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I was dead set on getting out as a Captain. WIC was a huge goal for me and I went later in my career despite adding a year to my ADSC. Afterwords, serving as a patch and feeling like I was making an impact on the next generation was a turning point for me. I loved serving, leading, and having a sense of fulfillment. So I stayed…jury is out whether it was the right decision but I’m essentially locked in to retirement. I love flying, and while airlines were tempting, the job wasn’t for me. I’ll likely buy an airplane when I retire to scratch the itch. There is a lot that is wrong and frustrating with the Air Force; but focusing on what is right (the dudes in the squadron doing the mission) and honing in on that pushed me to stay and try to make it a little bit better.

Dibs!

Gonna hang it up next year and make it an even 30. 23 years AD and 7 in the Reserves. I've always said that when the bullshit outweighs the benefits, I'd vote with my feet. Apparently I have a higher tolerance for the bullshit than I ever imagined. Like some have said, it all comes down to what right looks like for you. It wasn't right for me to take a pay-cut and alot of time away from home for a couple of years to get the ultimate benefits that the airlines offer. I loved what I did-- flying the A-10 and being in a position to teach young pilots has always appealed to me. I executed my career MY way, to the detriment of promotions on AD-- did a great staff gig in Europe but refused to go to ACC or the Pentagon. Got passed over for O-6 on AD but picked up immediately once I joined the Reserves-- best thing that ever happened to me. I would have been tossed around like a barracks bunny on a Saturday night as a full-bird on AD. Had to wait to pin-on with the Reserves, but got a great opportunity out of it that worked out well for my family. Through it all, I was able to do what I loved and provided great opportunities for my family. And now my beautiful bride has decided that she doesn't want to leave our current location and so that means it's time to hang it up. Assuming I don't get myself fired in the next 8 months, I'll have had a chance in this seat for far longer than is normal for a command tour. I enjoy being in the trenches and leading from the front, and I found a way to do that. It cost me some opportunities, but kept me true to what I valued most career-wise. I deployed six times, flew on some pretty high-end real-world missions, earned a WIC patch, got to command a couple of outstanding organizations, fly the A-10 longer than the eleven-year old version of me who started this dream could have ever imagined, but most importantly, got to coach my kids' sports teams for 12 years and help my wife start a number of successful businesses. But I never felt like I had to sacrifice who I was and what I truly believed in to further my career. Maybe that's why I tolerated more BS than I thought I could. Hell, it's only a lot of work if you do it. Turns out you can still be a fighter pilot in today's Air Force. Then again, I've joked that I'm not really in the military-- I'm in the AF. And I'm not really in the AF, I'm a Hog Driver. Don't use these stories as a recipe or a map-- what worked for me and others won't necessarily work for you. There's nothing wrong with getting out-- if you're doing it for the right reasons. And there's nothing wrong with staying in-- if you're doing it for the right reasons. Just make sure the right reasons are still with you when you hang up that smart-looking uniform for the last time. Now the hard part: I have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKVgvnANzsj/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D The face behind Bitchin Betty.

I stayed past my UPT commitment because COVID caused my CJO to disappear (don't burn bridges on your way out BTW). After another PCS, 3 years later, I managed to get out "again" and Palace Fronted over to the ANG. I'll probably go back to full time here in the near future to get my AD retirement because it just makes sense numbers wise. Purely a long term financial decision. QOL is far superior at my airline job over AD.

During the height of the Cold War the Soviet war plan with Sweden was to send in Speznaz teams to kill Swedish fighter pilots!

Got a hotel for the week, not sure I’ll be there the whole time.

I left active duty after my initial commitment, but flew another 21 years in the Reserves. I loved the Air Force, but I had a charmed life, in that I flew all 28 years. I never got caught up in the desk jobs, climbing the promotion ladder. Also, as it turned out I showed up at McGuire in 1987, and retired with a lot of my original squadron buds from active duty. Like a big family and I loved putting on a bag to go flying. Airline life is good, but it doesn’t compare.

The more democrats open their mouths, in the media, government, and even here, the dumber they sound.

Yeah, I saw you guys got the primo Boeing plaza parking! Not too far from us. I’ll definitely be over.

Don’t worry Ellsworth is building sunshades for the B-21s, we’re g2g

Having flown it, that is impressive and obviously flown clean.

Retiring after just over 20 years this winter. I stayed in for many reasons, but primarily because: 1) I’d just finished an incredible overseas assignment followed by an interesting staff assignment that challenged me and reinvigorated my love of serving 2) I’d overcome some significant medical issues and wanted to provide my family financial security in the event I lost my medical clearance again and the check-of-the-month club provides that 3) I’d just had my second child and needed a secure career since airline hiring hadn’t picked up yet

You KNOW I'll be there. Actually, we are bringing The Deuce (and a Black Talon). She arrives Monday, leaves Monday. https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/eaa-airventure-news/2025-04-10-us-air-force-to-bring-iconic-u-2-dragon-lady-to-airventure-2025 Unless Congress changes it, the U-2 is done "operationally" in 121 days. Oshkosh will be the last time in public... unless things change. We shall see.

Bumping now for 2025! Who’s in? I am reprising my role.

Thanks for the replies. I know this is a small sample size and most people on here seem to dislike AD especially. But everyone has a different thought process.

Why was it a mistake?

Not enough drones to target all of pilot social media influencers

If you cant get the planes go for the pilots next. Passive intelligence could probably find the name and address of nearly every pilot in the US Military. Can't imagine what active intelligence could do. Send a kill squad (cartel? spies? poison? gangs? every scumbag has a price?) and no planes are taking off. If I'm thinking it, they probably are too? It's way easier to fight dirty.

HELL YEAH, BROTHER!! Excuse the all CAPS...but I assume you're hard of hearing after being that close to nearly 36,000 lbs of awesomeness! When I was an EWO stud Lt at Randolph, I was lucky to be there when the 100th Century of Flight Tattoo was held. 2x jets set off all the car alarms in the parking lot...the BONE and the Phantom...and all my old-school G-model instructors were quick to point out the F-4 didn't need the afterburners to do it.

my ADSC was up right when the world was exploding from covid, everything locked down, hiring paused...that plus a kid with significant medical bills and I loved my job at the time (T-6 IP), I decided to stick around. It was a mistake.

I miss the people and none of the bs. I retired when the fun was gone. I no longer enjoyed going in every day. And now I have more time off than I ever did before, and make more money. That’s pretty hard for me to argue against. Sent from my iPhone using [emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]][emoji6[emoji640][emoji637]][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji637]]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]]]Baseops Network mobile app