Grumble

It's actually a really easy choice. I and a LOT of 2002-2004 guys are done, I'm actually shocked how many guys I know getting out. The wife and I started planning for this a while back though, we're debt free minus a student loan. I ran the numbers in a similar fashion to Hacker about 2 years ago using similar standarization variables and what I came up with was that getting out and staying into 20.... total earnings to age 60 were within 10% of each other (assuming 10 year upgrade at Airline XXX, and only getting paid contract minumum). Fly 85 hours a month at your airline, you can throw that earning comparison right out the window.

What Hacker didn't do on his was factor in getting out at 10-11 years, going to the airlines and getting a guard job. Thats the big winner.

Bottom line, staying in offers a good paycheck, security, and terrible QOL or even control over your life.

Getting out is a gamble, pay could (and probably will) be better than AD life. Security? Not in this business. However quality of life, and family stability yours to control now.

A guard/reserve gig and an airline job are the best of both worlds if you can land them.

Pancake

Shack.

Also, Air Force austerity will result in fewer annual flying hours and cockpits. If you're lucky, your end you career in a flying billet. If not, you're applying to the majors with potentially 3-7 years out of the cockpit.

ForeverFO

Like the other thread says, $$ is not everything, not even close.

Most guys at the "get out" time in their lives have children, typically around 4 to 10 years old. While we might not mind a PCS so much, I think it takes a huge toll on kids, and if your spouse works or actively volunteers, on her as well.

I'll never forget how darned GOOD it felt to finally sink roots at a place we liked, with great schools, and jobs my spouse could pursue. Kids get to make real friends, not temporary ones. You get to know your neighbors with the knowledge that no one is going anywhere soon.

Oddly enough, one of the biggest signs that we were settled down was when we threw out all of our moving boxes; the ones that fit the TV and expensive appliances, etc. "Oh yeah, we don't need these any more." It felt great to get rid of all the accoutrements of life that say "I'm only here for a little while."

Hilltopper89

Likewise. After retirement it felt good to put the china cabinet in one place and realize it probably won't move until I die. Hard to put a $$ figure on that. It is a far different AF to somebody at the 10 year point than it was just a few short years ago when I was there though.

Flamer

It costs 15M to train and fly a Viper pilot for ten years. Arguably, at the ten year point the pilot would be extremely experienced and effective. It also coincides with the end of the commitment.

Fighter pilots are very expensive. Keep them in the cockpit longer and you get a better ROI. You also would improve retention. The AF can no longer afford to pay pilots to not fly for half of a whatever time they spend on active duty.

Flyinhigh

Staying in or getting out is probably one of the toughest decisions any military individual will have to make. There are pros and cons on both sides. Everyone's situation is different.
Just be aware that an airline job and a reserve/guard gig may not be "the best of both worlds." Years ago, the guard and reserve were a true "weekend warrior" job. With the current ops tempo you will probably be deployed several times with active duty pay/benefits only. While your unit is home, you will be doing your airline thing as well as spending several days a month at the guard/reserve. If you are not living in the same city as your military or airline job, you will be gone most of the month doing the commute thing. Plus, the guard and reserve are getting more like the active duty every day as far as education, additional duties, etc. for promotions. Also, don't forget about furloughs from your airline job. Those things do happen from time to time.
As long as you go in to it with your eyes wide open, you can make it work. But the grass is not always greener.

Gilligan13

Good post, people think the airline life is nothing but cherries. It can be if you get some seniority and your not hot bunking in EWR during cmas. The grass can be greener but a furlough or working at a regional and supporting a family can be rough.


When you say Qol is terrible are you talking AF or all branches and aircraft?

Hacker15e

Actually somewhere in those threads I commented on that.

When I was considering doing exactly that (airlines bolstered by ANG/res) I was in a unit that had a number of Reservists flying in it. Their advice, nearly to-a-man, was that balancing an airline job at the bottom of a seniority list, a fighter ANG/res job in which you had minimum monthly currencies, and a family life that included kids was too much. That if you were trying to burn the candle at three ends, one of the three was going to suffer, and the costs of neglecting any one of those three wasn't worth it.

So, I did not include that in my calculations because I did not intend to pursue that path.

reCALcitrant

I agree with the balancing Hacker. I've been doing it since 2005. The boldface I put in your post is the key. I would not go to a fighter unit in the Reserves. The commitment is too much to stay basic CMR. The bomber and heavy units can stay current in 2-3 days per month. Even better is to go to a non flying gig where you have no worries of flying duties. The balance that has to give is the flying part. Family and the good pay job certainly aren't the ones I would choose to ignore. Cheers.

crewdawg

Computer wen't a little crazy on me!