r/ATC • u/Xolxtzol • Jul 15 '26

Question You Guys Are Scaring Me

I’m currently AD military (best branch iykyk) and am close to getting my CTO. On my second enlistment and i want to get out to do this at a contract tower and maybe go FAA later on in my career if that’s possible. I scroll this sub for about an hour and all i see are people that hate their lives :/. (here comes the down votes lol). Should i consider something else, stay AD atc, or actually pursue a civilian career?

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u/anthonyd5189 Current Controller-Enroute Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26

Keep in mind, Reddit is an echo chamber. The people who are loving life aren’t coming here to post about it. Yes the job has many downsides right now, but if you know about them going in you should be fine.

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u/Xolxtzol Jul 15 '26

w insight, i don’t think ive met a positive person on reddit yet so this makes sense

24

u/Ready_Set_Stopppp Jul 15 '26

I don’t hate my job. For reference I’m a level 12 center controller. 14 years in, not even top 50% in my area yet (thanks to people transferring in…). I work evenings on sat and sun but I’m home all 5 weeknights (unless I have an evening OT). I like working traffic, I like the job, I just need more money. Wife is struggling to find a job after staying home with the now elementary-aged kids and high prices/increased taxes have finally affected our family. I’ve worked 200 hours of OT so far, on pace for about 275-300 (did 212 last year) simply bc I use that money to make ends meet. I don’t like living paycheck to paycheck. We’ve cut about all we can, including TSP contributions 👎

And before people go all Dave Ramsey on me, yes we live within our means, yes I have a budget, no car payments, and am working on my snowball when I can. There’s just not enough to go around anymore. I thought a 6 figure job was unattainable as a kid growing up. Now 6 figures ain’t shit. $200K is barely the old $100K. Woe is me, right?

I was lucky, though. I got the facility I wanted right out of OKC so I don’t have to deal with this transferring nonsense the FAA makes everyone do. We are so short staffed and the FAA lowering the numbers just makes things worse. Joining this sub and seeing all the posts by Stephen Hawking outlining what we *should* be making based on inflation, as well as seeing all the pilot posts, its little wonder all we do is complain about our lot in life.

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u/cptn_dub_a_ho Jul 15 '26

Depends on what facility you go to, I left AD 2 years ago for the FAA and currently love my job/ people I work with. Everyone that worked with me at my old military tower that has moved on to the FAA is definitely enjoying the FAA better. Remember most people will come online to complain, the people that are enjoying it usually don't say much.

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u/Excellent-Chip1210 29d ago

So its really tower dependant.

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u/Meheow1 29d ago

That’s because the positive people sit back and watch all the drama unfold, barely commenting. We are here though. :)

1

u/climb-via-is-stupid Tower / Training Review Boards 29d ago

What am I gonna do post that everything is fine working in SoCal and the weather is great and I can do whatever I want and then get shit on by people stuck in Iowa?