniforms and O-4 pay rather than regionals. The three gone miss our flight regs.

Kew Gardens has hired lots of guys from our wing (I think about 10 in the last year and a half, probably about 80% of the guys getting out, in fact--half AF, half N) but the new computerized system has put a kybosh (sp?) on the mafia connections (just in time for me--yea!).

HH
As far as the boat goes, I am so with you on that shooter crap. My wife puts it this way--"If you're not flying, you're not happy, which I just don't feel like putting up with." Not to mention that the whole crappy senior Navy leadership culture is a complete turnoff to me--entirely different generation, with all the wrong priorities, both professionally (too much careerisim/bobbing head syndrome) and personally (hooray--six or more months away from the family hanging out with the fraternity brothers/fellow alcoholics. Jeez, don't you people have a WIFE and KIDS? Ohhhhh, you don't care; I get it now.).

I start Comair when they call and am sending out resumes with anyone local in case they don't. I'll get my flying fix either way because I was selected for the local reserve unit. Hopefully that will be better than the 18 hour days shooting someone else off the front end to go have fun sticking it to the intolerant zealots. I'm pretty sure it will be.

 

[orioncontract]

As Judge Smails (sp?) said:

"The world needs ditch diggers, too!"

So you've got that going for you!

 

[pony251]

Orioncontract
-Amen on the boat thing my brother.

-CC, Sorry man, but all these years in the cult have left me a little brainwashed.

 

[ILS JNKY]

don't worry

if bush gets his way we will be going to war very soon, then you will be back flying.

the military contractors in our area are all ready setting up to run all the cargo nets you guys will need.

war is great it feeds the the poor, and brings new money to the market, watch those defence stocks go upppppppppppppppp.

so bomb on guys, we support you kill them all let god sort them out.

 

[orioncontract]

ILS
If you are serious, or if you are just looking to start something, either way, you are a jacka$$.

If you are serious (and I know there are those out there who are, in this regard), consider this:

Why are we discussing striking Iraq quote first unquote? They are not living up to the terms of the Gulf War Armistice, so therefore they are saying they want to continue the Gulf War. If they want to continue to be at war, we have every right to finish prosecuting the war THEY started, and that THEY want to continue, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT that they support and harbor terrorist organizations, which is its own reason to finish Iraq off.

The nature of our society means we can never have an acceptable defense against terrorism. The security measures required to make us safe would sacrifice the very liberty we all treasure. Therefore, we should go after these terrorists in their home or host countries. As Vince Lombardi said, the best defense is a good offense.

In this regard, President Bush has failed us miserably THUS FAR in not prosecuting a war against those states whose sponsorship of these groups are responsible for the events of Sep 11, 2001, the USS Cole attack, Pan Am 103, the 1972 Munich Olympics, ad nauseum, and whose implied surrogate action should have been promptly addressed with offensive military action. Even worse are the Democrats, who want to kowtow to the U.N., our European allies, and the peaceniks-at-any-cost within their own party, and who apparently have no intention of EVER taking this bull by the horns.

Until the next shoe drops,
Orion

p.s. We need another Reagan, I'm afraid.

 

[RightBettor]

Amen to that Orioncontract!!!

We all know the adage: "'Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." I guess our European and peacenik "friends" failed to learn the lessons of the 1930s with respect to appeasement of a brutal dictator. Or maybe all that Hitler and Nazi stuff was just made up by Steven Speilberg so he could win an Academy Award. Riiiiiiight.

 

[HoursHore]

First of all, no one who is in the military wants to go to war. No matter the conflict, I think some pilot has always gotten shot down, and that someone is always someone's friend, husband etc. We all would willingly fight when called, however, because that is the oath we took and we believe in this country with all our hearts.

Back to the subject, My conclusion form both talking to my friends (3 JB pilots, 2 fed Ex pilots) and some FWQ studs, is the key to this whole transition is that you have to be available when the tide swings. So I am working on the reserve job, putting apps out to everybody, and will take a job with whomever I can come next spring. The military is a great place to fly, and I am very proud to have served. I don't mind going to the dessert in a reserve capacity when we go to war. However, I know that the Navy career path doesn't fit my goals, so its time to pull chocks. To each ther own Thanks for the inputs.

 

[P3tarbaby]

HH,
Go for it brother...I was in your shoes a year ago. In January I posed the same question to this board and got much the same response. So I hit the streets in Feb and never looked back. The key for me was the reserve job. In my case, I walked from AD to selres in the same squadron so it was a piece of cake. Drilling and state unemployment has kept me at a level close to where I was on AD and has given me more time at home with the wife and kids.
Next, if you're not networking like crazy and sending out a ton of resumes, you haven't got a chance. Check out AEPS, flipdog, usajobs and the various other job search tools and set up search profiles. Talk to your buds at the airlines that are hiring, have them write recs and walk a resume in for you. Be persistent and follow up. There are jobs out there, I know because I've found them. This is what my journey has been like over the last 10 months:

Interviewed with customs, not hired
Finalist for flying job with US Marshalls (pilot, not law enforcement), not hired.
Interviewed with Small corporate company, not hired
Intervied with ACA and Vanguard the same week, both offered jobs, went with Vanguard...3 weeks later Vanguard goes bankrupt!
Interviewed with Fedex last month, I'm now in the pool!
Interviewed with Alaska this week, will find out in 2 weeks!
Interview with ATA in 3 weeks, keeping all my options open...

The interviews with Fedex and Alaska were the result of friends walking resumes in to their chief pilot and then FOLLOWING UP.

Bottom line, it may take a while but it's worth it. Lord knows you don't want to have a company call and offer you a job/interview and you not be able to take it because you're stuck for 2 more years on AD!

Good luck