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Pilot Shortage Deepens, USAF is SCREWED.


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11 hours ago, Trogdor said:

My CC was fine with it, but the power that is given to the group civ RA's is infuriating.  My main point is to highlight that the "official" process our group follows in order to honor the JTR makes life infinitely more difficult.   This process starts at the top, at the highest levels as far as I'm concerned.  Our group has had several emphasis item's and emails on using proper channels, using gov lodging, threats/instructions from the group Civ RA's to our CGO squad RA's, and general just making life difficult.  

I'm just upset the commonsense and easiest way will get you in trouble.  It just brings back memories of that stupid debit card thing they did back in 2012 or so.... The reg and process is built to the lowest common denominator of arm snuffy who goes TDY once every five years.  All of it in an effort to fight fraud/abuse for said lowest common denominator which makes the life of aircrew infinitely more difficult who has to deal with this on much more frequent basis. 

This might of been better for what's wrong with the AF, but thought it fit here as well. 

Just wait until all of the additional duties and ancillary issues are "managed" by the hired civilians.  You think it's hard getting this shit done now?  Wait until someone who's paid by the hour starts working it.

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5 hours ago, SocialD said:

I have yet to hear of any Guard guys being individually involuntarily mobilized for anything.  Im sure it's only a matter of time, but they're still not here for now.  

Don't get too comfy.  NGB has no problem throwing you under the bus to maintain "relevancy."  ANG guys teaching in-country C-130s today, A-29s or F-16s or C-208s tomorrow.

http://www.ang.af.mil/Media/Features/Article/863815/ang-air-advisors-building-afghanistan-air-force-one-flyer-at-a-time/

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8 hours ago, Bode said:


Is there any thing that states production is number 1? Not arguing but trying to find some justification for something.

19th AF/CC Stated that on multiple occasions during the stand down, as well as a few other references I can't remember.  But the context is with UPT instructors in general I don't see how any thing but pilot production/instruction can ever not being top priority so I am some what baffled by your question.  Especially given we are being asked to increase production from what 1200 to 1400 and what now 2000 a year?

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19 hours ago, hindsight2020 said:

Read above, just like I told @Duck, this is a robbing Peter to pay Paul dynamic. Of course they know the pilot production ruse is bullshit. You can't take what HAF edicts in official channels at face value, that's a checkers move. 

You guys are gonna absolutely love what's coming though. It's gonna be MAJCOM on MAJCOM crime, octagon style. Give you guys a hint. R_ _ _ _ _ A. And I fully welcome it; it's time to tell CENTCOM they're not special. They don't get to blow up the service just because they want to retain footprint while contractors rob the kitty blind. Meanwhile you spend another Xmas updating slides and meat gazing away from your kid and frau, just to incur requal expenses while a so-called production crisis is simultaneously ongoing mind you. And there's skydiving and a shopping mall outside "the wire" for the cherry on top. GTFOH with that rent-seeking nonsense. And they want to question my patriotism?¿! MF please. 

I'm curious why you think the reclamas are going to work any better now than they have for the past decade.

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On 3/29/2018 at 1:50 PM, nunya said:

Don't get too comfy.  NGB has no problem throwing you under the bus to maintain "relevancy."  ANG guys teaching in-country C-130s today, A-29s or F-16s or C-208s tomorrow.

http://www.ang.af.mil/Media/Features/Article/863815/ang-air-advisors-building-afghanistan-air-force-one-flyer-at-a-time/

My guess is those were all "volunteers," I still have yet to see an ANG pilot be involuntarily individually mobed.  The good will and volunteers will/are already drying up extremely fast.  We've been sent to multiple non-combat deployments (TSP) and have already lost guys who don't want to deploy to go fly CT...we'll lose more.  I've heard the same is happening in some of the tankers squadrons out there.  Having said that, I have no illusions that they're not feverishly trying to figure out the red tape to tap ANG guys for 365s!

At least they're trying to unfuck 12301d vs 12304b bullshit, so there's that...

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On 3/28/2018 at 6:53 PM, Guardian said:

Just heard AFRC/CC is implementing a stop loss for the reserves for the rest of the year. Anyone heard this? I saw a signed letter. Don’t know if it’s a joke or not.

Update: just notified today that I'm stop lossed. Submitted for resignation last November. If anybody has any suggestions on how to fight this, I'd appreciate it. 

I'm a TR. 

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36 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Update: just notified today that I'm stop lossed. Submitted for resignation last November. If anybody has any suggestions on how to fight this, I'd appreciate it. 

I'm a TR. 

1.  Dear Congressman...

2. Dear Senator 1...

3. Dear Senator 2...

 

As a start.

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19 minutes ago, brickhistory said:

1.  Dear Congressman...

2. Dear Senator 1...

3. Dear Senator 2...

 

As a start.

From what I understand, congressional inquiries (like the IG) are pretty worthless. 

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1 hour ago, Jaded said:

Update: just notified today that I'm stop lossed. Submitted for resignation last November. If anybody has any suggestions on how to fight this, I'd appreciate it. 

I'm a TR. 

ANG or AFRC?  Did they say for how long?  We only get enough pay cards for 4 days/month, I'd start by only showing up for those days.   

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2 minutes ago, SocialD said:

ANG or AFRC?  Did they say for how long?  We only get enough pay cards for 4 days/month, I'd start by only showing up for those days.   

AFRC. They said I'm required to stay in until the end of the year (I assume fiscal). There is no assurance that I'll be let go at that time though - just that I'll be allowed to try again.

It's like this inescapable loop, with my family caught in the middle -

1. 4Q17 - Submit  letter of resignation

2. 1Q18 - Letter not signed.

3. 2Q18 - Letter not signed.

5. April 4th - Because your letter is not signed, you're stop lossed. Try again next October 1st. Go to step 1.

I'm not qualified to fly my airplane anymore (I stopped flying a few months prior to submitting my letter of resignation). I'm not even assigned a job.

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5 hours ago, Jaded said:

AFRC. They said I'm required to stay in until the end of the year (I assume fiscal). There is no assurance that I'll be let go at that time though - just that I'll be allowed to try again.

It's like this inescapable loop, with my family caught in the middle -

1. 4Q17 - Submit  letter of resignation

2. 1Q18 - Letter not signed.

3. 2Q18 - Letter not signed.

5. April 4th - Because your letter is not signed, you're stop lossed. Try again next October 1st. Go to step 1.

I'm not qualified to fly my airplane anymore (I stopped flying a few months prior to submitting my letter of resignation). I'm not even assigned a job.

You have a pretty good case for the IG due to the stonewalling of not getting a signature on 1 and 2 QTR FY 18. Unless the non-signature is for cause (pending FEB, MEB, admin UCMJ action), they're gonna have to honor your November date, which would fall well before the 4 April date they have given as the deadline for honoring requests. But we simply don't know the circumstances behind your loss of qualification. That may be the sticking point and you may not want to expand about it on here, which is certainly your prerogative. 

As to the practical implications of this scenario? Just like @SocialD described, it's basically high time to idle-boards participation. UTAs are the only required periods needed to gain a good Reserve year, and AT are the only days your SQ/CC can legally compel you to the squadron and away from your civilian responsibilities (plus the MUTA(s)). If you've already burn those, they can't do fog all. For someone who is already dead to the unit due to the loss of qualification, this is only being done to pad the numbers. What is most likely to happen is you'll submit your IG, everybody will get umbraged, you'll get your signature effective 1 Oct 18. Then, just like two years ago, loss management will get lifted on 1 Oct 18 and you'll be on your way out. I don't have any reason to believe based on earlier loss management that they will concurrently implement loss management on 1 Oct 18 to keep folks for the entire FY 19. Usually these implementations have happened mid-FY, just like this one.

Personally I think it's a complete loss on everybody's part that people end their service tenure on such jaded and toxic terms. It truly is a loss for everybody involved. Then again I've also encountered the opposite, people whose attitude is so price-elastic that the second they make a nickel an hour more per duty period at the airline than at the unit, having two jobs is all of a sudden the biggest affront to their livelihoods and the welfare of their children you could ever impose on them. It's a bit much sometimes. That said, the invol IA BS is what's killing manning these days, I'd say even above and beyond TSPs and/or unit-wide mobs.

 

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Thanks for the words. The non-signature is from bureaucratic incompetence at the FSS; nothing administrative. 

I didn't lose my qual for any sinister reason. I did a QOL benefit analysis and told my unit I was going to move on when my palace chase ADSC expired. It's simply been so long since my fini flight that my form 8 is long expired. 

Edited by Jaded
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11 hours ago, Jaded said:

From what I understand, congressional inquiries (like the IG) are pretty worthless. 

As always, it depends.

But in trying to get movement/resolution on your particular issue, sometimes it is easier for the powers that be to simply correct their mistake than it is to explain to the Congressional enquiry as to why they screwed the pooch.

The military chain of command's goal will be to "make the bad man (Congress) go away."  If it's easier to simply sign the forms that let you get on your way and not have to explain the f' up, you might have some success.

Or, the military can explain why they screwed the pooch.  Either way, you will make leadership devote time/attention to your issue.  How they respond to it is a crapshoot, but they will have to respond to it.

Make sure you speak to the military staffer if you contact your representatives.  Have your info at hand and make it easy for the staff to ask the pointed questions that will make the military squirm.  

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2 hours ago, ROCK 10 said:

Jaded, keep in mind that if you resign/retire now vs. moving to the IRR - you'll be locking in your retired points value in 2018.

Most folks stay in the IRR and still accumulate longevity, PLUS you'll get the points value in the FY of your 60th birthday - could be worth a few hundred bucks a month down the line...  Just sayin'  - best of luck!

Can you gain points in the IRR without doing a CAT E position?

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2 hours ago, Buddy Spike said:

Can you gain points in the IRR without doing a CAT E position?

Unsure, but the info above may be dated...

The retirement "points value" for a retired O-5 has already gone up .03 cents per point since FY16 (worth an extra $150/mo for someone with 5000 ARC retirement points).  I'd hate to see someone lose out on this by not staying in the IRR until 60 - assuming they have 20+ good years.

Sorry for the de-rail..

Edited by ROCK 10
clarity
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This was posted over at TPN Air Force May Approve Enlisted Pilots for First Time in 75 Years  . I find it funny that our leaders still think we have a production problem when it’s a retention problem. Oh well this train will keep on chugging off the tracks until they finally realize that producing more will not help the problem. 

Edited by cragspider
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35 minutes ago, cragspider said:

This was posted over at TPN Air Force May Approve Enlisted Pilots for First Time in 75 Years  . I find it funny that our leaders still think we have a production problem when it’s a retention problem. Oh well this train will keep on chugging off the tracks until they finally realize that producing more will not help the problem. 

I wouldn't take anything posted on Military.com as official, even if quoting "Enlisted Jesus"...

The USAF is already producing enlisted RPA drivers, which will be the extent of it.  If anything, expect that pipeline will expand.  Nothing else.

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2 hours ago, cragspider said:

This was posted over at TPN Air Force May Approve Enlisted Pilots for First Time in 75 Years  . I find it funny that our leaders still think we have a production problem when it’s a retention problem. Oh well this train will keep on chugging off the tracks until they finally realize that producing more will not help the problem. 

I think they know we have a retention problem.  I think they just gave up and decided to "grow their way out of the problem" rather than face the reality of why they can't retain enough experience.

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1 hour ago, dream big said:

Not sure what the hype is, there is already a program for enlisted to become pilots: it’s called OTS...

I've been saying this all along too. Being an "enlisted pilot" is a pretty shit deal for the folks who might do it. Same responsibilities as a commissioned pilot, for what, half the pay? Screw that. Give Wing Commanders the ability to nominate folks to dedicated OTS slots, quick turn around, and boom, you have a new officer ready to become a pilot. Absent a Warrant Officer program, sending high performers who would be great pilots to OTS real quick seems like the easiest solution.

Edited by nsplayr
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