Hobbit64

Paul,

I second the APTAP recommendation.

If you're looking for a deployment and want to volunteer, check out: https://mobcop.army.mil/tod/default.aspx# has helped for some friends of mine.

Also, find the POC at OSAA for deployment and call to see if any units that are on the hook for deployment need "augmentees". Sometimes there are units that need fills and you could get the FWMEQC and some good time, while deployed of course.

Just a couple of options...

Good Luck

Gilligan13

Sounds like an ART gig not AGR.

TankerDriver

I always hear that the full time Reserve or ANG gig is great for guys that want to be home every night. This is usually what guys say who's wives really have no idea they'd be home more if they were an airline pilot and not a full-timer.

I spend near 10 hours a day at my unit. We are busy and undermanned. A lot of units are in the same boat. I'm up at 0515, leave the house at 0615, and I get home at 1730-1800. I help the wife get dinner ready, clean up, play with the kids a little before they go to bed at 2000 and then finally have time to have an adult conversation with my wife and watch a little TV before I just about pass out at 2200 and off to bed I go. I do this 20 days a month and this doesn't include a few 15 hour days per month that I night fly or SOF. Granted, I am an ART so slightly different lifestyle than an AGR, but being an AGRwouldn't necessarily make my day much less busy.

Of course airline lifestyle can vary depending on regional/major, iron, seniority, commuter/non-commuter, but for the most part, if you can work it so you do not have to commute to either job, you will be home more as an airline guy. When you're not on a trip, you're home with the family. You're home doing all those projects you can never seem to squeeze into Sat/Sun before you go back to the grind.

An AGR gig was a gold mine during the recession/airline hiring slump of the 2001-2013 time frame and a lot of guys managed to land themselves a 20 year AD retirement while waiting for a call back or while sitting on mil leave. I'm not so sure the AGR time is as valuable as it once was while the Big 3 are hiring 2000+ per year for years to come.

For young guys without enough flight time for the majors, the full time gig is a great way to build time, but your in a RW unit. It's not gonna come very fast for you. I second the ANG transfer or regional airline. Regional may be a better option, but that lifestyle may be rough for a while.

Speed Select

My airline job payed more than an AGR gig by my second year. I had more time off, more quality time with my kids, and more sleep (making me a little more pleasant to be around) as an airline guy and part-time bag-wearer. My AGR experience was the same as above, home just enough to put the kids to bed and kiss the wife goodnight.

paulpedals

Thanks for the insight TankerDriver and Speed Select. You guys are confirming what I was suspecting. One of the AGR guys in my unit was touting the benefits of his job including being home every night, an I couldn't help but think, "yeah, but what if I want to be home some days too?" Those federal holidays off seem to not quite offset the fact that you still have to attend drill, regularly TDY for schools, and take on extra roles that would normally be spread out in an AD unit.

I'm spread pretty thin sometimes as a TPU guy, which is one of my motivations for change.
For example next week I work
Monday: 8 hours at my day job, then 1 1/2 hr commute to duty station for a 4 hour AFTP (of which I will log around 2.0 hrs) then drive 1 1/2 hours back home.
Repeat for Tuesday.
Wednesday: work 3 hours at day job, commute 1 1/2 hr to fly sim for 6.0, return home.
Thursday: 8 hours day job, 1 1/2 hr commute, fly 2.0, sleep at a friends house
Friday - Sunday: Drill weekend, YAY ME.

This is an extreme though, and I'm making up for not flying any this week. But it makes me think the regional lifestyle couldn't be too bad.

Slim11

The regional lifestyle can be beneficial for one in your situation. The regional job becomes your day job. But, will you live in-base near your military job, in-base near your airline job, both or neither?

Whatever you choose to do, don't...DO NOT...commute to both. Commuting is a waste of time as it is. Over the years, I met many pilots (and flight attendants plus one mechanic!) who commuted. It's a huge waste of time off. I commuted between DFW and CVG as a new-hire but that was due to my wife being pregnant with our youngest daughter. Once it was okay to have her travel, we moved.

I realize commuting is a "requirement" in some circumstances. However, IMO, one has to have a very good reason to commute and put up with the associated headaches that come with commuting.

Gilligan13

But that's not the whole truth. You could work your 4 10's and one weekend a month. You don't have to pick up extra days. You are doing that voluntarily. You don't have to chase the money but FW pilots are greedy.

2old2fly

You said you don't meet the educational requirements for commissioning. I assume that means you don't have a bachelor degree. That is usually a requirement for the majors.

PRS Guitars

I've found that the most vehement anti commuters are military guys. I guess some guys just get used to moving around and don't mind continuing it.

I agree, try not to double commute, and if so make it short term. With that said...I've been doing it for two years. I'm trying to end the AF commute, but where I live is a tough nut to crack. I've embraced that I'll commute forever at the airline. It's not that bad, I'm pretty productive on my airline commutes. The AF commute sucks, because at least at the airline you'd be gone anyway, so it's just marginal extra time away. With the AF, you could be home every night.

Lately I've mitigated it by sitting long call reserve from home. I usually only end up working 9 days a month. Then I work 6 at the AF, get paid 73 hours at the airline. In the past I've held a line and dropped trips.

At the end of the day for me, a big reason I got out of AD was I was tired of being told where I had to live, and living in crappy places. I want my kids to get a clean run through middle and high school with no moves.

paulpedals

By the time I'm ready to start applying for the majors I'll have that taken care of. That's still several years away, gotta eat my elephant one bite at a time.Several years ago I checked, and if my memory is correct, I'm already too old to commission in AF or USN at 31, much less adding on a couple years to finish a degree.