Can I get hired by FedEx?
11-09-2011, 06:29 AM
#51
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: MD-11 Captain
Posts: 4,304
I suspect EVERYTHING we do has legal implications from parking in the crew parking lot, crew bus, training, benefits ...
Different subject ... I stopped by to speak to an ACP yesterday. One of the Flight Ops Specialists said that ALL THE ACP's had quit and gone back to the line!*? Anyone else heard this???
11-10-2011, 09:07 AM
#53
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: MD11/FO
Posts: 31
Did you fly for the military, or are you just "ex-military"? There's an incredible difference in terms of both lifestyle and point of view.
In what I've seen over the last decade, thanks to OEF and OIF (and all the other 'contingencies' that make headlines for a day and then are forgotten), military flyers (USAF ones, at least, and I assume my USN and USA brethren are in the same boat) are up to their eyeballs in simply doing their job, and barely have enough time to even have a family life outside of work.
I can honestly say that in my last operational fighter unit assignment, I spent the majority of my time (greater than 50%, not to make it sound too dramatic) physically deployed or TDY away from home station. Of the time I spent at home, the majority of days I went in to work before my kid woke up and got home after he was in bed. Even right now, as I type this, I'm sitting at a deployed location, in my 7th month of a 6-month deployment (yes, friends, 'Operation Deny Thanksgiving' and 'Operation Deny Christmas' are still in full swing!) out of a 'non-deployable' training job. I have only been home for about 45 days of this entire year, thanks to the TDY training pipeline which led up to this 6-month deployment.
It is a brutal, brutal lifestyle...and one in which it's folly to expect that any normal person would have the time to perform (m)any of the things you're talking about. I consider it a victory just to be able to be a successful husband and father in addition to those official duties and the time/effort they require.
One of the biggest jokes amongst the USAF flying community is a YouTube video which mocks the way Performance Reports are written. In it, a pilot who has been deployed endlessly performing the assigned combat mission of his aircraft is being lectured by his Commander that he doesn't have enough "additional" work to warrant getting a good OPR. One of the lines in it which hits home goes something like, "how can flying combat missions possibly be less important than planning a f-ing Christmas party??"
Unfortunately, comments like yours above (and in post 14) hit on that same nerve. Not that it's you, personally (I imagine you're just relating what you think looks good to FedEx in their hiring process), but the sentiment sounds like the typical shoe-clerk tripe that says, somehow volunteering to serve, working my butt off on duty, and all of the personal and family sacrifices I make in the line of performing that duty just aren't enough.
I'm all for community service. Before I was a pilot in the military, and wore BDUs for a living, I actually had time that I could devote to community service. I was proud to do it, and happy that I was able to additionally contribute to the local community.
Unfortunately, there are some folks -- military pilots especially -- who are expending an enormous amount of effort just to hold the basics of duty and family together and don't have such spare time to devote to community service.
It would be disappointing if a company like FedEx used community service as an indicator of merit in the hiring process, yet failed to recognize that military flyers are all ready for the most part doing everything they can.
In what I've seen over the last decade, thanks to OEF and OIF (and all the other 'contingencies' that make headlines for a day and then are forgotten), military flyers (USAF ones, at least, and I assume my USN and USA brethren are in the same boat) are up to their eyeballs in simply doing their job, and barely have enough time to even have a family life outside of work.
I can honestly say that in my last operational fighter unit assignment, I spent the majority of my time (greater than 50%, not to make it sound too dramatic) physically deployed or TDY away from home station. Of the time I spent at home, the majority of days I went in to work before my kid woke up and got home after he was in bed. Even right now, as I type this, I'm sitting at a deployed location, in my 7th month of a 6-month deployment (yes, friends, 'Operation Deny Thanksgiving' and 'Operation Deny Christmas' are still in full swing!) out of a 'non-deployable' training job. I have only been home for about 45 days of this entire year, thanks to the TDY training pipeline which led up to this 6-month deployment.
It is a brutal, brutal lifestyle...and one in which it's folly to expect that any normal person would have the time to perform (m)any of the things you're talking about. I consider it a victory just to be able to be a successful husband and father in addition to those official duties and the time/effort they require.
One of the biggest jokes amongst the USAF flying community is a YouTube video which mocks the way Performance Reports are written. In it, a pilot who has been deployed endlessly performing the assigned combat mission of his aircraft is being lectured by his Commander that he doesn't have enough "additional" work to warrant getting a good OPR. One of the lines in it which hits home goes something like, "how can flying combat missions possibly be less important than planning a f-ing Christmas party??"
Unfortunately, comments like yours above (and in post 14) hit on that same nerve. Not that it's you, personally (I imagine you're just relating what you think looks good to FedEx in their hiring process), but the sentiment sounds like the typical shoe-clerk tripe that says, somehow volunteering to serve, working my butt off on duty, and all of the personal and family sacrifices I make in the line of performing that duty just aren't enough.
I'm all for community service. Before I was a pilot in the military, and wore BDUs for a living, I actually had time that I could devote to community service. I was proud to do it, and happy that I was able to additionally contribute to the local community.
Unfortunately, there are some folks -- military pilots especially -- who are expending an enormous amount of effort just to hold the basics of duty and family together and don't have such spare time to devote to community service.
It would be disappointing if a company like FedEx used community service as an indicator of merit in the hiring process, yet failed to recognize that military flyers are all ready for the most part doing everything they can.
WOW...I did read the posts after yours BUT you just insulted every military service member that DID NOT FLY in the military....
I did deployments and working in a dangerous environment everyday.
Through my employer,Im able to continue to support our military today with fundraisers and events the benefit the USO and military.
Having said that , do you believe that every military flyer deserves an automatic job at FDX??? NO....thats why we all interview ,so that FDX finds the best candidates..this means experience and ATTITUDE.....
I interviewed with 4 regional and 2 navy flyers.....all regional hired..why?? Who knows..I dont know how well or not the navy guys interviewed...
But think about this?? How many of us being interviewed have thousands of hours,type ratings ,degree......What differentiates you from the others?? When you have that answer...then you know what FDX is looking for.......
11-10-2011, 11:53 AM
#56
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2011
Position: Hoping for any position
Posts: 2,520
Here is my current schedule from April 2011 to March 2012
April - 15 days TDY (Only 7 of those were for my flying job)
May - November ~185 Deployed (0 flying)
December - Home (hopefully)
Jan - 30 days TDY (Only 5 for my flying job)
Mar - ~5 days TDY (0 for my flying job)
Its only November so I'm sure March soon fill up. From April to March I will hopefully get to be home 45 days. Not deployed for flyers does not equal home. That is a very important distinction. I'm currently working with some Logistics Officers (LROs). They do more 6 month deployments, but when their home their home. My last flying assignment 2 weeks after our deployment we had 7 crews back out on the road for 15 day trips in the C-17. Then fit at least 2 4-6 week Altus trips and other various TDYs and you can see that not deployed does not equal home. Then, its time to deploy again. Its fun trying to put in for leave 6 months before kids birthdays just to make sure your home. I don't think Hacker meant anything disrespectful, but to just point out there is a difference in lifestyle that does not afford certain things. Just my $.02.
11-10-2011, 01:13 PM
#57
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Position: 767 FO
Posts: 8,047
You must pay attention to your own debate. It is on current hiring practices at FDX. Hacker takes exception to it as it apparently requires community service (in a category other than serving your country, out of country, 200 days a year) in order to get hired. You apparently thinks this new policy is ok.
My question was not on whether I think military pilots are excluded or not; I have no data on fdx hires since new system installed. Apparently you do, 4 selfless regionals hired, 2 selfish Navy pilots not.
You do a fine job at failing to answer questions while asking several others.
11-10-2011, 01:31 PM
#58
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: leaning to the left
Posts: 4,184
Hacker has 818 posts. Takes maybe 1 minute each. That's 13.5 hrs of time wasted here that could have been spent in the soup kitchen peeling potatoes. Now, that doesn't include all the time spent lurking, either.
I think the whole idea of requiring volunteer work for new hires is a tremendous idea. Maybe we can hire some folks that don't mind volunteering their time on behalf of themselves and their brothers, in an ALPA position.
I think the whole idea of requiring volunteer work for new hires is a tremendous idea. Maybe we can hire some folks that don't mind volunteering their time on behalf of themselves and their brothers, in an ALPA position.
11-10-2011, 03:58 PM
#60
Banned
Joined APC: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,134
But since we're people want to turn this into a mil vs. civ who "deserves the job more" type of whine fest. You know, the kind that ALWAYS pops when a hiring cycle starts, it's competitive and dorky pilots have to stick their chests out, thump them loudly, and say "I did this this and this therefore I'm more holy than thou art and deserve this job more" type crap. Doesn't matter the background.
In reference to your above post, not many regional pilots commuting with min days off, corp/135 jobs, ACMI jobs, etc allow for much time to go volunteer or do community service either.
I'm pretty sure I know as many service members that had non-flying or enlisted backgrounds as those that did. Sorry, I don't care, they BOTH "deserve" the SAME consideration to me for their service/sacrifice to their country. Whenever I fly with a mil guy that flew and he starts to go off on enlisted personel in the military I just roll my eyes at the sense of entitlement and superiority he's probably has his WHOLE life.
And NOPE, not ALL are like this. Civilian only types do it to. But every background demographic has their "10 percent".
If that truth is too ugly for some to handle, sorry. It's STILL the truth.
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