Expert: James Bell - 10/16/2007

Question
I have heard that loadmasters are gone a lot (TDY) but they are only gone for a few days or just a week at a time. Can you clarify. I am considering retraining into the 1A2X1 career feild and deployments might play a factor. I would like to be stationed at Dover AFB because I am from the area. Currently, I am an egress tech, first term airman SSgt. Any info would help: pro's and con's

Answer
Greetings Justin -

Depending on the aircraft you are assigned, TDY's and the lengthier deployments are a way of life.  My average TDY ran from a couple of days to three weeks.  Anything longer than that and you are getting into the realm of deployments.

Depending on your squadron's mission tasking, you can have several back to back missions in a short amount of time or, if things are relatively quiet (pretty rare in the post-9/11 environment), you could be home for several weeks between missions.

That pretty much covers the cons.  There are many perks: You get to fly to a variety of countries but don't stay there too long.  If you have a mission that flies into a designated combat zone, or hostile fire zone, you get benefit of the Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) -- the entire month's income tax free.  That definitely makes the paycheck easier to pick up, not to mention the Hostile Fire Pay, if you transit one of those areas.

If you get assigned to C-5's at Dover, you can probably expect to go TDY more and deploy less, as the mere size of the aircraft, security concerns and maintenance record often require that the aircraft doesn't stray from home station for exceptionally long periods.  I remember "back in the day" when I went on trips to the Philippines, we would be out there for three weeks or so, and the planes were pretty much limping home by the end of that period.

That's most of what I can think of off the top of my head.  Please take a look at previous responses I have posted, as there is a LOT of information out there.  Sometimes I forget I have written so much on the aircrew jobs, and often repeat myself on some subjects.

Good luck on your decision to retrain.  I hope whatever choice you make is a good one, and leads to a rewarding career.

Sincerely,
James Bell