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I doubt anyone on here sport-bitching ever thought they'd do anything other than love the USAF flying. Young guys tracking fresh out of UPT are always excited to do the mission. After a while, a job becomes a job, no matter what the cool factor or fun is in the beginning. I've realized my kids are growing up quick and every day I miss, I'll never get back. The other day I flew a 469kt low level down the coast and through the mountains of a foreign country and I was rarely above 300ft no black line. Once upon a time I would have killed to do that, but between my deployment and TDY schedule, I've been with my kids 13 days of the last 90. I would have traded that flight to watch cartoons and cook pancakes with my kids. I know someday when I retire I'll miss those flights, but after 3k hrs mil flying, I realize I can replace that void with other activities I enjoy. I can't replace my lost Christmas or New Years or the two birthdays I missed while I was doing (in my opinion) questionably useful deployed flying but I also realize it's the job I signed for. In a few years it's also a job I can quit. I'd stay if the USAF offered balance. As of now, the lifestyle is too unstable for the family to continue longer than committed. I'll say flat out though that if I were offered to do my career all over flying fighters, I'd still do it even for 1/2 the price. It's been terrific, I can't recommend it enough. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

My condolences. Leaking stuff after a breakup is a b!tch move, though. Just nail all of her hot friends like a normal person.

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

The pilots leaving are doing so across all MDSs, which shows that the problem is systemic and not related to any particular airframe, but a clueless leadership. If anything, your devil's advocacy proves my point - the lifestyle problems *might* change and retention could improve, but that's a crapshoot. Next year, tankers will still be refueling, Hawgs will still be strafing, and the Vipers will still Bingo out of the fight early.

My time in the military has told me this: 1. Big Blue will violate all kinds of laws, etc in Big Blue's interest. 2. Even if the barracks lawyer is correct, said lawyer usually pays for it in the end. 3. The best strategy is usually say "yes, sir" and then do whatever the fvck you want and fly under the radar. disclaimer: anyone who knows me will tell you that I had to learn most of that the hard way

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

As a kid of a Marine and then an Airline pilot, hands down I would take Dad the airline pilot any day. In the Airlines, when he "missed" Christmas, it meant we celebrated on Dec 22. In the USMC, when he missed Christmas, it meant we just kept his presents in the spare bedroom till he got back 6-9 months later. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

It's a type of gambling machine in Glasgow, Scotland. "Ah lost a wee bit ina sloot machine."

redshift: While I hate the Air Force, I have one very appropriate credo: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. You, clearly, have no such moral compunction. Your words, while making some rational points about risk management, are completely fvcking off base when it comes to whether what these Marines did was right. How would you feel if one of these women was your daughter? Your sister? Your wife? Your attitude disgusts me, and I for one would move for banning you for it. That having been said, I doubt our mods would be willing to do so for a single post. Fix yourself.

I've seen and experienced the shift as time goes on for exactly the reasons stated. I was dying to go on my first deployment, but honestly I reached my lifetime USAF goal as a 1Lt when I heard a JTAC tell me our bombs saved his life and he didn't think he'd make it back to the FOB that night. That was it - career validated in that moment. On subsequent deployments, my satisfaction with the larger mission waned, but I was able to find satisfaction in other things. First and foremost, I saw it as my mission to protect US lives on the ground above all else. Regardless of the politics, I was there to help get that 18 yo private back home safely. I was fortunate to have a mission that allowed me to rationalize that way. I also found satisfaction in teaching young dudes and watching them excel in combat. While I would never turn down a mission lead or mission commander opportunity, I was more than happy to see the young guys get their turn. I also found some level of satisfaction in things like Top 3 and other ops-leadership jobs. I don't have kids yet, but I did several deployments with SO's left back home. The ups and downs of that don't necessarily get easier, but they do soften a little bit, which sometimes turns it into more of a grind. Id imagine that is different with kids, as I've seen that with my bros. I still enjoy waking up and going to work most days. Once that balance changes to the negative, I'll look at my options. YMMV. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Yep. They park them right next to the Roswell UFO and the PAK-FA we stole from the Russians.

Redshift is now in time out. You may now resume rational discussion. ETA: I've left his original post and responses to that post, but deleted all subsequent posts and responses to those posts. As you were...

There. That wasn't so hard now, was it?

CL may mean "contract lodging" in the afi above. Remember, despite what the lodging manager will tell you, if it goes on your credit card, it is NOT contract lodging. Just because the manager/base has some deal with the local Roach motel doesn't mean you have to use it.

Olson Johnson: [after Gabby Johnson's speech] Now who can argue with that? I think we're all indebted to Gabby Johnson for clearly stating what needed to be said. I'm particulary glad that these lovely children were here today to hear that speech. Not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, it expressed a courage little seen in this day and age. [townspeople murmur and nod in approval] Olson Johnson: What are we made of? Our fathers came across the prairies, fought Indians, fought drought, fought locusts, fought Dix... remember when Richard Dix came in here and tried to take over this town? Well, we didn't give up then, and by gum, we're not going to give up now! Go big blue! Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I need some of these!

5 years ago my ANG unit tried to hire a twice passed over Capt and wasn't successful in getting a waiver. Now it seems pretty easy to get the waiver. My unit has told me that I will pin on O-4 as soon as I get there and they can process the paperwork since I have SOS complete. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Dude as long as they don't change anything by this Dec. I am looking at twice passed over for the win! Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I'm assuming there's a big difference between missing a day/week vs 3-6 months at a time.

Dont tell me, that Brock Turner rapist dude from Stanford got a BaseOps account. You need help my friend. Where I come from, you'd get the sh!t beat out of you for talking like that about women.

I knew one!

Are you suggesting a SP, gaining SA from talking to quite a few different people in each MDS, along with having self awareness (again, this is key), can't also take these variables you suggest into consideration? I have recently seen quite a few married (some with children) SP's in UPT (especially with the all the Captains), and even the single students are asking what the older guys think with regards to lifestyle.

You'll view what you do differently as life circumstances change. My first deployment not too long after 9/11 I was single begging to go. Loved it, felt the mission was legit. A few years back (10 years after the original) I was asked to deploy same place, same mission/jet and I had a choice so I said no. The difference was a wife, 2 kids and 2,000 hours experience where my lack of faith in the mission we were doing outweighed the family impact. I think if a meaningful conflict erupted 96.69% of dudes across the spectrum would love to fight and have family support. I recently missed 2 months of my family over the holidays deploying to do a flying job that I deemed was not worth missing my family to do. 10 years ago, I probably would have volunteered to stay longer to fly but attitudes change. What once was awesome, is now just a job to pay for my lifestyle. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Don't do it.

Everyone I know who has dropped a 146 or 28 typically had them pretty high on their list.

We are our own best enemy. As aircrew, it'd be safe to say 96.69% of us are Type-A, workaholic, do what it takes to get shit done (while adhering to tech order and regulatory guidance) kinda people. It's pretty much what got us here. There is no other option, but to get the job done no matter what the cost (sanity, family life, off time, etc) no matter what time of day. It's in our culture and most of you've probably been in long enough to realize this, but the standard we're held to in the USAF and the stardard we maintain no matter what the cost is nearly unmatched by any other community in the service. You can remember that and take pride in that every time you get up in the morning and slap your wings on a fresh bag. Not everyone can do what we do. Some have tried and a lot have failed, which pissed me off when comm weenies want to wear wings to be part of the winged club. off! I don't care what job you do in the military, but do it like your life or someone elses life depends on it like we have to. Like Mx has to. Like AFE has to. Whether it's weapons on target, gas in the air, cargo over a drop zone or the gammut of other fine flying missions we have in the service, we maintain a standard. A very high one and it's taken for granted by leadership. It becomes the norm and we're expected to eat shit and like it. Yeah, there are other communities that have it as bad or worse. I believe it and I don't discount their misery. Everyone has a voice. If you want a chang, you pretty much have three options. You can talk with your feet (there is nothing wrong with this if that is your decision). You can take the bonus, stay and do everything in your power to try to change things for the better. This, unfortunately takes a lot of drive that at this point, most of us don't have. I believe this duty needs to be taken on by our young CGO's. Unfortunately this is the only thing they know. Lastly, take the bonus, stay and STFU. Bitching about things on here, to your wife, in the squadron bar (if you're still allowed to have one) or on the road in front of the young'ns does nothing (although it is nice to vent). We are a crippling force if we get our voices heard in mass. People are walking. That is a very effective tool for gettings things changed. Leadership has no choice. You can make shit roll up hill if you push hard enough. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Same. Thanks for sweating it out with me!

strange question. Unrelated to my comment. I was saying that it's fucked up that the dude got chiefed. It's fucked up that he was forced to do a FOD walk at 0700 after landing at midnight. It's fucked up that pilots were mandated to participate in the FOD walk in the first place. It's fucked up that his leadership didn't tell him to just go home because he just landed. But to answer your question, my reaction to getting chiefed varied based on the situation, the alleged infraction, and my general attitude at the time of said chiefing. The unfortunate practice of Chiefing didn't really gain much traction in my neck of the woods until I was an FGO. Usually, I responded with something like "Fantastic, thanks for letting me know!" and then carried on about my business.

Downloaded here as well. Good luck everyone.

That is so fucked up on so many levels.

Yeah the bulk of flyers fall into $650 in flight pay and in today's dollars is around $1300. The code was last updated in 1989... 1989! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I bet 1 bottle of whiskey that he will not. Takers?

$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

The NDAA authorized flight pay to go up. So far, no sign that the Air Force is actually going to increase it.

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.

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.

Sounds to me like those snowflakes at fox news needs to retreat to their safe spaces so big mean people like Colin Kaepernick can't hurt their precious feelings.

You can't make this shit up.

So uh, where are the pics?

We would have just created SAPR SARC GREEN DOT FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER ANTI-RAPE BARBRA STREISAND 3.0 program and wondered why it didn't work. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Someone already made a site some time back with ALL units (Reserve + Guard) that are hiring. https://afpilotjobs.com No need to pm anyone or exchange emails.

Please check with your WSO before posting.

Sir, I am currently Active Duty and looking to commission in the Air National Guard. Could you please forward me the link that you have made. Thank you

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

You guys want to know the opinion of someone who is not in the military? Those female marines and sailors only have themselves to blame. Two generations ago making videos of sexual acts was simply not something that you did and to be honest if they never wanted others to see their nasty then they should of never allowed themselves to be filmed, taken the pictures themselves (selfies and sending them around), etc. Basically they want to be a sloot and then wonder why the man didn't respect them. No man respects a sloot, we dont wife sloots and certainly don't bring them home. That's why the pics were shared on a private FB group. End of the day the V is the more valuable commodity and they have an obligation to protect it. It's called PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. The only ones responsible are the women who shared the pics expecting that they would never be seen by another soul, that's stupid and that's not human nature. Especially when you're not with that crazy chick anymore and you show your buddies how much of a freak she was for a laugh. They want to take what makes a man a man. The sooner the military stands up to these crusading feminist and just say what needs to be said to them, "take responsibility for yourselves!" The better. I honestly don't know why the DoD (including USMC, AF, and USN) wants to turn it's house upside down to placate a bunch of raging feminist because some sloots made a bj video or send snaps of her snaps. It's so STUPID!