The Air Force is asking retired pilots to come back for a year ....

Hey! I'm ex-U.S.Army Air Forces and an ex-pilot. Sign me up!

 

Army veteran but absolutely no pilot training... but I would be willing to go if they asked - but at close to 50 and without prior training I am not betting on it.

Robb

 

Heck no! Those 1000 pilots will get non-flying pilot jobs. The AF does similar "pilot" programs all the time in order to give plans, programs, embassies, etc, a guy with wings on his chest to wear kneepads for a year or two. No thanks!

 

I have heard that the same thing is happening at Boeing with 15,000 jobs open. Looks like us old guys still have valuable assets . I have heard now that the younger set lacks the proper work ethic and that new hires aren't hacking it. AND not just in the aircraft industry.

 

These are all for staff positions, no flying involved, like H said. Rules say you remain in your current rank with no chance for promotion, but do get credit for longevity towards your retirement pay (2.5% of base pay per year). They had the same thing for fighter navigators a few years back. Good chance you would go to the pentagon, which is really short of fighter staff officers, or to a CAOC, perhaps in a remote location.

 

Believe me, if I could get out from behind my Pentagon desk and back into the cockpit, I’d jump at the chance. Even if it meant wearing one of those dainty blue suits and cute little ascots....

 

Killer- That is why they are looking for victims to come back in, so they can get experienced active duty guys back into the cockpit. Good luck.

 

Taz,

Not that many junior guys here to send to the fleet, were mostly senior O-5s and O-6s.
Im guessing CAOC or flight school (ground or sims).
Or COCOMs?

Killer

 

Seems like a big problem.
Wondering why this is happening... what else could they do?

People not enlisting? Leaving for the airlines at earliest opportunity?

 

They should allow ex-military airline pilots to pool together and moonlight (24/7 coverage) on the side for the military, but I doubt they'd be ok with that. They probably want the pilots to be 100% only working for the military.

 

Killer- Yup, the pentagon is kind of top loaded. There are definitely shortages at the COCOMs, too, on the staffs. Having worked in a couple of ATOCs, that is not a fun way to make a living.

This will be a full-time job and they will get their pound of flesh, so likely no airline pilots.

 

Sorry, Bob, they're not flying P-40s anymore...

 

Don't know how officers end their commitment? Do officers have a 2 year inactive reserve duty like I did as enlisted? If that's the case the Air Force could call them back within their inactive reserve duty window timeframe, and still be good...they have no choice on going back or not...

 

Retired officers are subject to a recall to active duty until they reach 30 years from start of service. When the AF does that, however, there are no limitations on promotions, etc, which the AF wants to avoid.

 

Thanks for the clarification so after you have done your 20 and retire you can be called back for 10 years after that's a long time!

 

Unless they retire, most pilots now have some form of reserve obligation when they leave the service.

However, recalling reservists or retired personnel to active duty has legal implications and are subject to restrictions. It is a byzantine set of rules.
And unless we return to some form of draft, or Congress changes Title 10, the officer has to agree to this type of recall.

 

Taz, Since 9/11 and the financial meltdown, reserve guys who are airline pilots were like waves of locusts coming back on active duty. We had reserve guys in my last squadron who were furloughed, and they all fought for the few recall slots we had. A few even did back-to-back three-year recalls. If I was a reserve / commuter guy, or close to sanctuary, I'd jump at that chance. But again, like you said, they probably won't be flying jobs.

 

Killer- Any old port in a storm if you are unemployed. Lots of my friends who got out (not retired) flew for the airlines and the guard/reserve simultaneously. Most flew F-16s on the weekends and airliners during the week, all fighter pilots. Not a bad gig. Especially since many retired as O-6s and only had to wait to age 60 to start receiving fairly substantial retired pay.

 

Wow...airlines on weekdays and F16 on weekends. That sounds like the ultimate dream job. Maybe the only thing that tops that is the same thing, but with additional astronaut work once a year.

 

That is a good gig...I only got to fly Vipers during the week and work a few weekend ER shifts every month.