Originally Posted by
vbguy01
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!"
If you still have kids at home, that is a powerful motivator. I only had an inkling of the change I was facing in regards to time at home after I retired. I was at home FAR more while on active duty than I have been in my airline job. You will spend 20 to 30+ percent of your life in a hotel as an airline pilot. My kids were 6 and 8 when I started. Recently I went back and looked at what my retirement would have been if I had stayed in to 30. I would be making about 2.5 times what I make now as a 20 year retiree. I also would have been at home with my family FAR more during that extra ten years that the kids were at home and in school.
In my opinion, your decision may be more about family than dollars.