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TLDR: kill IFF Not read up on the plan for UPT 2.5+; assumptions based on the discussion above. We’re all treating IFF as a sacred cow. Let’s be real; it’s an eight week top-off. A program like that can screen, but it’s not enough time to teach much beyond vocabulary and how to fake it for those who don’t have it. I know, I know... the fighter pilot attitude, aggressiveness, intangibles, Excel spreadsheet bombing! More on that later. It sounds like we are downloading expectations for basic airmanship to the basic trainer (reasonable) and at pretty much the same time phasing out our T-1 and T-38 fleets as we field the T-7. What if we killed IFF or, said another way: expanded its scope? All studs who require the T-7 (I think there’s a lot of merit to a single trainer track for some airframes, having not flown them) would start in one squadron, per UPT base, for transition to the new airframe, eventually being selected into a fighter or non-fighter track after two months. The non-fighter studs stay in the jet transition squadron and finish a syllabus similar to current phase III. 3 more months. Basic form and nav focused. AETC, AMC, ACC/ISR and AFGSC have equal seats at this unit’s post-track syllabus development table. Syllabus tailored to airframe with multiple off-ramps for each community’s needs. The jet transition squadron is manned primarily with AFGSC/MAF/ISR backgrounds. T-7 FAIPs start here. The fighter tracked studs finish UPT phase III in what was formerly IFF. Manned by fighter pilots, syllabus written by ACC/CAF and AETC. 6(+) months. Single syllabus to create a what would be a T-7 CMR wingman if the T-7 had real weapons. Begins with advanced formation and progresses to the limit of the T-7, or as deemed appropriate by ACC. No more trying to fix bad habits from a six month phase III in an eight week course. IFF is no longer screening, they’re building the product. Don’t like the intangibles? You’ve got six months to instill the fighter pilot mentality. It’s no longer a program that studs are just trying to get through, they actually have to absorb to survive, and contribute to the squadron. There’s room and time for truly valuable events to build confidence and airmanship. An ADAIR TDY to Nellis could be the capstone. If we’re going to stay ahead of the world, it’s time to rethink the model they copied. And oh yeah, VR and shit.

More spam! buy some 737 Maxes and name them the T-43B

T-6 syllabus should be done with cord mid-May. Lots of contention...lots. T-1 and T-38 tracks (which there still are, as of now), are set to be figured out in the upcoming months. The real intent is to set up students as “universally assignable” after T-6. Which is a bit funny when I watch a T-38 trained FAIP go B-2 while we could send a T-1 grad, but whatever... UPT 2.5 at this point adds sorties to the T-6...for everyone (that’s a GREAT thing). The problem starts when it’s vision depends on “early access” (which is neutered by regulations) to decimate phase 3 training leading to winging students from T-6s. Training identified pilots within AFA/ROTC is mandatory. The current “scuttle butt” for phase 3 is fine on the T-38 side...create a new syllabus that incorporates VR while combining the 38 and IFF syllabus. Fine for bases that have IFF anyways... The situation on the T-1 side, while we seem insistent that the AF is incapable of buying another OTS T-1 is much worse. We give them 737 sims or some shit to train multi-engine stuff, AR, etc. Worse, we think we can do it in the T-6. We (19AF) just DON’T want to put money down here. Myopic. It’s just not a term for in the cockpit looking for traffic. It’s bad right now. We’re going VERY fast, and the outcome is going to be WAY less than ideal. In reality, the fact that these changes are taking root, is a victory for a large number of O-1’s straight through O-5’s that have worked outside their means for years! It has been hijacked and distorted by leadership over and over, but leadership moves on, but the insurgency has continued. It has taken root and is now close to becoming reality. UPT 2.5 is not leadership trying to cut sorties. It is the work of people who know better trying to do what is needed. Thinking of Billy Mitchell is a better analogy. They are still trying to tank it...even at the SQ/CC level. People do not like change. You will hear it’s about pilot production, It’s about making more pilots faster...that is not the point of these people. It’s about making BETTER PILOTS. If they can be made faster, great! If there is anything legitimate to weigh in on, it’s what MDS’s could take a winged pilot out of UPT, and what MDS specific top off a MAF pilot needs in a T-6 or 737 sim to be ready for an FTU. ...or heaven forbid someone come up with an idea that’s better, because the MAF track conceptualized is a straight mess. What are you doing to improve your Air Force? Complain as you like, provide constructive criticism for sure...but, I can promise you this stuff is not borne from the mind of a General (although those people should be Generals one day, but never will be.) Lock up the enemy before you release the weapon, ~Bendy

How to tell the other pilot to get ATIS.

Well for one, the T-6 is not a multiengine aircraft. So you would need to move multiengine fundamentals to every heavy FTU.

Although not a perfect defense against this situation, Untied supposedly will be handing out masks to passengers in May. Business is business time to get back to work and do what you should do. Guess I will put United to the test in May and hopefully get a free mask. Can’t take credit for this image on APC, but it does simplify it for anyone. Too funny and so straightforward.

Shack. That’s been my go-to topic of mentorship to the younger guys lately. Loyalty only goes one direction in the government: up. The bros look out for you, and hopefully your CC if he/she is worth a shit, but the AF doesn’t, and never will.

I would say the fact that you identify needs by community would indicate you don't see the same problem as everyone else, hence, your going to argue to a wall at this point forward. What most people here are trying to communicate, is that UPT is the only oppurtunity you focus on being a good pilot in your career. Do communities need "this and that" is a loaded question. What people are edged about here was there was a time the USAF could say it produced the best pilots on earth, and all of us, being USAF pilots, took certain pride in that. I don't think you can continue to say that when the AF has now refocused it's priorities to graduating pilots with the minimal effort expended, or even hiring outside pilots and not training them at all. The fallout isn't an overnight mission failure but a slow regression in safety, best practices and eventually confidence and capability to complete more advanced tasks while flying an aircraft. There will be a point where the USAF won't be an authority on those topics, and as the nation's primary air component do we really want that?

To be fair, this has been corrected in the AFI. There is definitely a nuance to the report language however. Here’s the guidelines I’ve been given (from an O-9) and what I’ve been using ever since: 1. NEVER strat anyone “top 10% of xxx” - put a number on it. 2. Typically strat only the top 10-15% of your folks. 3. Dont strat as FGOs or CGOs - strats rate folks against groups of Peer rank (xx of xx LtCols, Captains), Peer Job (x of xx Flt/CCs), Peer specialty (x of xx IPs) - in that tiered order of preference. 4. Exception: If you don’t get stratted against the other Sq/CCs when you’re a Sq/CC - you’re not in the running. Put another way: if you have a report as a Sq/CC that strats you as a LtCol instead of a Sq/CC... especially in your second year of command... then you’re not in the top - even if you’re the #1 LtCol as a 2nd year Sq/CC, that’s a second tier strat and it sends a message. 5. Push lines - they include Job, School, Staff/Command (whichever is next). You cannot push Sq/CCs as Wing/CCs - but you can push them as Vice/Group CCs (i.e. the next step). 6. Other than a top strat, Ownership - as in “personal-note on the OPR-style-wording” is the best possible message relayed on an OPR. If your senior rater says “My x/xx Captains” that’s good. If they rewrite a top or bottom line to say: “Read carefully: the most talent, maturity, and leadership I’ve seen in a Major in 28 years: a must for Sq/CC, then JS & SDE” - that draws attention. 7. GOs know when there’s speeding on OPRs or PRFs. If they see it, they’ll call the speeder out on it - or they will disregard the records that individual pushed to the board. I’ve seen both happen (epic asschewing!) and it doesn’t work out well. So you if you know what to look for, you‘ll know where you stand. Some dudes have flat out amazing records - theyve DGd everything, did the WIC, always been number 1, went to IDE, etc etc. Theyre unicorns. The vast majority have records that build... You get to a base, turn a few heads, the next year you upgrade, get a strat, maybe get a group job, then get a wing strat, etc etc. Almost nobody shows up and starts pulling #1s out the gate. They instead build a record of performance and a reliable reputation. Guess which cohort the vast majority of the GOs come from? Unicorns burn out; they rarely stay. The service is run by high performing dudes who were always in the running but not quite preordained as the next CSAF. Anyone who says otherwise hasn’t seen their records. YMMV, but there’s a method to the madness. Chuck

People usually fuck themselves by not knowing that they are the target. never pass up the opportunity to shut the fuck up.

What was justification to create the T-1 almost 30 years ago is somewhat irrelevant. What can it do for the USAF now? Separate subject: I'll bet the USAF could pick up some narrow body airliners parked in KROW for way less than the cost of other T-1 replacements.

Funnily enough, AMF (Air Mobility Fundamentals) tracked studs for UPT 2.5 ( as of the latest draft) get more sorties after track focused on Crew Coord, mobility stuff. They also may never fly a T-1 but that’s another fight.

Actual studies/experiments, both pre-date the current insanity: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2843945/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0843-2

Well I can tell you C2ISR probably doesn't give a shit. Most of their GOs are going to be EWOs or ABMs so they really care less about aircraft pilot production. My expereince in C2ISR was that we mainly subscribe to the MAF on best practices and common/similar type air frames.

How the hell does this get past GOs with a Mobility / Big Wing ISR or C2 background who went thru the T-1? Is there not any fight in these dudes to say hell no, we have a huge appropriation 120.69 billion or so, we can afford a heavy trainer and will get a replacement for the Toner, full stop. Now that heavy advanced trainer program could be different than the traditional model I grant you, consolidated to 1 or 2 bases, flown by AF IPs in COGO aircraft for instance or vice versa for shits and giggles but still something, don't just roll over take it.

I . . . kinda . . . see your point, but I would not equate the importance of SKE with the importance of the nuclear arsenal. Also, we train (some of) it to a half-baked standard, so the skills we are good at are localisms. That's why guys don't buy into it. Not saying we shouldn't be able to drop two ship IMC, but flying 5 hours in a 30 ship SKE route? That's like marching into battle with a fife drum.

Even if they mask it, since the AF moved to the AFSC-specific promo boards, it seems like there is a better chance than not that this guidance will be disregarded. Its been said multiple times, but, w/o a DP you have about a 1% chance of getting promoted APZ. The stigma Senior AF leaders attach to that designation is too much to overcome. Once you are APZ you are essentially worthless in the eyes of the AF and serve to fill the jobs that the service doesn’t want to really expend resources on. Which is fine with me because I’ve never had an easier job with more time to do what I want while still seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The freedom is a real thing, and once you realize that you are getting paid peanuts by the AF for the skills/experience private companies kill for, it makes you feel a lot better about the future.

That is a nice, little invalid analogy I’ve seen going around. Cloth masks do not remotely stop spread as compared to jeans stopping piss.

Larry does all of the photography at the big Airshow convention and formal in Vegas each year. Nice guy.

The sooner you realize that the DoD is nothing more than a streamlined, efficient way to spend taxpayer dollars at an astonishing rate, the sooner a lot more military decision making starts to make sense.

For the HIANG, I got an interview about a year ago and I am not a Hawaii resident. But I did 'rush' the squadron and visited on my christmas break. I asked if there was any preference for locals and was told no with the caveat that one should come prepared/have a plan financially because Hawaii isnt cheap, especially oahu.

Hey who knows, maybe there are customers out there for surplus 30 year old business jets, beat to shit by stan, with that sweet Alpine system

Oh indeed. I'd never take those capex investments as insurance against divestiture. We've done much worse on that front btw (C-27 et al). As far as Uncle Sammy is concerned, he's playing w/ OPMs (other people's money). Remember, Congressional pork and the associated grift is not the bug, but the feature.

If your goal is to impact military operations as a civilian, I’d recommend checking out the intel field. It’s a pretty diverse field and you and you can definitely find a niche where you can geek out over (adversary) aircraft. You can also shape and influence collections, operations and decision makers at a very high level given time. If being close to flying without actually flying is your goal you could always look into becoming an airline dispatcher. You’ll deal with flight planning, scheduling, and a whole host of other flight issues assisting flight crews get from point A to point B. However, I don’t believe there is a military version of flight dispatch if serving with the military is your thing.

It won't make any difference. If it comes up (unlikely) just say you wanted to travel the world and live like a rock star rather than hang out in a tiny briefing room with a bunch of dudes for six hours for every .69 hours of flying time.

KJoe if you wanted to be an Air Force pilot, then you have a certain amount of drive and are not scared of adventure. There are other careers out there that have similar qualities of a pilot in terms of required dedication, drive, etc. A GS or contractor in an AF squadron is not one of those careers. Disclaimer: I'm a retired AF pilot and am currently a contractor in an Army unit, but my first gig after retirement was a contractor in an AF squadron (training squadron).

"This American Hero Flew an Airplane Over Maryland in a Flight Path That Spelled 'F— Covid 19'" https://www.washingtonian.com/2020/04/29/this-american-hero-flew-an-airplane-over-maryland-in-a-flight-path-that-spelled-f-covid-19/ Someone send this kid a recruiting package! “We’d just got a new compass in the airplane, and I just had to check it out somehow,” he says. 😄

What the heck did I just read?

Benchmarked against what?

The T-6 UPT 2.5 syllabus doesn’t erode seat time. The T-38 and T-1 syllabi don’t exist yet.

Which outdated skills are going to make the difference in a near peer war? I bet the T-37 RMI is more EMP resistant than a MFD...damn, if only we taught RMI fix to fixes like 1959-2004. If only I had a dollar for every time over my 19 years that people justified their arguments by saying “Well when we fight China” If the deciding factor for winning a near peer war is bombers flying the radar pattern or fighters needing more wing work, we are in trouble. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

That's where SKE comes in. C-130 pilots are well-positioned with the skills of yesteryear, ready to knock out the enemy with a surprise invasion of 60 airplanes providing mass on DZ. When the time comes just get behind us.

If anything, it would probably be more useful track B-52 bound students earlier then send them just to a bunch of T-1 sims. I’ve heard the B-52 flies like the T-1

Hey man, your claim was we can cut training because our aircraft and flying are universally way safer with newer stuff. I’ve provided you at least one example where that is not true, and it’s one they plan on keeping for 69 more years. My claim was cutting UPT kicks the can down the road, which is exactly what you are proposing in taking more FTU training time to teach the basic instrument flying skills that should be learned in Undergraduate Pilot Training. It’s your burden to come up with a new argument.

Chuck covered what I've seen in my rapidly dwindling career. I'm an "also ran" who isn't going to stick it out because the AF decides I can't do "X Job" until I've paid certain dues. Being a DO fucking ruined this for me. I've had to explain to my young CGO's repeatedly that I'm not a HPO/Unicorn/whatever even with really good strats and good jobs. Doubly so since the outgoing Group/CC fucked me with no-strat last OPR, so glad that prick retired. When a group/cc strats a Capt to keep a streak alive despite the Sq/CC saying he don't deserve it...you know it's time to hang it up. With 18-days left to terminal my family and I have decided not to play for a multitude of reasons. But the number one I'm seeing now is being able to tell someone I'm not interested in a job/location and there's nothing they can do about it. And if I ever run into someone unable to manage as that former group/cc I can ask for an insane amount of money, or walk. It just wasn't worth it to stick around 7-more years (min. 3 moves) before retiring in grade as a O5 "hopefully" to be closing out as a Sq/CC trying to find a job at almost 50. Only thing keeping me was the basically-zero possibility of BPZ.

Alright ya'll figured I'd offer what I have. I spent at least a couple weeks trying to get in touch with a pilot at the 199th fighter squadron. Finally managed to get one of the AD pilots who passed me the email of the squadron DO Lt Col Horton. I emailed him and he informed me that the HI ANG does not keep a set schedule on their boards and the only way to get board information is indeed to go through the recruiters. He put me in contact with the recruiter that deals directly with their boards MSgt Manalo. PM me if you are interested and I will give you her contact info. I sent her an email and she reached out to make sure I had all the prerequisites done (AFOQT etc.) and then she sent me the requirements for the application package. She has a database started and will shoot out a mass alert to submit your package when the submission date drops for the UPT board. The 199th, 203rd, and 204th run joint boards so she will be the gate keeper for all 3 if you are interested in something other than the F-22's as well.

Sounds like a cool event but I'm guessing you've never been to Oshkosh? 🙂

Some contractor scheduling jobs out there. Not easy with a high learning curve, potentially long days, mistakes have big impacts, but that is the heart of the squadron if you want to be involved.

I applaud you for wanting to be involved in the flying business even though your primary route didn’t go as planned. Whatever you do, just be the best at it. I can think of a civilian secretary we had at my last squadron who was awesome at everything he did and was truly a joy to be around. That guys ability to help on a variety of personnel and admin issues really did enhance our ability to focus on the mission and get better. At the end of the day, that secretary did more for the team (squadron) than a lot of the aircrew members did. Best of luck!

There are often admin/support jobs in squadrons. Another route might be in the maintenance realm. I don't know the common pre-reqs for those jobs, but you can look at M1 or Dyncorp for more info.

You didn't state what your degree is in. Technical is probably more attractive than liberal arts, IMHO. Working around active flying squadrons is cool, but since you are in the "never gonna be able to do it," is that really a good choice? Seems a little masochistic since every day you'll be reminded of "no soup for you!" Although you said "Air Force squadrons" so not necessarily a flying one? Also, most, not all, but most line squadron GS positions are going to be fairly low grade - GS 7, 9, 11. A few 12s, a few 13s, maybe a 14 once in a while. Is the money at the lower grades enough for your needs? Because, generally, once you start as a GS in whatever grade, you have to do your time (ability is nice, but not always necessary in what I've seen), before moving up. And so on for each grade. Job security, but average pay. Is that for you? Contract employee of one of many companies is another route to follow. Again, kinda depends on your degree and location desired.

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/517671300

There are bunch of contractor jobs in the fighter squadrons at Shaw doing support stuff on clearancejobs.com. Probably have those in other places too.

Do a PALACE Acquire program.

seriously. three weeks ago the surgeon general was telling us to NOT wear masks. faucci has been wrong multiple times in the last few months. not faulting those dudes for course correcting, but fucking spare me if i refuse to throw away the united states constitution because the "expert government people" are telling me to comply with a new directive. they'd have a lot more credibility if they refused THEIR paychecks until we open back up. Sure is easy to hide behind the government check cashing every two weeks...