faipsrule

Dudes

I may have a shot at an AGR position flying RPA's. Down side is I leave flying and probably being picked up by another airline. My current airline has furloughed me and may or may not still be around in 7 years. I have 7 years untill I can retire with and AD retirement.

My question is, how hard will it be to get those last 7 years? I know in the reserves (my current job) they fight you pretty hard as you get closer to the magic 20 years. Anyone with experience or does it vary widely with state and unit? Who is the best one at the guard wing to ask about it without making it sound like all I care about is getting the money and retiring?

Any response is greatly appreciated.

hindsight2020

RPA is a hot commodity these days. Probably a good place to finish out. Yes, you're saying bye bye to military manned flying by doing that. If you've had your fill of mil flying, go for it if the location is not a problem.

Do the math on your time in grade and other particulars, make sure you're not going to time out rank wise before reaching 20 years of AD service. That could still lead you to being separated from the AGR program before reaching 20 years of AD. This is most often the case with O-4 passed over types.

You need to figure out what you want to do in the next 10 years. If getting that AD check and doing something else vocationally is palatable to you, the RPA route offers a good income even post-retirement. If you're gonna hate life because you're not in the air, then I would continue to fly manned in the Guard/Reserve and stay uncommitted in order to be able to apply and get a class date in the next 3 years as the hiring ramps up. You don't want to commit to a 4 year tour just to have the airline hiring ramp up and miss your window. If I were a betting man, CY15-18 will be the bulk of hiring at the airlines.

Good luck.

FlyinIrish

I'm an AGR in the reserves and I have a lot of familiarity with the ARB process. After roughly 3 years as an AGR you'll meet an ARB (AGR review board). At that point you can request career status. Right now it would take a very unique situation for you not to get career status. Career status guarantees your AGR out to 20 years of active duty. In many cases folks are getting approved for extensions beyond 20 years. Being in an RPA is good since guys in the kill chain must be on a specific status that you can't necessarily get from a TR. That gives you AGR security. I'd say your chances for AGR career status in an RPA unit are very good unless something changes dramatically in the near term.

faipsrule

Part of the challenge is my promotion status. I got passed over for O-5 (one look so far) so the unit can't vacancy promote me. There isn't anything in my record that says don't promote (DUI, no PME, UIF etc.) but if I don't get promoted in the guard, I am in a really bad place to get an airline job. If however the guard promotion is less competitive than the reserve then maybe it's worth a shot.

FlyinIrish

If you get career status as an AGR O-4, you're good to at least 20. Maybe not past 20, but at least to 20.