FourFans

Thanks. I'm guessing the B-course is about 3-4 months. I'm trying to time out scenarios to separate, then get hired by the airlines while also getting hired in the reserves. My only known quantity in the process is that wherever I land in the airlines, I want to put in at least a solid year before I take any significant months away for mil activities (if possible). I refuse to game the system to the detriment of my reputation or flying skills. I'll be in an API-6 billet near duke, so it's possible I could get qual'd in the C-146 before transitioning out of AD, though unlikely, especially with that new ADSC guidance. I might not even get re-qual'd in the herk. Not worth 3 more years of big blue's concept of "stability". Not really sure how to weave it all together in such a way that it's not a drain on the reserve unit, but still build my continuity in the airlines. The most feasible scenario in my head is to wait until after the first year of the airlines and then try and get hired in the reserves. It's either that, or find a C-130J unit to work for (will need an in-house requal). Duke would make it great as I wouldn't have to commute to work there though. I'm open to wisdom on the transition.

It better involve the GAU-8 somehow connected to a herk prop...

Revival. I'm considering applying to the reserve unit at Duke. Would they take a herk WO?

Actual footage of matmacwc making avocado toast...

On the plus side, it appears to be perfectly balanced. Nice work depo team!

I guess we know what BQZip's mom has been up to.

Pretty deep seated hate man, which is saying something coming from me. What gives?

Indeed. "Quantity has a quality all of it's own." The Chinese know this. We need to figure it out BEFORE the shooting starts. Google "Puba's Party" (better yet, read about it in Every Man A Tiger) in WW Gulf War I to see how we put the principle of mass to good use there. We let the Iraqis shoot down a bunch of target drones so we could shoot their SAM radars in the process. I'm curious how we're planning to overcome superior numbers without a large number of Gen 4 aircraft. UAVs might be the answer. One thing is for sure, you can't do any of this without pilots and operators. Good luck with that USAF.

I'll be in that interview line with you.

For reference, go see the dumpster fire on the MAF Assignments and Mentoring facebook page (if you're a member) concerning the release of this guidance. Goldfein has been tagged in the comments. I'll be curious to see if anyone with authority answers the questions there, or if they just pawn it off on the poor assignments team folks.

...cuz I'm a pilot!!!....

Thanks for re-posting. Does anyone need more proof of where this is going?

I've noticed almost every active officer talking to the Air Force Times in an official capacity doesn't express personal opinion nor do they acknowledge real problems as real. They have to perform as USAF PA meat puppets that reinforce the official party lines. Not this guy's fault he had to talk to the press. Non-event.

He's gunning for Bendy's drunken poster status.

I've seen high-tech training produce excellent results. C-130J kids go to the assault zone from the left seat on day one in the real airplane. They can do that because the sims are awesome, and the HUD is an incredible tool. It took 500-700 hours to get to that same spot in the E/H model. High-tech training CAN really produce better results. What it CAN'T do is condition a student with a culture of excellence and training focus like we old guys received during our 2+ years in the UPT pipeline. Tech skills can be achieved quickly. Professional aviators will ALWAYS take experience and time to build. 6 months and 30 hours in a real plane are not enough to build an aware student who knows how to safely operate in and around a jet. This will only put more pressure on undermanned FTUs...where the IPs are getting distracted by "retention initiatives" like backdoor ADSCs and ever-changing Bonuses that may, or may not be a better deal than before (read that fine print). These are all combining to set up a whole generation of students and IPs for failure. However, I have no doubt that these kids will rise to the occasion and prove their worth and amazing talent. We did. So will they. Just because they're set up to fail doesn't mean they'll fail. It just means they'll have to overcome tougher odds, which will produce stronger character. These kids (the ones that survive) will be just fine. Regardless, I can't escape the feeling that Big Blue is seriously undercutting the quality of its pilots in every possible way right now. The sad part is that the older generation is now the AO's inside Big Blue, and that some of us who were line pilots have now endorsed the boss's signature on the stupidity we're seeing emerge. Someone needs to stand on the boss's desk and tell Caesar he's naked.

I'll leave this right here: https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/07/25/how-officers-are-promoted-will-get-its-biggest-overhaul-in-decades-heres-what-that-means-for-the-military/ TL, DR: Up or out might go away for career specialists (I would hope that read 'pilots'), and some shiny pennies might get promoted even faster. However... It'll be interesting to see if Big Blue embraces this, as it could really help retention, if they flex it right in combination with significant increases in monetary incentives. If Big Blue doesn't embrace this (most likely course IMO), I think we'll see just how hard a stand Blue's bureaucratic hubris can take again positive change.

I love Bendy pearls of wisdom. I'm keeping this one.

You're old enough to drink, you're on this forum, and you didn't know tankers were AMC. Much to learn have you. I recommend less output and more input.

Then I work with a lot of people that should never get sick.

Do not take the bonus if you are a pilot.

This is no joke. Mobility is a key part of that. Recent large scale exercise took international senior leaders though the concept of employing the one thing that the US can do that no-one else can match: global mobility married to global strike. Put lots mobility assets loaded with max grunt in a part of the A2AD where bad guys aren't expecting it, and you've got a whole new ball game. The world knows we can do this. No one can match it. If you think you can be a passive part of the mobility team and still meet those expectations, think again. The USAF mobility world needs to embrace empowered leadership, and the line guys need to step up their proactivity. The first few sentences of the video below describes EXACTLY what I hear when someone spouts off passive crap like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqmdLcyES_Q

This is a thing? Happening in the USAF? UFB

Shack. If you're on a team but don't know or care how the rest of the team functions and what their strengths and weaknesses are, how you can help them, and how you can not hinder them, then you shouldn't be a part of the team. A dialed in tanker dude with the SA to listen in on the right frequency can anticipate how a fight, engagement, or event is going, and then coordinate and place his asset where it's needed before he's asked to do so, thereby empowering the receivers to focus on more important things. Quite frankly, the rest of the force doesn't care how well you're able to keep your airplane alive. We care about your ability to anticipate the need for your effect, and insert yourself appropriately so that the rest of the team can function better. I know that because I'm a herk dude. No one cares how well I defend my airplane against an SA-blah. They care that I know how and when to effectively integrate what I bring to the fight without placing undue burden on the rest of the team. Know how to carry your own weight and deliver your effect to the highest standard expected by your user. It is never someone else's job to figure out how you should be doing yours.

ugh Let's just say the this administration makes being a US dude assigned in NATO right now...interesting. Everyone is glossing over the fact that the US has majorly stepped up not only its exercises in and with NATO countries, but also it's financial and military inputs directly into the Eastern European region. It's all open source, but people are just too eager to see how badly Trump said something or what protocol he spoiled yesterday to notice that the administration he's a part of is pumping some serious support into this part of the world. There is a serious point here. All the border countries have anteed up, while those on the other side of the 'buffer zone' created by those countries haven't. Are we on the same team or not? Any student of history can see exactly where this is going, with or without all the Putin-Trump crap.

I'll second this. Loan shop around. Marty's team is outstanding. Not only excellent rates, but integrity throughout in the process. Highly recommend them!