ranger3484

How much does an ANG pilot make per month? I know this question is wide open and there are many ways to make the extra buck in the guard, but roughly, what can one expect?

I will be entering the Guard as an O-4 flying KC-135s. I have no clue if I'll be flying once a month, 3 times, or more, nor how many days I'll be flying. For the purposes of this discussion please do not include tax free/AOR pay. I'm sure I'll likely be activated at some point throughout the year but what is the basic pay assuming all I did was fly locally? Simply put, if I'm a weekend warrior flying the tanker as an O4 over 10, what's the "average" per month, I can expect?

I expect to get a range, and that's ok. Just curious if the range is $250-750/month or $1000-2000/month. Who knows, maybe something a lot lower/higher or in between. I have no idea.

GunnF16

Like you said, it all depends how much you work in a month, but my understanding is you get roughly 1 drill period for a days work, which equates to $193 per drill for O-4 over 10 in 2008 before taxes + 1/30 of your flight pay too. If you go on orders longer than 30 days, then you get the active duty benefits of BAH and BAS. You don't have to fly to get paid, that is the most common duty to accomplish as a part timer. I'm not in the Guard yet, but that's what I've learned.

2008 Reserve Drill Pay Calculator - Military Benefits - Military.com

EvilGN

been a reservist in the navy for a year now, and generally if you work a full day it pays 2 drills, not one. As a flying pilot (which I am not ATM), you should expect to give the squadron at least 5 single drills if not more, obviously its easier to fly more for a reserve sqn if you live in the area vice commuting. Also, I do NOT believe you have to be on orders for greater than 30 days to get your portion of BAH, during any portion of AT (active training) you get your BAH. 30 days plus does however get you your full benefits, ie medical as if you were active, but you have to submit the paper work in a timely manner.

I am not an expert on all the reserve perks yet, as I am not in a flying billet and I've only been a reservist for a year. So its been pretty much the weekend a month, 2 weeks a year deal, but fliers stand to make more money because they are alloted quite a bit more money from the AFTP fund. Additional Flight Training Period

crewdawg

Stole this from Baseops.net

Here is the link, with some more info. ANG Pay System Explained (AFTP, UTA, Title 10/32) - Baseops Forums


AFTP= Additional Flying Training Period. Each AFTP is a minimum of 4 hours, you can do a max of two in one calendar day. There are two types: ground AFTP, flying AFTP. Ground AFTP's are usually limited to a max of 12 per year, you can only do 4 grounds in a quarter. You can do a max of 16 AFTP's in a quarter, but are still limited to 48 per year. This is the norm for a ANG C-130 unit. There are other units and branches that get 72 AFTP's per year. You can do two flying AFTP's in a calendar day or a ground and a flying. You cannot do 2 ground AFTP's in one calendar day. AFTP's do not carry over the fiscal year, if you haven't used them, you lose them (yes there are exceptions). If you use all of them, (48) then you have to find another pay status to accomplish flying events, there is another category called a PT, but the commander doles those out and is not a preferred way to pay you.

UTA= Unit Training Assembly otherwise called drill, again, a minimum of a 4 hour block. If you get excused from drill you can make up the UTA, either before or after the normally scheduled drill period some call it a RUTA, "Rescheduled UTA". Again, they do not carry over the fiscal year, exceptions, of course, it's the friggin' guard, however not the norm since the money has to be accounted for during the fiscal year.

Title 32= active duty for training, usually the status you're in for :JA/AT's, taskings, annual training, some overseas deployments, some staff tours etc.

Title 10= active duty, usually for contingencies ie. OIF, OEF, and others, however you can also be on title 32.

OK, now, in one day you can do only one active duty day, or a combination of any of the following two: UTA, AFTP (ground or flying), technician's well another can of worms. You could do one AFTP or UTA in a day and do 2 sorties, I know one guy that did this because he wanted to get the max flying hours per year. However, I and others highly frown upon this, it sets a bad precedent, for many reasons (later discussion)

State Active Duty= highway robbery, stay away from it if possible. Usually only "base pay" for your rank, ie. no flight pay, Bah II, subsistence, and each state's per diem form is a nightmare and requires your grandparents signature, state attorney general etc.

McBoeingBus

If you are a Major with about 10 years, you'll have a hard time staying current without making at least 15k per year. You'll have your drill pay with flight pay. You can figure that you'll fly at least once or twice per month on top of that. $1700ish before taxes for 4 days of work, not bad.

SaltyDog

As posted, you will get right at about $200/drill.
So you need to do 48 IDT (Inactive Duty Training) Drills per year (weekend warrior) that all reserve/guard do) i.e. 4 drills per month. That ='s $800/month or $9600/year.
Minimum 2 weeks Active Duty (AT) at your regular active duty rate, which is $5799/mo. So expect about $2900.

As a pilot, expect another (min) 48 Additional Training Periods (ATP), however, yours will be labeled Additional Flying Training Period (AFTP). Simply, as posted, can do 2 AFTP's per day as long as you "flew" once. It can be (depending on the unit) a simulator event. The intent of an AFTP (or ATP) is warfare specialty experience, not routine admin drills. Flying is the reason it is built in the system. So 48 AFTP's = $9600/year.

Add them up: $9600 IDT drills/year+$9600 AFTP drills/year+$2600 for 2 week 'active duty'= $21,800/year minimum. ($1816/month)
Flt pay = $650/month or $21.67/drill, so 48 IDT drills+48 AFTP drills+ 2 week AT= $2405/year. Therefore, around $200/month. If you average it out, you will gross $2000/month.

Of course, lots of options in how to spread the drills around. Ask your unit for the specifics. Example. You have other incentives to sit alert (lucrative). May live local and come in and do one drill and go (4 hours). In any case. You will likely make more. I last flew where they added lots of extra active duty, AFTP drill were at 96, etc.
I averaged 12-15 days/month in my high flying year.
Hope this helps.
Oh, Title 32 is State Guard stuff. Title 10 is the Fed (USAF/USAFR) etc. Big difference: Governor can call you to duty (Title 32) whereas Uncle Sam can call you in and it is Title 10 (GWOT Stuff).
Best of luck.

ranger3484

SaltDog,

Thanks for your input. As a new hire at a major airline not making a lot of coin I was trying to figure out roughly what I'd be making in the guard and how it would impact my total montly income. Assuming I had to give up some airline pay to drill/fly, I wanted to make sure I could still pay the bills.

Thanks again,

Ranger

FlyBoyd

Solid synopsis...as Salty said there are quite a few ins and outs with each unit. Our unit can do up to 72 AFTPs and often are offered more towards the end of the FY. The rules are written in stone but there is room for interpretation. Each unit has their way of justifying how they log their drills.

SaltyDog

Ranger3484,
Gotcha, also realize you have the protection of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Lots of strategy on how to maximize income, while balancing the needs of the your family, the Guard, and your airline. Have posted much on USERRA, do a search in this forum. If any specifics, lets me know. Don't claim to be an expert, but there are a few of us that have some experience that we hope helps our fellow service buds.
Start here after the search:
USERRA
and then
Reserve Officers Association: Law Review Index

Thanks for your continued service, and thank your spouse <g> and kids if you have 'em.
SD

Green Light

Where are you going to be flying KC-135's?