JoePatroni

My bad, looking at the wrong person.

100percentshots

How many years in average do people stay on a Guam base? I mean by preference? Like 4-5 years and return to the mainland for upgrade? Or a few years for the experience then return mainland when your kids start elementary school? Or until you get tired of the small island life? When you run out of things to do or tired of the expensive groceries? Just curious. Or are there also people who plan on spending 20-30 years there forever?

JoePatroni

A friend of mine went there 25 years ago and is still there. I did a year and had a blast....if you are thinking about it...do it.

hummingbear

It’s an 18 month commitment for a paid move each way. Most who take the paid move out stay the full 3 years to get the round trip move. Guys tend to leave as widebody &/or upgrade opportunities come up. Often they get addicted to the lifestyle & it’s the wife who ends up making the call. 3-5 years is pretty typical, though some stay much longer.

Not sure if the comments about elementary school & groceries are just hyperbole. Plenty of good school options including homeschool, but some can get expensive especially in the HS years. Some families do come back for a more traditional HS experience, but my sense is that anyone for whom a top-rate 2nd grade education is a must is probably not the type who will enjoy the island lifestyle anyway. Some grocery items are pricey, but your overall grocery bill is not likely to be much different from an average American city & certainly not any of our other hubs.

ZeroTT

This needs a good island boys meme

RockyM3

We are in need of a good estate / property lawyer in Guam regarding an upcoming property sale. Hoping someone here knows a good lawyer in the area to assist us with the paperwork after the sale. Any recommendations would be appreciated, we live in the mainland but have family there.

Thank you in advance!

SkyWagonGrant

I just applied at United.

I am 48, live in Santa Barbara, and if hired, plan to bid the 737 and GUM if it becomes available. We would rent our house out and move the family there for 1-3 years, maybe more if my wife and young boys like it. So far everyone is keen. I've spent a few months on a sailboat in Pohnpei and Kosrae, and our family loves the ocean so we would welcome the adventure.

In the likely event that GUM is not available, I'd bid 737 LAX and be local.

Anyone know if the last class had any GUM awards to a new hire? Someone earlier in the thread said that base and AC choice goes from old (senior) to young. Would my chances of getting the aircraft and base of my choice (GUM or LAX) be good because of my age?

Cheers,
Grant

hummingbear

GUM is a very small base. (Around 60 total FOs.) Recently it has been offered in some NH classes, but there’s just not enough movement for that to always be the case. Unless you had a very near hire date, trying to predict whether that would be true for you wouldn’t be remotely possible. If & when you get hired & GUM isn’t available to you, the best strategy is to bid into the fleet (737 anywhere) so seat locks won’t restrict you from a transfer bid once a vacancy reaches your seniority.

Vernon Demerest

The above is excellent advice. I’ll also add that GUM is kinda special and historically, if one had a strong desire to be based there as a new hire; they would consider placement if the next class was going to have a GUM spot anyway as UAL never wants to force someone out there against his/her will. Long story short, as a class date materializes, I’d start paying close attention and day 1 of indoc, let it be known you are very interested (if you still are at that point) in going to GUM as a new hire and let them look at the upcoming class offerings/manpower needs for GUM and get back to you. If that doesn’t work out, you can participate in vacancy bids as soon as you are on property (in indoc) and if awarded 737, a lateral into GUM can be made immediately. I see no problem getting LAX or SFO as new hire 737 base so a 1 leg, online commute to either with a drive option to LAX wouldn’t be a bad second option.

SkyWagonGrant

Thank you both for the responses, that is good advice. I will definitely heed your advice if hired. I plan on having my application professionally looked at as i have heard it really increases your visibility and chances for an invitation to test & interview.

Cheers,
Grant