To Stay or Not to Stay
 

I am currently finsihing out my enlistment in the USAF (about 18 months). I am an airfield management by trade however dreams have been in teh **** pit since i was knee high to a grass hopper. I have been batting ideas around as to what to do after my enlistment. My heart is not in my job and after 2 tours to the middle east and more on the horizon for my job im looking for an exit strategy. I have considered applying for AF OTS and trying to fly for them however its a highly competitive program and flying spots are not guarnteed. If i would get picked up its a minumum 10yr commitment and im not ready to put my family threw 10 more years of deployments and TDY's. Currently the average cargo pilot in the AF is gone 180-220 days A YEAR.

Any advice on where to start. I will have my bachelors degree before my enlistment is up and should have private and instrument ratings and working on commercial. I want to stay as close to the aviation world as i can. Prefer flying but will take something to put food on the table for the family until the market gets better.

Go Guard!!

You realize any good paying entry level job in flying is probably right where you left.... the middle east.

Otherwise, you can go through the past threads about the dismal state of affairs of entry level flying in the US.

This country can't go on forever with overseas deployments. I'd certainly consider Air Guard / AF flying. The bad part.... even if you get a flying spot, it may not be in a plane (UAV's).

So, suck it up in the military, or suck it up as a flight instructor / etc, but there is no easy road. It won't get easier, either.

Neither guarantees an airline job at the end, but they'll almost trip over themselves to hire you at big D with military flying ;-)

I was afraid the military was going to be a more sound option. I have researched the active duty pros and cons. The guard might be a better option. Still have like i said about 18 months left till my enlistment is up so about a year to explore some options.

I regret to inform you that the Guard and Reserves are picking up a lot more flying (men, women, and iron) at my particular undisclosed southwest Asia airbase currently. I think a lot has to do with the lack of paying jobs outside the Guard right now, and the fact that they can pick up 180 days of Tricare (not to mention 4 months of tax free) by working 70 days in this particular undisclosed southwest Asia airbase.

So basically 6 one way half dozen another. Stepping stone is keeping my eyes and ears out here listening and adjusting my plan based on the markets.

As bad as it sounds, UAV's may not be a bad option. Operating UAV's allow you to stay home (for the most part) and do good work. If it's guard, that mission allows for tons of full time orders to keep you employed or provide extra bucks when the economy is down. As far as AD, there is something to be said for a guaranteed 10 years of employment with a pay raise every year.

With your previous enlisted time, you will probably me maxed out at 2LT which is better than most entry level jobs in the civilian world. Only gets better with time as well. I'm looking at a 60k paycut when my fulltime orders are over, if I go to the regionals. :eek:

I hope you're right! :D

ANG all the way. I'd stay away from AD. Too much BS and ass kissing to keep fying. You'll spend your carreer wondering what you'll do next. Good luck!

Not sure why you assume a "better life " waits out the gate for you. I am away from home, travel, the good -bad - ugly. low to fair pay.

Whats wrong with OTS? Okay maybe you wash out of flight school , then what? You stay in and become the Commissary officer and retire an O-4/5.

Dude,

You are doing the right thing by taking the initiative and thinking about your future now vs. the day after your enlistment is up. That alone puts you ahead of many. I would encourage you to explore going guard very seriously. Get your package/resume/letters of rec started now, schedule your AFOQT if you haven't already, etc. Get your package together and send it out to every guard/reserve unit that interests you. Phone calls to units don't hurt either. In the meantime continue flying on your own dime like you say you are - that shows a lot. You'll hear back from somebody, probably several units - go and interview. If you want this you have to go get it, nobody is gonna hand it to your on platter. I was prior enlisted for 5 years, and was lucky enough to get picked up by the same unit I was already a member of. It's been over 6 years since I finished UPT and I have worked as much or as little as I've wanted to since then. (haven't missed a pay day). I'm lucky to be in a unit where all the deployments are voluntary unless they need to be made involunary (not enough guys volunteering and that is never the case). PM me if you have any questions for me,...as I could go on and on about how good of a deal the guard is.

EA,
Good on you to be looking into your options ahead of time. AFRES/ANG is a very good way to go, but statements like "will have" are not good enough. (I am trying to motivate ya not sound like I'm criticizing!) I don't know about other units, but at least at mine, they don't want to talk about what you will have...they want ready individuals--AFOQT 90+ in Pilot/Nav categories, BA or BS COMPLETE. Remember, you are useless to them if you don't have the boxes checked. There are lots and lots of "coulda/mighta/maybe will/someday" people out there. There's no better advertisement for you to have then for you to be able to say: "I'm ready to go TODAY." That, in my opinion is how you separate yourself from all the others I mentioned. Show that you are a self starter--Check all the boxes yourself and show you don't need someone to tell you to get something done. Don't let up on your current job either ("my heart is not in my job") any employer and especially the AFRES/ANG will be checking your EPRs. How else does a unit/employer determine your reliability and how do they know your heart won't leave the job they give you?? Be a hard charger until the very end in all that you do. You agreed to enlist--show yourself and anyone that checks that you are a person of your word and will follow through on ANY commitment you make. To do other is suicide for future employment IMO. It sounds to me like you need to make some "fork in the road" type decisions and commit--I mean really commit! Which ever way you decide go for it with all the gusto!
Very best of luck!
Philly
ex-CATCO/AOF

I am pressing to make the statements change to I HAVE instead of WILL HAVE. Had to put a few things on back burner while i complete another AD Deployment. Since i initially posted this thread I ahve started looking into the guard and reserves a little bit more. I have my eye on a couple units in the midwest(Ohio, Illinois Indiana primarily).

As for my heart not being in my current job, I FULLY AGREE with finishing strong as much as i dont have the heart in it i dont believe in half @$$ing it either(i have the awards, decs, and EPR's to prove it). For those that offered i will be sure to PM ya in the next couple days as i get time to sit down and list the questions i have. Thanks for everyones advice. Non of it goes unnoticed.