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I can tell you (at least roughly) how it's going to play out for the MAF year group(s)--like the one that's currently graduating--which get shorted for bodies, in favor of the CAF: - They'll all start their flying careers being really busy, flying a bunch and getting sq jobs folks in prior year groups would never have gotten so early - Way too early in their careers, the bright and shiny types will be identified, and will quickly join the protected class which rarely flies or deploys/is set up for the string of jobs/assignments that will make them really promotable. The next tier down--the ones not on the leadership track, but who are competent/dependable--will get crushed with all the important, yet non-sexy (read hardship) deployments & home station jobs. The middle of the packers--good flyers, but not great leaders/staff types--will fly their arses off and also get crushed with deployments. Those (at least according to AF perceptions) who are at the bottom of the pack will likely enjoy a level of job security that in prior years they never would have had. That is, until such time that they get RIFd--because, of course, the AF needs to retain its critically manned 11Fs (even though in this year group the 11Fs will be overmanned relative to 11Ms/others). - About 10 years from now, the bright and shinies (the ones who bother to stay on AD) will be in IDE & will already be largely disconnected from ground truths in the mobility community. The second-tier & middle of the road guys--if the civil sector is hiring--will get out in droves. The bottom of the pack folks will likely stay in. - 20 years from now, the bright and shinies will still be bright and shiny, and more importantly will have had careers that in no way reflect the experiences of the masses. The second-tier and middle of the road folks will all be retired, or--at best--will still be on AD, but enjoying cush jobs (the only kinds of jobs that could entice them to stay in). The bottom dwellers who survived being passed over/RIFs/etc. will still be on AD, too. They'll be the middle managers. The O-6 and above MAF leaders will have some really awesome ideas, after having spent so much time in schools/as execs/on staffs. Problem is, their middle managers--the passed-over O-4 and O-5 types--will almost exclusively be the middle of the roaders and bottom dwellers of yesteryear. Those executing the missions will almost exclusively be folks with less than 10 years rated service--i.e., folks who haven't yet had the opportunity to punch. In sum, we'll have a whole bunch of good idea generators, but lack adequate numbers of competent people to put those ideas (whether good--or more likely good-sounding but questionable) into action. Funny. This situation I describe twenty years from now kinda sounds like where the MAF is today: out of touch O-6 and above types, a razor-thin slice of competent O4s and O-5s trying to keep the ship afloat, and a bunch of junior dudes who are 1) eyeing life outside of AD, and 2) unimpressed by the AF clownshow. Problem is, ten years ago, we had the "good fortune" of 9/11, the Great Recession, and FAA rule changes to encourage folks to remain on AD. Consequently, we were able to retain at least a degree of talent. Barring another catastrophe, I don't see the Air Force future as being quite so rosy for the current crop of recent MAF SUPT graduates. The MAF will be even more broken, but at least there'll be enough CAF bubbas to fill the AF's senior leadership roles, going forward. So we'll have that going for us. TT

On your second post, you're going to bash someone who asked an honest question and by all accounts... has helped contribute valuable information to the forum? Seriously? Indeed.

He's in UPT. He wants info on airframes and associated lifestyles. Actual pilots in those airframes have commented with information that could be helpful in the future. Hence the term "valuable information". Unless you know about the lifestyles of every airframe in the Air Force... In which case, by all means. Enlighten us.

F-22 1. Expect to deploy either to the desert or to the Pacific for 6 months at a time once every 1.5-2 years (home for 1-1.5 years between deployments). While in garrison, expect 2 x RED FLAG-Nellis/Alaska that take one month away from home each. Also expect 1 x COMBAT ARCHER trip and 1 x COMBAT HAMMER trip in there for 2-3 weeks each. In between all of that, expect 4 or so night surges for 4-6 weeks that will throw home life off, a few one-week CONUS simulator trips, and upgrade surges when none of that other stuff is going on. The community is minimally manned due to poor TFI mix calculations, causing the various shops (training, stab/eval, UDM, etc.) to be one man deep. You're busy. 2. Family stability is all about expectation management (this is true of every military family): if your family expects you to be home for dinner most nights, they have bad expectations and will be frustrated. If they expect you to work 14 hours a day and a couple hours on Saturday or Sunday, they will be pleasantly surprised about 2-3 times a week. 3. Community morale depends on the year group: all of the young guys absolutely LOVE life! It's the most dominant fighter jet in the world and you're getting to fly it every day. Throw on top of that, just about every bro in the community was top notch to get in, so they are awesome selfless individuals who will stay several hours late multiple nights in a row if needed to help a bro out. The oldest guys are usually the SQ/CC or SQ/DO; every now and then there is a Lt Col ADO who stuck around. They all love to be there because they chose to stay plus all of the stuff mentioned about the young guys applies to these guys (even leadership will stay to help out). I would be willing to bet that some of the best leaders in the USAF are in the F-22 SQ/CC seats. I've never once had even an average one. The guys who've been in the USAF for 6-10 years are a mixed bag. They've always been the best at everything they've ever done...until they got into the F-22. The ones who go to WIC, typically love life until after their first WO job when they get burnt out and punch to the Guard/Reserve (VERY few stay longer). Those on leadership tracks still love life. The ones who didn't get either are often cynical and looking to get out ASAP. 4. It's the Raptor. It'll continue to get upgraded and be the USAF's top A/A fighter. 5. There isn't a single bad location: Anchorage, AK; Yorktown, VA; Honolulu, HI; Panama City Beach, FL; and Las Vegas, NV. Expect to go Ops-to-Ops indefinitely unless you go to IDE. That's about the only way you reach escape velocity from the community, but you'll go right back after school/staff. Very very few go on 365s, and none are getting picked up for 180s anymore now that Schwartz' ridiculous "all-in" mentality has been purged (I digress). I have absolutely loved my time in the Raptor.

Un-scoreable at ?

Airline life is like a stripper. Once to get your hands on her and see how nice she feels, you'll never be able to go back to your ugly, fat bitch wife. Sure, the stripper isn't perfect by any means...but it's oh so much better than your previous witch...

If that's the case, might as well bring back Bergstrom. I'm sure plenty of people would volunteer for that one.

Yeah I heard it was down to Willie, Hartsfield and JFK. IMhO, all are equally probable.

So the memo is out, 40,000 Airmen assigned to and under OPCON of the AFDW are banned from consuming alcohol for 48 hours surrounding the inauguration. Air Force civilians are strongly encouraged to adopt the policy as well. All of the promises from Fingers made to look like a steaming pile of poo in one moronic action.

The pay to bullshit ratio is orders of magnitude in the airlines' favor.

Hey, during a mass squadron attack on a large target array, I had the largest miss at 330 meters. Wish that had been un-scoreable. (In my defense, I was #24 across the target array and there was considerable smoke from BDU's, smoky SAMs, and flares along with some low cloud cover. I did a level delivery and couldn't see squat so I went TLAR relative to where I thought my specific target should have been but was just a tad short.) On the up side, I did return home with the same number of engines I started with but was justifiably chastised in the mass debrief.

LMAO

You didn't figure it out... Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Hate to say it right now at McChord we are so busy that few first assignment guys are even able to be "protected". We just finished our busiest year in 7 years with one less squadron and the other squadrons that are 25-30% smaller than they've ever been. If you are an airland guy you are getting crushed with missions, we have brand new copilots that are getting 600-700 hours in thier first six months. Aidrop guys aren't flying missions as much but are doing homestation JA/ATTs, and spending 1-2 weeks a month at Pope, Basic Airborne or exercises. Also Airdrop guys are looking at more ground deployments (MPC or CAOC) since they all require airdrop quals.

Must be into the bourbon again.

In Iraq the biggest violators of GO1 were the GOs....usually during Thursday poker night. (here's my shocked face) The next day they're taking rank from an E-4 and E-5 for the same infraction

Oh boy, the dreaded 7-engine landing.

Why are guys so hung up on the airlines? Are they worried that after 3 years they could be told to walk? Is the airline lifestyle that inticing or is the AGR lifestyle not worth it even for the guys who commute? As far as the fed government retirement the Army guys don't seem to complain. Maybe it's the lack of airline opportunity or supporting the guys on the ground mentality. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

I'm a little late to the fight here but dude, your engrish is f'ing terrible. Seriously guys?

I'm not sure what "valuable information" you're referring to. You should reread his comment history. Seriously.