UTA/Drill Weekend info

[Guest CAVEMAN]

I have had close calls on my way back from drill and I just said I was not going to be doing that stuff anymore. Trust me, getting off drill on Sunday night and heading into traffic either from people coming back into town or people going to watch the games at the stadium. I really think 2 hours is pushing it. Not only that, you start work on Monday morning. Actually by law, you are suppose to get a day off but who really wants to take a day off. It just means you will spend 2 extra hours everyday at work to make it up for the one day you got off. So for those that do not get paid proportionally for the hours they work, you might be talking of 14 hour days.

But that is SERVICE; the life of a Guardsman. So who gives the AD guys the audacity to call you a WEEKEND WARRIOR ! Next time they accuse you, tell them to pound sand.

Cave

During the summer months, I have a 5.5 hour drive to drill. Let me tell you, when you get off duty at 5 PM Sunday night, and are facing a 5.5 hour drive home, it's not pleasant. Plus, you have to consider that you may get back to base even later from a TDY or annual tour. (For example, I'm gettting back to base from my AT at 9 PM, and have my 5.5 hour drive to face.) Is moving an impossibility?

The 152 flight would be a lot of fun to do, but as my airline pilot dad says, "When you gotta get there... drive."

[willis]

What can someone expect when attending a UTA weekend with a guard or reserve unit? I have been to 1 fighter unit "roll call" but I dont have a clue what to expect during a UTA for either fighters or heavies...

anyone care to shed some light on this?

[Guest flyguy]

What can someone expect when attending a UTA weekend with a guard or reserve unit? I have been to 1 fighter unit "roll call" but I dont have a clue what to expect during a UTA for either fighters or heavies...

anyone care to shed some light on this?

In my last C-130 guard squadron it was nothing special. Roll call/hot topics/other in the morning either getting crap done like CBTs, tests, other training during the day...if nothing to do...sitting around talking crap. :beer:Beer lunch from 1130-1300 then more sitting around. Leave your jacket on a chair so they think you are still around and head home or to the hotel in my case around 1400. Some poeple go out that night and push it up for the guys from out of town. Sunday morning is filled with the same crap and complaining about headaches...repeat Saturday and watch a football game during the season. There will be atl east 1 flight on Saturday maybe 2 usually 1 or none on Sunday then till next month

Edited April 3, 2009 by flyguy

[Guest palmettopilot]

I think it depends on whats going on. We had A-Phase recently and all the Pilots and Loads were in briefings all day both days. typically it is a lot more laid back. Normally there is a commanders call on saturday before lunch, CBT's, various training and briefings. Some aircrew take checkrides and stuff like that, there is a "shuttle" for our out of town people and some crews fly that. The ARTS tend to reschedule UTA's so they can have weekends off. Do you have a meeting with a cheif pilot or are you just going to visit?

[slc]

In my last C-130 guard squadron it was nothing special. Roll call/hot topics/other in the morning either getting crap done like CBTs, tests, other training during the day...if nothing to do...sitting around talking crap. :beer:Beer lunch from 1130-1300 then more sitting around. Leave your jacket on a chair so they think you are still around and head home or to the hotel in my case around 1400. Some poeple go out that night and push it up for the guys from out of town. Sunday morning is filled with the same crap and complaining about headaches...repeat Saturday and watch a football game during the season. There will be atl east 1 flight on Saturday maybe 2 usually 1 or none on Sunday then till next month

WOW that is exactly (and i mean EXACTLY) what my Herc unit endures ea. mo. I would only add lunch fr. 1100-1300 or 1330. well written.

[willis]

I think it depends on whats going on. We had A-Phase recently and all the Pilots and Loads were in briefings all day both days. typically it is a lot more laid back. Normally there is a commanders call on saturday before lunch, CBT's, various training and briefings. Some aircrew take checkrides and stuff like that, there is a "shuttle" for our out of town people and some crews fly that. The ARTS tend to reschedule UTA's so they can have weekends off. Do you have a meeting with a cheif pilot or are you just going to visit?

no meeting with chief pilots or anything. i have been applying to some units and was curious as to what the UTA weekends were all about so i could at least be a little prepared before 'just showing up.'

thanks for the info guys!

[TAMInated]

Are UTAs prorated for FNGs? For example, if a guys shows up halfway through the fiscal year, does he get all 48, or only 24?

[HookEmAll]

I got all 48 when I showed up, but aftps were prorated.

[TAMInated]

Must UTAs be used on drill weekends?

Edited March 6, 2013 by TAMInated

[jnav]

Caveat: What Unit's can do versus what they are willing to do or usually do differs, check with your Unit folks for local policies.

Normally for the reserves, your UTA's start the day you are gained if you come in off the street or from active duty. So if you come in halfway through the year you have half left. Also once a UTA is passed you can't reach back for it. So if you are going on orders that cover a UTA make sure to reschedule them prior to the UTA date sometime into the future or you'll be counted constructively present and not be able to use it later. AFTP's you still can theoretically do all 48 as long as you don't exceed 16 per quarter. So of you come in the third quarter you have 32 available for the rest of the FY. Different Unit CC's have different policies regarding UTA reschedules and I have had one that wouldn't let you reschedule a UTA if you were on orders those dates. That's rare but can happen. Most want you to have max availability so they'll punt your UTA's forward. Especially with today's lack of RPA funding they're screwing themselves by not letting you do so. But its up to you to make sure it gets done cause once that original UTA date goes by, there needs to be a 40A in the system or it goes bye bye. Also some unit's have mandatory UTA's, a couple a year that you can't reschedule and are for big max training events like water survival or block training.

[SocialD]

Oh the joys of mastering the ANG pay system. Some of our old part-timers (especially the airline pilots) are true jedi knights at maximizing pay days and are usually the best to ask.

Per Year:

48 UTA

48 AFTP (Ground/AIR)

*AFTPs are divided into Quarters.

*Max of 16 AFTPs/quarter

*Max of 6 Ground AFTPs/quarter (12/year)

- UTAs are the most flexible and can be used anytime throughout the year. Also, they can be used for flying or ground. They do not need to be used on drill weekend. As gearpig said, burn a ground AFTP if you don't fly. If I do fly, I burn a flying AFTP to save my UTAs.

- AFTPs can only be used in it's individual quarter (it's true...if you don't use it, you lose it).

- Things can get interesting if you are on and off orders. If you're on an AGR order for a particular month, you can not use your UTAs that month. I'm not sure of all of the specifics as they change based on what type of order it is. All I know, is if I know i'm going on orders for a month (usually not AGR), I will burn that months UTAs PRIOR to going on the orders.

- My usual plan of attack to maximize pay/flying days.

1.) Burn all my Flying AFTPs first.

2.) Burn ground AFTPs next.

3.) Then burn my UTAs

Things get even more fun when you start talking about Technician pay!

[TAMInated]

Thanks for the replies, fellas. Expect more questions to follow.

[jnav]

Don't forget your 24 RMPs!!! Aircrew can burn those in addition to TPs if there's money in the RMP account. oPRs and other admin stuff can be done. I've done a bunch at home telecommuting.

[SocialD]

Don't forget your 24 RMPs!!!

Do tell. Never heard of these (I'm ANG).

[jnav]

AFI 2234V1 has them in the IDT chapter. They're administrative TP's, you don't use them for individual training but OPR's awards n decs and UTA prep. Some DO and CC's keep them as a slush fund and don't really mention them to anyone. Thats what they use for pre UTA meetings a lot of the time. Don't know if it's a Guard thing, you would have to check your training reg if it's different than AFI 2254V1. They are 4 hour blocks and pay like a Ground TP. Nice thing is if there's RMP money you get them in addition to your other TP's, up to 24 per FY.