i say retirement, unless you like 365s and/or 179s. if so, then take the bonus. when i called the porch to find out what list i was on when i got a "be warned major, you're gonna get a 365 soon" notification, they made a point to bring up my bonus adsc.

You guys are right again, writing is on the wall if you take the bonus...365 glorious days in kabul or some other craphole. I'll be retiring in 2015 and take my chances with the airlines.

Retirement, no contest.

No, I said "better" not "really good". It's stagnant right now.

It would take significant cutbacks to curtail all retirement-driven hiring over the next few years, but it could happen.

There's risk involved in this decision either way, I'm just suggesting how to view that risk.

If you don't take the bonus, retire in 2015 and the airlines are not hiring?

." When you get hired. Curtail the orders and go to training. After you're done with IOE, take mil leave for 2-3 years. "

Please consider not doing this. A company hires you, invests a lot of money in getting you trained and line ready, and then you leave? Even the most avid company-hater would say that's uncool; plus I would make damn sure I didn't step on it while on probation on return. Additionally, you are possibly screwing over the junior guys in your squadron when they apply to that airline. "Oh, you're from the 123rd? We know how those guys roll....next"

Tough Call on this. Personally I would finish probation first...you might not get much leeway on probation after you do this, so you might be incurring some additional career risk.

Also it's no fun re-qualifying on an airplane you have hardly flown after 1-2 years of non-flying duty (trust me on this one).

If you get invol recalled, oh well nothing you can do about that and it's all legal. But I don't think I'd go there intentionally.

I would normally agree with you. However, the past 10 years of airline history have shown the airlines don't give a rat's butt about you or I. CAL furloughed pilots when many of us offered to take mil leave to keep others in a job. They said it wouldn't count against the numbers. Most airlines will do what's good for their bottom line. I have a responsibility to do the same for mine. I do an excellent job at the airline when I'm there and have never had an issue. After all, it's a business. For them and me.

I understand where you are coming from. But getting buddies jobs at my airline are not my primary concern when it comes to managing my own career and finances. Getting an industry leading contract, feeding my family, and getting paid what I'm worth are. I'm on a 4 year mil leave. If CAL paid more, I wouldn't be here. Simple as that. I'm assuming you don't work for UAL. Am I correct? If you did, your opinion might be different.