What I will add is not encouraging. Military guys are not getting the call as quickly as they once did here, and while some are getting called the numbers/percentages anecdotally appear significantly lower.

Now--I just messaged a former corporate type that got awarded WB captain, and I'm a huge fan of the sharp folks that come out of the regionals. Full disclosure--my PE is in the bank for my own daughter who hopes to start her 121 career next month. I'm certainly not "anti civilian" or anti-anything.

But yeah...from the fence...it seems like FedEx is not calling a lot of super highly qualified folks until way after their availability date. Is it a deliberate attempt to "reshuffle" the mix of mil/civ? Is it simply random numbers? Dunno... But--Delta reaches out now 120 days to call people for leaving the military, and Hawaiian will go 6 months. It may just be our HR isn't keeping up with what others in the industry are doing as far as interviewing windows.

My pragmatic take is this: If you are a military pilot, who wants to work for FedEx--apply and update frequently. But apply to Delta, AA, UAL, and UPS too. (UPS has recently surged up on military hiring--noticeably...) Like the poster above--you may be in a situation where you decide where you are is the best spot for you, especially if you have a bit of seniority and time there.

By the same token--I don't like hearing "they will never hire a guy like me..." from some of the regional pilots out there. A 27 year old damn sharp FO flew me into SGN a few months back....out of Commute Air and Compass. He wasn't a legacy or an referral. Plenty more here like him, and lately it seems even more. So--apply. With 500 slots this year, and more retirements coming each year, there will be some opportunities.