Originally Posted by
hindsight2020
I've certainly experienced enough anecdotes from 9-5 types about juggling the Reserves in a flying capacity with their civilian employer to make me not want to touch 9-5 civi jobs with a 10 foot pole. If I ever end up going TR I'd do it as either an airline guy (God save me for the heresy I've just blurted out right there), otherwise it's full time Reserves or straight civilian no mil duty. I hate to say it but in the days of TFI/TFE, there's no way I'd try to juggle a civilian job with this crap sandwich. It sounds like too much of a hassle and you end up min running the unit anyways, what's the point of that? It's a shame I tell you.
Absolutely not true, in all cases. I have been flying Hornets/Superhornets as a USN SELRES for two yrs now with a full time non airline job. I did it for a year as a Contractor with Northrop Grumman and now as a GS. Is it a juggling act...yes but I would argue so is flying for an airline for 18 days/month with commuting and then flying on your days off with the reserves or Guard unit. It's all how you present it to your employer and how they receive it. I have been lucky in that I work for the Navy as a civilian and balance my hours so that I can fly as well. I'm lucky..but to say it can't be done, is just not accurate.
Side note...when I worked for NGC, I had to point out to them that their labor handbook was in direct violation of the USERRA act in terms of them requiring salaried(exempt) employees to take vacation or non paid mil leave for AT. I wonder for how many years reservists were being taken advantage of by that company.