Separating at 17.5 Years
Hoping you guys can offer some insight: I'm a USAF heavy pilot with ~2500TT hours. I just got back in the cockpit after a long staff tour and I should have at least 100 recent hours by this fall when my ADSC is up. I'm working on my ATP and strongly considering applying to the majors for an early departure from the USAF. After separating I would transfer to the ANG to earn at least the guard retirement, and would hope to use USERRA to finish up an active duty guard retirement later, if I was hired by an airline and if that was an option with a guard unit.
Here's my question: Is being so close to retirement going to hurt my chances with hiring boards?
A friend of mine recently separated at 17 years and joined the ANG as a traditional guardsman, and he just got hired by Delta. At his interview, however, they asked about his intentions to take mil-leave at least five times (not sure that's legal), to which he responded that he did not intend to take an extended period of mil-leave. And they hired him anyway - but he has a ton of hours and has flown some very high-profile aircraft, so his results might be different than mine. Separating this close is a big risk but I don't want to stay in another day if I can help it - I was on staff for so long I'm getting hot for a 365 and my organization is putting me in a high-pressure DO job even though I told them I don't want it... At the minimum I'm thinking of trying to join our local guard unit as a traditional guardsman and trying to scrape by to 20 on whatever man-days they have available. I've deployed too much to do another long one... Anyway, any advice is much appreciated!