Retire With Military or Get Out?

staplegun said:
Yes, they deploy, but not like the Army. I flew C-9's and the Navy Reserve C-9 force was staffed for and able to carry out it's mission without activating squadrons. They activated 2 during Gulf War I and it was a mistake...

Air Force it depends on AMC or TACair etc., plus you've got the Air Guard in the mix - different animal.





Talk to a reserve recruiter. In the past it was possible to do an inter-service transfer, I don't know about now...



Kevin
Click to expand...

Yeah - the make-up of the AF always confused me. I never understood how the active duty portion was organized, much less the guard/ reserve side.

If I could join a guard/ reserve unit AND live a normal life, I'd jump on it.
 
Ian J said:
If I could join a guard/ reserve unit AND live a normal life, I'd jump on it.
Click to expand...

Again, you should go see an AF & Navy reserve recruiter. You never know what's out there until you look...

There are lots of little odd jobs out there in the reserve world that might be going unfilled because guys/gals are afraid of being deployed (which is a real possibility so do your due diligence!)...

We had several former AF guys in the Navy Reserves...


Kevin
 
I have met several rotor-heads that punched from active duty (Navy and Army) and came over to the C-5 in reserve/guard units...it's done more often than you might expect. The C-5 is going to be all guard/reserve eventually, and they are getting spread all over hell's half acre. They are in TX, TN, NY, MA, OH, DE, CA and now WV.

It's killing me that I have 5 years to retire, but if I punch out now, I would lose 2+ million in retirement *cash*, so it's a no brainer. I am a lucky one though and have a pretty cush job...for now. I avoided the last AEF bucket, but really, that doesn't mean crap anymore. I only hope hiring is a brisk in 5 years as it is now. But, if it isn't, at least I'll have a few bennies to keep the mortgage paid. Oh, one more thing...this AF thing did help ruin a marriage, and I don't have any rugrats running around (that I know of) so I don't have those variables to consider. If I had 10 or less years in though, I am pretty certain I would be "up and on out."
 
I did 10 years active and have been out the past 2 years. I just got back into the Navy Reserves and so far it is great. My airline gives me zero flack for asking for days off to do my military drill (which pays more than the airline right now) and I can basically work as much or as little as I want. The longest deployment we have is 2 weeks and we have about 5 deployments per year but you only have to do one of them.

I know someone at my work who was in the AF reserves and an FO at the time and he went active duty for 4 years, came back to the airline and was an instant captain (with good seniority). Not a bad way to get through the tough years at an airline.
 
The Navy Reserve (Their New Name) is hurting for bodies of all walks... So talk to a recruiter (or if you need one, PM me).. They now automatically detail dudes when they get out (of course there are ways around this for those that want to call uncle).. It is part of the getting out process now like TAP class.. Good Luck...
 
9+ years ago, I retired with 25 in. Wondered to myself how I lasted that long without killing myself. . .or more others. :(

Since then, in retrospect, probably the best thing for me to have stayed in. I interact with probably 10 -15 other retirees in my workplace. Love the fact I don't have to work THAT hard or stress THAT much about a paycheck, for even if I lose my job, retirement will pay my house note and electricity even though I'll probably be eating spam and ramen for awhile until I find another job. Makes for a comfortable financial situation for me should I decide to do the regional thing as a right seater. Wouldn't have to worry too much about money, but I certainly would enjoy the pleasures of flying much more.
 
Hacker15e said:
Sure, you might get hurt in the military. Or, you could go to your next physical and be grounded for some condition you never knew you had. Or, you could get hit by a ramp tug as you're walking to the jet. Or a car accident on the way home from the airport. Or...

Carpe Diem, either way. That's no way to live your life -- in fear of what might happen. There's no guarantee that a civilian job is going to be any safer than a military job. Hell, at least I get to wear a parachute and have an ejection seat in my current job in case I have that dual-engine flameout on takeoff, or end up electrical out above 30,000' of IMC, or any other of a number of crappy scenarios.

But, back to the topic...that's why I made the spreadsheet, because in the PAST you were a moron if you didn't leave and head to greener partures with a Major Airline -- financially it made the most sense by far.

Since it is basically a wash between the two at this point, many of you are right on track when you say that it all depends on what your lifestyle can handle.
Click to expand...


Your missing the point bro, it all depends on how you feel about your job. Now fill the rest in!
 
I was about to get out of the AF in 2001 (my 14 yr point)--not to fly, but to get back in software engineering (my degree field). At the time, the tech field was going nuts (much like airlines are now), and I was pissed at the AF. I was all set to get out, until a wise old retired Tech Sgt reminded me that if I stayed in 6 more years, I'd get a paycheck every month for the rest of my life, no matter what, for doing nothing more than sitting around on my couch and eating Cheetos.

So.. here we are in '07. I retire, and someone gives me a bag of Cheetos for my retirement in honor of that story. :) And I make enough to make my house payment every month. SO... even if the airline thing doesn't work out, my family won't be homeless. That's a pretty nice security blanket.

SWA has been pretty stable, but NO airline is furlough-proof. No INDUSTRY is furlough-proof. So having a retirement check is a VERY good thing. (BUT--like others have said, you have to look at how it affects your family AND how you like the job.)
 
Fly4Pay said:
I was about to get out of the AF in 2001 (my 14 yr point)--not to fly, but to get back in software engineering (my degree field). At the time, the tech field was going nuts (much like airlines are now), and I was pissed at the AF. I was all set to get out, until a wise old retired Tech Sgt reminded me that if I stayed in 6 more years, I'd get a paycheck every month for the rest of my life, no matter what, for doing nothing more than sitting around on my couch and eating Cheetos.

So.. here we are in '07. I retire, and someone gives me a bag of Cheetos for my retirement in honor of that story. :) And I make enough to make my house payment every month. SO... even if the airline thing doesn't work out, my family won't be homeless. That's a pretty nice security blanket.

SWA has been pretty stable, but NO airline is furlough-proof. No INDUSTRY is furlough-proof. So having a retirement check is a VERY good thing. (BUT--like others have said, you have to look at how it affects your family AND how you like the job.)
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

Like I said before.. were I in the AF or the Navy - I probably would have stayed.

Okay, maybe not the Navy. :)

(I don't like the sea!)
 
Fly4Pay said:
I was about to get out of the AF in 2001 (my 14 yr point)--not to fly, but to get back in software engineering (my degree field). At the time, the tech field was going nuts (much like airlines are now), and I was pissed at the AF. I was all set to get out, until a wise old retired Tech Sgt reminded me that if I stayed in 6 more years, I'd get a paycheck every month for the rest of my life, no matter what, for doing nothing more than sitting around on my couch and eating Cheetos.

So.. here we are in '07. I retire, and someone gives me a bag of Cheetos for my retirement in honor of that story. :) And I make enough to make my house payment every month. SO... even if the airline thing doesn't work out, my family won't be homeless. That's a pretty nice security blanket.

SWA has been pretty stable, but NO airline is furlough-proof. No INDUSTRY is furlough-proof. So having a retirement check is a VERY good thing. (BUT--like others have said, you have to look at how it affects your family AND how you like the job.)
Click to expand...

Boy, did you ever make the right decision to stay in...in your case. I got out in 2000 and went into Unix sysadmin / Cisco networking admin. Very similar to what you wanted to do...but not programming. Even a couple of months before Sept 11, 2001, the layoffs were already starting. Then within a couple of weeks after 9/11, it was a mad house with people losing jobs and having to sell their houses on the spot. Crazy.

As I stated earlier in this post, getting out for me was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. But, on the other hand, hanging on to my job during some VERY VERY tough times was one grueling experience. It got really brutal seeing people carrying big white boxes out to their cars at around 10am every other Friday morning. Luckily, the sense of ownership of issues, and work ethic that I learned in the military is what kept me away from all of that mess.

There were Indian guys on H-1B visas that lost their jobs and had to be out of the country within just a couple of weeks. They were driving their BMW's to the airport and parking them in short-term parking....and just letting them sit there. After a few weeks, the cars would get towed away and eventually repossessed. This was the norm out in San Jose, CA. It was crazy just how fast the climate changed. Feast to famine in less than 1 year.

Now, all of the companies are trying every way in the world to offshore their programming off to India, Vietnam, Brazil. Software development jobs are completely disrespected today. Even a majority of the game programming work is offshored now. The old software engineers have turned into project managers in writing requirements for the code to be developed, and they are in charge of making sure that the work that is delivered from offshore is workable.
 
. . .and about the house thing? My house, relatively speaking, is medium to large at least by upper middle income standards for Texas. Five bedrooms with 2900 sq. ft. My retirement covers that payment. It's so easy, once I become an empty nester to downsize and really not be concerned about that house note.

Florida/Cancun/Bahamas condo - here I come! :bandit:
 
Chewie von Nubbins said:
Boy, did you ever make the right decision to stay in...in your case. I got out in 2000 and went into Unix sysadmin / Cisco networking admin. Very similar to what you wanted to do...but not programming. Even a couple of months before Sept 11, 2001, the layoffs were already starting. Then within a couple of weeks after 9/11, it was a mad house with people losing jobs and having to sell their houses on the spot. Crazy.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I originally intended to mention in my original post that the tech sector got hit as hard as the airlines, but forgot. But like I said, no industry is furlough (or layoff, or firing) proof!
 
First post...

I did 20 active & retired. The airline biz is cyclical & that has been my experience. I was at Grits Air Lines, living the life & retired at age 50 (ahead of the BK) to capture my lump sum & a small pension. Between my Grits & military pensions, my house, power, phone, cell & cable bills are paid every month before I touch my defense contractor pay. My IRA is on track to pay me $120k/yr with a COLA (including mil/Grits pension & SS)until I'm 88.
I think the datum that you all have missed is what are your LIFETIME earnings if you retire (active) military, retire (reserve) military, just get out or go the 100% civilian route. My guess is the guy that gets hired by a major at age 25 comes out ahead by a little ... UNLESS he gets fuloughed/BK'd or has to start over at a new airline. Then the 20yr active retired guy comes in next.

Meatservo
 
Ok, so let me get this straight, if you do 20 years active service in the military, you get a check for life? Based off percentage of your pay? What about the reserves? Same deal (20 years, check for life)? Let me pose this question, I'm 22, without a degree (18 credits short, enrolled to finish online) and about to start applying to the airlines (hope express picks me up). So if I go be an fo for a year, get the college under my belt and finish that up, would it a smart move to join the reserves? How does that work? Lets say I join by 23, that means at 43 I get a check for the rest of my life? Sounds like a pretty good deal, and what kind of jobs are aviable? Any chance I could fly, I guess helo's would be cool? Or any chance I could get a simple easy job (I don't mean to sounds lazy, but I'm just feeling things out), and have the knowledge I could have good medical and a check for life sounds good to me.
 
You gotta be active duty to get a 20yr retirement check. They take your BASE pay for your last 3 years, average it to an annual amount, cut it in half, and that's your retirement check.

Reserved/guard takes staying there till 65 to get retirement.

Its a good deal if you like the military, its mission, its way of life/thinking, and believe in it. If you're doing it for the money, well, that means they have what you consider good cheese at the end of the maze.
 
Reserves get retirement pay at age 60 and it is based on how many points you accumulate. The average amount of points you get in the reserves is 60/yr. After 20years at 60 per year you would have 1200. That would work out to about 8.5% of your base pay. That is not much at all. You have to do active duty to get a real retirement. I did just over 10 years active so I already have over 3700 points, or about 26%, because you get one point for every day on active duty so in my case finishing up the last ten years in the reserves does make sense.
 
subpilot said:
Reserves get retirement pay at age 60 and it is based on how many points you accumulate. The average amount of points you get in the reserves is 60/yr. After 20years at 60 per year you would have 1200. That would work out to about 8.5% of your base pay. That is not much at all. You have to do active duty to get a real retirement. I did just over 10 years active so I already have over 3700 points, or about 26%, because you get one point for every day on active duty so in my case finishing up the last ten years in the reserves does make sense.
Click to expand...

How do you convert points to percents of basic pay?
 
How long you have to be in reserve to be eligible for retirement? I'm on active duty right now, let's say I get out next year with 6-7 yrs in service, can I join reserve like a year before retirement and pick up the retirement check for my active duty + that year in reserve? :drool:
Just a hypothetical question.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top