Is this normal?

rostato said:
Well I just accepted it. Thanks for all your help. I figure it is a once in a lifetime opertunity to get in this carear field, so I need to just role with the punches and make it work.

Thanks all again. I'll be interviewing in Hampton GA soon!
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Congratulations! Wise decision. I would have loved ZSE
 
Thanks! What makes ZSE so great? I'd love to know. I have been to seattle and loved the area, so I know what that has to offer, but what else?
 
rostato said:
Thanks! What makes ZSE so great? I'd love to know. I have been to seattle and loved the area, so I know what that has to offer, but what else?
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That's my reasoning. I'd be happy as a controller anywhere, but I love the PNW
 
ahh, yes mount Ranier is beautiful to look at, and the summer is just awesome there. I am actually going on a Vacation back there in a month...
 
rostato said:
ahh, yes mount Ranier is beautiful to look at, and the summer is just awesome there. I am actually going on a Vacation back there in a month...
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Nice! You should try and talk to the facility manager and see if you can get a tour!
 
I might do that, but most of it will be backpacking out in eastern WA. I may have a day or so to drive down there. I'll be staying in Kent.
 
rostato said:
I might do that, but most of it will be backpacking out in eastern WA. I may have a day or so to drive down there. I'll be staying in Kent.
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Be sure to enjoy some of that cool summertime weather up there.. I hate southern summers.. Hot, muggy, and just downright sickening sometimes.
 
swinte00 said:
Be sure to enjoy some of that cool summertime weather up there.. I hate southern summers.. Hot, muggy, and just downright sickening sometimes.
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I here that. I have been in GA now for about 8 years, and I am still not used to the summers.
 
teetee said:
Yes the per diem is there to HELP with maintaining your other house but it mainly just subsidizes the fact that you get paid SQUAT in OKC. Your pay will be about $500 every 2 weeks.
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If I'm reading everything right, that means you get $80.40 per diem PLUS $500 every two weeks? That's approximately $3,412 a month. I don't want to trivialize anyone's financial situation, but that's a big raise for me, even if I have to pay rent on two apartments!
 
True, but if it's anything like the military per diem, the hotels will suck up all your per diem and leave you with $500 to spend.

If not then it'll be nice. I have the GI bill to supplement me...
 
Bernoulli Fan said:
If I'm reading everything right, that means you get $80.40 per diem PLUS $500 every two weeks? That's approximately $3,412 a month. I don't want to trivialize anyone's financial situation, but that's a big raise for me, even if I have to pay rent on two apartments!
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Plus locality, I got selected for ZDV so that's another 22%. Put's it close to $4100/month
 
Cite your sources please. I believe you don't draw locality pay until you report to your facility, can someone who has actually been through the process confirm/deny this?

Seriously, why would they pay you per diem and locality? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
 
rostato said:
Nice!
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After graduating college, getting married, and working as a CFI "full-time", I'm going from $1000/month if I'm lucky to $4000/month while at the Academy in OKC (including base salary, locality percentage of 23.56% for Detroit TRACON, and daily per diem).

To each his/her own, but I'm planning on making more money at the Academy in 2 1/2 months than I'm currently earning in a full year. Plus the Mrs. will be living at home in Detroit with family pulling the poor newlywed card, so there's only one household to support. I'm not complaining at all.

-Panther
 
greg1016 said:
Cite your sources please. I believe you don't draw locality pay until you report to your facility, can someone who has actually been through the process confirm/deny this?

Seriously, why would they pay you per diem and locality? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
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If you use the facility pay calculator on this website, it tells you your pay at all levels of your training. It does your base pay at the academy and adds in the locality of your future facility. It does not, however, tell you your total with per diem.
 
greg1016 said:
Cite your sources please. I believe you don't draw locality pay until you report to your facility, can someone who has actually been through the process confirm/deny this?

Seriously, why would they pay you per diem and locality? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
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There's different reasons for each component.

Per diem is given because you are essentially on a government-sponsored leave of absence to go to paid training, and they understand that most people will not sell their homes or be lucky enough to have a rental lease contract that expires just before training begins. Per diem offsets the cost of operating two households and possibly a split family situation simultaneously.

Locality is an essential part of government pay rates that the OPM (Office of Personnel Management) gives to GS-grade employees in order to offset the cost of living. Think of it as a COLA, or a Cost-Of-Living-Adjustment/Allowance. While base salary for the same job in two parts of the country might be fair on a large scale, $1000 a month could pay a monthly mortgage payment for a 3000-sq.ft. home in one city whereas $3000 a month might only afford a 500-sq.ft. loft studio apartment.

The OKC locality percentage is the "Rest of the U.S." percentage rate, and I'm not quite sure why you are allowed to get paid your destination facility percentage while in training, but it could only help you, since OKC is at the bottom of the locality rates.
 
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