Fella's,
Let's not act like we're in love with the PCSM. I took the test twice, got a 60 something the first time then a 90 something the second. Zero flight hours, I just studied "what color taxi lights are" (I think I forgot that one btw - I'm going with green) and other simple questions that require about 10 minutes of exposure to understand right before the test (I think Sheppard Air could ensure all future PCSM == 99 if they made a study guide). I've never asked a Wingman what his PCSM was. No Squadron Commander has ever asked me.
There was a filthy rumor that the PCSM score nearly measured up with ones chance of graduation UPT (an 85 PCSM == 85% graduation rate). I later was told that was false, and the Air Force was going to do away with the AFOQT and simply accept SAT/ACT scores. Then someone got promoted and that idea didn't follow through.
Either way, the slides and other data we've seen on this thread over the last week ask one really big question. What will the future of the Air Force look like?
I think the REAL issue no one has addressed ISN'T that there is in fact a pilot shortage, it is specifically where that shortage falls. So while the Air Force is missing 11F's, are they all missing Captain 11Fs, or are they missing Majors to do staff work? How does increasing production fix that problem? Are we going to start sending 2-3 year Captains to the Puzzle Palace, send Wingman to sit in the Map Cell at CENTCOM?
The scariest thing I saw on these slides was REDUCING the length of first year tours. Let's discuss THAT for a moment. For those of you who did a Korea tour straight out of FTU, and maybe extended, imagine if your next assignment was anything other than in the Viper and if you NEVER got back into a tactical cockpit. What value are you at A8, A4, or any other office?
What a colossal waste of investment. Who get's picked to get cut short? The strong or weak swimmers? Do we even know who is which by that point in their careers? Many of pilots struggle as Wingman but grow as flight leads, many sharp wingman lose focus later on and become limfacs.
More importantly, why isn't ONE SINGLE bullet point on any of these slides directed at a retention improving measure?