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Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP - The Bonus)


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2 hours ago, K_O said:

If that’s the case then requirements grew by 150, because we were just briefed that we’re an extra hundred short this year (~2100). Statistics. Hah! Depends on what you want to say I guess.

I would like to see more creativity. I think you could keep several people around for at least a tour or two if you combined a shorter bonus with a garunteed offer for TERA but I'm not sure the service secretaries can offer TERA. (I think they can because they can force shape). 

 

Edited by FLEA
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4 hours ago, Hunter Rose said:

Annual retention report is out.

Active Duty grew the pilot force by 54. At this rate, we’ll be where our manning numbers need to be in a mere 13-15 years!  What a stupendous job Aircrew Task Force!

The Generals need to cry uncle. They need to ask Congress for a bigger bonus, or if stuck with only a $35K bonus they need to offer it with a one year commitment and renewable annually. 

If Altus is indicative of the rest of the Air Force, that 54 is all of us former gold wingers who switched over. I can count at least 5 dudes I know of in the C-17 and KC-135 pipeline.

 

It helps but no where enough to really even make a dent in that ~2100

Edited by Bigred
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14 hours ago, Majestik Møøse said:

What’s the draw for you guys to do ISTs to the AF?

Career timing and post military opportunities. In the Navy, if you don’t screen for squadron command the odds of flying post department head (ADO) are almost zero. 
 

For me personally, I’m a senior O-4 that flew helos in the Navy and I was looking at a non-flying desk job for at least three years. With no guarantees of flying afterwards (even though I volunteered for UPT instructor, etc), and the Air Force offering me the chance to fly heavies for at least the next four years, it was a no brainer. Even if I don’t fly till I retire I’ll have a lot better shot at the majors afterwards instead of slogging through the regionals for 5-6 years waiting on flow through. 
 

The same applies to a lot of the guys I know that have swapped over. No real aspiration for command but happy to fly our asses off for the rest of our careers. That, and the 75 day tanker deployments are quite ok when compared to 6-9 month boat deployments.

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2 hours ago, Guardian said:

Good thing about guard paying back bonus, you can pay it back very slowly with no interest. At least that’s what I’ve heard.

My unit didn't stop my orders in '13 when I went to school. Overpaid me 6 weeks ADOS and didn't catch it until the end of the FY. It took me until last year to pay it back 😎

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My unit didn't stop my orders in '13 when I went to school. Overpaid me 6 weeks ADOS and didn't catch it until the end of the FY. It took me until last year to pay it back 

That’s awesome. Half tempted to sign another bonus and hit retirement then pay it back slowly. Would help with first year pay anyways.
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3 hours ago, billy pilgrim said:

I didn't previously know this, but AGR 11Fs get the $35k/year bonus as well.  Some guys are paying it back to get their seniority started at a major.

To get the $35k bonus in the ANG, you need to sign a 2 year commitment.  You're also at the whim of state leadership to sign an orders curtailment, but I have yet to see a curtailment denied.  My understanding is in AFRC you can get the $35k bonus down to a 1 year commitment.  

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4 hours ago, billy pilgrim said:

I didn't previously know this, but AGR 11Fs get the $35k/year bonus as well.  Some guys are paying it back to get their seniority started at a major.

Anyone know where these programs are posted? I heard 18X had the same bonus on the guard side as well. I'm going to need to make some informed decisions soon....

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On 11/29/2019 at 10:42 AM, billy pilgrim said:

I didn't previously know this, but AGR 11Fs get the $35k/year bonus as well.  Some guys are paying it back to get their seniority started at a major.

I haven't referenced official sources, but hallway/bar talk has sounded like all AGR bonuses match AD if you haven't previously taken an active duty bonus. If you have taken an active duty bonus, it's a huge cut down to like $12 or $18K. Does that check with anyone in the know...mypers is the place to verify? So definitely some gamesmanship for AD guys to consider at the end of their initial ADSC.

Another question...is it at all possible to receive the ACP bonus tax free while deployed? I'm planning to take 3 years of blood money next year in March-April, but I'll definitely delay until later in the year when I deploy for an extra $6-8K if I can.

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6 hours ago, ThreeHoler said:

ACP is considered monthly pay in the month you get it. So at most you will get $700-1100 back depending on your pay grade. It isn’t like enlisted bonuses.


Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Yes but I had heard if you sign it overseas, every iteration it pays will be tax excluded until it runs out. Any truth to that? 

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1 hour ago, FLEA said:

Yes but I had heard if you sign it overseas, every iteration it pays will be tax excluded until it runs out. Any truth to that? 

No. 

You have to be in a tax free location the month your bonus processes on your LES and bonus pay hits your bank account. You’d again have to be in a tax free locale when your bonus hit in year 2 to get a portion of it tax free.

As mentioned it is considered monthly pay by the finance folk, so you only get tax free (regular pay + ACP) up to the pay rate of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. 
 

No huge benefit to delaying signing. Especially if it adds to your time in. 

Edited by Hunter Rose
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No. 
You have to be in a tax free location the month your bonus processes on your LES and bonus pay hits your bank account. You’d again have to be in a tax free locale when your bonus hit in year 2 to get a portion of it tax free.
As mentioned it is considered monthly pay by the finance folk, so you only get tax free (regular pay + ACP) up to the pay rate of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. 
 
No huge benefit to delaying signing. Especially if it adds to your time in. 


Recently received my first bonus check while deployed, and that is how it paid out.

That being said, being deployed raises your annual TSP contribution limit to $55K, so I directed a good portion of my bonus payment to my traditional TSP.
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I hear some new AF research project told them that there wasn’t a significant difference in take rates from $20K to $35K... their conclusion is that ->the bonus amount has no effect on take rate<- 😂

We never leveled off. They’re looking at the wrong indicators. We just steadied our decent. They should continue to lower the nose with QOL/QOS initiatives, BUT realize they’re in the region of reverse command. Add more power. I bet you $70K would move the needle, but don’t expect to see any bonus increases. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a decrease after that turd of a third grade report.

Edited by K_O
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10 hours ago, K_O said:

I hear some new AF research project told them that there wasn’t a significant difference in take rates from $20K to $35K... their conclusion is that ->the bonus amount has no effect on take rate<- 😂

We never leveled off. They’re looking at the wrong indicators. We just steadied our decent. They should continue to lower the nose with QOL/QOS initiatives, BUT realize they’re in the region of reverse command. Add more power. I bet you $70K would move the needle, but don’t expect to see any bonus increases. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a decrease after that turd of a third grade report.

Eliminating the bonus completely would actually be pretty smart.  Since they’re unwilling to raise it to a level at which it would actually change someone’s mind from leaving to staying on a large scale, might as well get rid of it completely.  The only people (for the most part) who take it were going to stay anyway... free money for them.  Might as well waste that money on other Defense Industrial Complex garbage.

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4 hours ago, Karl Hungus said:

...might as well get rid of it completely.  The only people (for the most part) who take it were going to stay anyway... free money for them.  Might as well waste that money on other Defense Industrial Complex garbage.

It’s not enough money to pay for any Defense Industrial Complex garbage. No, it will just go to another RAND study.

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  • 1 month later...

Just for some kids that don’t know math:  

1999 bonus and cap were introduced: $25,000, which it’s been in some form or fashion for a while, though it took far too long for big blue to realize that not just fighter pilots are important enough to offer a big bonus to...

2019...it’s now $35,000

Inflation says that 1999 $25k should be >$38k in 2019.  Apparently flyers were more important in 1999 than they are today.  Let that sink in.

Edited by FourFans130
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