Originally Posted by
vbguy01
Thanks for the replies. I was prior enlisted Navy for 10 years before crossing over to AF officer. With a 2 year break for ROTC, I am 43 at the 23 year mark.
I did some number crunching with the retirement calculator on AFPC and came up with these numbers.
As an O-4 w/24 yrs, =$4440/mo pension.
Staying in 4 more years (70% retirement) =$5466/mo.
If promoted to O-5 with 28yrs =$6422.
The are estimates but looks like staying in 4 more years with promotion to O-5 to retire with 28 years would be an extra $2K/month. Assuming I live until 85, that would be another 37yrs (444 months) x $2K = $888,000 for staying in. I'd have to make $178K for 5 years to offset assuming I fly until 65 and make the big bucks as captain.
Does that check? QOL is huge no doubt. I've spent too much time away from home but I also understand the airlines are gone a bit until you move up the ladder...
What your forgetting is that you'd have collected 04 retirement for 5 years that you never would have collected, plus what you make in the airline.
$178K as a captain shouldn't be a problem, especially with the generational movement over the next decade.
Bottom line though is what you want to do. If it is fly airplanes for 15 days a month and do whatever you like the rest of time, then that is what airline flying is all about.
If you want to do the jobs in the AF that an 05 does, then I'd say stay in till they kick you out and then be a contractor till you can afford to no longer work.
My opinion: worst decision is to stay mil for just 5 more years and then leave for airlines. But there will be other jobs like corporate that may be more immediately rewarding.