Did DoD implement such a policy recently?

As of a couple years ago junior personnel routinely had side gigs, nights/weekends. I'm in a Navy town, lots of uber drivers are mil. Obviously mil duty takes priority if push comes to shove.

I've even known officers who had real estate operations, did accounting during tax season, etc.

Don't confuse local or organizational policy with DoD/Service policy. Still pretty sure you can work on your mil time off, whether leave or liberty. It will have to not interfere with mil duty, and your organization may require that you get a chit.

I can see many organizations not being comfortable with their personnel leaving the 50 mile radius on an airline trip.

I can see many airlines having a hard spot due to the long history of mil leave abuse, and optics.

Might be an uphill battle, but I still don't think it's outright "illegal".

 

I hear alot of the illegal comments, my thoughts as well. But no one can ever find where it details that.
Definitely an interesting subject

 

Talk to your JAG.

Off the top of my head….

How are you going to fulfill working hours, how are you going to be full time employed while in a T32 or T10 status, if something happens on the road or you get hurt injured how’s that line of duty investigation gonna go, whose responsible, how do you maintain 24/7 readiness, recall status, how do you stay in the local area without being on a leave status, if you get stuck on the road or are working airline days on mil work days you’re now defrauding the govt, is your COC even willing to entertain this subject and carry the risk to themselves? I’d tell you to pick one. Let’s not even broach the subject of intl travel without approved leave and COC approval.


Pick one or accept the consequences of playing stupid game. You’re not the first one that’s tried.


Oh and from an airline standpoint, most FOMs restrict outside employment, especially flying. So if you’re gonna try and fly airline while in a military status, while picking and choosing which days you feel like you want to work, don’t plan on being there too long. That behavior would not be USERRA protected.

 

If you’re, looking to know for yourself ditch internet opinion and talk to the legal folks. If you’re worried about fraud waste and abuse, file an IG complaint and let them sort it out.

 

If you're on orders for 30+ days, the mil is responsible always, on or off duty. But airline flying isn't any more hazardous than normal weekend activities like sports, motorcycles, skiing. Less actually. Mil won't have an issue on those grounds.

How you do your mil job would be up to you. I *assume* the context of this would be work normal mil days (whatever those are), then get a liberty chit to fly an airline trip on say a weekend. If you can't fly enough to maintain 75 hours or whatever, you'd have to drop down through the usual process.

Actually I think the best (probably only) way to do this would be go on mil leave, and get permission from both parties to pick up trips on mil days off. If the airline has a staff crunch they might let you do it.

You can get a chit for that, I've signed a gazillion of them for travel, usually on 3-days weekends where 96 hours is granted.

DoD does not require that all SMs stay within 50 miles always, only that the CO has enough folks near enough to the flagpole to cover any contingencies.


Yes, you'd have to re-assure the CO on that stuff. But not really any different from going to Vegas on a weekend liberty chit...if your flight gets canx, you inform the command and get back as soon as you can.

I'm guessing if you got hypothetical approval to do this it would be domestic only.

The context is with permission. I do think it's an uphill battle, but I'm pretty sure it's technically legal.


The context of the OP was "with permission from both parties".

100% agree that you can't pull this off on the DL, at least not for very long.

Mil flying does not apply towards FAA flight/duty limits. Actual fatigue still matters... if you push that and anything happens, you'd have some 'splainin to do.

Actually it would be in this context. It's not really ethical IMO to manipulate mil schedule for your personal convenience vis a vis the airline schedule.

But if the mil actually pays you (or even grants a non-pay point), it is perfectly legal per USERRA. Basically if the CO has enough mission requirement to compensate you to be there, it's legit.

If the CO allows you to work odd schedules, perhaps because that keeps you home and more available to the mil, that's his business. Airline don't like it? Dial 1-800-USCONGRESS.

 

Call the ESGR and ask their stance on this. My guess after looking through their website is pilots that are doing this will not be protected by the DOL if their employer seeks termination.

 

Everybody keeps saying that without reading the OP. He said "with permission from both employers".

The issue isn't whether it's legal (it legal at the macro/DOD/Service level), it's whether you can get local permission.

 

missed that part. I will say this, my buddy asked last year because he was curious. Sq, Gp, and wing did not feel comfortable giving an answer so deferred to DC. AFRC said no, they do not want their agrs doing any outside flying “moonlighting”was the word they used.

 

Interesting.
This is merely a topic for discussion on a discussion forum. I would never start an IG investigation nor engage in something illegal. It's an interesting topic as I know many guys who do all types of work and get permission from their Sq or Group leadership, but doing an airline gig while AGR becomes a touchy subject.

 

You should be a JAG, you can get the 4-5 guys I’ve heard of doing this that all got fired an A15’d all their jobs back.