military reserve AND airline pilot worth it?
01-24-2016, 02:23 PM
#1
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military reserve AND airline pilot worth it?
Fellow aviators:
I am currently active duty flying a twin-turboprop (HC-144) aircraft for team Coast Guard [insert 'puddle pirate' or any other term belittling the CG as a military branch, lol]. My military obligation will be up in a few years at which point I will have served 11yrs. My plan, of course, is to hopefully get the call from one of the majors.
My question is: Is it worth it (retirement pay/benefits) to pursue a flying job in the reserves (USAF, USN, ANG) WHILE holding a line with the airlines? Any insight from those that have done it or know someone who is? Quality of life and time at home is VERY important to me. I'm just trying to gauge how much time and commitment a military reserve pilot is expected to give.
Thanks for your time
I am currently active duty flying a twin-turboprop (HC-144) aircraft for team Coast Guard [insert 'puddle pirate' or any other term belittling the CG as a military branch, lol]. My military obligation will be up in a few years at which point I will have served 11yrs. My plan, of course, is to hopefully get the call from one of the majors.
My question is: Is it worth it (retirement pay/benefits) to pursue a flying job in the reserves (USAF, USN, ANG) WHILE holding a line with the airlines? Any insight from those that have done it or know someone who is? Quality of life and time at home is VERY important to me. I'm just trying to gauge how much time and commitment a military reserve pilot is expected to give.
Thanks for your time
01-24-2016, 02:53 PM
#2
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Absolutely. I retired from the Navy at 11.5 years. Hired at a legacy while continuing my Reserve service until 15 year mark. Got an early Navy retirement due to RIF of O-4s.
Find a reserve squadron doing what you love. Doesn't matter if its TACAIR, TraCom, Logistics or CSAR. The airlines are required to be VERY flexible when it comes to military leave.
With the flood of hiring at the Majors in the next few years you'll be in the catbird seat. At some point you'll be collecting your Reserve military retirement check, your airline retirement check, your big 401K payout AND Social Security.
PM me if you want any additional info.
Find a reserve squadron doing what you love. Doesn't matter if its TACAIR, TraCom, Logistics or CSAR. The airlines are required to be VERY flexible when it comes to military leave.
With the flood of hiring at the Majors in the next few years you'll be in the catbird seat. At some point you'll be collecting your Reserve military retirement check, your airline retirement check, your big 401K payout AND Social Security.
PM me if you want any additional info.
01-24-2016, 03:39 PM
#3
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Joined APC: May 2010
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The medical benefits when you reach age 60 alone are worth it. Then ask the guys who lost it all in bankruptcy whether staying was worth it. I did an all reserve career, go up,e of activations and $2400 a month in retirement is not nothing.
GF
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01-24-2016, 03:43 PM
#4
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Originally Posted by CGcatIII
...I'm just trying to gauge how much time and commitment a military reserve pilot is expected to give.
It is nice to pick up extra work while you're on first year pay.
I would recommend you live at one of your bases, either the airline or the reserve unit. Commuting to both could take the fun away from the military job unless its an easy commute.
You can expect to be busy doing both jobs, if you take a flying reserve job.
Good luck!
01-24-2016, 04:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Packrat
Absolutely. I retired from the Navy at 11.5 years. Hired at a legacy while continuing my Reserve service until 15 year mark. Got an early Navy retirement due to RIF of O-4s.
Find a reserve squadron doing what you love. Doesn't matter if its TACAIR, TraCom, Logistics or CSAR. The airlines are required to be VERY flexible when it comes to military leave.
With the flood of hiring at the Majors in the next few years you'll be in the catbird seat. At some point you'll be collecting your Reserve military retirement check, your airline retirement check, your big 401K payout AND Social Security.
PM me if you want any additional info.
Find a reserve squadron doing what you love. Doesn't matter if its TACAIR, TraCom, Logistics or CSAR. The airlines are required to be VERY flexible when it comes to military leave.
With the flood of hiring at the Majors in the next few years you'll be in the catbird seat. At some point you'll be collecting your Reserve military retirement check, your airline retirement check, your big 401K payout AND Social Security.
PM me if you want any additional info.
01-24-2016, 04:07 PM
#6
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Originally Posted by galaxy flyer
The medical benefits when you reach age 60 alone are worth it. Then ask the guys who lost it all in bankruptcy whether staying was worth it. I did an all reserve career, go up,e of activations and $2400 a month in retirement is not nothing.
GF
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01-24-2016, 04:22 PM
#7
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Originally Posted by F15andMD11
Depends what type of unit you select. Non-flying units probably not too much, flying units will require more for currency issues. Combat coded units even more. But that's probably not an issue with the CG.
It is nice to pick up extra work while you're on first year pay.
I would recommend you live at one of your bases, either the airline or the reserve unit. Commuting to both could take the fun away from the military job unless its an easy commute.
You can expect to be busy doing both jobs, if you take a flying reserve job.
Good luck!
It is nice to pick up extra work while you're on first year pay.
I would recommend you live at one of your bases, either the airline or the reserve unit. Commuting to both could take the fun away from the military job unless its an easy commute.
You can expect to be busy doing both jobs, if you take a flying reserve job.
Good luck!
01-24-2016, 04:45 PM
#8
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Joined APC: Sep 2006
Posts: 554
It is usually really good!
Fly for the airline until your tired of it. Then go fly for the RES/ANG until your tired of that then go back to flying for the airline. USERRA
law protects you from negative action from civilian employer while doing military. You'll need to educate yourself on this.
Like previously stated, different aircraft types have different commitments. Live by one of your bases and commute to the other. Double commutes are probably too much time away from family.
retirement $ is prorated based on points, 1 "payday" = 1 point. 7305 points = 20 years (365 * 20 + leap years). Your already past the halfway point with over 4,000 points with the 11 years active. If you get more than 90 days of Title 10 orders (active duty work) in a fiscal year, you can reduce the age you get the $ by 3 months. (i.e. If on 1 year orders, you can collect the retirement check at age 59, but not tricare)
Tricare starts at age 60 until 65, then Tricare for life. Healthcare is a fraction of what is offered by companies, especially retiree healthcare!
law protects you from negative action from civilian employer while doing military. You'll need to educate yourself on this.
Like previously stated, different aircraft types have different commitments. Live by one of your bases and commute to the other. Double commutes are probably too much time away from family.
retirement $ is prorated based on points, 1 "payday" = 1 point. 7305 points = 20 years (365 * 20 + leap years). Your already past the halfway point with over 4,000 points with the 11 years active. If you get more than 90 days of Title 10 orders (active duty work) in a fiscal year, you can reduce the age you get the $ by 3 months. (i.e. If on 1 year orders, you can collect the retirement check at age 59, but not tricare)
Tricare starts at age 60 until 65, then Tricare for life. Healthcare is a fraction of what is offered by companies, especially retiree healthcare!
01-24-2016, 06:18 PM
#9
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Joined APC: Aug 2013
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You should ask the guys who got hired in the late 90's and early 00's. That reserve job was pretty valuable when their airlines furloughed them.
It can be a time suck, but airlines are usually the most flexible with reserve mil commitments. You can still manage to have the same amount of time off as your straight civvie counterparts.
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It can be a time suck, but airlines are usually the most flexible with reserve mil commitments. You can still manage to have the same amount of time off as your straight civvie counterparts.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
01-24-2016, 10:52 PM
#10
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Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
15 years of flying at Fedex....
Number of guys who have said "...wish I had stayed...I would have retired by now..." --one assload
Number of guys who have said "....glad I made the clean break and didn't have to bust my butt doing both jobs..."-- ZERO.
Number of friends at Delta/American/United who rode out the post 9/11 storm and now have great seniority and a full time retirement (including a few O-6s)--quite a few.
Life gets shorter the longer you live. The next 10 years will go much faster than the last 10. Do it. It will suck some days. Do it anyway. You will not regret it.
Number of guys who have said "...wish I had stayed...I would have retired by now..." --one assload
Number of guys who have said "....glad I made the clean break and didn't have to bust my butt doing both jobs..."-- ZERO.
Number of friends at Delta/American/United who rode out the post 9/11 storm and now have great seniority and a full time retirement (including a few O-6s)--quite a few.
Life gets shorter the longer you live. The next 10 years will go much faster than the last 10. Do it. It will suck some days. Do it anyway. You will not regret it.
