Bear: You gotta be careful about selling that leave. If he plans on ever going back on active duty, you can only sell leave once in your career. I recomend doing it after a deployment. Selling of tax free leave. Yea. I have 23 days of tax free leave to sell. Yea!
Dryfreeze, I am going to have to look into that. I’ve never heard that it could only be sold once. I HAD to sell mine. Well, maybe I could have refused, but it was not presented to me as an option. While jumping through all the damn out processing hoops, I had to go to the finance lady to stop my active pay. She took my orders and calculated the leave I had left. Then she just looked at me and said. You’ll get so much money for clothing allowance, and you’ll be paid for 6 days of leave. She said it like it was standard procedure. Maybe the “once a year” thing is active duty? I think Guard or Reserve can sell their leave after any and every activation.
Come to think of it, that would make much more sense. Because 23 days of leave in the Guard would mean I would not have to report to my unit for 6 or 7 months…
Sense one can’t really take leave in the Guard, I bet we can always sell our leave. But it is worth looking into.
I swear if I wasted my one and only chance on six freakin days, Ill be pissed!!
Big hugs to you, Robyn and Aaron. Things are bleak now, but they WILL improve. And what Siege said–this is not the 1950s and you’re not required to be the strong, silent guy. You and Robyn are partners in life, so let her help as much as she is able until your circumstances improve.
Email checked and replied to MsRobyn.
What Bear_Nenno said is true, it only takes a few hours to get your DD214 done up properly (and I’ve worked at a transition point for people coming from Asia, so I’ve seen it done a lot). Here’s some advice, though: when they hand it to you, CHECK IT OVER FOR ERRORS. This is the single most important document you’ll get from the military. They can be corrected (with a DD214-X I think), but it’s best to have it done right the first time. If it’s not absolutely correct, right down to your middle initial and spelling of all award names, have them do up another one. Have a certified copy made and put it in a safety deposit box. Keep lots of photocopies around the house in various places.
2004 sounds like an interesting and challenging year for the Doors family. My best to all of you.
P.S. Dryfreeze is right about selling back leave (sort of). You can sell back a maximum of 60 in your career, but it doesn’t have to be all at one time (i.e. 10 days here, 12 days there, up to 60 total). Selling Back Accrued Leave. The smart way to do it is sell it all at your highest attained rank (usually at the end of your career).
:smack: Just to correct myself, a DD215 is used to correct errors on a DD214. Geez, I’ve got one myself. It’s easiest to have it all on one document though. Make sure all schools, awards, and times of service are correct.
Airman - hassle (i.e. ring them up) the company if they were meant to call you back and didn’t esp. if you think that you had a good chance of getting the job.
I always say to my clients (currently my job is to find jobs for people) you have to be pro-active, most comapnies like to see people chasing them up (often lack of contact can be down to a simple error on the companies part and you’d be suprised how often this happens).
Also hassle the people for your DD214, make sure you explain your situation. I quite often have to do simlair paperwork (though non-military) and if someone contacts me and explains why they need it urgently then I will prioritise it esp. if they’ve been waiting too long for it.
Here’s wishing you the best Airman. I’ve been through tough times myself. Still going as a matter of fact. But I do hope you find something soon.
Maybe go active?
hugs
Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help, hon.
Anything I can do for you, friend, all you’ve got to do is say the word.
I’ll second MC’s advice on the job you thought you had, but didn’t hear back from. Always be pro-active. Call 'em up and ask if they’re still expecting you as a new employee. And good luck with the DD214 and insurance snafus.
You know, there IS something that I haven’t thought of. My uncle owns a business around here, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. I’ll bet if I beg, whine, and snivel, I can get a job no questions asked. My mother suggested that to me this afternoon, and I’ve spent the whole evening thinking about it. And I think I’m going to ask.
Here’s why I am so reticent about doing that:
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I worked there in 1994 before I went to college, and everyone gave me shit because of who I was, even though I never told anyone. Someone who knew me from when I was younger and had been working there dimed me out. I got all the garbage jobs after that, which one time led to me being electrocuted with enough juice to knock me out at the top of a fully extended 25 foot ladder. I have no desire to live through that again.
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I loathe nepotism. I want to feel like I earned what I have, rather than having it handed to me. Which if I work there, I will undoubtedly earn it, but nobody else will think so, and that kinda stuff tends to rub off on me in a negative fashion.
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It will put me once more at the mercy of my family. Favors in my family demand repayment, and I don’t know what the cost of this will be. Nothing cheap, I know that for sure. And I don’t mean monetarily, either. My family can be vindictive, and when you owe a favor, you don’t pay up at your convenience, you pay up at THEIR convenience.
But I’m gonna do it anyway. Because I have to, for me and for my wife and son. Besides, if I’m lucky it’ll be a temporary thing.
I appreciate the support from each and every one of you who posted here. It would be impossible for me to express what your support means to me. I mean that. I would go to the well for any one of you, anytime. Nonetheless, one post really stands out here, because of some prior history. I think you all know which one.
Reeder, given the stuff we’ve said to each other in the past, the fact that you thought enough of me to post some supporting words here is, well, humbling, for lack of a better word. I don’t even know what to say to you, but I guess I can start with these: I’m sorry for all the times I’ve ripped into you, and just because we are polar opposites politically doesn’t give me any excuse to say some of the things I’ve said. I’ll try to be more mindful of that in the future. And thanks.
Yay for Moms and job leads! My mom led me to my current job six years ago.
Don’t worry about swallowing your pride. It doesn’t fill you up and your family can’t subsist on it anyway. Do what you gotta do.
And if your uncle can’t come through (or you don’t feel comfortable asking him), he at least might know of another business or vendor that needs help. Let him do some networking for you. There’s no shame in that.
You know I will help you in any way I can. Just let me know.
Airman, pay attention to TeaElle’s advice about the CHIP program. It’s there to provide health coverage for all children, so at least the baby will get medical care until you get stabilized.
Sounds like you’re in a tough situation – hang in there, be proactive about jobs and getting that 214, and best wishes for things to work out better soon! And have you ever considered going into the regular Air Force for a few years?
Brother Doors, if you’ve exhausted yourselves and your supervisors on this, then it’s time for the IG. Inspector General - every wing has one, and if not you can go up a level or two. They’re all about waste, fraud and abuse, and this fits in the abuse category. Good luck to you man.
Regarding tax-free leave, I hope all of you guys also realize that you can get paid for your tax-free leave without selling it. AF finance administers leave and it is a last-in/first-out (LIFO) system. For example, the tax-free leave you most recently earn is the first leave you use if you take leave immediately after returning from the combat zone. For other services, ask your finance office.
The reason most guys never see money for their tax-free leave is that they take leave immediately after returning from combat zone, hence during a month in which they are already receiving the Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (“tax-free”). That, or they don’t take leave for many months, and then don’t take enough to uncover the buried tax-free leave.
If you wait to take leave until a calendar month immediately subsequent to returning from combat zone, you will soon see something called “FITW Refund” in your entitlements column of your LES. Basically an amount roughly equivalent to a pro-rated fraction of your CZTE.
BTW: contrary to rumor, using tax-free leave in a non-CZTE month does not render the entire month tax-free, you just get a refund for the amount mentioned above.
Sorry fellows - just realized you’re talking about Guard/Reserve leave issues; I don’t know how you guys accrue/expend leave.
Airman, eat shit and die. And when I say “eat shit”, I mean take heart, and by “die” I mean keep being the formidable man, husband and father you are.
You are no less capable or intelligent than anyone else whose fortunes have been suddenly reversed. We’re all pulling for you and we know you are all going to get through this. To quote a forgetful blue fish; “Just keep swimming!”
With heartfelt best wishes,
Lola and Amber.
Hell, Dave, I can get you a job doing what I do anytime you want. Assuming you want to do what I do, that is. I love it, but it’s not for everybody. Lemmie know.
Robyn should be eligible for WIC, which is a GREAT help–unless the program has been completely gutted in the past year the income eligibility requirements are insanely high.
Google your state/area for “Energy Assistance Program” which will help with your heat/light bills. Each state has its own eligibility requirements, but usually, even if your residence has paid heat, that program will help you with your light bill.
If you’re on dial-up check out different programs that assist people with telephone bills, and while you’re at it see if there’s a local company that has cheaper rates than whatever net service you’re currently using (honestly, DSL and cable TV is NOT a necessity. Well, ok, neither is net service, but 15 bucks a month to access myriad news outlets via dial-up is significantly less expensive than cable).
And, no, you’re not a hypocrite. Sometimes people need just a little bit of a bump to get by. You’ve paid enough taxes into the system; it’s time you get a little back.
His state and mine has an Energy Assistance Program. [Seargent’s voice] Use it, Airman! [/Seargent’s voice] MsRobyn, if he won’t, either apply yourself or strongly encourage him to. As far as I’m concerned, this country owes you for your service, and, since it’s the government putting you in this SNAFU (and I mean every word of that acronym), there’s nothing wrong with them helping you out.
Take care,
CJ
Airman, you’ve got a tough row to hoe. All of us with families have been in tough straights and done things that a single guy never would even consider. We look at you as someone else who joined the club and then stepping up to the plate to do what has to be done (and nothing judgemental). Payback is a bitch and usually in spades when it is family, but that’s the commitment you signed up for when the bun went in the oven.
Just in case I’m not clear, hang tough Airman and do what you need to do now to get by.