onetail
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Posts posted by onetail
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Shack Hoss.
Wish I could say I wasn't warned. I vaguely remember the F-16 Porch road show in '03 as a Lt. Two quotes stood out. "If you're sitting in this room as a CGO there's a very good chance you will get a Pred assignment in your career." and "If you want to fly for 20 years join the Guard or Reserves." The brief was widely scoffed, but in hindsight I don't think a fighter porch has ever been more frank. Almost 8 years ago, it means someone at AFPC once upon a time could read the tea leaves.
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Here's the 2181 "Airplane Flight Instructor" pay table. Some organizations start you at a Step 3, but they have to justify it with previous quals/experience.
http://apps.opm.gov/SpecialRates/package/table055801012010.html
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Can't speak to locality, but the special salary tables on OPM.gov spell out what each step makes for the 2181 series (airplane flight instructor). Generally, a GS-13 IP makes more take-home money up to the rank of Major. Then the tax exempt BAH starts to make it better to be an AGR or on AD. That's without the bonus, which is only an option for AGR's. Also consider that to make as much take-home pay, you have to max out AFTPs (36 per year) 144 hours total above and beyond the 40hr work week and UTA's. There are many variables, I heard someone did the comparison ART vs AGR as a masters thesis. There are good aspects to being an ART: 120hrs of mil leave per year to "double dip", TSP matching up to 5%, getting paid for guard weekends.
Given a choice most would rather be an AGR: Pension at 20yrs, tax exempt BAH, bonus, 2.5 days leave per month, and Tricare(difficult to believe but true).
"Worth It" to buy back time? It depends. You get instant credit in FERS that you can collect at age 59 or earlier depending on time deployed.
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Anything is possible, there have been many alternate routes into a fighter. Just search the forums. Flying T-38s through phase 3 is better than the alternatives if you want to try to rush a fighter unit later. Get your wings first, especially if age is an issue.
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The 178FW, Springfield OH, is standing up the UAS mission. That's why I left. The short of it: They just had a board to choose UPT candidates (4 or 5 selected). They'll be going through the regular UPT, with phase 3 in T-38s. This is good for those chosen and the Guard should the UAS mission dry up or the new pilots want to fly another airframe.
There will be another selection board in '11.
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True. Just wanted to note that buying-back time does count toward vacation time and seniority. Probably other things as well. Perhaps a bonafide technician can speak up.
I'm an ART and you don't have to buy back time to get credit towards federal service, DD214 and other justifying paperwork submitted to the state HRO will work. This month I step up to the 8 hrs leave / pay period (15 credited years).
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...all of whom were former fighter guys.
Sorry, I give them bomber credit considering the mission and lack of forward firing ordnance. They're still the closest thing to a bomber pilot in the 90th
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As of Jan 08 the only bomber IPs in the 90th FTS were the old F117 guys.
ART pay
in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves
Posted · Edited by onetail
It is based on the position. You'll be a step 12 unless you're an IP, in which case you'll start at a GS-13 assuming the job is listed as "Airplane Flight Instructor". You could possibly start at a Step 3 if you have extra qual's (example: RTU unit and RTU IP experience), but it depends on the local unit policy.
See above.
Go to opm.gov, search pay tables and special salary rate, 2181 series, and it will break it down. searching 2181 also works
yes, but only for days on a mil status: UTA (drill weekend, $21ish dollars per period, 2 per day), AT orders (21 per day, or what you are getting per month now if you get on orders >30days, AFTPs (same as UTA, limited to 36 per year, 12 per quarter).
yes for >30 day orders
Yes, opm.gov has the answers, click on health care tab for gov employees, will let you compare plans and list monthly or per paycheck expense.
The job you are considering should be advertise somewhere, ask the unit if you haven't been told where to find it. It will list a pay range. Ball park figures for ART pilots: $89-112K probably, the mil pay listed above is in addition to this figure.
It takes about a year to figure out the system, find an ART that's been in the system for a while and have them show you how to fill out a time sheet, an AFTP form, and log comp time. You also get 120 hours of mil leave per year where you can "double dip" and get paid ART pay while you are also on orders or logging and AFTP/UTA.
There is too much to type, the answers are in the Technician Handbook, which is probably available online. I've been an ART since '08 and still learning the system. It's not as easy as getting the DFAS direct deposit you've been used to on AD. It pays to always double check finance, they make mistakes frequently and often, especially in the world of two pay systems.