There isn't much a guy can do about what a widebody FO or captain does.
However, it only makes good sense if you are military and an 0-4 or better to maximize your military duty time. Not only are you advancing points for your retirement, but more than likely you are making more money while serving your country in a job a bit more fun than working the panel at 0430.
There is a fine line between inciting a work action and simply explaining what you can do with your contract. In the spirit of the latter, not the former...let me talk to all you military panel riders.
Every trip you drop not on mil leave goes into your makeup bank. You can make it up later as an FO, or at least down the road at a higher rate on the panel. Every trip you drop on MLA goes in the same place.
My own experience has been I don't have to use MLA to drop trips very much. I can usually just drop it--which makes me happy when I don't have to go on LOA status. The result is the same, however....about 500 hours in my makeup bank for use down the road, and although some of those dropped trips may get used by guys on reserve, I imagine a bunch were used by hungry non-mil guys on year 1 or year 2 pay trying to pay some bills. In that case, it really is win-win. The non-mil guy can make some money, I can do what I love, and both of us are doing okay. FDX could care less who flies it as long as it gets there safely. I have a hard time telling a guy NOT to pick up those trips when he's feeding his family, but if everyone did just work their BLG in our company I imagine we'd end up short of pilots.
My point to the military guys is this...I'm not suggesting to drop trips as a work action. What I am saying is that as long as there is a financial incentive, or at least no penalty--go fly somewhere else for a while and enjoy your other job. I got pretty discouraged waiting around for the next "wave" of upgrades which seem permanently about 100 line numbers ahead of me. Complaining about "greedy" guys flying extra gets you nowhere, and trying to tell people not to is a potentially illegal work action. So...I took my marbles home and played another game and have loved working my ANG unit. The day will come (hopefully soon) when you will be taking a pay cut to go fly your Viper, Eagle, Herc, or tanker across the skies. Until that day comes, go do what you love to do first and what your country needs... FDX will still be ready for you when you come back.
