flyusaf83

I recently volunteered for a UPT assignment after receiving an email from group leadership saying they were looking for volunteers. I told my Sq/CC I was thinking about it. Before volunteering, I emailed my functional to ask some questions about the assignment (timing, ADSC obligation, etc.). The functional asked how interested I was. I said I was, and would think about it. She said to let her know if I wanted the assignment. I emailed her back a couple days later, saying that I was volunteering, and that she should hear about it through my chain of command soon. I emailed my Sq/CC and let him know I wanted to volunteer. He said ok. Well, today he pulls me aside and says I really pissed off OG leadership. They think that I went behind their backs to get the assignment and didn’t use the chain of command. They thought I should have asked my questions to them. I always thought that it was the job of functionals to keep you informed about assignments, amongst other things, and be there to answer questions. That’s exactly what I did. I still kept my chain of command on the loop as I was thinking about it, and when I made the decision. Now I’m slightly worried that my OG will bone me over, even though my functional said I’m g2g for the assignment. Did I do anything wrong? Is this something I could go to the IG with if they screw me over now?

How is that any different then the situation now? Strats and awards (to a lesser degree) are the only things that the board cares about, anyway. The rest is fluff.

I think it should be easier than that. No fluff in OPRs. Just strats. Give all of your people a positional strat, rank strat, and CGO/FGO strat. Do it annually to replace OPRs. I have never understood why only the top 15-20 percent get strats when we promote 90-95 percent to Major and 60ish percent to Lt Col. #80/100 Captains should be good enough for Maj. And it lets that individual know that while he/she will make Major, he/she has to make improvements to make Lt Col. This is a much better thing that to lump together the bottom 80-85 percent who don't get strats. And then no time-wasting bullets.

Is there public data out there by airframe? I'd like to see a breakdown if it's there.

So why is AFPC creating a huge backlog of selects? The 09' board is in Dec. So then 09' guys won't pin until 10-21 months from their board? That is just stupid. Just answered my own question.

This is an interesting thought. I wonder if the AF could do some drug deal with the airlines. If I could get a guaranteed hire with the my choice of airline, that might make me stay for longer. I don't see why the airlines would ever agree to that.

My commander tried to do this for our guys. Schedule a T-6 CT XC to Maxwell when we had guys there. Allow them to do some Saturday flying, at least once during their time there. It got shot down by SOS leadership. Apparently, that "wasn't fair" for everyone else, along with the risk they could divert and he could miss class Monday.

Any ideas on why they would do this? Unless they are going to have a very high increment and fly through pinning on the 08' guys, I don't know why they would move the board to the left. Otherwise they would just be building a massive amount of Maj selects.

If they did this, with guaranteed O-5 (unless there are major negative indicators), no non-flying deployments, no additional duties, and $50k yr bonus, I'd stay in. So I won't be staying in.

How does the AF assign line numbers within a year group?

So there I was. Doing paperwork in my office. I'm Flt/CC of ~60 folks, so I'm usually doing this about 7-8 hours of my 11-12 hour days. In walks the Sq/CC. He casually asks what I'm up to. "Oh you know sir, just the normal queep. Awards, OPRs, EPRs, updating trackers, you know." Sq/CC with disappointed face: "Oh, you mean taking care of your people?" Then he turns and walks out without allowing me to reply. That's how you take care of your people in the AF. With paperwork.

Can anyone explain why the AF would change this?

Poor argument. Yours is a false dichotomy. The AF doesn't have to choose between QoL and money. They can and should work on both. Also, you say America can't afford to increase the bonus. Well, if they triple the bonus from last year to $75k for 9 years, that's $675k. Depending on airframe, it costs between 4-15 times that much to replace that pilot, not to mention the 10 years of experience. In truth, the American people can't afford to lose experienced pilots. I understand that some who take the bonus would take it anyway. However, if the AF wants to retain talent, they have to increase the bonus to level where it will firmly be a part of the decision for all but the most jaded. At some point, money talks. And the nice thing is, the AF can work on the QoL issues at the same time.

But first you need to make sure the sleeves are rolled exactly 6-9 millimeters from the crest of your elbow, making a perfect right angle.

Screw Congress and screw the Air Force. They are openly saying the best way to keep us in the military is to manipulate federal aviation law, that was written with blood, to screw over military veterans. To make us less competitive with our civilian counterparts. F them. Then the Fers have the audacity to say they support the troops. Human pieces of Fing garbage.

That sucks. So if you show up to fly and weather is awful and sims are booked... you don't get paid at all? Apologies for derailing this thread.

You really want aircrew to have to factor in personal finances when making the decision to take a questionable jet? ORM nightmare there.

Since I'm an 11R, it looks like the bonus won't take me to 20 YOS, now that the max is 5 years. So how does that work? If I take that, it takes me to 17 YOS. So, pay cut for my final 3 years? F that. What if I take the 1 or 2 year option? Can you sign another bonus at that point? For me, I'm either staying in to 20, or getting out as soon as my UPT ADSC is up. I either want max airline seniority, or the pension. So if I choose to stay, what's the best way to handle the bonus to get the most out of Uncle Sam?

Money is the easy fix. The other problems causing the exodus are much more engrained in the AF bureaucracy. So if the AF isn't able to accomplish the easy part of the equation, just how in the hell do they expect us to believe they'll fix the more complex issues?

Easy fix, let these guys promote and fly the line and mentor younger guys... without a "staff position" for them. That's a AF bullshit way of thinking. Not everyone is meant to be or is right for command. Even more guys who could command, simply don't want to. The AF doesn't handle these rated officers the right way. Management thinks everyone should be want to be vectored for command. If they don't, they are pushed out and/or passed over. What's the logic of that? Let these guys stay in and do the job that the AF has invested millions in. Who cares if we don't have some office job for them? They probably don't want some bullshit office job. Let them stay in and promote easily to O-5. If that becomes the standard, more dudes will stay in. Most of us would love to fly the line and avoid bullshit office jobs. And please don't tell me this isn't "fair" for the shoes who don't have the opportunity to be a technician and promote. If that triggers them, they should have thought about that before becoming shoe clerks. They don't offer the AF a valuable skillset. Pilots do. The AF is going to have to change their thinking regarding promotion for pilots, amongst other things, if they want to a damn thing about the pilot crisis. They need to throw out the traditional rules and guidelines. The system is broken and retarded.

I do worry about this. I don't see separate boards helping the situation. Really, the AF just needs to promote all pilots, unless an individual has royally F'ed something up. Young CGOs in my community are seeing non-operators outperforming 11X/12X types. It's just another reason to get out ASAP. Dudes don't trust the AF to reward them for their choice to stay.

The 15 year retirement for pilots won't happen, for one reason. The shoes would lose their minds. There would be mass whining. The Air Force is committed to treating to valuing us all the same, which is why folks are leaving where they are valued more.

What bothers me the most about having aircrew guard our own jets is that it's a clear admission that the policy of guarding jets with weapons is unnecessary. If it were necessary, you wouldn't ask someone with no combat or police training to do it. You would have SF do it. But do we change the policy? Nope. We just add another additional duty for aircrew, because that's the type of easy and gutless call that Air Force leaders make.

Nice to see a GO that at least somewhat gets it. Now let's find one that not only targets how we do orders, but goes after SAPR, fire extinguisher training, LGBTQ awareness training, endless commanders calls, UA monitor duty, etc. Here is a new one at my base. We have to have a cop with an M-4 at the jet whenever we have a static display for some asinine reason. Well, our SF now say they don't have the manning for that. The solution? Send aircrew through M-4 training and have us guard our own jets as an additional duty. I shit you not.