Tolpin

I'd like to get your thoughts on the timing of my retirement and applying to the majors. I'm eligible to retire from the Air Force in January. I'm considering submitting my applications to the majors before I put my retirement application in. By doing this, I hope to minimize my unemployment time. The Air Force advertises that your minimum time to retire is 120 days. I've seen retirements approved sooner, and I saw it take longer than 120 days. Does anyone have any experience on with this? If I use this method what availability date should I put on the applications?

HuggyU2

Yes, 120 is what everyone is told. It worked for me too. We had a guy retire WAY quicker than that, a few years back.
How much leave, in addition to the days you get as a retiree, do you have?

I'm unclear though: are you going to hold off on putting retirement papers in until you're called for an interview? Or until you're hired? Or what?

Tolpin

I'm not certain. I guess that's the question I'm trying to answer. I think it all depends how long in advance of training guys are being interviewed. Right now because of the sims being down Delta has a long wait for training. However, other carriers do not have that long of a delay to enter training. To start getting called for interviews I think I want to show my availability is immediate. Some one told me that once you are hired, training dates are negotiable. Any truth to that rumor?

I think a better way to ask my question may be: Assuming that terminal leave is 60 days. What is the best time to apply for military retirement to prevent any unemployment as you transition to the airlines?

WARich

Everyday you wait could be a number on the seniority list. Get your app in yesterday if that is what you want. I think everything you're trying to do is trivial if you have a retirement coming your way already.

F15andMD11

Considering?? If the airlines are what you want then why aren't your apps in already?? Sorry but I got a little miffed reading your post. A touch of arrogance if you ask me. Yea I'll just submit my apps 4 months before I retire. The phone should ring the day after I submit them. Now having said that you'll submit and the phone will ring 3 weeks later, like what happened to a buddy of mine. Many pilots out there have been waiting years.
There I feel better....
You do realize once you're hired you can defer training until you can start terminal leave. Another buddy deferred to January for the same reason. I can't speak to the other airlines but UA is already placing late Dec/Jan classes. So if you got hired tomorrow that's the earliest you'd start class.
So get you're apps in ASAP! Then think about retiring!
Good luck!

Sliceback

+2 w/WARich

Apply now. How many guys get called immediately? Very few. How many get called immediately and get an immediate class date? Even fewer.

The guys I've worked with have taken at least two months from CJO to starting training. It doesn't happen overnight. Apply. Start chasing the job. Right now no one even knows you exist. Only 10,000+ highly qualified applicants left...

Packrat

Agreed. Get those apps out. Fastest I've seen is app in March...mid-May class date.

Tolpin

So what should I put as my availability date. Immediately? Or should I be realistic? With terminal leave January is the earliest I'm available. Or should I simply say I'm available now?


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Hrkdrivr

Having just lived this I don't think it's arrogance so much as ingnorance as to how long the process can be...

Congrats and good luck. There IS life after Big Blue.

Do your apps yesterday, and...

Hrkdrivr

List your availability as the earliest you can be on terminal leave and in training. As time goes by if you don't get interviewed/hired, that date will move into the future as the 120 day limit affects your timing.

DO NOT say you're immediately available if you're not. Lying or even being perceived as maybe lying will cost you a job offer at best.