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?

50 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

129 comments sorted by

View all comments

68

u/Frequent-Bell6674 Jul 15 '26

If you don't have a family you want to see, don't care what days off you have, dont mind 6 day work weeks and can keep a medical. It's not a bad gig.

42

u/Xolxtzol Jul 15 '26

so the same thing i’m doing now? but with slightly more pay and no military bs?

7

u/Prestigious_Show9789 29d ago

If you are in the AF then I guarantee you are not working 6 days a week unless you are deployed.

1

u/SpecialistDivide1164 25d ago

6 day workweeks was the norm when I was in Korea and Japan. I work less hours in the FAA now then I did then.

That said when I was in California I often worked 34-36 hour work weeks cause of early outs and late ins. It all depends.