B757200ER

"Threep..."

TonyC

So, you know of a specific example of a guy that did it and served well. Good on him. Don't get your feathers all ruffled and misinterpret what I've said. I said IF there is a rumor about someone who is ABUSING the system - - and if you're honest, you'll admit there's potential for abuse, and there are those who will and have taken advantage of the system - - if there's RUMOR, it does EVERYONE a disservice.

That's not to say that the vast majority of servicemen serve nobly and honorably.



I don't believe I suggested that working two jobs was a bad thing. After rereading av8r4aa's first post, I'm thinking perhaps he did. I think that's overboard. I would only have a problem with it if the serviceman was abusing the system.

You don't have to preach to me, either, about how tough it is. I've been through the drill, donning the chem gear and watching scud pieces rain on the ramp. I've lived in tents, survived on MREs, and even dealt with the incompetent AWACS. You can brag that you've done more or better, but that's beside the point. Baggin' on how captains spend their free time won't win you any style points.



See above - - I've been there, done it. I haven't an ounce of criticism for servicemen who serve honorably. IF - - IF - - they abuse the system for no other reason than to improve their airline schedule, I don't feel they're serving honorably.



Just to be clear - - I was not making a blanket generalization. I was simply explaining how one guy can do something stupid that will start a rumor that will do EVERYONE a huge disservice.



For the record: I have no heartache with airline pilots who serve in the guard or reserves.


For the record: If above pilot abuses Federal Law to improve his schedule or paycheck, he is doing his service a dishonor.





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RedeyeAV8r

The bottom line is.................Who cares what a reservist wants to do?

If he/she has orders for a Man Day or Drills........Who cares?

If he/she drops a 10 day trip (with out pay I might add) for 2 days worth of Mil service...... Who cares?

True some one else will fly that trip.........but that someone else is on
call or is on Reserve..........or in somecases it is a fat overtime trip?

If he/she is doing something illegal.........and gets caught.....oh well.

CVG767A

The nature of military service is that you are at their mercy. You sign up not knowing where you'll end up. You may pull a great deal, or you may pull a deal that is hell on earth. In the rare instance when somebody gets a good deal, I say more power to him. I respect those who serve, regardless of the duty they're assigned.

Lifizgud

Don't get all fired up - lots of us have been there, and it's a pain. But I can see where AA is coming from - not 75% of these guys/gals are scamming, but I have personally seen a couple of bad apples playing the reserve/airline system for all it is worth. Everyone who is getting their flames on over this thread would get them on too when a reserve guy shows up and tells the flight scheduler "don't fly me before 10AM or after 3PM, and if you can squeeze two in there for me so I can max out my pay utes...". There's people like that everywhere - and when it gets your dander up it probably seems like there's more of them. BTW, there was a guy in MY new-hire class that BRAGGED he was planning on pulling the stunt AA was complaining about...and people like that really do pi$$ us all off.

Pilot7576

av8r...

How are you flying a trip and handing over the money to someone else? Please explain that philosophy.

Pilot7576

RedeyeAV8r

First off AV8RAA take a chill pill.

They don't get paid by American if they drop a trip..trips are dropped without pay.........Unless AAL has a better deal than most other places.

You distinct feelings are off.........

I am Retired.......I was a reservist and got called up for Gulf war 1.
Yeap it was a great deal.......lost more than 80 grand and got to spend some time away from the new wife.........

I did my duty..........but before that , yes I dropped trips every month to stay current.

Cheers

DiamondZ

Im confused...are you upset that

A) A military member is 'ducking out' or taking advantage of the system

or

B) A member of your airline is taking advantage of the system.

hyflyt560

Like I said, the Army would love to have you. You may even get credit for Civilian Acquired Skills and go right into banging around Irag, Afganistan (which I probably can't spell), Africa, or Colombia in a King Air 200 or Shorts. And the pay?! Believe me, it's not about the money, particularly for me being a CW4. Full flight pay? No, 1/30th of it per day of duty. And, if we don't get the full-on 20 years, we get our paltry retirement stipend only when we turn 60.

Again, if someone is producing a military order and taking time off from their civilian employer, someone up the chain of command seems to think that person is needed. The reserve components are an integral part of the active component. And, the reserve components are not staffed with full-timers, nor designed to be staffed with full-timers, at the level of the active component. Imagine how expensive it would be to fund the entire DoD only with full-time support.

dtfl

Ya know...that's like guys in my wing bragging that they are missing drill weekend to fly for FedEx or Delta or SWA. We don't berate them for it - we all understand they are working and enjoy that job. When a guardsman or reservist brags about "pulling that stunt".....they don't magically go on Mil Leave....get paid...and lay on the beach. They WORK..usually 12 hour days...flying or working some Airstaff job...so he might have been bragging because he LIKED the mil job or it was 10 min from his HOME and he didn't have to commute and therefore thought it a good deal.....but he was working his &ss off during it....not lying around, getting out of ANYTHING and screwing you guys.