Burnout
10-19-2014, 04:51 AM
#31
Line Holder
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Posts: 37
Originally Posted by crewdawg
It's still great, but times are changing...some good, some bad. Today's Guard is not the one I entered over a decade ago. The biggest complaint I'm hearing is leadership that have never been part timers (total foul in a community of part timers) or leadership that have never dealt with part timers, and apparently have chosen not to...
10-19-2014, 10:40 PM
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 523
Originally Posted by Voski
It all depends on your duty station and what additional duties you're tasked with at your unit. It's hard to gauge, but I'd argue most days it would be easy to work 12 hours if you're doing your job right. I work at a very high operation tempo unit and I'd say I do 10-12 hours most days. Every now and then there's a random day or series of days that are 14+ hours. Occasionally I'll work only 6-8 hours (Fridays most often), but there's PLENTY to be doing at your own job, let alone performing random taskings from higher and helping coworkers.
10-20-2014, 01:59 PM
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
Flew OV-10s 2 years, then Eagles full time for 10 and another 6 in the ANG as a part timer.
Active duty is tough. Being a wingman wanting to be a flight lead is tough. Being a flight lead upgrading to IP is tough. Deployments are hard. Exercises can be a drag. And losing a friend or two along the way is a bear.
All that said, life has chapters. I've met the guys out there who were airline pilots at 23, and captains at 30. There are some great guys in that crowd. There are also some who I am convinced will never enjoy or appreciate what they have because its all they know, and all they've done. I think part of the reason I love my job so much now is I did pay the dues in the fighter squadrons, and as a result a nice layover is Paris or on the West Coast is all the sweeter.
What you do want your photo album to look like when you are sixty? If you just want it full of toys, condos, travel, etc then don't bother. If, like me, you made models of every fighter out there, watched Baa Baa Black Sheep over and over, knew every jet that flew in Vietnam and a little about their missions---and you want a few pictures on the ladder of a fighter….then come on over and embrace the work. Its not a flying job, its a life. I have a great job and career now, and I love it….and I always wanted to be an airline pilot. Looking back, however, I sure loved getting to be fighter guy too, even when the days were long.
The good news is if you don't want to fly a fighter…relax. Someone else does. There are a ton of great ways to fly and make a living, and other options even in the military. Some days…even flying an F-15 could be a pain in the ass…nothing to do with the jet or mission just standard AF silliness. Still, looking back at the albums and walls with pictures…nothing else I'd rather have done in my 20s and 30s, and the memories will last a lifetime.
Active duty is tough. Being a wingman wanting to be a flight lead is tough. Being a flight lead upgrading to IP is tough. Deployments are hard. Exercises can be a drag. And losing a friend or two along the way is a bear.
All that said, life has chapters. I've met the guys out there who were airline pilots at 23, and captains at 30. There are some great guys in that crowd. There are also some who I am convinced will never enjoy or appreciate what they have because its all they know, and all they've done. I think part of the reason I love my job so much now is I did pay the dues in the fighter squadrons, and as a result a nice layover is Paris or on the West Coast is all the sweeter.
What you do want your photo album to look like when you are sixty? If you just want it full of toys, condos, travel, etc then don't bother. If, like me, you made models of every fighter out there, watched Baa Baa Black Sheep over and over, knew every jet that flew in Vietnam and a little about their missions---and you want a few pictures on the ladder of a fighter….then come on over and embrace the work. Its not a flying job, its a life. I have a great job and career now, and I love it….and I always wanted to be an airline pilot. Looking back, however, I sure loved getting to be fighter guy too, even when the days were long.
The good news is if you don't want to fly a fighter…relax. Someone else does. There are a ton of great ways to fly and make a living, and other options even in the military. Some days…even flying an F-15 could be a pain in the ass…nothing to do with the jet or mission just standard AF silliness. Still, looking back at the albums and walls with pictures…nothing else I'd rather have done in my 20s and 30s, and the memories will last a lifetime.
10-21-2014, 05:33 PM
#36
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2007
Position: Fairly local
Posts: 1,458
There's no civilian job at which you can do the things you do in military aviation. You can be the world's richest person and you will not be able to do what a 20-something aircraft commander/fighter pilot gets to do in the military.
Like Albie said, it's a chapter along the way for many of us. Happy to have done it, made the friends and have the memories.
Happier still to be in the next chapter...that life is for young pups!
Like Albie said, it's a chapter along the way for many of us. Happy to have done it, made the friends and have the memories.
Happier still to be in the next chapter...that life is for young pups!
10-21-2014, 06:44 PM
#37
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Posts: 396
Originally Posted by Hrkdrivr
Happier still to be in the next chapter...that life is for young pups!
10-25-2014, 08:25 AM
#39
On Reserve
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: Desk jockey
Posts: 14
Originally Posted by USMCFLYR
I'd go back to military flying in a second if there was a job to be had. I think it is time for civilian contract instructors to be in the FRSs/RTUs 
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