guineapigfury

I'll see if I can get my hands on the slides, but what I was trying to communicate was this: RPA crews have been compared to other aircraft crews (AWACS & C-17) in a scientifically valid way and have significantly worse health/life outcomes when controlling for all other variables (Age, Rank, O/E, Gender, Marital Status, etc).

I remember taking the survey and have seen the presentation put together based on the results of the follow up survey in 2014. TLDR: Overwork and shift work lead to lack of sleep. The new data used manned platforms as control variables and discovered that flying RPAs for the Air Force tends to result in declining physical and mental health, obesity, sleep deprivation, binge drinking, reliance on absurd amounts of caffeine to get through the work day (5+ energy drinks daily), reliance on OTC sleep aids, divorce, low morale, and depression. However, PTSD remains rare.

He'd been waiting a while, it may have been sent the previous fiscal year.

I know a guy (11U) who got his ETP approved a few months ago, so the precedent is there.

Guard duty in Afghanistan sucks. I got this joyous experience at KAF. Sit in a rickety watch tower with a carbine 50 yards from the most untrustworthy motherfuckers in the history of mankind. FP measures in Afghanistan are designed to prevent negligent discharges and cover the ass of whoever's in charge while they hope nothing happens on their watch. Keep your head on a swivel.

"Mid December" according to MyPers.

I've had the misfortune of flying RPAs for the last few years. I wouldn't describe what we do as "relevant", unless you think there is a strategic value to playing whack-a-mole. I would gladly take any non-rpa assignment pulled out of a hat over continuing to fly MQ-9s.

Desirable is a relative term. I'm stuck in RPAs and would gladly accept an AWACS assignment.

13 year ADSC? Normal first assignment with a decade long MQ-9 follow on ... no thanks.

There is always the tank your career on purpose technique. Passed over twice trumps ADSC remaining.

I might have died laughing like a weasel in Who Framed Roger Rabbit while reading that letter.

I saw plenty of those surprisingly motivated 18X 2Lts at my previous base. Most have given up before they pin on 1Lt. The most optimistic projections have Holloman producing 350ish pilots per year IF we double IP manning. We currently lose approximately 240 RPA pilots per year with a production of about 180. When the 18Xs hit the end of their ADSCs, you'll see that 240 number increase significantly. To compound the problem many of those 18Xs walking out the door will be your new FTU IPs. My prediction: things improve just enough in 2016 and 2017 for the higher ups to think they've fixed the problem. 2018 sees the exodus and the RPA enterprise is caught with its flightsuit around its ankles. Then in 2019 we find ourselves back at square one, only with the stigma of 4 more years of failure and likely an increase in CAPs looming. TLDR: We're fucked.

Expect the number of RPA drops to increase in 2019. The bulk of 18Xers start to hit the end of their ADSCs in 2018. Expect most of them to separate. That manning has to get replaced from somewhere.

I've always thought that one of the T-1's best capes is that it reduces T-38 usage. If you send 75% percent of UPT students to T-1s, your T-38s last 4 times as long. What's better for the B-2 dudes I have no idea. If we do buy a new companion trainer, I hope we buy a few for us poor bastards stuck in RPAs.

This would be true if you were the one deciding how to spend the money. However, Congress decides how to spend the "extra" money in your scenario. They'd notice that the VA had extra cash after the end of the first year, adjust the VA's budget down and spend the windfall on highway maintenance.

I've had the misfortune of flying MQ-9s since 2012, important isn't a word I would use to describe my job. I flew KC-135s prior to this RPA bullshit, it's a better life. Killing people is fun, but you don't get to do it enough to justify accepting the bullshit.

We don't.

I am currently an AD RPA pilot. It is by far the worst experience of my life. For reference my other shitty life experiences include: 12 hurricanes/cyclones/tornados, a couple of earthquakes, 17 car crashes*, a divorce, and approximately 100 rocket attacks. *Wear your seatbelt it works.

Shorter commute at least.

The Navy isn't sending pilots to RPAs. Hint, hint.

What will we call them once they're no longer Airmen? I suggest Bronies.

Follow motox3005's advice. Keep pressing, don't give up. Unfortunately, doing a support person's job for them will be good training for being an Air Force pilot.

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/man-sexually-attracted-playground-equipment-10098272

Sousaphone players come in as SMSgts.

That's a good and realistic attitude. Good luck getting back to a cockpit.