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The AF strategy is to retain people at the 12 year point, when in actuality they need to start retaining people at the 2 year point. It's too late to try and make people change their minds when you have beat them for 10 years. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

It's simple, but this may be my ANG mentality speaking. When I've got important deadlines due and scheduling needs an IP to fly and I'm their last resort, 99.9% of the time, the sortie will cancel for manning. I am not about hiding manning issues by trying to execute every flying hour. We can't be in two places at once and if it takes 16 hr days to do our jobs, we need more people or less work. it. Let the sortie cancel and the OG can explain why to the Wing King. You bet your ass I'm leaving by 4 today to get to my son's lacrosse practice. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

This is the BGen Grosso who, as the Director of Force Management and Policy at the Pentagon, certainly oversaw and endorsed all of the nonsensical force shaping that occurred under her watch. Lots of manpower resources were paid well to leave. Sad that she was promoted to MGen, then went on to be the Director of the USAF SAPR office, which produced another star. Now as a LtGen she is back to clean up the mess she oversaw, which will certainly produce another star. People like this in leadership positions combined with the complete lack of accountability for failed decisions and policies are at the heart of what is wrong with the USAF today.

Say what you will but I enjoyed my 4 years in Del Rio. Granted, that was so long ago that my Alzheimer's may have rewritten what I remember.

Columbus is fine. Well worth the 1200 T-1 instructor hours

Thanks to Toro for approving this message. There is a new website called BogiDope that launched last week. BogiDope has several unique features specifically designed to help you land your dream UPT slot. To list a few, BogiDope has a library of detailed hiring related articles, a complete list of upcoming UPT hiring boards (25 UPT board announcements between now and 1 July), and offers one-on-one consulting (application review, advice, interview prep, etc) to give you a leg up on your competition. BogiDope’s custom designed interactive map feature allows you to easily search through every (175+) Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve flying squadron by aircraft type (F-22, C-17, MQ-9, etc). In addition to every squadron’s location, it will give you the squadron’s contact information, a hiring point of contact, and dates on any past or future hiring boards. BogiDope is just getting started, so you can expect several exciting new features to be released in the weeks and months ahead. If there’s a feature you think would be helpful to the UPT community, please let us know. BogiDope is also growing fast on Facebook. Like or follow BogiDope at https://www.facebook.com/BogiDope1/. Become apart of a growing community on Facebook to collaborate with others try to earn a UPT slot. Request to join the Facebook group “Future Military Pilots”. Thanks again to Toro and the Baseops team for allowing us to spread the word on something we feel will help a lot of future military pilots.

Good article from The National Interest on OA-X: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/oa-x-the-us-air-force-ready-purchace-new-light-attack-19927?page=show From the article: “I think the latter point is too quickly dismissed by some critics of this initiative. The Air Force has a pilot shortfall that is projected to grow to over 700 in the next couple of years. Moreover, while the Air Force’s Combat Air Force has shrunk to 55 fighter squadrons and a handful of bomber squadrons, there are other critical positions that require pilots such as joint staffs, operational planning staffs, etc. The Air Force is going to produce more pilots, but they will need cockpits for them – and a light attack aircraft with a two-pilot cockpit and a cost per flying hour of $4-5,000 could be a cost-effective alternative. Add to that the availability of several off-the-shelf (or nearly so) aircraft; this becomes an option the Congress could fund that would have a near-immediate impact on the Air Force’s readiness. There is also the potential for foreign military sales to allies and partners. So, this said, I think the initiative has a good chance of succeeding.” The reiteration of the benefit of a lower cost per flight hour aircraft for more flying, more/better operationally focused training and frankly a return of a "golden apple" to entice aircrew to stay for a career has got to pierce the institutional inertia. Good deal programs are not that expensive in the total scheme of the AF. LAARs as an alpha tour for 11Fs and some cross flow opportunities for 11M/R/U/S/G More/different models of aggressor aircraft for fighter wings would likely keep some 11Fs for the career, thinking MiG-21s or an aggressor model T-X Companion trainer for RPA units, require only a very basic cert/qual for the customers at the supported units with a cadre of 11's as IPs Just bar napkin math but those programs would like cost 1.5 billion in acquisition and around 200 million a year using likely high end per flight hour cost estimates. Assuming that a fighter pilot at the end of their ADSC cost about 8 million in training to get to their level of qualification, proficiency and operational knowledge and assume about 4 million for a heavy pilot, if these programs retain only 15 fighter guys and 20 heavy, they pay for themselves every year just retaining that few pilots, you'll likely retain at least that many CSOs, yet another savings. This is not even factoring in the cost savings by using something cheaper in ops/tng... Just buy one LAAR AF... we'll worry about the other golden apples later

Not an airline guy but once a commercial pilot and member of a union, putting on my working pilot cap... what the shit would this "season" working thing look like? would these guy just come in the "busy" season, work up to the legal limit a few months at a time? how the hell does that fit into the PBS with their line numbers? was a pilot rep at this "great" meeting? i swear the af is hell bent on doing everything but admit they actually have a institutional problem and will look for any gd thing that looks like it can keep the shoe clerk machine lurching just a few more miles down the line...

Don't kid yourself, the Guard and Reserves see plenty of combat too and are arguably the best option for fence sitters. All the mil flying without the AD BS and getting your line number is still an option. If you want to break out your golden knee pads and be somebody, there is that option too.

Valid. For those on the fence as I was a few years ago: I took the money because I weighed the pros and cons of my first decade and decided I wanted more of what I'd done. However, they sent me to school and staff with no return path to the fight. Basically, I rolled the dice and lost. For now. If I could do it over, fully grasping that AD ultimately is a dice roll no matter your strats or checked boxes, I probably would still roll. Maybe you'll get lucky and land a cool job if you stay AD. Maybe your timing is good. But if you're a fence-sitter don't be deceived into thinking there is a "plan" other than feed human flesh into the assignment grinder and spread it wherever seems good at the moment to whoever happens to be spreading that day. Buyer beware; stay long enough and you'll roll snake eyes. On the other hand, if you have a combat itch that can only be scratched in AD, roll those dice and good luck to you!

Any guesses on the results of of that forum? You think he'll come away with anything new? Might it be another echo chamber of BO.net? I've been to several of those fireside chats with leadership. My favorite one was when a fast burning Lt Col told a three star that he was frustrated because of the lack of respect he got at the commissary. Every one of these talks has devolved into an angry mob with no direction or clear way forward. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes because he has the authority to do so. It used to be in the JFTR not sure if still in the JTR. Over more than 20 years and 6 trips to an FTU I have seen the policy multiple times...stayed where I wanted, both lodging and not, and never gotten or seen anyone get paperwork. YMMV. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Exactly, but the Air Force has relied on FNG's coming out of UPT with a boner to fly something that burns Jet A++ (almost typed JP8) and make a lot of noise. It's usually your 6-8 yr Captains and young Majors who've been around the flag pole enough times to say, "F$ck this shit. I'm going to the airlines.". Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

$1k a month? I get that much airline per diem per month.

Where have you seen anything pointing to an actual increases in AIP? Keep in mind $1k max....assuming they apply that to the already $840 per month pilots, I'm betting the other lower tiers get a $69 increase which is sh-t in the scheme of things vs inflation. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

It's been going on way longer than that - the track record goes back further than BGen. Much like another 3-button in the HAF hierarchy right now, there's sometimes decisions made based on demographics... if you catch my meaning. But they're not the only problem. Dont worry (yet), there were far more qualified personnelists that didn't get a fourth star. My prediction is we get laughed out of the meeting, but it won't be the gut check it needs to be. Had many interesting conversations about this lately, with people asking what they should tell their squadrons. There's only one answer: the truth, because anything else is bullshit and results in a further loss of credibility. Pilots have more opportunity and leverage than at any time I've seen in my short career in the service. If they walk, they win; if they stay, dice roll. Guys are turning down incredible opportunities to walk and go get a line number. So the service is going to have to get on its knees to keep people from walking, or stop loss and slit its own throat. i wouldn't hold my breath for either, Chuck

I'm on exchange with the RAF and I'm TDY, so, let's just say I've got the time to look this up. Straight from the 2017 NDAA: SEC. 616. AVIATION INCENTIVE PAY AND BONUS MATTERS. (a) MAXIMUM INCENTIVE PAY AND BONUS AMOUNTS.—Paragraph (1) of section 334(c) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting the following new subparagraphs: ‘‘(A) aviation incentive pay under subsection (a) shall be paid at a monthly rate not to exceed $1,000 per month; and ‘‘(B) an aviation bonus under subsection (b) may not exceed $35,000 for each 12-month period of obligated service agreed to under subsection (d).’’. Flight pay is going up too. If ya'll want me to post the NDAA too, holler at me.

This is called the ANG and AFRC Gina.... Stop screwing the ARC by treating us like AD on the cheap and learn something from us. Give us more people and more funding. Give us more full-time AGR manning with a $35k+ bonus. Give our leaders REAL leadership positions. Stop trying to push us out of the picture while harping the "Total Force" bullshit... it's gotten old. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

JTR reference

What he said. You only have to check once. If they send you off base to a specific hotel and say come back in X days, I usually politely agree, get all the details, get the piece of paper that says "go to hotel Y for Z days," and then go stay wherever the hell I want for the duration. I've never had a voucher not approved for the duration. Of course, having the JTR reference helps ... just don't argue with the lodging folks .... take it up with finance on the voucher side of things.

Yikes! Goodluck getting the unions onboard with any changes to seniority. Then again, maybe APA could fuck over the TWA guys just one more time. Oh...I thought by "update my spreadsheet," you really meant update airlineapps.

Hmmm. Maybe, but AF leadership hates us a lot. That would be some competition. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Deployment rates, manning, training requirements, TDY types and locations, and other issues that drive quality of life are easily subject to change. Aircraft missions are not.

Insert Face palm meme. That statement belongs in the "What's wrong with the Air Force" thread.

2sober2remember

How does it end, I fell asleep at 2:11.

Yup - very interesting indeed. Another favorite of the Herc variants out there is the JC-130 recovering CORONA canisters and Fulton recovery system volunteers Pick up happens at 1:50. Follow on: I see clips from the Air Force of previous years from when we didn't stress out and weren't ruled by yes men who avoid risk because flying airplanes and doing the mission is secondary to MICT, TMT, etc... I can't imagine the AF of today being able to even conceive of doing cool shit like this. We're going to catch in mid-air space canisters and balloons floating cables to pull dudes off the ground / water and winch them into the plane, no sweat. I think the ORM score for this is about 69,000,000 which may require waiver.

DC-130 drone launching / controlling Herc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_DC-130

Or rent a furnished apartment, or buy a house, or buy an RV ... All options available with or without a non-A. Or read the JFTR and know your options regardless of what the clowns at lodging say

Step 1: read the jftr. It is time well spent Step 2: get non-a letter or equivalent. Step 3: rent furnished apartment with cleaning lady and cable.

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

There is a comprehensive pilot hiring list out to 2018 on a new site called BogiDope