Separate from USAF or stay til 20?

Reply Subscribe

Page 10 of 10

« First

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

07-13-2017, 11:00 AM

#91

Flyinhigh

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: Dec 2007

Position: Retired

Posts: 404

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crom

I've been offered continuation to 20 years after getting passed over for O-5 for the second time; no prior enlisted time. I know the majority of people here say to get out ASAP if you have the hours, which I do.

An interesting question was posed by my father-in-law who is a retired Army E-8. Do the major airlines offer retiree medical plans similar to Tricare that can be utilized by spouses too? If so, are they as inexpensive as Tricare?

Thanks!

Most major airlines dump you onto Medicare when you hit age 65 and you are on your own for a supplement. FedEx (through our union)offers a VEBA program to help cover the cost of either a supplement or, if you have Tricare For Life, to be used to help with Medicare Part B premiums. Prior to age 65 you may have some options as a retiree but it varies from airline to airline. My wife is not yet Medicare eligible so I have her on the FedEx High Deductible ($500 deductible) plan with Tricare Standard as a supplement. Costs about $255 per month.

07-13-2017, 02:38 PM

#92

Vincent Chase

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: Sep 2015

Position: I got into this business so I wouldn't have to work.

Posts: 1,034

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKcharger

I LOVE the fact my retirement pay gives me the freedom to say "screw it" at any time and just float in my pool. In addition, you're just one failed medical away, or economic down turn from unemployment. Yup, I know the projections for pilots but look at the history of airlines since deregulation.

Good luck

This is all well and good. I, too, enjoy the retirement check. Awesome for you and me both. Now, to put this in perspective...while you and I were in the military for the last 10 of those 20 yrs, the airlines weren't hiring. Nobody was moving in the 121 industry. It was stagnant and doors were relatively closed.
Not so today. If I was at the 10-19 yr point today, I'd jump ship in a heartbeat, get hired at a major, and get a ANG/AFRES gig. I'd move close to base to cut commute pain, and enjoy benefits of today's 121 hiring and working toward a retirement I can have at age 60. Heck, there are lots of guys at my airline who are on mil leave for 3-5 years, finishing out 20 yrs of AD at their ANG or AFRES job while their seniority number keeps going up every month.