LAfrequentflyer

TankerDriver,

You stuck doing exec work for an O6? Been there , except I did exec for a year and it didn't count as my exec tour because it was at the squadron level and not group or wing...I can look forward to doing exec again in a few years all over again...That is if i survive the force shaping...I hope I do so i can retire but i won't be crying if i don't...Too many good IT jobs outside the AF and like you said the lifestyle is not good if you like family life...

-LA

mike734

To TankerDriver and other military types:

You've heard it before but thanks for your service. We all appreciate it and respect your service. Good luck with the rest of your service.

TankerDriver

I'm not an exec, but I do see what execs go through in my squadron and they've got a hard job. I'm in the scheduling shop.

There are some jobs in the military where you'll be home every night, however, flying is not one of them. Just to give you an example of what active duty tanker life is like, deployments to the Middle East are AT LEAST 60 days. Sometimes they turn into 75-90's. We come home for 6-8 weeks and do it all over again. While we're home, we may get sent out on a trip or two and/or do a few local training flights to stay current, but for the most part, it's in the office we sit. When and if we do get a few of those trips, that just cuts down even more time at home. It's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place because you want to fly, but you want more time at home because you know you're going back to the sand box in a few weeks. Spending 2 or 3 months in that place is not what I would consider fun. You're confined to base, it's 120 degrees during the day and 95 at night (summer), constant sand storms, you live in an 10x10 room with a bunk and another pilot, bathrooms are outside in another building (community bathrooms), you eat the same cafeteria food every day, etc... Granted, the Air Force probably has it the best compared to other branches and there is very little risk of being shot at or blown up like our boys in Bagdad have to go through (they're the ones who get my respect - I know I couldn't do it), but compared to being home sweet home, life still sucks. I'm sure there are some airline pilots hating life living in a hotel for 2-3 nights a week. Well, I'd trade in a heartbeat!

The Air National Guard and Reserves get all the good trips. They go to Spain, the Netherlands, Hawaii, Vegas, Guam, etc... in the tanker world, Active Duty usually gets the $hit end of the stick when it comes to taskings because ANG and Reserves get first pick.

TankerDriver

Thanks.

LAfrequentflyer

Been there many times...I'm not a flyer but mission support...Been to some pretty bare bones places in my 12 years on active duty...I've also been to some nice places on the AF...Its been fun - i'm trying to get to Italy or UAE for a 4-6 month deployment before the war ends...

-LA

JayDub

Check with the Marines. When I was looking into it they had it in their paperwork that if you didn't make it to wings you could just walk away. Either way you decide to go, remember these words GET IT IN WRITING. This will cost you civilian opportunities, so you have to be the judge on whether you want to risk going into a job without a written contract. Notice I say contract and not guarantee. In the civilian world, there is no such thing as a guarantee.


Respectfully,

JayDub

Boogie Nights

Air National Guard or Reserves. You can enjoy both sides of the fence.[/quote]

Boogie Nights

Air National Guard or Reserves. You can enjoy both sides of the fence.[/quote]


I have been in the Air Force Active Duty, Air National Guard and now the AF reserves. To have the best of both worlds go guard or reserves.

If you go active duty it will be tough. But there canbe huge personal rewards too. Like test pilot school, or flying fighters, or living and traveling overseas to diverse parts of the world.

As a tanker pilot Tanker driver is refueling all types of aircraft all over the world. He is getting overwater expirience to all parts of the world. He is getting FANS, EFIS, ACARS, ORM, CRM formation flying, and planning, management, and scheduling expirience. In a couple of years 3-4 he will start logging heavy PIC. soon after that he will be logging instructor time. If he is really good he will get evaluator expirience. He will also get the satisfaction of having served his country.

I agree you have to have a strong family to survive it. I went into my carreer wanting to be an airline pilot and using the Air Force as my vehicle to achieve my goal.

When I was a Lt I was very unhappy, but as I grew in expirience I learned to love my job. Their is nothing like the first time you take a 4 eng 322,500 lbs aircraft into the air as a young aircraft commander to some place overseas and you are the one responsible. You might be going to the Azores, Hickam, Guam, Crete, Okinawa, Austrailia, England, Germany, Spain, Wake Island, Deigo Garcia, Krgyzstan, or any number of middle eastern countrys (the last two are most likely these days). It is awesome to have that responsibility.

Be sure if you go to the military you are willing to see it through.
It can be tough at times.

As for Marines being good pilots, most military pilots are good. The Marines go to Navy pilot training. There is some inter-service training. Marines go to Air Force, Air Force to Navy etc.

Good Luck. Tanker Driver keep pluging away it will get rewarding at some point. Besides if nothing else you got to fly formation in UPT.

Boogie

JetJocF14

Although I've been out of the interviewing game for a long time its was my experience that almost every X military pilot I knew got hired by an airline. May not have been the airline of their choice but got hired. Don't know if I could say that about every civilian?. But its all good. My advice go military.

canuhvr

SWAcapt and TankerDriver seem to have great insight and a lot of experience. The only thing I'd add is to find someone to mentor you.

Good luck.