Military LOA at Netjets

[NachoMamma]

I was recently selected by a Guard unit to attend flight training beginning in October of '05. My total full-time commitment to the Guard would be four years (after that I would revert back to a 'traditional' Guardsman and only fly for the unit one weekend a month and two weeks a year).

My dilemma is that I am thinking very seriously about applying to Netjets and was wondering if there were any Netjet pilots out there that might have some insight into the possibility of taking a four-year LOA, and then returning to work (seniority number and all). Would there be any training contract implications? Thanks for your help!

 

[cgmason1]

The short answer is nope-you would not have any problems.
I have done numerous mil leave of ab (couple months at a time) while at NetJets and have to say the company is great about military duty-they will even pay you the difference of your salary if you make less than your nja salary while activated(fat chance of that happening).
I know one guy that has been gone three years on mil leave of ab-I think by the soldiers and sailors act the max time is 5 years.

Fly Safe
Chuck

 

[jmg]

Never the Weekend Warrior

Been doing the ANG thing now for 12 years with never a problem with any employer. The only way to not have a job to come back to is if your employer eliminates your position, which is unlikely to happen in an airline. Some folks called to active duty this these past 18 months have lost their jobs because they worked for a small company with few employees.

If you think you'll be flying at the unit only during your weekend drill and the two weeks of Annual Training (I've never done AT) you are wrong. A I said before, been doing this for 12 years. I can fly up to 48 AdditionalFlying Training Periods (AFTPs) a year. Mostly this done during the week to keep current. Add to that the Guardlift missions we fly on weekends. No matter what type you fly count on some deployments to the hotspots in the world, especially if you are an airlifter. With the current situation in Iraq, just about every C130 guy has been activated at some time in the last 18 months. I'm on for two years, partly my doing to burn up the two year mobilization "cloud" over me.

Don't get me wrong, The Guard is a great deal. The comraderie is outstanding. How often do you get to work with the same folks for 20+ years. Just realize you are working a second job that takes a lot of time from your family that you may or may not have yet.

One other thing, if you are going to a fighter unit, the AF is looking to cut many of those from the inventory to pay for the new toys like the F22, JSF and CUAVs. Sooner or later you'll fly a heavy.

Good Luck

 

[2LT]

Esgr

www.esgr.org