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Just a bit angry because of the people I know that were affected by the 2014 force shaping fiasco. Good dudes getting passed over, RIFed, told to volunteer outside of duty hours in order to be on the RIF protected list. It all could have been avoided. Debbie James came from SAIC and was known as a downsizing specialist, so to prove her worth she decided to make the cut in one year, instead of doing it incrementally, because what worked in the private sector must work for the government right? Sure there are political pressures from the top to make the downsizing happen, but she could have stalled or at least make an appearance of trying to fend off the wolves. She was more than happy to "swing the axe" (borrowing Gen Goldfein's term). I say fire the people involved with the the downsizing because they didn't talk sense into the SECAF and they did a horrible job of planning and executing the downsizing. On a related note, I understand many flyers on here just want to fly and not do staff time because it's a shitty job. However, the "Staff" can use more the "Been There Done That" flyers to lead or guide the planning and execution of plans and strategies. You don't want to only push HPOs or unqualified folks into certain critical staff jobs for a year and move on. We would have no credibility in the Joint world and it would be detrimental to the fighting force.

Is this something to be angry about? It was already a 90% promote rate, and if you are looking to get a strat you aren't concerned about pinning on, but rather getting a school slot. This doesn't change that. Higher promotion rates are better for everyone. It gives people more flexibility in their careers without getting completely hosed because they didn't follow the expected career path. Sure old crusties get their panties in a wad because "major used to mean something"...but the more off-ramps the USAF removes on the highway to LtCol the more likely the "flying-only" career path is for guys who just want to fly. The checking of boxes for career progression (SOS, Masters, Flt/CC, ADO) is the epitome of kabuki theater, and the easier they make it to get promoted the less box-checking we have to deal with. I for one welcome more FGOs into the court martial duty pool.

Glad to see MOB's jet get the Syrian flag on it. I figured someone with rank my find it "offensive", and stop that from happening.

While at Edwards in the late 80s there was an instructor at the TPS who had a cottage industry making coffee table shadowboxes. Whole thing was laid out like a runway & airfield with runway headings, accurate taxi lines, parking areas, etc… along with little models of the different jets complete with tailcodes and flashes retiree flew. Add in all typical medals, badges, patches, odds n’ ends that end up in boxes (STS). He sold a shit ton of the things. Thought they were pretty cool.

For those who don't get to see the VTRS: https://livestream.com/wab/tailhook2017/videos/162478715

i enjoy duck posts that are insightful, thoughtful, and smart. keep posting. if being forced to make O-4 is the worst that happens to you then you're a very blessed man. perspective i guess. anyways cheers to you bro i wish you nothing but the best. break break back on topic...will this 100% to major policy start to chip away at the mindless number of award packages the collective "we" has to accomplish? 15 line, 30 line, etc etc etc...so and so of the qtr/year blah blah blah?

bro I get it trust me. but good lord every post is doom and gloom. enjoy life a little baaaaBEEEEEEEEE! its fine to be cynical, but when every post is dripping w/ negativity ... anyways see you in the airlines. ps the AF will never live up to their end of the bargin. #ProTip

Somebody is going to sneak one by the goalie and make O-4 when nobody saw it coming. It should be entertaining.

You're right. But most won't be approved or will only be approved for a 6 month curtailment.

I completely agree. There are plenty of guys burned out from flying unit ops and are looking for predictability and to reconnect with family. Every time I had to interact with a TSOC staff there were HPO fliers without any relevant experience to help, and they were making poor decisions on our behalf out of ignorance. It would be nice to see these jobs open up for folks who haven't been designated HPO but would be solid workers for 3-4 years. Again the USAF puts too much emphasis on the job and not performance. From what I've seen in the USMC rating system it looks like they have it figured out. Weighted to prevent overrating everyone, and more emphasis on how well you did the job you were assigned. Then hopefully your have folks gravitate to the jobs they wanted to do without detriment to their career. Then after a few years remove the empty jobs no one wants to do!

I think we're really missing the most noteworthy part of that AFPC news release. Specifically, there is actually a duty title called "Chief of Workforce Development for the Air Force Talent Management Innovation Cell." I wonder if there's a Deputy Chief as well.

My guess is that they promote every single APZ and continued Captain that doesn't have derogatory information. Just as valid.

This is a completely pragmatic move, and totally unlike the air force I grew up with. When they removed the school selects, and let the wings duke it out, the majority of work the promotion boards did is OBE. It really wasn't worth the time to decide the 5-7% of the year group that gets passed over. We've gone from the implied masters requirement among all the checkboxes to the ability to fog a mirror. Times are a changing.

Good luck using the Intelink search function. Completely useless, unless you're looking for an unrelated 2009 PowerPoint file that requires registration to view.

Lol ok drama queen its not a "10 year sentence" yes im getting out as many others but I've had a great time. Maybe you can keep your overly cynical dramatic opinions to yourself a little more around here.