Ive heard that load masters fly 1-2 weeks then are home for a few days? is this all year round or only during a deployment? if that schedule is year round that must be horrible only being home to see the wife 1-2 months total time out of the whole year?
Or is my reasoning all wrong? little help here on the deployments of loadmasters?
That is a very extreme schedule and not typical at all. That is also not typical for all loads. If you get C-130's, you don't fly schedules like that at all. That sounds more like a C-17 or C-5 loadmaster lifestyle, but again, that isn't probably typical for them either. For C-130's, you will spend a lot of time at home till it is time to deploy, then do your 120 days over seas, then come home.
I can only speak for my schedule as a C-5 load, and that was almost 10 years ago. I liked to fly so I flew a lot of missions. I averaged 2 weeks on the road a month, but many guys didn't fly that much. I was young and single, so I had no problem waiving my post mission down time to go back out again.
My experience as a load was if you were willing to go and fly missions most people didn't want that the schedulers were more likely to remember you when good missions came up. I think being a loadmaster is the best job in the Air Force. I flew for three years, and managed to go to over 30 countries on every continent but Australia and Antartica.
Originally posted by caninedale: That is a very extreme schedule and not typical at all. That is also not typical for all loads. If you get C-130's, you don't fly schedules like that at all.
Also, most new AD loads are getting C-130's.
My son is in training at Little Rock (he's completed BLM, SERE, etc.) He said in the last 3 classes that graduated BLM (which is when you get your airframe and base slot) about 85% of pipeliner loads got 130's.
It's a perfect job for a young and single airman who wants to travel. If you're married, you need to decide if being away from home fairly frequently is what you want. However, it shouldn't be anything near as drastic as what's listed in the OP...except when you deploy.
My AD load buddies out at Travis on C-5's are gone for 17-21 day trips, making good per-diem 1/2 the time and enjoying themselves, and then it seems like they never go anywhere again. (i.e. we can't get them off the boat or off our couch). I ask them every now and then if they actually HAVE a job.
One Loadie fellow I know volunteers a lot, and is on the road a lot, but he also banks the travel money like there is no tomorrow. He is on a mission to buy his house outright, and so all he does is fly...and I STILL see him all the time.
I wish I'd have done that job out of the gate (initially), but if you have a young family, there are other considerations you'll have to make.
Family and fatherhood/motherhood are one's PRIMARY assigned duties (from the highest authority)...everything else is 'secondary employment', and must be compatible with the primary. (IMHO).
If you are looking to have a fun job in the AF, go LM. If you are looking for training for the outside world, go ATC. Or you could be a LM first and the switch over to ATC later....
1-2 weeks is a little much, normaly you do a 4 month deployment, other than that the active guys are gone maybe 7-10 days a month, maybe more or less days here and there. But you will also fly locals, maybe once a week or so, but you should be home that same day with thoose.
Also remember that a LOT of people wash out of ATC. Lots of people go in for it, but not as many make it out.
Not dissuading you from shooting for it...many jobs are like that in the military...just giving you some reality.
Search this website...you'll find several people who have been through ATC, and more who didn't make it, and had to switch to a different AFSC.
I say this because when and if you don't make the cut in ATC, you DO NOT get to say "OK, now I want to be a load". You can ASK...but they do NOT have to give. The AF will put you where they need you.
So like the old knight said in Indiana Jones 3...you must choose, but choose wisely.
If you were to train as a load...and then put in for re-training later on for ATC...and THEN fail out of ATC...you might still get to remain a load. (I could be wrong there, so if I am, someone will clear that up, but I think that would be an option).
This is the same conversation I had with my Troops back in my Army days when they wanted to put in for Special Forces under the 18X program. My little bro succeeded in that program, but I know others that did not, and ended up as Infantry Grunts for a 5 year hitch.
Any time you are shooting for a high washout position, you MUST consider the chance that you won't make it, and have a plan that will be workable in case that occurs. NOT to say you don't 110% commit yourself to making it...but I am a firm believer in planning for the worst, and praying for the best. (why do you think we have a reserve parachute? It's called 'a plan')
Ponder that while you make your decision. Just my opinion on it...you need to formulate your own.
