My understanding as well, USAF and Army will not treat you differently just because you're pushing 20. The Navy has formal procedures to try and prevent any reservist from reaching sanctuary. The only way around it is generally to already be on orders as you approach 18, and then request a waiver to extend the orders (endorsed by a fleet commander or equivalent flag). I've seen it happen but only for overseas hardship type tours.

The AD military does a pretty good job convincing people that it (the military) is the only show in town, and that no other job could ever offer what it does. Then it takes pilots and dumps them behind a desk forwarding e-mail and maintaining pointless spreadsheets of unimportant information. I can't imagine that being willing to spend 5+ years not flying is a great career move for someone who wants to fly for a living.

Don't just walk away--run.

rick,
Can you provide the reference for the Navy requiring 8 years of Reserve service to get the reserve retirement? I'm going to be just under 13yrs Active. I couldn't find anything in Title 10 that indicates 8 years reserve are needed.

If the 8 year thing is true, are you implying that it would be possible that if I failed to select to O-5, they would force me to retire at 20 yrs, but not have the full 8 years in the reserves to get the reserve retirement?

I'm pretty sure that's old gouge:
Retired Pay

Used to be you had a lookback of 6 (Army) or 8 years (I had heard the Navy) of continuous reserve component duty to be able to transfer to retired reserve. Congress got rid of that rule in 2005.

Do it, get a line number, and hop back in for 3 years. Guys in my unit are doing it. Works great.

You're right, I wasn't aware that they changed the rule but I confirmed it with my reserve admin folks. This means anyone who makes at least O4 and serves continuously in any combination of AC/RC for 20 should earn at least a reserve retirement.

That used to be the case, but the rule was changed (see above).

Among these lines, in my experience, the navy reserve has always granted HYT waivers to folks who got close to retirement but were going to be forced out. Nice policy, but I wouldn't hang my hat on the ability to get a waiver.

Julio,

I've heard of AF pilots doing what you wrote, not Marines at 17 years commissioned service (YCS). The USMC has different regulations about going to the USMC active reserves. I'm too senior at this point.

The trick in my case would be:

-Finding a billet in my area

-Finding a squadron that would take a helicopter pilot and allow him to convert to a FW platform.

-Navigating the Gold to Silver transition (USMC to AF)

-Finding an AF active reserve flying billet (not Air Reserve Technition "ART" job, ART's would have a reserve retirement and receive benefits ~ 60 years old)

-Or find an active Air National Guard job (title 32 I believe)

-Be able to retire at or around 20 YCS and receive benefits immediately upon retirement.

Basically to have your cake and eat it too.

I appreciate all of the feedback.

My other option is to:

-Live where I want in this non flying staff job

-Get my MBA paid for with TA (won't really help with flying jobs)

-See my family every night

-Fly with a local flying club occasionally

-Keep options open with Envoy RTP (if it's still around then) or Border Patrol when I retire in 2020.

AAron

Most of your options involving a transfer to ANG etc probably would require knowing the right person at the right time with the right connections etc. If you don't have those things and are ready to pull the trigger on it NOW then it probably will take you months if not years to get them. You will never know if you don't try.

If I were in your shoes:

-Stay in your staff job and retire. The check will practically double your Regional Airline salary once you get there.
-Flying club - get your Single Engine CFI/CFII

If you have ANY instructor experience - go get your CFI/CFII in whatever platform you taught. THEN - go get additional instruction at your aero club for a Single Engine CFI Add-On check ride.

Find 2-3 NFOs that want a PPL and buy a C182 together for 20-25 grand each. Provide instruction time to them at their fuel costs. Thats about 30 hours of PIC/Instructor time each plus whatever your fly on your own.

You could probably get a few hundred hours in the next 3 years while on staff and in a better position to jump to an airline.

If you join a Civil Air Patrol squadron they are good for about 40 hours of training time per year after all the red-tape is out of the way.

Never pass up "free" education. You never know when the next furlough is coming or what could happen to your medical.

I'm still AD by the way and leaving from a staff tour at 20.

Edited to add: If this is your first non-flying gig - you might actually fall in love with meetings, regular hours, relatively easy work etc. Its amazing what defense contractors will pay for retiring officers to take this kind of job. Its not hard compared to operational life..and its pretty easy on the family...and you might find flying for fun on the side is "enough". You will be taking a pay cut to get a flying job after you retire...and that pay cut will last awhile since you are coming from the rotary world. Assuming you retire at 42-44 years of age - thats a pay cut for the first 5 years minimum leaving only 15-17 years to be at a flag carrier and only 2-3 years as a topped out FO or Captain. Go run some spreadsheets and take a look at your career earnings. Not trying to dissuade you from a decision but when I first read this post I thought you were leaving as a fixed wing dude that could jump to a regional at 20 years and 1 day to get current and then be at a major within 6 months of retirement.

Thanks for all of the responses. Stability for once is a good thing. I'm going to stay in the staff job and see how it goes. It's awesome to see how other military aviators look out for each other on this forum.

I'm interested to see what my buddy does who is in a similar situation.