Question about the flying reserves. I have heard some rumors lately about VR C-40, C-9, C-130, etc squadrons requiring one week per month availability from their SELRES pilots, because of course their business involves long trips instead of more confined weekend drilling. I am guessing that a lot of these guys/gals are airline pilots, who are willing for 3 total weeks per month gone from home. However, if there are any other traditionally employed folks, I am wondering what kind of profession these people have where a once monthly weeklong NALO trip is agreeable. Thanks!
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What do VR reserve pilots do during "off time"
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It's probably going to run the gammut just like other squadrons. I know one guy that teaches sims/classes for his day job and flies for VR. Another guy I know works for GE for his day job. These two are in two different VR squadrons, so I don't know if they've run into the same issue you've mentioned.
And then there are the BURPs.
And then there are the BURPs.
phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
And my experience is these are a constantly moving target. At least on the green side, it seems that higher gets tired of coughing up money for ADOS (ADSW) for the same guy over and over.
Yeah, I think it's squadron dependent, how qual'ed AND how useful the guy is, and how much cash there is. On the Navy side, the "higher ups" aren't any higher than the squadron CO. I figured the Marine side was the same, but maybe not.
Somewhat related...it's interesting to look at how different units use their pots of money. At my last squadron, if we could get ADSW, it was used, but most of our money went toward ADT and some additionals. Looking at some VR squadrons, they may go a different way. Even among the helo units, one will have a gajillion additionals expended and relatively low ADT while another unit will have a ton of ADT allocated. Obviously how they do their mission affects that...and where and how long they're doing it.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
There is a points matrix in the wing instruction for pilot boards. Being an airline pilot, local and available one week in a block per month are big points in your favor.
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Are you talking the VR wing or the TRACOM wing? I'm not arguing your point (you bring up a very good one), I was just curious if the VR wing had such a thing.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
VR has a matrix. It's in the instruction, available on the wing website.
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phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
Squadron CO submits his priorities for ADOS (which comes down to quals and how useful the guy is) and Group is the one that controls the purse strings. Every quarter they approve/disapprove all ADOS across the group... We also get AFTPs trickled out to us based on FY flight hours, quarterly flight hours, and how the pilots are doing towards their 100 hours.
I was always the CO's number 1 priority, because I had gotten all my quals from AD back and actually did work vice being a member of the flying club, but after your name hits the groups CO's desk so many times - they start asking about AR (FTS) and start scrutinizing your ADOS requests.
Interesting. That's very different than the Navy side, at least for HELOWINGRES and TRACOM (at least what I saw at the TRACOM).
Whazzat...for the uneducated among us?
phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
Basically Unemployed Reserve Pilots.
We don't use that term in the USMCR side - we just refer to ourselves as Reserve Bums, so we're "bumming" if we have no other job... It CAN be a good life if the funding works out in your favor.
Can only speak from my personal "post-Navy" experience in the defense industry, but most of those companies will bend over backwards to make your Reserve commitment work to your advantage:
1. 2 weeks a year? Easy-peezy/lemon-squeezy! We won't even make you take it as vacation.
2. 1 week a month...yeah, we can do that...but you need to work with us. S'all good, brah!
2. A full year IA? Go forth a slay dragons. We love you. In fact, we'll brag about you as a part of our workforce. (Yeah, it's a little self-serving, but it cuts both ways...your job is protected).
3. 4-year Mission to Mars? You may need to run a chit up through HR...
Other employers may not be quite so accommodating...but I think any employer who regards the government as "their primary customer" will understand and work with the Reservist to mutual advantage. Nothing says credibility like: "We understand your concerns...I just got back from a year in Afghanistan with the [fill in the blank]..."
So, to steal a line from another AW: The "hookers and blow" crowd?
I keed...I keed...
I can say I was pleasantly surprised by the Iron Works' positive reaction to my year mobilization. It was more or less as described above. "Cool. Let us know what you need, we'll keep your chair warm for you." Differential pay and minimum of paperwork.
I've heard generally that's the case with the defense giants. They're big companies and can afford Reservists going off and doing their thing. It's a different case if you're one of 50 employees at Jim's Pools and Patios.
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Yeah, there's that, I guess. But glad your experience was similar to what I observed.
Off topic, but I'm also friends with a lot of airline pilots who routinely "bid reserve" and work full-time jobs until they get "the phone call to be in [fill in the blank] tomorrow". How their employees deal with that, since it isn't a big flag-waver, I dunno. But they make it work as well.