Coastie

Thanks for having an area dedicated to folks transitioning out of the military.

I am currently a Coast Guard pilot with 2600TT/1300 PIC hours in the HC-130, and have recently upgraded to IP. Although I currently have 5 years prior to being retirement eligible, I'd like to think that it's not to early to start planning what I hope to be my next career. Any input regarding the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

1. What can I do in the next 5 years to make myself more marketable?

2. Do the majors consider Herc time desireable, or should I seek a Falcon/Gulfstream transition for my next tour?

3. I currently manage approx. 100 people, 4 C130's and a fairly substantial budget. Do companies such as Southwest consider this type of management valuable, or are they strictly concerned about flight time etc.?

4. Is there any disadvantage to obtaining an ATP 5 years prior to retirement, or should I wait?

Thanks in advance for the input. The Coast Guard is an outstanding organization of which I would recommend to any one who is extremely motivated and likes to work hard. The wife and kids are just getting tired of moving.