Mox Nix

O-4 with 17 years, been waiting and waiting for the calendar to keep rolling by to that magic 20 mark...sometimes it seems like it will never get there.

I've considered punching a couple times before, primarily when I got passed over for O-5 but couldn't afford it then (would have had to pay back some bonus $$). Still, the drudgery gets to me at times, and I keep thinking of breaking away...and the thought has been getting stronger lately. I have an ADSC til Aug 2009 for a PCS last summer, so I have some time to gather the information, start working the connections, and make an informed decision.

Some would call me crazy for getting out at 18 next year. After the passover a couple years ago, one of my buds said "five more years? you could do that standing on your head!" And that's what I thought too...but there's still three more years to go and my head already hurts.

So I'm looking into the Guard/Reserve thing again, and reviewing/researching all the info on my target airlines, wondering if I'll be able to make a commute work as well as maintain enough income during the first few years of airline pay with a Guard gig on the side.

I've been lurking here on and off for a couple years now, so I've already learned a bunch. I'm doing a lot more reading, talking to some of my contacts, and thought I'd start asking questions here. I'm really hoping that I'm not falling into the "grass is greener" trap. But I want to find out all I can and see if this will work.

I searched already to find out a bit about the sanctuary rules and whether I could earn enough points to qualify for an active duty retirement and start drawing the retired pay before age 60. From what I saw, it's do-able, and one guy I met recently says there's several guys in his Guard unit doing that exact thing.

But for now, I just wanted to say "hey". I know I'll have more questions, so I'll be around.

capoetc

Welcome aboard! I just retired from USAF a couple months ago -- I've been hired by AirTran (standing by in the "pool" for a class date). At the moment, very few, if any, Major airlines are hiring. That could change tomorrow, or it could go on for who knows how long.

I will say one thing, though ... it is REALLY nice knowing that I have a paycheck coming in every month no matter what!

I would definitely say that, unless you can find a Guard/Reserve job where you can GUARANTEE that you will get your active duty retirement right away (not wait until 60), you should strongly consider hanging in there until 20. Get your tickets done if you haven't already -- you might want to go ahead and get a First Class medical just to make sure you can (and to give you some time to fix any issues that might come up). You can just let it lapse into a second class and renew later if you want, but it is much easier to keep a first class ticket than it is to get one.

Can you stay at the base where you are currently stationed until you hit 20? I assume you are currently flying ...

Anyway, good luck with the decisionmaking!

rickair7777

I would only remotely consider bailing at that point if you have a class date with FDX or UPS. Or if you can get a full-time guard gig that would round out your AD 20 years, sure go for it.

Also if you're thinking of doing the guard/reserves and earning a reserve (age 60) retirement you need to do some research...

You will need to do at least 6 years in the reserve component to earn a reserve retirement...you probably cannot jump at 18 years, do 2 years reserve and get the retirement.

As an O4, HYT might preclude you from serving long enough in the reserves to meet the 6-year requirement. Research guard and reserve HYT limits (I think some state guard units are more liberal). There also is a chance that you can pick up O-5 in the reserves, which would solve the HYT problem.

Just in case you hadn't noticed... almost all airlines have stopped hiring, and those that still are will probably stop later this week.

USMCFLYR

[quote=Mox Nix;370100]O-4 with 17 years, been waiting and waiting for the calendar to keep rolling by to that magic 20 mark...sometimes it seems like it will never get there.

I've considered punching a couple times before, primarily when I got passed over for O-5 but couldn't afford it then (would have had to pay back some bonus $$). Still, the drudgery gets to me at times, and I keep thinking of breaking away...and the thought has been getting stronger lately. I have an ADSC til Aug 2009 for a PCS last summer, so I have some time to gather the information, start working the connections, and make an informed decision.

Some would call me crazy for getting out at 18 next year. After the passover a couple years ago, one of my buds said "five more years? you could do that standing on your head!" And that's what I thought too...but there's still three more years to go and my head already hurts.

So I'm looking into the Guard/Reserve thing again, and reviewing/researching all the info on my target airlines, wondering if I'll be able to make a commute work as well as maintain enough income during the first few years of airline pay with a Guard gig on the side.

I know the last 3 years seem painful - but I can't see getting out so close either. Even in the hey-day I remember them saying that you could get out at 18 years and still be better off financially; but those days are gone. I'm basically in your situation and I've been lucky to land someplace that I enjoy spending the rest of my time (little under 2 years), but I would seriously consider staying for that reitrement pay that starts in 3 years. If you're that disappointed in your current job - couldn't you look for a PCS to a more desirable job for you last few years? You've got the time required left. I don't know how it works in the AF - but best of luck.

USMCFLYR

VBone

You are making a million dollar decision when you give up an AD retierment. If you can get that in the guard/reserve just make sure you don't get left out to dry.

Probably almost no airline hiring in the next year.

SaltyDog

Mox Nix,
I always say jump to a well reasoned 12 year AD career move and stay reserve/guard, but 17 is tough to justify with the current market. Are you considering or willing to punch for a non flying civilian career? If yes, then maybe work out. I would not count on a sanctuary job. Would be nice, but usually a payoff for someone who has spent alot of time helping a unit who punched at year 12-14 etc,or just luck. Try to find a good bag of ice to put on your head to wait it out <g> Best in the process.

beis77

I would strongly suggest you take on one last assignement; heck, go teach ROTC and relax with the family. If you need a flying job, then go teach white jets for your last tour. Or do something completely different. There are a lot of cool USAF jobs out there; especially since you're not trying to make O-5. I'd suggest doing something "fun" for your last assignement. There are fun jobs out there.

Riddler

My advice is to stay in for another 3 years - hiring has pretty much stopped everywhere. Age 65 delayed things about 3-5 years, and merger mania looks like it'll keep hiring to a minimal level for possibly a few more years. I'm not even going to guess what oil will do.

In 3 years, the age 60+ crowd will thin out, and the merger issues should be straightened out, thus giving you more options.

Find a job you can tolerate, maybe go back to AETC and fly the line for your last few years.

FWIW, I just separated after the 11 year point and I'm a new hire at CAL. I'm happy with my choice, at least for now. But the grass over here got a whloe lot browner after after they stopped hiring and now talking about merging. My best scenario is not getting furloughed and hanging on to the bottom 1% of the senority list for the next few years.

Riddler

jousteagle

I'm fairly ignorant about Reserve retirement, but I thought that if he were to spend the last two years doing the "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" gig, that would give one year's credit towards 20 years. Granted your number of points wouldn't increase drastically. I don't think you need to reach 7200 points to get a reserve retirement. I think you'd still get a reserve retirement at age 60 (payment determined by their formula and based on the number of points you acquired) as long as you got 20 years of service. Couldn't the last two years of service be the "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" type of gig?

Somebody in the know please chime in!

rickair7777

You are correct in that his last two years of reserve would count towards the 20 required for a reserve retirement...he would have his twenty after two years.

HOWEVER...there is ALSO a requirement that your last 6 years prior to retirement be spent in the reserve component, as opposed to regular AD. If you don't meet this, no reserve retirement will be granted. Is it fair? Not really, but the reserve organizations don't want to pay a (large) reserve retirement for senior AD folks who bail at the end. It's an organizational finance issue...the RC doesn't get enough work out of you in two years to justify footing your bill at age 60.

This applies to navy for sure, but I'm pretty sure all the federal components have the same rule (federal law). The state guards might have a different policy...probably worth checking on that.

This is obviously a big deal, and worth getting right. I would contact the applicable reserve officer association...those guys always know these kinds of answers.