Month on, month off: is it possible?

[Eric]

Asking in regards to heavies. After going on drill status, what’s the longest amount of time you can regularly be away from the squadron? Is a month on/month off schedule (or 2 weeks on/off like ACME) possible? Not trying to game the system for BAH or anything, but if this sort of schedule was possible it would allow much greater freedom of living location. Thanks!

[Chida]

Talk it over with management and come to the meeting with a detailed plan. One of my past squadrons allowed a block of time once per quarter. Another past squadron I'd show up every 3-4 months and did duty for 2-3 months (I was a contractor overseas at the time). These block deals include your yearly minimums: 15 days active duty, and 48 UTAs (or an equivalent chunk of active duty), although I tended to significantly exceed that just to maintain semi-annual/annual currencies. Maintaining all currencies except for monthly t/o & land was expected, so you'll  have to massage your schedule to maintain night quarterly requirements. Once in a while you might lose your night quarterly currencies, but don't make it a habit.

[SocialD]

Highly dependent upon leadership within your unit.  Does your squadron leadership have a hard-on that all drills are mandatory?  Are your currencies monthly or quarterly?  As Chida said, when you chat with the Bob's, be sure to have a solid plan to how you'll meet all your currencies. 

 

There is really no legal/enforceable requirement to live within X miles of a squadron, so the world is your oyster.  That said, it sure does make life ridiculously easier wrt Guard duties/time at home.  If you have a dream location that will keep the family happy, then consider looking at squadrons closer to that location.  If they hire you, most leaders don't have a problem letting guys go.  Switching units is not all that uncommon and often works better for everyone.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that, just because the current boss allows it, doesn't mean the next boss will.  I once volunteered to deploy with another unit and was told my full time job would be there when I got back.  When I got back, we had a new OG (from outside the unit) and I suddenly didn't have that job anymore.  This was the day my views on the military drastically changed, and why I'm now and airline guy/DSG.  Noone cares about you, more than you...remember that as you make life decisions throughout your career.

 

Goodluck!

[Scooter14]

I once volunteered to deploy with another unit and was told my full time job would be there when I got back.  When I got back, we had a new OG (from outside the unit) and I suddenly didn't have that job anymore. 

I don’t want to derail the thread but...Wow. That’s messed up.

[SocialD]

15 hours ago, Scooter14 said:

I don’t want to derail the thread but...Wow. That’s messed up.

 

It wasn't an AGR spot, but it was promised orders (from a previous boss) for 3 years. Dude literally broke the news to me while I was in-processing from said deployment.  Pulls me aside and says, "we're changing things up a bit, but you can apply for the tech (GS-12 Step 1) that we'll be opening up soon...Oh, and thanks for volunteering for that deployment."  This was a watershed moment in my career, where I went from "maybe airlines after mil," to 100% airlines.  So much so that I said fuck you and went regional to get hours.  In hindsight, I probably owe that guy a beer because I firmly believe I was hired so early in the wave because of my regional time, on top of my mil time.  In the end, it all worked out as I love my airline gig more than I enjoyed being full time.  But I definitely keep that in the back of my mind any time I make decisions wrt the military, and why I'll never be full time again.  

[Eric]

Thanks for the write up 

On 2/6/2021 at 7:46 AM, Chida said:

Another past squadron I'd show up every 3-4 months and did duty for 2-3 months (I was a contractor overseas at the time).

This is kinda the situation I’m in - I’ll be doing oconus deployments soon (maybe 60/60 day cycles) with my contractor job, if I decide to not go back to the military.  Sounds like it’s theoretically possible to do both as a reserve pilot, did you have any time off though? Were you flying isr downrange? 

[Chida]

Yes, ISR. I typically did this:

3 months in Afg

~1 month vacation

3 months ADOS with squadron (Mon-Fri [and Sat, Sun once per month])

Repeat.

If your sq can't get you ADOS like that, then you can use IDT/AT and you would probably not be at the squadron as much. IOW you'd have fewer months at a time in the sq.