Snooter

It's capitalism, someone is always going to try and take advantage of someone. The pilots take advantage of the system to maximize their benefits and the airlines take advantage of the system to maximize theirs. I agree with Albie 100%. I hope I don't get hosed with this when it's my turn for year 1 pay...

chignutsak

For all who envy those who can "bypass" first year pay, I'll be happy to refer you to a recruiter. Step on up.

Columbusohio

EVERYONE wants the benefits of being in the military yet they dont actually sign up for a variety of reasons:

1. I dont want to get shot at
2. I dont want to leave home and go overseas
3. I dont want someone controlling me like the military does
4. I cant leave my current job

Albief15

Had a girlfriend in college with a sorority sister who ended up working for a Big 8 Accounting firm (there were 8 back then....). Her boyfriend--nice enough guy--was the typical BMW driving fraternity guy. He mentioned to me a couple times while I was in the limbo period between graduation and UPT that there was no way he could have been told what do do or worn a uniform, and he respected me but there was NO WAY he could ever do that.

A year later I was going to work in a flightsuit, hanging out with my 25 new best friends, and he was driving to work in Birmingham...working weekends to look good for boss, wearing the standard suit 5 days a week, and his haircut was now about as short as mine. I was sucking air out of a can, wearing a helmet, and doing loops over Mississippi and Alabama while he was doing his thing. I also noticed (thanks Top Gun) that 20-22 year girls didn't care which fraternity you were in during college but loved dating an Air Force officer and student pilot. I've made a few good decisions in my life, and a handful of bad ones, but gutting through the AFROTC BS in college paid off the first week I was in UPT. I've been living on the interest of that investment for almost 30 years since...

PurpleToolBox

Your post has me seeing red.

First, that's not a fair definition of what capitalism is. But that's an argument for another day.

More importantly, stop staying shi'ite like that! I'm tired of my military service being described as anything but serving my country! Stop saying crap or insinuating that our military service if for "managing our schedules", "managing our quality of life", "getting past probation periods or probation pay", or "dropping those unwanted trips." That infuriates me!

I serve because quite frankly I want to serve and our country needs guys like me. And yes I acknowledge the incentive of maybe, just maybe, making it to 20 years so I can get a reserve retirement is part of that.

The truth is our Nation's defense can't survive without the Guard and Reserves. And just as Albie said and knocked it out of the park, we are every bit as capable if not more than our active duty counterparts, and our country exploits our knowledge and skills and saves a lot of money using us. More so, we tend to be the continuity and subject matter experts in our MOS/AFSC that is lacking in the "go here do the job for two years and move when you figure it out" active duty military.

If Airlines for America doesn't want our participation in the G&R, I say we threaten to significantly raise their federal tax dollars to help pay for a larger standing active duty force.

1Seat 1Engine

This is actually all that needs to be said. The nation can't afford an all active duty force. That's all there is to it.

If somehow they put restrictions on guard/reservists, it will be self defeating. Even with the most liberal use of USERRA, it is still extremely tough to be both a citizen and a soldier.

Any restrictions on this system would cause a manning crisis in the military even worse than what we currently have.

rickair7777

All true. But the airlines don't give a rodent's posterior...not their problem. Hopefully the DoD understands how badly they need us, and that airline employees make up a significant chunk of the air and navy reserve forces (and provide an even bigger percentage of operational support).

Spike from flyi

I highly recommend that any general officer who issues the corporate drafted policy be identified to the DoD Inspector General's office (that's the only one with teeth; the individual service IGs lack punitive powers in most cases involving GOs). The only reason to be complicit in this is for the promise of corporate employment after retirement.

joe hokie

Do we have any access to any "Guard & Reserve Code of Conduct" verbiage or campaign materials?

I sent an email to ROA, Reserve Officers Association, to see if they are tracking anything concerning this agenda. If I hear anything back I will post.

rickair7777

Yes, anybody have anything in writing? I can't find anything on CAPA's site?