Anybody know of anyone getting an agency transfer into DOD ATC at the age of 52? I know the age cut-off is 36 but that can be waived. I am too young to retire civil service and would like to get back into ATC. I was one of the first controllers to work at 29 Palms EAF. I have a CTO. Any info would be appreciated.
Prior USMC ATC Now 30 Years Post Office
- Thread starter luke
- Start date
56 is mandatory retirement age. The experience requirement is usually valid within the last 52 weeks. And the age waiver is for prior dod/faa experience. IE if you worked faa for 10 years then you could be 46 and go dod.
Under Procedures as prescribed in DoDI 1400.25-V331, December 1996, section 4. EXCEPTIONS TO THE MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE reads:
a. Designees in paragraph 5.b. of the front matter of this Volume may approve the original entry of an individual who has exceeded the maximum entry age limit prescribed in section 3 of this enclosure provided the individual has:
(1) Received ATC Specialist Certification according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Standards, and
(2) Been qualified and facility certified in a DoD or FAA ATC facility.
b. Each exception shall be in writing and signed by the Head of the DoD Component or designee.
c. A copy of the approved exception shall be filed in the OPF of the person for whom the waiver has been granted.
d. An employee in this category who is not otherwise eligible for immediate retirement may remain employed in a covered position until he or she meets the retirement requirements of section 8336(e), for CSRS, and section 8412(e), for FERS, of Reference (b) provided the empoyee continues to meet the physical and professional requirements in section 8 of this enclosure.
I have not read anything that requires prior experience subject to within the last 52 weeks. I know it would be a long shot, but that is why I placed the original thread on here. I am still asking if anyone knows of someone getting an original entry hire under these conditions.
a. Designees in paragraph 5.b. of the front matter of this Volume may approve the original entry of an individual who has exceeded the maximum entry age limit prescribed in section 3 of this enclosure provided the individual has:
(1) Received ATC Specialist Certification according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Standards, and
(2) Been qualified and facility certified in a DoD or FAA ATC facility.
b. Each exception shall be in writing and signed by the Head of the DoD Component or designee.
c. A copy of the approved exception shall be filed in the OPF of the person for whom the waiver has been granted.
d. An employee in this category who is not otherwise eligible for immediate retirement may remain employed in a covered position until he or she meets the retirement requirements of section 8336(e), for CSRS, and section 8412(e), for FERS, of Reference (b) provided the empoyee continues to meet the physical and professional requirements in section 8 of this enclosure.
I have not read anything that requires prior experience subject to within the last 52 weeks. I know it would be a long shot, but that is why I placed the original thread on here. I am still asking if anyone knows of someone getting an original entry hire under these conditions.
I do meet requirement #2. I have a CTO from a DOD facility. It is 30 years old, but I did earn it. I would still like someone who has any knowledge/experience of DOD initial age waivers, to give me some insight on whether or not this kind of thing ever happens. From everything that I have researched and read, the possibility of an age waiver exists for someone like me, but I am looking more for the probability of it from someone with firsthand knowledge from their own experience or the experience of someone they know.
Most of the guys I work with started after they retired in their 40's, but they were all active duty immediately before that. Two younger chicks got a job here (spousal preference) and they hadn't talked to airplanes in years (and one didn't even have any type of facility rating, the other had ZERO radar experience.)
*I just asked one of the guys though and he said if you are over 36 you have had to have worked airplanes in the past 52 weeks. He said there is no way you would get an age waiver approved. That's just what he told me--take that for what it's worth.
*I just asked one of the guys though and he said if you are over 36 you have had to have worked airplanes in the past 52 weeks. He said there is no way you would get an age waiver approved. That's just what he told me--take that for what it's worth.
One way might to be to do a contract or two in the sandbox. there were several guys over there that hadn't controlled in a long time but knew somone who dropped their name or knew the hiring official. Once you had 52 weeks back in the saddle you could put in, but for DOD, it's still a long shot. I knew well connected people that took years to get picked up and some that did not get picked up at all.
Thanks for the feedback. This is what I was hoping to find out. I currently have an independent contract tower job in the works but I have to wait and see if I am offered an early out with the Post Office. I will take the CT job if I get the early out. I was looking for the possibility of transfering agencies from the P.O. to DOD ATC in case the early out is not offered. I will find out by the end of March. If I get the early out and the CT job I am going to have a lot of refresher work to get qualified/rated.
You are right in the fact that on paper, you appear to be elligible for an age waiver, but it is all dependent on the agency component you are seeking the waiver with, and how bad they need your services. Once you get an age waiver from any DoD component, you are good for all of them for as long as you can meet the physical requirements or you get the time needed for retirement.
In order to get the waiver, you need to be "exceptionally" qualified and current/recent ATC experience is required. No commander is going to give a waiver in your case when there is a plethora of skilled, qualified, and current military controllers available after retiring or leaving active service, and are under the 36yo age limit, and in no need of a waiver, or very deserving of a waiver. I will say that if you do get 52 weeks of experience you will make yourself more competitive. However, if you don't have a waiver prior to your 56 birthday then since that is the mandatory retirement age for controllers, then no command component will give you an age waiver.
For example, my age waiver I got at 43 1/2 years of age, I have been DoD now almost 5 years, my mandatory retirement age is 56 unless I don't have the time to retire DoD, which I will not have until I am 63, so as long as I can pass the flight physical I can control until then in order to have my 20, and if I wanted to go for 30 I could do that too, but don't see myself going much past 63.
Good Luck!
JM
In order to get the waiver, you need to be "exceptionally" qualified and current/recent ATC experience is required. No commander is going to give a waiver in your case when there is a plethora of skilled, qualified, and current military controllers available after retiring or leaving active service, and are under the 36yo age limit, and in no need of a waiver, or very deserving of a waiver. I will say that if you do get 52 weeks of experience you will make yourself more competitive. However, if you don't have a waiver prior to your 56 birthday then since that is the mandatory retirement age for controllers, then no command component will give you an age waiver.
For example, my age waiver I got at 43 1/2 years of age, I have been DoD now almost 5 years, my mandatory retirement age is 56 unless I don't have the time to retire DoD, which I will not have until I am 63, so as long as I can pass the flight physical I can control until then in order to have my 20, and if I wanted to go for 30 I could do that too, but don't see myself going much past 63.
Good Luck!
JM
I am far from being exceptionally qualified/current. I haven't worked an aircraft in over 30 years. I am however still going to go as far forward with this quest as I possibly can. I have found a way to get current but it hinges on my getting to retire sooner than later. I am currently 52 years old and will not be eligible for retirement until Nov. 2013. I have my fingers crossed that the P.O. will offer another VERA for my craft. I have found an opportunity to work at an independent contract tower and they are waiting to see if I am offered this early retirement, but they won't wait very long. There is a window opening for me and I hope to time it just right. I appreciate all the feedback and info. I will post the outcome of my endeavor as it occurs. Thanks, CB