National Guard/Military Reservist Question
 

I’ve been hired and am scheduled to start indoc in July. I should also be starting my national guard job in May-June. I’m curious how Piedmont handles military leave for drill every month as well as any additional AFTP. I’m also curious how the 2 week AT period is worked.

Honestly, it's pathetic how they treat our military folks..

They drop your pay.. make you work the day before you go to your drill and than expect you to work the day after your drill.. They really are clueless and if you call fatigued you'll get a call from a chief pilot saying there is no way your fatigued and you don't know how to be a professional pilot..... true story..

Where else still pays your flying when you go off to do military drill days?

It's not the pay.. it's the qol they give out military guys.. especially since we have so many right now.

You guys need to band together, learn the rules, and start sticking up for yourselves. I have always taken the day off before and after drill at the four airlines I've worked for.

Unless both airline base and drill site are a short drive from your house, it's almost criminal not to. I have asked airlines to allow half days of leave but nobody seems to want to go there.

I'd seriously get together and find some old O6 who knows the rules inside and out to advise you. For starters, you get time on both ends to travel AND rest before returning to work. The rest has generally been eight hours, but with 117 it pretty clearly needs to be ten hours for airline pilots. In fact if YOU report with much less than 117 rest and something happens they might well assume fatigue.

Also you DO NOT have to, and SHOULD NEVER, provide copies of orders, training schedule, etc for any duty less then 30 days. Just tell them which days you'll be gone, and that's it. You DO NOT have explain/justify days off for travel/rest. That is part of the mil leave to which you are entitled (obviously don't abuse if, or it won't stand up if you need to get ESGR involved).

DO NOT give them the tools to second guess you, their ONLY recourse if they don't like it is to call your CO. Might want to explain your circumstances to the CO in advance, so he's prepared to back you up if called. If you have one of the rare COs who's more employer friendly than military friendly, get a new unit.

See if the union will help, but they typically won't at a regional, too many bitter resentful civilians.

Great advice! I really don't understand this company sometimes..

See if the union will help, but they typically won't at a regional, too many bitter resentful civilians.[/QUOTE]

Those guys pay your bills maverick

? The Navy payed the majority of my bills at the regional.

Not arguing the general usefulness of regional unions, but they utterly suck at supporting military members. Major unions are better in that regard.

If you work for a major now why slumming here?

Also. I find it slimy how reservists drop orders and wait for seniority then jump back in the mix when their airline Sched improves.

But I know. Don’t hate the player.....

I'm a moderator, just walking my beat...

Yes that is slimy, and relatively rare (everyone clearly remembers when it DOES happen, but nobody really remembers the other 99 guys/girls who just slogged through year like everyone else... even though they had the option). I've served as senior reserve unit leadership many times. I always counsel folks NOT to do that, as it helps perpetuate bad stereotypes which hurt the rest of us. But if the DoD has a requirement, that they're willing to fund, it's 100% legal.