beavf16

Let's say you are a Reserve AGR pilot with 15 years of active service and you are given the options of A) Convert to ART in your current position or B) Hit the road. What would you do?

LOBO

I was wondering when this topic was going to hit the forums!

beavf16

Hypothetically speaking, of course

Adlerdriver

That's a brutal choice.

I'd look for another unit that I could join and keep the AGR. Long shot but worth the effort IMO. I'd even consider going back on AD for the 5 years if I could get in before the door on that option slams shut.

LOBO

Background on this topic: AF Reserves in AETC are hearing grumblings about converting their AGR positions to ART after their initial four year contract is up. (If you have not qualified for Career Status)

1) They would like to move the AGR's to somewhere in the kill chain (i.e. UAV world, so when they pickle they are actually in the Military and not a GS civilian employee.

2) They would like us to have a better chance to have career progression?

3) I'm sure there some more info out there!!!

TBoneF15

They're doing that all throughout the "non-kill chain" AF Reserves, not just in AETC. Current AFRC/CC has made no secret for his disdain for the AGR program, so the budget crisis was his "in" to hack away at the program and save a couple bucks. But there are many unintended consequences from his plan that everyone seems to see but him.

What to in this "hypothetical?" It depends. Do you like living where you are right now? If married, does your wife like where you live or does she long for the day where she can move somewhere else? (i.e. do you have to listen to her gripe all the time?) Do you like your job enough to keep doing it for a longer time? What GS grades are they offering (to do the $ math for AD retirement vs ART)? Did you have plans to work in the airlines (no mil leave for ARTs)? Do you have any other AGR options anywhere that are palatable? Those are all variables to consider.

Not sure what your timeline is, but you can always try and wait for a change of command and see what happens with the next guy. Rumor is that they are offering some people 2 year AGR extensions with no career status. Not sure if that's only for certain jobs or if it's across the board. That might buy you enough time for the pendulum to swing all the way back to status quo.

beavf16

I don't have to make the decision any time soon. Hopefully by the time I do it will all be sorted out. Just looking for inputs from people who might be smarter than be about the ART side of things.

Nortonious

Yep, just saw one of these ads for a T-38 bubba at KDLF. 2 years only, can't have it if it puts you into Sanctuary.

beavf16 - Tough call. Once upon a time I was content to be an ART and pull 9g's until I was 57 (yes I was deluded). Things changed. Problem with signing up to be an ART is it takes a long friggin time to get to retirement and there will no doubt be more bumps in the road later on down the line (aircraft conversion, etc).

If you like where you are now, I'd say ride that AGR pony as long as you can and come up with the best plan for what to do if it is gone after your current set of orders ends (airlines, other units, predators, meth lab).

If moving is palatable AND you can get a warmer fuzzy that will get you to 20...go for it.

Something to think about: If you're pretty sure getting to 20 AGR years is going to be a tough struggle ahead and you might become a part-timer, it might be better to do that sooner than later. Reason being, as a TR, for every qualifying 90days you do in an FY, you get your military retirement check 90 days sooner. So go to OEF for 180 days as a TR, get your check at 59.5 yrs. AGR years don't get you a check sooner (unless you get 20 good AGR years of course).

GBU-24

There is much more to this then just switching the AGR to an ART. AETC has "LOTs" of paperwork; LOA's, MOU's, etc. that have to be written again/revised. Most cannot be changed easily and will take time, even though ART jobs are showing up on the web site(s). The 340th is working the issues and the end result will still be determined. The AFRC/CC has to an extent gone off the reservation and not fully researched all the ramifications.

T-Bone what have you seen from the ACC / AFRC associate side vs. AETC.?

TBoneF15

I'm not a "kill chain" kind of guy anymore for the most part. In my new job, we tried to advertise 2 recently opened AGR slots and REAMO held them up for a long time. Sounds like we'll finally get to advertise them as 2 year tours with no sanctuary/no career status chances. But I'll believe that when I see it. I've seen "the list" that shows all of the AGR positions in AFRC that they are converting to ART...it's many pages long. Many.

I think even a lot of kill chain types (TFI associate fighter guys, etc) are having a lot of their jobs converted with the thought that they'll just put guys on orders if they have to shoot something. One of the big problems is that from what I hear they are being cheap with the GS grades for a lot of these jobs...meaning big time pay cuts for many, or more realistically lots of jobs will just go unfilled. A nice paycheck and an active duty retirement is a nice carrot at the end of a job in a bad location. $30K paycut, no retirement, and no mil leave? Good luck to places like Laughlin filling their jobs.

If that happens, it may be enough of a disaster that the active duty throws a fit and forces AFRC's hand to reverse this pendulum. We'll see.