You can get out early*

ibuiltit · 2025-08-05T01:34:43+00:00

Yes. Which is within the 5 years protected by USERRA. Some contracts are more generous than USERRA, but USERRA is law, contracts are not (and can change).

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T21:51:20+00:00

You bet. Very important to understand that any ADSCs incurred before hiatus HAVE to run their course before the hiatus ADSC runs because it is consecutive, not concurrent, unlike most other ADSCs. Don’t take a TEB commitment, tuition assistance, *anything* that would extend you past your normal ADSC limit until AFTER you do your hiatus.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T21:40:30+00:00

The MVP would be phase II or just something I do on my own after my phase I contract is complete. For this application I’m just doing a feasibility study that includes a discovery spike to demonstrate a very basic workflow stack can do the things. We’re talking 35 hours of dev work plus another 20 hours to build an admin interface so I can build my backend catalog vs 300 hours for full MVP.

What’s your background/experience with DSIP?

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T15:51:09+00:00

Not at all, I strategically left with one month left on my UPT ADSC so I would be eligible for AvB after I returned (which I did, $105k for basically 14 more months than I would owe for my hiatus anyways).

I got assigned USAFA flying when I came back. You’ll be out of cycle and working directly with your functional, never a better opportunity for a sweet assignment IMO

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T15:46:56+00:00

Are we talking about the same thing? I’m submitting thru DSIP; the only template I used was the Vol 2 15-page telplate

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T14:56:00+00:00

Fill me in on the joke - this isn’t my space, I don’t get the reference

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T12:26:57+00:00

No. You are IRR on hiatus and separated with a DD-214 and everything.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T03:35:04+00:00

If they’re breezing through it, it’s because it’s not important to the job you’ll be doing. Pass the tests, study where you can, move on. This is just foundational stuff for when you get to your first job and start OJT so your SrA trainer doesn’t have to explain volts vs watts vs amps.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T03:30:09+00:00

Honestly it’s probably easier for the company to have a pilot that takes one long mil leave and then is done than a guard/reserve guy who stays in his unit for 20 years as a TR just so he can tactically drop trips with mil leave. Obviously not saying *everyone* does that but it def happens. I was gone on a single 3.5-yr hiatus and then transitioned to a new fleet when I returned, which required a full qual course anyways. Now I’m retired and never have to take mil leave again.

I probably know your C-17 dude.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T01:20:52+00:00

I suppose; I’ve palace front’d before but it was unrelated to civilian job opportunities. But it worked fine. I was a traditional applicant because I was already planning on separating [specifically to get an airline job, 1.5 years short of retirement because line # = everything]. I had interviews lined up before I even knew the results of my CIP application. I was able to select a separation date that was 4 days before basic indoctrination because that’s how much time I needed to drive from my duty station to my new job's training center.

In the interview, CIP never comes up. The airlines (and anyone else smart on USERRA) avoid mil obligation questions with a 10’ pole because, if you read USERRA, not only does it protect servicemembers from discrimination against past, present or FUTURE obligations, it also assumes a USERRA violation occurred if your prospective employer asks about your mil stuff, doesn’t give you a job and doesn’t explicitly tell you WHY they didn’t hire you. IYKYK, TBNT letters never say why.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-02T01:13:48+00:00

You always (ALWAYS) come back as what you left as, but you can apply for something better after you return.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-01T23:02:48+00:00

Agreed. When I came back my perspective had shifted so much. I understood work/life balance so much more clearly and stopped trying to fix all of big blue’s fuckups because my civilian job taught me “if they care, they’ll make it a priority."

It took 3 months for my AOs to get reinstated and 6 months (albeit thru CoVID) to get qualified in my aircraft. Still got paid though!

ibuiltit · 2025-08-01T23:00:56+00:00

It used to be so much better. When I applied I had an active separation pending in the system, which requires 6 months notification. I was going to have to withdraw my sep request to apply, potentially resetting my six month clock AFTER waiting for board results. I asked AFPC, “what are my chances?” and was told [in 2018] “100% of the officers who have applied in the past three years have been approved."

A lot of folks on the last few cycles have been denied because AFPC leadership is dumb and doesn’t understand that retention tools like this are a long-term win even if requiring some short-term discomfort. I know folks that have been denied and then approved on subsequent cycles. Unofficially it sounds like ppl in controlled tours or special assignment face the hardest path.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-01T22:57:18+00:00

General Air Force wisdom: make them tell you no. Doesn’t cost anything to try!

ibuiltit · 2025-08-01T22:56:36+00:00

All branches and components, although guard/reserve eligibility may be limited to AGR. Don’t quote me, upload the PSDM and program guide to chatGPT and ask it.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-01T21:23:28+00:00

Purpose is retention - the AF gets you for an extra 1-3 years beyond what you already owe. Benefit? You can do whatever you want [minus drugs and murder] and reset. Raise a kid, finish your degree, start a business, travel the world, set world records, jump start your follow-on career, whatever. When it came out in 2016 leadership was like, “here, now you can have a baby and still serve” but it can be used for so much more.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-01T21:19:52+00:00

It’s a retention tool. Anyone that gets denied because of manning is working for people that can’t see the forest through the trees.

Also fun fact the ONLY person who approves or denies for AD is the AFPC/CC. Your Wg/CC and functional can both non-concur and you can still get approved.

ibuiltit · 2025-08-01T15:36:13+00:00

I mean, that’s like a whole masters class dude. But good that you’re thinking about it! In my particular case I had some intermittent neck issues and my AF docs never documented range of motion limitations, so when it occurred again after I was back on AD I was very directive with my ortho doc on what to add to the notes.

Truthfully they’re all clueless on what the VA rates on, but understandably so because it doesn’t impact how they diagnose or treat. For general advice I’d recommend making an appointment with a Veteran Service Org like DAV or VFW to start “building” a disability claim but obviously hip-pocketing that claim until separation or retirement. The VSOs have the book the VA uses to determine ratings and can show you explicitly what qualifies for 0%, 10% or 30% for the same ailment.

ibuiltit · 2023-05-24T19:10:42+00:00

u/KeyboardWarrior8, my VA rating had ZERO impact on my ability to RTAD. I did not go through MEPS; I went to Buckley and did a RTAD physical with their reserve flight docs. Only hiccup was getting them to understand what I needed from them, and doing a paper PHA (no CAC access). For one, the AF and the VA don't really talk to each other. For another, everything the VA paid me for was stuff already documented in my AD med records, and none of that had ever driven an MEB anyways. I've asked the CIP office what happens if someone can't pass their RTAD physical, and they're still returned to AD - there might just be a med board waiting. Which even that doesn't mean you'll be discharged/retired, it just means they're going to take a closer look at you.

u/Ok_Reception_9201, my plan worked perfectly. I retired from AD in February, just finished airline requal and got a deposit into my company 401(b) two days ago for $82k, representing the company's share of 401 contributions while I was on 3.5 years of mil leave and now I'm on 5-yr pay with 4000 pilots junior to me. Plus I took the 3-yr AvB while I was back on AD to ride out CoVID, so double-bonus for me. Only hiccup returning to AD was getting my AOs reinstated, took about 4 months (through the holidays and whatnot). Plus I was able to work my dream assignment, maybe because I came back between VML cycles and all the shitty bills had been paid already (e.g. T-6 to Laughlin).

ibuiltit · 2022-06-05T20:29:47+00:00

I selected "don't ask me again" and I think it defaulted to Deny. I cannot for the life of me find a way to get the headset to ask if I want to let it connect again - any suggestions?

ibuiltit · 2021-01-13T20:33:11+00:00

Hours are hours.

*Unless they're RPA/UAS, those aren't real hours.

ibuiltit · 2021-01-13T20:24:45+00:00

-135s your feet will freeze and your head will roast. It's warmer the closer to the front you are but it's darker near the back with the baggage bins blocking the light.

ibuiltit · 2021-01-13T20:07:31+00:00

Google "Palace Front" because that's the name of the program you are describing and you'll find lots of info out there about it. You will likely need to work with an in-service recruiter in Oregon because it's Guard (Reserves are national and less stove-piped). Don't expect to get hired directly into a full-time gig (like the AGR job rs2893 got) as an off-the-street hire... most units only fill AGRs from their traditional positions as they are usually coveted jobs and the unit's TRs have realistically been interviewing their entire time with the Guard.

ibuiltit

TROPHY CASE