Originally Posted by
UAL T38 Phlyer
130:
I'm going to start by assuming you are USAF, not USN. Why in a few paragraphs.
I'm a TR, and I see a lot of want-ads for IMA positions flow through my squadron, ie, "Does anybody want to do this for 180 days?"
From what I have seen, being a TR means I have a steady position with pay I can count on. I'm in a flying billet, and I get pro-rated flight pay.
As a TR, I can volunteer for IMA duty when it appeals. Most of the IMA stuff I have seen has been staff duty in various locations, from MacDill, to Qatar or any country that ends in "stan."
If you are separating and want to go straight into the IMA, it would still be available as a volunteer position. But you couldn't bank on it. If your flying gates are met, you might still get pro-rated flight pay--I'm not sure on that.
As an IMA, you will only earn one retirement point a day. As a TR, I sometimes earn two a day, but mostly just one. Could also earn none a day (it's complicated).
The reason I mentioned the Navy: I know guys who have done IMA duty for the Navy....for points only!!! That's right, they did the job for free, but earned a retirement point a day. I don't think the USAF has a similar system. To be fair, these jobs are more in the traditional "one weekend a month; 14 days a summer" category.
As an O-5, each point I earn is worth about $0.45 a month in my retirement (which you don't get until you are 60). For an O-4 it's about $0.39. That's pretty low wages, in my book, to justify working for points-only. (But more secure than an airline retirement).
Hope that helps. You might find more info on baseops.net.
If you are IMA in Navy, it is paid. Most IMA billets if taken for 180 days then you remain in your unit and simply are TAD somewhere and come back to the home unit. It is the Volunteer Training Unit (VTU) that is done for free and showing up at a unit. The Individual Ready Reserve is IRR the DOD over and not paid unless on paid orders for two weeks ,etc. I am an IMA on three year orders in the Navy working with IMA Army, USAF, USMC all on 3 or 4 year orders and we all get paid 2 drills a day if we do the drills with all the same stuff as my squadron, we Navy guys even had ATP drills available this FY in my particular IMA billet.
I won't argue retirement pay benefits because I suspect we will disagree. I think it is worth it for Navy guys who can do correspondence courses in the IRR on their own time for free (on layovers is popular), get points. If USAF, not quite the good deal. But depending when one left active service, depending on circumstances, may well be worth the retirement check at 60 for the fact remains, most of your time is already earned.