I changed locations after accepting a TOL

ncessna72

Well-Known Member
This post is meant to help out others who accepted a TOL they didn't want.
I attended the July 11th PEPC in NY and received a TOL for El Paso (ELP). Feeling I was backed into a corner because of my age, I accepted. My heart sank. I was on such a high until that point. I returned home to TX and immediately started to call my HR POC. Her voicemail said she would be out of the office for the next month. Once again my heart sank. I wanted this changed immediately. My tentative start date was to close for comfort. I felt if I waited until OKC it would be to late. From what I have been told by HR any and all request has to be put in writing. So, I emailed her a very sad letter , that may or may not be true, I stated the reason why I wanted it changed to San Antonio (SAT).
Then something amazing happened. I received a call from my boss in the earlymorning hours of a Saturday asking if I could come to work because someone didn't show up. I was just about to say no because I had planned to be with my family at Sea World. However, yes came out my mouth. Thirty minutes later I was at work. Right at the end of my shift a customer enters my checkout line (something I never do because I am not a cashier) so I checked him out without much talk. Right before he was about to walk out the door he asked. How is the ATC thing going? Then I realized I have helped this customer on numerous occasions loading very heavy objects into his car. He was always very inquisitive. Previously he came to the store and asked what I did before this job. I told him I just got out of the military and just graduated from Embry-Riddle with a BS. Naturally his next question was. What did you do in the military? I told him I was an Air Traffic Controller and that I was waiting to hear from the FAA because I applied several months back. So, every time he would come to my work he would say "there is my Air Traffic Controller, could you give me a hand with something"? The day he came through my line was my 2nd to last day working days because I was switching to the graveyard shift. If it wasn't for me going in that day I would have never have had the opportunity to see this individual again.
Back to the previous thought. He asked how is the ATC thing going? I said, "oh (realizing now who he was) I received a tentative offer for ELP however, I have no intentions of ever going. He then asked where do you want to go? I told him San Antonio. He said well come and see me up at the tower". I do all the staffing for the San Antonio and El Paso plus, 24 other FAA facilities and I will see if I can get you changed to San Antonio. So I called him and restated my situation. He called back a few days later and offered me Austin TRACON (AUS). He said I have no slots for SAT but I can offer you Austin, which is only an hour drive away. I took it. He then said I should be hearing back from my HR POC when she returns to her office. A week later I received an email from my HR POC offering me AUS.
I think Austin will work out for the better anyways. El Paso is a level 8 facility, Austin is a 9 and San Antonio is a 10. A level 9 facility is a good starting point giving my limited ATC experience in the military. I have a feeling I could have received a approval to change facilities without the help of this individual I met at my work. Like I said, I wrote a pretty convincing (sad) letter, that may or may not be true.
I just wanted to share my experience with others. The old adage "it's who you know not what you know"might be true. However, I have heard of other individuals at the PEPC changing their facilites before attending the PEPC. Relocating my family or just me to El Paso would destine us for failure. El Paso might as well be in another state. I realize the FAA has recently changed the hiring process and now allow applicants to apply to specific states rather than the old process of applying to regions, which I am thankful for. However, even the current cookie cutter process adopted by the FAA for hiring new controllers does not work for all individuals or states.

This is my two cents DO NOT SETTLE FOR SOMETHING LESS THAN WHAT YOU WANT.
Thanks,
Daniel

 
Great, thanks, since you turned down ELP that means one of us who is hoping to get a facility in Texas is probably going to get ELP...
 
I agree with you ESW2005 El Paso is a dump. The place is a desert and the Mexican food sucks. Go figure? Can you imagine the chances of running into the one invidual in TX that controls the staffing for all the FAA facilites? Get this...he doesn't live in San Antonio. He lives in Corpus and for some reason is shopping at a home improment store where I work in another city. Weird....
 
I agree with you ESW2005 El Paso is a dump. The place is a desert and the Mexican food sucks. Go figure? Can you imagine the chances of running into the one invidual in TX that controls the staffing for all the FAA facilites? Get this...he doesn't live in San Antonio. He lives in Corpus and for some reason is shopping at a home improment store where I work in another city. Weird....



You might want to buy a lottery ticket,since you seem to beat the odds lately.
 
So, I emailed her a very sad letter , that may or may not be true, I stated the reason why I wanted it changed to San Antonio (SAT).
I understand where you're coming from, but lying is never the route to take. I hope you at least feel guilty.

Great, thanks, since you turned down ELP that means one of us who is hoping to get a facility in Texas is probably going to get ELP...
LOL


I actually also had my location switched after accepting my TOL. I attended the MEM PEPC and received a TOL for Wichita, KS. I was expecting this ever since I got the initial PEPC invite back in June because ICT is the only terminal facility in KS (the state my email referenced). By the time I attended the PEPC, I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that we'd have to move again so soon (we just moved here last year and purchased our first house after living overseas for 2 years c/o the USAF). I even went ahead and listed our house with a realtor and made a trip to Wichita to look at apartments. Fast forward one month to Memphis. I asked about switching to my local tower but of course there was nothing they could do there. I got back home and spoke with Brenda Rogers and she said to email her my request with my reasons and she'd forward it to the ATO for a decision. I in no way, shape or form expected my request to be approved but went ahead and emailed her anyway (with HONEST reasons), if for any other reason than to be able to say I tried everything I could. It so happened that the day I emailed her she was going to be out of the office for about a week.

My wife and I are both very devout Catholics and I went home after work and immediately started to pray. In Catholicism we have certain prayers called Novenas which you pray for nine days straight for a particular intention, generally to a specific saint. In my case, I started to pray a novena to St. Joseph, who happens to be the patron saint of workers and families (both of which I felt were relevant to our situation). In addition to St. Joseph's intercession, I also prayed for the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, because we believe that as she is the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven, God can never refuse something she requests from Him (it's just a privelege that He has given to her). On the morning of the NINTH day after I sent the email, literally just a few hours after I prayed the last prayer for the novena, I got an email from Brenda Rogers saying my request had been approved. I attribute this to nothing short of God's grace and the intercession of the saints on behalf of an undeserving, but extremely grateful, soul here on Earth. In appreciation for St. Joseph's intercession and that of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, and with the hope that devotion to them may increase through the promulgation of this account of their assistance, I reprint here the Novena to St. Joseph which was so powerful in obtaining for me that for which I prayed.

Deo Gratias!

Prayer to St. Joseph



Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most Loving of Fathers. Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departed souls, pray for me.
  • This prayer was found in the 50th year of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In 1505 it was sent from the Pope to Emperor Charles, when he was going into battle. Whoever shall read this prayer or hear it, or keep it about themselves, shall never die a sudden death or be drowned, nor shall poison take effect on them; neither shall they fall into the hands of the enemy, or shall be burned in any fire or shall be overpowered in battle. Say for 9 mornings for anything you may desire. It has never been known to fail.
    Imprimatur
    Sept. 25, 1950
    Hugh C. Boyle
    Bishop of Pittsburgh
 
Sooner I actually liked your story/experience more than the OP nonetheless I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you
 
...
So, I emailed her a very sad letter , that may or may not be true, I stated the reason why I wanted it changed to San Antonio (SAT)....​
See, some of you guys still question the value of a college education. Creative writing can come in handy sometimes. :)
 
Congrats on getting your location of choice. I wanted to get to the boston area but ended up in Illinois. Im praying for some type of miracle!! lol
 
See, some of you guys still question the value of a college education. Creative writing can come in handy sometimes. :)

A college education taught him to fabricate an unfortunate life circumstance to try and get what he wants? I'd ask for a refund. George maybe you meant to hit the :sarcasm: button... it's so hard without hearing the tone of someones voice to get when someone is using sarcasm..lol
 
HOW THE CRAP DO YOU DO IT

This is like the tenth friggin person to get their location changed on here.

I'm annoyed... this is all I'm getting:


"Mr. xxxxxxxx, I have sent several requests to the Air Traffic Organization
over the past several months on applicants who want to switch locations or
facilities. My response is the same as when I previously spoke to you.
The response has always been no. If the applicant does not want the
facility they are selected for then they need to decline and go through the
process again.

Xxxx' Xxxxxxx
Federal Aviation Careers Division
Aviation Careers Division
AMH-300




:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:
 
say a prayer for me when I get up there bryce! Thanks

lol...wilco.

HOW THE CRAP DO YOU DO IT

This is like the tenth friggin person to get their location changed on here.

Well, I pretty much explained in detail how my situation occurred and why I believe it turned out the way it did. I can't speak for how the rest of the people here got theirs changed, but I honestly believe prayer was behind mine.
 
Hello everyone

I have a quick question. What are the chances of getting a spot LAS tower? Dose the FAA have a site with a list of open positions?
 
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