Point is the MIL guys traditionally expect the majors... however with the failure of the legacy unions to retain scope, many MIL guys justify the B scale of the regionals with a retirement check...

Going pure civilian, the regionals are unavoidable hazing.....

I was going to add this as an edit to my last but since you replied, I'll put it here.

It's pretty obvious from your first post here and this one, that you have an axe to grind. Otherwise, you wouldn't sign your posts with this: I'm glad your a hero because I just fly jets from points A to B

This obviously is the military section and we're doing our best to advise our fellow vets who are trying to transition. The fact is that they are leaving the military with a different set of options than a civilian still building a resume to apply to the majors. We know a shot at a major airline job is a realistic goal when we leave the military and I don't think you posted here just to tell us that. The pilot you replied to stated he retired from the USAF, which means he's probably 43-45 years old and has been flying for at least the last 20 years. He doesn’t need to feel bad about having the option to bypass Expressjet.

Maybe you just need to stay off the military section of this forum if you feel it necessary to bring your agenda into an otherwise useful thread.

Finally, I find your signature statement slightly offensive and you should be embarrassed by it. If you have to end every one of your posts sounding like a whiney female dog, then at least fix the spelling. “You are” is abbreviated you’re.

Thanks for the replies and keep them going please. To answer Rickair, I can't justify moving for a job I'm not keeping. My family is established and part of the reason I'm getting out is for them to have a stable life. Different story if hired at a major but even then I think I'm looking at a double commute for two years no matter how I slice it.

So I submitted my apps last night and this morning had buyers remorse and tried to hold them back for another few weeks. I couldn't figure out how to do that. This morning got a call from EJ for an interview. So now I've got some real thinking to do.

Take the interview, at a minimum! Valuable experience for the next interview, and having options never hurts.... XJT will allow you to remain in their pool (assuming they hire you, which seems likely) for up to six months, so no tying of your hands to worry about....

I'm on the fence with this one. The experience would be great and it would look great on your resume. Most mil guys could do this for a few months until the majors started calling. The pay is a hard pill to swallow. It's truly sickening how regional guys get paid. I've really considered it but I think I'm just going to guard bum until I get a call. There are plenty of man hours at my base to make 3-4 times what a regional guy makes and I'm still flying. If I didn't have a guard job then I think I'd go to the regionals for a little while.

If you can stay current and make more money in the Guard or Reserves, working as a newhire RJ FO would show poor headwork. I would spend more time networking with the guys in your unit, going to job fairs etc.

MIL guys don't like when the favored prince status is questioned. Welcome to the real world.... you are guys are just as good, no better and no worse that the rest of us.

Another MIL guys posted that he was Uber qualified and didn't understand why he wasn't getting the call.... I tried to help.... not sure if he got it....

Fellas, I echo some of the advice given. If you can get into a guard or reserve unit, do so. Regional pay does suck and if was an operator when I was on AD (proud Strike Crew Chief for 13 years), I would've avoided coming to the regionals. However, I don't have any regrets because this was the only way to build my time and in the past 6 years, I've done a lot of flying. A lot of burn-out flying at that.

The majors aren't calling me either, but I haven't gotten any "TBNT" letters from anyone either so I'm still networking and holding on. Keep doing the same, you'll get a call soon enough. I bet United will call you soon!

Yeah, I agree in principal, but thought maybe it's a way to get a call earlier. The computer just sees another box checked. That's my real question here. Will it help? I've got lots of internal recs, I went to the job fair last week. I'm going to the spirit fair and vets in blue. I'm just trying to leverage my resources as much as possible to get a call. I really can't afford to wait more than a year or so for a call. At that point I need to pursue a non flying career (which by the way, I'm also currently networking for).

So is there anybody out there that actually did this, and what are your thoughts? PM's welcome.

Anything helps. If you feel you need to do it. Go for it.