Not trying to be mean....

[K-Mart]

I got activated (involuntary) about 6 months after starting at a new company and was flying one of my last trips before being sent to Iraq. The captain said to me "You're timing this just right, aren't you, missing all the low seniority bidding." and I answered, "No matter how bad the civilian line is, it beats flying a red-eye into Baghdad watching for someone trying to shoot you down on final and then watching for incoming mortars while you're loading the plane."

Well put!

 

[Scrapdog]

Ok, what is up with all of the miltary folks getting great avation jobs and then going on miltary leave? It's great that you protecting our country, but don't you think your milking the system? I've ran into so many miltary guy's that keep going back to active duty for 3 and 4 tours, just so when they come back there senroity number is great or they hold out for bigger iron. I've been seening this for some time and I just don't get it. Why are you doing this?

I'm all for the miltary, I tried and didn't get in. Very long stroy. I'm not dogging anyone or any branch, I'm just wondering is it just me? I've asked some of the miltary guy's and they say just so they can get a kick butt schedual. That is just for the wrong reasons.

Wow, I can't believe you opened this can of worms! Do you honestly think the majority of military pilots chose to get activated and go fight for our freedom to get a better seniority number? Give me a break, you need to get your head examined. These guys are defending our nation and getting shot at as we speak over there in the middle east. Yeah, there are a few bad apples in the bunch that abuse the system, but by you generalizing this concept, you really put egg on your face.

I think everyone see's the root cause of your issue. Do I hold it against civilian pilots that bitch about military guys getting a leg up on them because they didn't have to "earn" their way up by being a CFI, then flying freight, etc...No, of course not, because that's not the majority of them, just a few bad apples here and there.

You starting this post is asinine. Instead of giving mil guys sh*t for defending our country and having a civilian airline job at the same time, I would be praising them so we don't have to speak Arabic and be worried sick each time we take off that another horrible tradgedy like 9/11 is just around the corner. I'm not deployed over there currently, and I'm certainly not out to "abuse" the system - as you called it. However, if it comes time for me to serve my country over there, I'll be very proud and honored to do it.

 

[Diesel-9]

YGBSM!!! Nrr.

 

[stonewall]

I like both my jobs. When I'm on mil leave, I'm doing what I say I'm doing...flying with my guard unit. Yes, there are individuals that game the system. Rest easy in the knowledge that everyone in their unit KNOWS they are gaming the system, and they're usually gaming it at both ends. If people are unethical with one job, they're usually unethical in the other and it will catch up with them.

For what it's worth, I'm on full time orders at my Guard unit right now since they're short handed. I'll go back to my airline gig for 2 mos and then go on long term orders for a jet conversion. Right now, I'm losing about 30K a year being away from my carrier. Next year it will be around 45k a year. It ain't all roses.

 

[millhouse21]

For me, drill pay was the only thing that kept me solvent during my first year at Trans States. I do still take as much military leave as I can because I like it and it pays 2-3 times as much as my "real" job. I'm sorry if that doesn't meet with your approval. If you're really upset, you could lobby congress to get the law changed...

 

[Slug]

Not defending or attacking, just pointing out the average age of the civilian's first major probably comes (on average) at around 27-30 years of age. The average military guy's is more like 33-37. My first major was 34, the second was 37.

 

[FCPhotography]

My family is living a pretty good life because of them.

I welcome them back wherever they are on the senority list.

 

[crashpad]

Happy Thanksgiving to all our Servicemen abroad and "Thank you".

 

[Caveman]

I've been a fairly vocal critic of the preference military pilots get during hiring, but you're way off base on this one. For every 1 military pilot that is unethically milking the system I can show you 50 that are working their asses off legitimately trying to paint both sides of the fence. Being a reserve member while trying to hold down a full time civilian job is one heck of a commitment. I'd suggest you try walking in their shoes before you cast any stones. Any reserve member, pilot or not, works at least two weeks straight every month without a day off. They work their civilian job M-F, do a drill weekend (usually not in the town they live in) and then work another M-F stint before they get a day off.

In the airline world coordinating MIL leave with your normal schedule usually means a LOSS of pay. A pilot may have to drop a 4 day trip to allow themselves to be off for a 1 or 2 day drill period. I regularly see pilots take a net loss of income in order to meet their guard commitments. Sorry, buddy. You're way off on this.

 

[737ski]

My family is living a pretty good life because of them.

I welcome them back wherever they are on the senority list.

Amen, brother.

Just let it be known that folks taking long term mil leave will be a rare sight for the near future. I was denied a one month extension for retirement in the AF due to downsizing--yes, of pilots, but 30-40,000 personnel overall.