beis77

I've seen the same thing. I've heard from guys at several units that they look closely at retainability. They don't want to hire someone who is going to punch after only a few years. They want someone who is going to be with them for awhile.

flybynuts

It is called Tricare Reserve Select (TRS). It is the same coverage, you just have to pay for it monthly and you pay copays for visits. Say you go see the doc and he charges 100.00 for a visit, you pay 15% or 15.00 up to 1000.00 catastrophic cap. After that, Tricare foots the whole bill. SAME COVERAGE, you just pay now. Still is good insurance for the buck. The dental plan may be a wash however.

beis77

cool, thanks for the info!

C17MooseDriver

Getting out with 2 years left, that's crazy talk. Can't see a realistic scenario on leaving, and I hated AD.

HerkDriver

Mox -

AD AF for 11 years, bailed in 2001 and was lucky enough to get on with FedEx. Been in the ANG since then, and am at my 18 year point. Here's my two cents...

In order to get the remaining 2 years of AD that you'll need for your retirement, you are going to have to spend a significant amount of time at destinations "East", as well as share any and all available trips with other Guard/Reserve Bums that might be trying to make a living in the same manner. Unless you are lucky enough to get into a unit that will put you on orders for 2 years straight, it will probably take you closer to 4 or 5 years to finish this AD retirement up. Trust me when I say that juggling multiple aircraft, systems, checkrides, training requirements and such gets VERY OLD. If you are unfortunate enough to have to double commute to an airline job and ANG/Reserve job, this will add a whole new level of stress to the above mentioned issues.

I am happy with the decision that I made, and was lucky that I made it when I did...but I would sure like to have had that little extra $ rolling in every month from a completed military retirement. As much as you might feel like "sticking it to the AF" by leaving early, I would urge you to seriously consider staying in and securing this retirement instead. When your time is up, you will still be young enough to get a flying job outside of the military and you will soon see that having that little extra bit of money in your pocket will go a long way in easing some of the stress that looking for a new job and starting another career WILL bring.

Getting passed over hurts...some of my very good friends on AD were passed over for LtCol, and these were guys who I would have bet my life on that they would be selected for promotion. Easy for me to say here, but:
Don't let it eat you up inside.
Get angry, then get over it.
Keep flying.
BE SAFE!
Do your job, but don't come in early or stay late anymore. Sombody else can be the POC for the CFC now, if you get my drift.
Use your newly found free time to get your ducks in a row for when you do retire (resume, ATP, medical, letters of rec., etc).
Start saving NOW so that the first year you are out won't be as traumatic.
Start saving NOW so that the first year you are out won't be as traumatic.
Start saving NOW so that the first year you are out won't be as traumatic.
(Get the picture? 20-25K might be a reasonable goal.)

Best of luck with your final decision, Mox. Take care and Fly Safe.

HerkDriver

P.S. Shoot me a quick PM when you get a chance. Mox Nix...ever stationed in Germany?

Boogie Nights

I know I am going to open a can of whoop-ass on myself but here goes.
I got out with 12 years (2.5 years as a ground pounder) joined the Guard/now Reserve.

I am 135R Guy, I spent 5yrs and 5days of my 8.5 years flying deployed.
I live in compounds with 12' walls barbed wire and armed guards. While it was supposed to be for my protection jail is jail. I have seen buddies die.

I figure I have a 1.5 years living in Turkey (add three more deployments in the Guard/Reserve)
2 years in Bahrain / Saudi / Manas
3.5 year prison sentence!!!!


On the Good side ROTA, Canne, Mildenhall, Geilenkirchen, Istres, Souda, Sicily......I joined the Air Force to see the world, Diego to Iceland, Korea to Germany, and I loved it.

I was getting paid pretty good and had great commraderie. (NOTE: I was single)
Where else can a 1000 hr pilot be captain of a 4 engine heavy flying from Grand Forks to Saudi?

As long as the bosses were good life was good, one S#@# head in the chain can make everyones life misserable.

I always wondered if I made the right choice in joining the Air Force.

Then I went to get my ATP:

The guy teaching me was 22 years old with 700 hours. He was making $1000 / month to live in Long Beach CA. He was working 14 hours a day 7 days a week.

We all have a tough road to hoe to get to be pilots.

It sucks that it is not a respected profession anymore, but the gut check on my life has been when someone would ask "What did I do Yesterday"

I could say refuelled: B1, B2, Thunderbirds, flew over Tikrit (during the war), flew through th Aurora Boreallis over the North Atlantic. My buddies, working desk jobs are jealous. I actually met some Formula 1 drivers in a coffee shop one day who thought I had the cooler job! (yea crazy I know)

Yes much of the time it has been a hugh S#@T sandwich but in the long run it was my choice.

Now I have a wife and daughter they are most important. As an airline guy every plane , hotel room, airport all start blending together into one.
I really do not care where I fly only when I am getting home.
The problem is as cool as our jobs is, it is not a respected profession any more.

Doctors, Lawyers, Pilots, Military, many Americans marginalize us.

I am not sure what my point is, but I will say looking back my life, I have done well, and I am proud of my time in the military.
Maybe someday Style/Class will come back to Airline Bussiness


So Mox Stay the course and enjoy the time you have left. The grass is a different shade of green then you imagine (more brown).

ExAF

Both pros and cons covered pretty well. I'll throw my hat in on the "Finish the AD retirement" side. That retirement check made all the difference in the world during the 2 furloughs. It allowed a great deal of flexibility when making life altering decisions. It also provided additional stability during times of uncertainty. It's COLA protected (huge!) and you start getting it on day1. Sure is comforting to know the mortgage and some other expenses are covered just by waking up and breathing every morning. If you don't need it, then it makes a great investment tool. Tricare has been an amazing benefit as well. Good luck with your decision.

130drvr

I am getting out of the AF next month, but I did so because the AF threw a really bad deal at me and my family in terms of a bad staff job in a bad location with a gate month waiver letter and year remote waiting me when I finished. With just under 13 years in, I was going to stay in, until the AF took a dump on me. I have tons of buddies looking at getting out, and I tell them(most with only 10-12 years in) weigh the option carefully. Getting out just because you are tired of the BS, is one thing, getting out because your family is not going to make it with the deployment tempo or constant moving away from her family is quite another.

Long story short, knuckle down the last two years, if neadbe stock up your bar for the duration. I would have stayed in had the AF given me any one of 12 assignments my commander was lining up.

c17heavy

Very true. I've talked to folks w/in civilian companies that say our job skill set is VERY transferable in the outside world. Additionally a current secret or TS/SCI clx is worth a bunch. I have a little over a year left and I've already built my civilian resume--thanks to my wife who is a Human Resource mgr.

Yes, I did get my ATP, have 2500 hrs, IP in two jets, blah blah, but I want OPTIONS when/if I bail.

hindsight2020

Well, I have bachelor's and a master's in aerospace engineering, but I don't see Lockheed hiring my "non-current" behind just because I happen to be a mil pilot. Furthermore, I don't see them compensating me any more than the guy who just graduated from school and has a cheaper compensation expectation/outlook. I'm just not sure about the "transferability" you speak about in the realm of non-aviation jobs...