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Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP - The Bonus)


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8 hours ago, ViperStud said:

Ok, I'll be the dick and ask the question. I get the job that WSOs do in the Mudhen and Buff, but why the outcry for the rest of them?  I know a C-130 nav who openly admits that a tight platform makes their primary job irrelevant. Is there demand for 12X outside the AF?  Is this bonus anger about "fairness" or supply/demand?

We do a similar job to the BUFF EWO and the F-15E WSO in the B-1.  We run the radar and the Sniper pod, lase the GBU-54s into the movers, talk to the JTACs, and running the jamming/chaff/flare/decoy systems.

A bigger picture thought is this, though...think about all those staff jobs and deployments that require a rated officer.  As you draw down 12X out of the Air Force, it necessarily means more 11X have to fill those staff billets/deployments/taskers.  Just food for thought.

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8 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:
8 hours ago, BashiChuni said:
A good U-28 CSO is worth their weight in gold

But do we need to financially incentivize then to stay?

WSOs are bailing from my community at an even greater rate than pilots.  Usually at the same point as well...about 10 years.  Turns out, there are plenty of jobs on the outside with someone who has aviation experience, an electronic warfare background, and a security clearance.

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WSOs are bailing from my community at an even greater rate than pilots.  Usually at the same point as well...about 10 years.  Turns out, there are plenty of jobs on the outside with someone who has aviation experience, an electronic warfare background, and a security clearance.
Thanks, that's what I was wondering. Then it all adds up. They should be giving you bonuses, so of course they aren't.
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On 8/4/2017 at 0:10 PM, nsplayr said:

The bonus PSDM was corrected again today (change 3) and now includes bonus options for non-contracted and contract-expired aviators. Maybe someone out there is listening finally...

The other big change is that those 11R & 11H Early Enrollee pilots (who are eligible for the Bonus in FY17 but signed the paperwork in FY16) will now be allowed to sign for the new/higher bonus amount without incurring the additional one year ADSC that SAF/GC was demanding.  Whoever is working in 11R/11H at A3 deserves all the handles of Jack that they are about to receive for fixing the "Bonus Shenanigans" for these pilots.

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19 hours ago, ViperStud said:

Ok, I'll be the dick and ask the question. I get the job that WSOs do in the Mudhen and Buff, but why the outcry for the rest of them?  I know a C-130 nav who openly admits that a tight platform makes their primary job irrelevant. Is there demand for 12X outside the AF?  Is this bonus anger about "fairness" or supply/demand?

I don't know a single RC-135 EWO that has struggled to find a comparable salary job on the outside.  Even the guys that got RIFd a few years ago.

Many of these guys are just as highly trained as pilots.  The training pipeline is probably longer honestly.  They just don't have the airline pull.  But they do have striped polo shirts, leather weave belts, velcro shoes, and cell phone holsters.  So they've got that going for them. 

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The cost to train an F-15E WSO is only different from pilots in UPT vs UNT and a few TR sorties in the B-course.  Everything else is the same, for the millions invested a financial incentive makes sense to retain 12Fs.   


I always thought they trained the pilot and got the wso for free...
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32 minutes ago, HossHarris said:

So they're interchangeable then?  if the pilot doesn't show up you can just put 2 wso in the jet?

You can try anything once!

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12 hours ago, Bergman said:

I don't know a single RC-135 EWO that has struggled to find a comparable salary job on the outside.  Even the guys that got RIFd a few years ago.

Many of these guys are just as highly trained as pilots.  The training pipeline is probably longer honestly.  They just don't have the airline pull.  But they do have striped polo shirts, leather weave belts, velcro shoes, and cell phone holsters.  So they've got that going for them. 

Their ability to speak fax machine is highly lucrative.

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On 8/6/2017 at 8:59 AM, HossHarris said:

So they're interchangeable then?  if the pilot doesn't show up you can just put 2 wso in the jet?

SEALs are highly trained.  That doesn't mean they're interchangeable with pilots.

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Got a myPers email saying I'm eligible for the bonus now.  Looking into it as a prior bonus taker, I'd get the 11M rate per year for two years past my 20 years.  I assume the 365 is implied.  While it is awfully sweet of them to think of me, I don't believe I'll give up a year with my family and  2 years of seniority for 30k a year. 

Although if they give me a no 365 clause, and airline of choice afterward, I'd be tempted. 

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1 hour ago, NKAWTG said:

Got a myPers email saying I'm eligible for the bonus now.  Looking into it as a prior bonus taker, I'd get the 11M rate per year for two years past my 20 years.  I assume the 365 is implied.  While it is awfully sweet of them to think of me, I don't believe I'll give up a year with my family and  2 years of seniority for 30k a year. 

Although if they give me a no 365 clause, and airline of choice afterward, I'd be tempted. 

What's your Short Tour Return date?

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17 hours ago, NKAWTG said:

Got a myPers email saying I'm eligible for the bonus now.  Looking into it as a prior bonus taker, I'd get the 11M rate per year for two years past my 20 years.  I assume the 365 is implied.  While it is awfully sweet of them to think of me, I don't believe I'll give up a year with my family and  2 years of seniority for 30k a year. 

Although if they give me a no 365 clause, and airline of choice afterward, I'd be tempted. 

My bonus expires next year so I'll look at it again then, but my choice will likely be the same as yours. 

AF should also factor in 365s and forced PCS movements late in careers as well. These drive separations a whole lot for the crowd that would potentially stay in my opinion.  In my 40s I have little desire to be gone from my wife for a year or have to move.

If they guaranteed no 365s (I'd be OK with one 179) and guaranteed I wouldn't have to move I'd likely sign on when eligible next year.

 

 

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