Originally Posted by
Jughead135
Double check your numbers. Remember, your numbers are percentage based off the "High 3" (if I understand your timeline correctly, that's the retirement system you're under), i.e., an average of your highest 36 months of pay. If you're an O-5 for less than 36 months, you won't be getting X% of that, it'll be a blend of your O-4 & O-5 pay (further complicated by annual CoL raises). I don't know if you included that in your calculations, but your $1,000 / mo (or $800 / mo in your numbers above) estimate seems potentially high....
Staying in the extra four years was accounted for, 1 year to pin on and 3 years to retire as an O-5 (so 70% of O-5 pay). I can see that I would be giving up 4 years of high pay but that is if I am flying until my 60s. With upgrade an average of 10 years, that's age 58 to move to the left and get the big bucks. I love flying but also love the fam time. I did my 365 recently so deployments are out of the question. I plan on making enough to pay off the houses and build a college fund for the kids. Then live off the mil pension and rental incomes. I think one of the best quotes I've seen on APC was "The only thing better than getting paid to fly is getting paid not to fly!"