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Old 08-07-2014, 08:18 PM
  #7  
Albief15
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Joined APC: May 2006
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All it takes to solve this is a five minute heart to heart with your unit CO explaining that the company WILL call, act like they are making nice, and "…want to work with you…" When they know the call is coming, and it plays out exactly as you outlined, leadership quickly understands the game. For every INDOC FedEx gives new hires, most new commanders get a briefing as well about USERRA rights.

FedEx ain't the only villain out there--as the senior TG at my unit I fielded a few calls from a SWA chief pilot as well. When he mentioned that "most" SWA pilots dropped one trip a month but my guy was dropping 2, I mentioned that said aviator was A) a SEFE, B) one of our few NVG qual'd IPs, and 3) we had 2 weeks of night flying coming up. I told the CP his pilot had asked to only work a few days so he could get back to his airline gig, but our squadron needed him too. I told him that putting this pilot on 30, 60, or even 180 days orders was an easy option for us, but that he preferred to work for us AND fly for SWA. I mentioned that if I thought he was under too much stress at work, it would be easier for me to just go through channels and put him on orders instead. The calls quit coming after that…

We've buried a couple fighter pilots….one Navy and one ANG…since I've been here. Flying fighters is hard work. Staying current, sharp, and fit for duty is a challenge. I always told my flight members your job isn't just to deconflict your fighter flying from your airline flying, it is to use your military leave so that you are in a position to be safe, rested, and fit for duty…period. That means staying current, and doing whatever you need to do to be ready to go to war (or train warriors) without worrying about airline job. If you start to have outside forces that impede on either your safety or combat capability, let your leadership know. I was just a part timer and a Flt CC, but my leadership trusted me on these issues and I let them know when there were challenges. A quick call to the State JAG was usually all it took to make these problems go away.
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