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Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP - The Bonus)


Toro

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all us mid level captains have seen the bullshit...we dropped when there was only one fighter per class, we had RPAs in our -38 drops, we were in the squadrons with the TAMI 21 guys and heard how they got screwed out of their fighters, we saw the masters swing back to required for major and how our friends had to claw to get it before their board, we saw it swing back to not being required, we had friday morale shirts taken away, we had pencil tab patches made illegal, we had black boots taken away for  swade, we saw dumbass ABUs come into "style" along with 1980s parachute PT pants, we saw the air force e-9s embarrass our peers in the died chow hall for wrong sock color (and be rewarded for it by the O-6), we saw 21 year old A1Cs drinking at DJ but aircrew were forbidden from even one beer, we saw our flying hours get cut back, we saw congress not do their job to the detriment of our survival in combat with zero shits given, we saw congress debate to take away dual spouse BAH, we became our own finance officer, we became our own professional CBT clicker, we saw below average yes men pilots do the minimum flying-wise and excel at queep only to get rewarded with good deal assignments and promotions (CHANG), we saw absurd increases in ROE for political purposes with no eye on victory.

We saw the airlines start to hire...

we didn't see our families, we didn't see clear cut victory in the war, we didn't see respect for our skills as pilots, we don't see a end in sight in deployments or war. 

The air force has been f***ing us since 2008. How the f*** are they surprised we don't want to stick around for the next 8 years to get run into the dirt. Most of my peers are getting TFO in a few years and i have zero fu**s or sympathy for big blue. They earned this. 

Edited by BashiChuni
liberal use of the 'F' word
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22 hours ago, BashiChuni said:

all us mid level captains have seen the bullshit...we dropped when there was only one fighter per class, we had RPAs in our -38 drops, we were in the squadrons with the TAMI 21 guys and heard how they got screwed out of their fighters, we saw the masters swing back to required for major and how our friends had to claw to get it before their board, we saw it swing back to not being required, we had friday morale shirts taken away, we had pencil tab patches made illegal, we had black boots taken away for  swade, we saw dumbass ABUs come into "style" along with 1980s parachute PT pants, we saw the air force e-9s embarrass our peers in the died chow hall for wrong sock color (and be rewarded for it by the O-6), we saw 21 year old A1Cs drinking at DJ but aircrew were forbidden from even one beer, we saw our flying hours get cut back, we saw congress not do their job to the detriment of our survival in combat with zero shits given, we saw congress debate to take away dual spouse BAH, we became our own finance officer, we became our own professional CBT clicker, we saw below average yes men pilots do the minimum flying-wise and excel at queep only to get rewarded with good deal assignments and promotions (CHANG), we saw absurd increases in ROE for political purposes with no eye on victory.

We saw the airlines start to hire...

we didn't see our families, we didn't see clear cut victory in the war, we didn't see respect for our skills as pilots, we don't see a end in sight in deployments or war. 

The air force has been f***ing us since 2008. How the f*** are they surprised we don't want to stick around for the next 8 years to get run into the dirt. Most of my peers are getting TFO in a few years and i have zero fu**s or sympathy for big blue. They earned this. 

Nailed it. 

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On August 15, 2016 at 7:57 PM, BADFNZ said:

Everyday I run into more and more first assignment guys in my AMC squadron already talking about getting out and going to the airlines.  I think it's pretty telling when the FNGs fresh out of school, full of the blue Kool Aid, are already dreaming about cutting bait.  I've never seen anything like it.

You weren't  around in 99-00, its cyclical.  And that above post is awesome.

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It should mirror the AD bonus. Honestly, I've always thought the AGR bonus should be less than the AD bonus just because there is a whole lot less BS as an AGR in the ANG than there is on AD and an AGR could, in theory, go from a 2Lt to retiring as a 20 yr Lt Col without ever commanding a unit. There hasn't been as much of a tendancy to leave the AGR program as there is AD, but we're getting there, especially with the airlines hiring as much as they are. NGB has authorized ART bonuses and some units are hiring into GS13 positions at the step 7 level ($20k more than step 1). The manpower pain is being felt everywhere.

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"This is not for all pilots," said Stefanek, explaining that some years there's a need for more mobility pilots or more fighter pilots."

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/19/air-force-paying-huge-retention-bonuses-to-fighter-pilots.html

Between a likely continued resolution, emphasis on acquisitions & the above statement, I'd say it's not a certainty that heavy drivers will see an increase in our bonus.

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"This is not for all pilots," said Stefanek, explaining that some years there's a need for more mobility pilots or more fighter pilots."

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/19/air-force-paying-huge-retention-bonuses-to-fighter-pilots.html

Between a likely continued resolution, emphasis on acquisitions & the above statement, I'd say it's not a certainty that heavy drivers will see an increase in our bonus.

LOL. Well them tankers and airlifters aren't gonna drive themselves...

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3 hours ago, Oldtanker said:

Between a likely continued resolution, emphasis on acquisitions & the above statement, I'd say it's not a certainty that heavy drivers will see an increase in our bonus.

That's fine. The real "bonus" will come when said heavy drivers hit second year pay at AA/DL/UA/SW/UPS/FEDEX.  I don't see the problem (much like the AF).

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1 hour ago, FUSEPLUG said:

That's fine. The real "bonus" will come when said heavy drivers hit second year pay at AA/DL/UA/SW/UPS/FEDEX.  I don't see the problem (much like the AF).

Exactly. Big Blue will not see a problem until they turn around and all their mobility pilot have left. Just like the fighters.

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9 hours ago, Sprkt69 said:

Exactly. Big Blue will not see a problem until they turn around and all their mobility pilot have left. Just like the fighters.

We don't need mobility pilots, right?  That's why we RIFed so many a couple years ago.

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We don't need mobility pilots, right?  That's why we RIFed so many a couple years ago.

And why we won't let any Palace Chase regardless of how close they are to the end of their commitment!

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On 8/19/2016 at 10:13 PM, Gazmo said:

It should mirror the AD bonus. Honestly, I've always thought the AGR bonus should be less than the AD bonus just because there is a whole lot less BS as an AGR in the ANG than there is on AD and an AGR could, in theory, go from a 2Lt to retiring as a 20 yr Lt Col without ever commanding a unit. There hasn't been as much of a tendancy to leave the AGR program as there is AD, but we're getting there, especially with the airlines hiring as much as they are. NGB has authorized ART bonuses and some units are hiring into GS13 positions at the step 7 level ($20k more than step 1). The manpower pain is being felt everywhere.

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Except for the fact that there are AGRs resigning to go to the airlines.  Seen it multiple times in the last year.

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The funny thing is this - "leadership" is trumpeting the total (rumored) 30% tech bonus as a carrot - no one is biting. The old guys (technicians) have a hard time understanding why everyone doesn't want to be just like them. Sound like AD?

The Technician program has only lasted as long as it has due to the events of 9/11. If the airline hiring boom of '99-01 had continued, the ART force would have crumbled back then. Of course a lot of the O-4/O-5 IP-types who got furloughed from the airlines, found their way back into an ART job and stayed there for 10+ years until they got their recall while us young guys troughed trying to make ends meet. Guess what. Us young guys are the ones leaving now without anyone to fill our shoes.

For years, leadership had a mindset that being an ART was something everyone would give their first born child to become. Not true at all. For most, it was the only option they had to keep food on the table. Is it a terrible job? No, but it has gotten worse than it used to be. Ask all the people who now pay 4.4% into a FERS retirement on top of 5% TSP contribution on top of FEHB on top of dental converage. It ends up being $12,000 a year out of your pay. It is an antiquated program not designed well for aircrew.

We should all be AGR's. It's be much easier to keep people and manage the fulltime force. Leadership's arguement is that some people want to spend 30+ years as an ART and want the double retirement. Ironically, the only people who believe that are the leadership who, for one reason or another missed the airline boat and are ART lifers or they are non-flyers. For the rest of us, being an ART is a tiresome stepping stone; an alternative to a regional airline and as more and more people leave the program, the worse it's getting for those who are still waiting for their call.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Any of you that are actually in the know heard any more news on changes coming? 48K? 60K? 5 years? 9? 50% up front still? The current one on mypers expires at the end of the month...surely there's got to be something ready to take its place. Anyone?

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The normal release has been early to mid-spring, so I wouldn't hold your breath.  Whatever max amount the budget gets approved for will tell you most of what you want to know, but any up front numbers and duration won't be reliable until the actual AF release.  I'd guess late March.

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The normal release has been early to mid-spring, so I wouldn't hold your breath.  Whatever max amount the budget gets approved for will tell you most of what you want to know, but any up front numbers and duration won't be reliable until the actual AF release.  I'd guess late March.


So that means there won't be a bonus program for 6 months or the old one stays in effect? Rumors of higher payouts have to be depressing sign up numbers.


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