PotatoChip

Thanks. I've definitely worked at places where I've seen this happen. And my wife was a reservist while a FA for years, so I understand that process at least. She's had some interesting conversations with clueless folk...

jamesholzhauer

The company and Sedgwick asked me for my orders before I went on long term mil. I just ignored their request. Sent them in to Sedgwick when I returned from leave. The dudes I dealt with at Sedgwick had no idea when I asked specific questions. I don’t think you’d have any issues tbh, no matter what your orders said.

rickair7777

Technically they are entitled to ask for a copy of orders >30 days. That's the only documentation that law requires, period. For routine drills or shorter orders, you only have to notify them, they cannot require docs. Their ONLY recourse is to contact your CO.

I had an employer do that once, they had my CP make the call (he didn't want to, and was embarrassed to ask for the contact info). My direct-report was an AD two-star... after getting filtered by the staff for a few days the CP finally got through. We had a laugh about it later, it basically it went like "Why the eff are you calling me about reserve crap? He knows how to do his job, he'll tell you when he needs to be on mil leave. Click".

ArKay

PotatoChip i did what you’re trying to do. Left my airline when I finished school and commissioned for AD (non-flying MOS). Told mgmt i had orders coming to be nice. When i got em i emailed a copy to my managers/HR/union and that was that. During my AD time (6 years) I didn’t hear a peep from the company. They were very military friendly though. I was lucky enough to maintain flight benefits too! Even added my spouse to my airline benefits mid way through the milleave.

But like others have eluded to, get smart, know the answers, TELL HR what you’re doing (don’t ask), drop your orders and embrace the suck. NOT a SME on USERRA but my experience went off without a hitch. PM if you have questions

PotatoChip

Awesome. Thanks! Glad it worked out for you. I’ve been trying to reach my local Air Force Accession office, but haven’t heard back yet. One step at a time.

PotatoChip

Well, thanks everyone for the intel, however it all appears to be for not. Hopefully someone else can find this thread useful.
The age limit of 39 is to start OTS, which I knew, but there is also an age limit of 38 to submit your packet, and is non-waivable.
I miss that by less than two months.
There goes plan E of my career.

rickair7777

Bummer. Did you check with other services.

Also there's a saying in the mil... ANYTHING is waiver-able. Some are just harder to get.

And did you consider enlisted? They usually grant an advanced paygrade for college, and you could get a commission more easily from the inside (I know the officer age limit's higher for enlisted vs. off the street)

PotatoChip

The age waivers at the max end are hard to come by. Perhaps if I had a nuclear engineering degree.

That said I’m currently talking with the PA ANG to see what options may be available. We’ll see. I was preferring to go AD, but I’ll see what they can/can’t offer.

FDNYOldGuy

You might have more luck with Guard/Reserves and then just getting on AD orders for the waiver. And, as Rick said, I really wanna say I knew a couple folks in my OTS class that were Active Duty and close to or above 40 that were prior-enlisted.

As he also said, ANYTHING is waiverable if you find the right folks and put the legwork in yourself. But, those are two big keys. If you go to recruiters/Reserves/ANG and just say, "Hey, I wanna go to OTS but I'll need a waiver," they're going to likely just view it as too much work and tell you, "No." Especially in this cratering economy where they probably have/are expecting a glut of new applicants looking for the job security of Uncle Sam.

However, if you go to them with the paperwork filled out, a clear idea of what you need for a path forward, and maybe make a contact that can make a phone call or two for you and they just need to push the paperwork, you stand a fighting chance. Most people don't want you to give them a problem and they have to find your solution. But, if you make it as easy as possible for them to do their part to get you from A to B, they'll be much more willing to make it happen.

Source: a non-prior service dude that got a (Reserves) UPT slot at 36 (when the cutoff was still 30), commissioned through OTS at 37, and should have a set of wings (depending on Coronas and lockdowns) in less than 2 months at 38 years old. There's almost always a way to "Yes," it will just require a lot of extra hustle on your part. And luck, too, but you can make a lot of that with your own legwork.

tnkrdrvr

Holy cow! You are older than the OG was when I went through