SocialD

Sadly, many that were hired in mid-2000s, got stuck at the regionals and/or just got comfortable. I think there was even a time where many though that some of the high time regional guys weren't get hired because they were viewed as "untrainable." I'm not sure if there was anything to that or not though. I knew a handful from college who stayed at their regional because they were not commuting, flying day turns M-Th and the QOL was just too good to pass up. Unfortunately for them, their regional shut down and now they're all at United and way junior than they could have been.

You know the system is fucked when it's much easier to fire a technician by non-retaining them militarily.

This should fix that shitty morale and retention problem! 🤣 https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2025/02/18/air-force-reviewing-four-day-weekends-amid-civilian-leave-crackdown/

This is exactly why I left when I did. Finished up a CC tour with 22 YOS and less than zero desire to continue down the leadership track. I knew I'd just be a deadweight O-5 DSG, soaking up sorties and holding up an O-5 slot. Unfortunately, way too many of those Mr. Bumpers out there who are filling a seat, dug in like a tick, maintaining the status quo. Walked into the local FSDO a few years back and the place looked like a geriatric facility. Talking with one of the reps, most were retired military, who already were fed retirement eligible and clearly old enough to collect SS. Anyone who has worked with the FAA knows how painful some of those crotchety old dudes can be. I understand the desire to keep working, but new blood is a good thing. Hell, one of the reasons we can't get enough DPEs in the area is because the early 70s dude at the FSDO doesn't want to manage more DPEs (per a friend/DPE).

Nah man, life actually couldn't get much better now that I'm retired from the military lol. Just had flashbacks to dealing with GS employees who were just road block after roadblock, rather than supporting the people their shop is supposed to support. I just see those types as easier to let go than a bunch of newhires, especially those closest to SS age. Best way to figure out who to keep/dump would be to talk to those who they're supposed to support.

At the very least it should be heavily scrutinized. Auto 50% for Sleep Apnea? How many (likely non-pilots) claiming PTSD out there who never saw a deployment outside of Qatar...nice way to pump up their VA rating. I don't believe in means testing but payouts could probably be looked at big time. I'd actually be OK with just submitting expenses that I incur to fixing/tending to all ailments from a career of high-G flying. I'm guessing by the time I'm SS eligible, it will be means tested, which is bullshit, but it is what is. Truly a take from the "rich" and give to the poor situation. If we're going to talk means testing, then DOGE is firing the wrong people. They need to take a hard look at the top of the tenure chain. Find that, retired military pension guy, 100% VA and getting paid another $100k+ from the federal gov, especially those at/near SS eligible. We've all ran across these types...the ones that are more of roadblock to progress than anything, never wanting to upset the fiefdom they have built for themselves and stuck in the days from when they were in the military.

I've been pouring over a bunch of zoning information today (horrible reading), you're right, LOTS of work to do on this. Sadly, it's tough to even find someone willing to build such "small" houses. The problem with that "ideal life" is that wasn't really all that idealistic as we want to remember. Or maybe we just come from different classes, but my parents upbringing wasn't exactly "ideal," based on what they were required to do to raise a family on a single income. break break When you factor everything right down to things like real estate tax, etc...(taxed money on taxed money), we already pay a huge portion of our income to taxes. After looking at my needs and this years final tax bill, I'm already working less this year lol. Anyway, I'd entertain backing higher tax rates if I knew it would be spent wisely. Based on what I've seen after a career in the military, some of the things we fund coming out lately and having a family member heavy into an industry that is heavily subsidized by taxpayer money, I just don't believe that will happen. On the latter point, I sure wish my family had a few hundred acre of land because govt subsidized cheese is great for many landowners right now...

Yes take a look at the pots of money concept. Also, mil construction regs need gutted....being forced to make an alert facility ADA compliant is beyond ridiculous. Also, taking the vastly more expensive option for remodeling a building because the cheaper option is funded from a pot of money you don't have is insane. So many anecdotes we all have seen that, by themselves aren't big $$$, but would probably equal big money if applied across the entire DOD and Federal government.

Love it! However, you missed a great opportunity to not have to fly another painful NVG sortie. Signed, night train guy for half my deployments and ORIs.

In our case, it's a Thursday and Sat of drill shirt lol. I'm sure they were thankful for your top cover....they might need it again lol.

As always, visual lookout, especially at night during a circling maneuver in tight airspace to a short(er) runway, isn't foolproof. Sure, we're all still responsible for vis lookout. But at this point in the game, I'd have expected some type of backup from tower that they wouldn't let a helicopter get that close to me. However, this is one of the reasons I would not have accepted that runway change. It's kinda like flyovers, at best, you did your job... Before someone gets their panties in a wad. I'm not blaming these pilots for what happened. I'm sure they've done this circling approach many times and it's no sweat to them. I have not doubt they can fly their jet better than I could fly mine in that environment, because I just never do it. I'm just saying that I won't accept it because I don't see any good reason to do so.

How long until we hear cries about shutting down the base?

This isn't the first time they've tried to take Friday shirts away. The last two times I remember them trying that, we just kept wearing them. It drove the Chiefs (outside of ops) nuts. Eventually the winds shifted and Friday shirts came back. If you're off station, instead of wearing your ACC/AMC patch, wear the ANG patch...people generally leave you alone. You just have to get your own, off-base establishment. Our state doesn't allow alcohol on base, so we found a building just off base, rented it and turned it into a bar. Way, it is easier to have shenanigans off base anyway.

That's mostly an Eagle problem.

Of course they are all in on, it's a survival instinct. I remember back in UPT a crusty reservist talking about how you see pilots get into whatever the new boss is into. If he's a big church person, everyone finds Jesus. If they're into biking, everyone gets bikes, etc.... At our UPT base, the WG/CC loved biking, so there were lots of bikers. When I showed up to Luke, the WG/CC was into crossfit (or his wife was) and so suddenly crossfit was the thing to do. He even made the studs do it during academics.

What a dumbass and a stupid reason for dumping the duty tabs. I thought they were a great call, made it easier to figure out who I was talking to. So are they stopping AFSC badges as well? Not my problem anymore, haven't missed it a bit.

It's like the FB thread for my company where the TDS folks are saying unions are going away because they fired someone on the NLRB.

I think helo is right, it's more about downsizing than anything. Unfortunately a few some good ones may get caught up in the cross fire, but cost of doing business I suppose. They good ones will end up on their feet for sure, they always do.

Therein lies the issue. It will likely become very hard to maintain that good LTD program if the age increases. Here's hoping it never becomes an issue.

Wonder how many of the AFPC folks were in office and then moved away when they went remote. Pretty hard to move back right now with prices/interest rates where they are currently sitting. To 17D's point, another Guard unit in the state found that many of their office workers became MORE productive when they went remote. While I'm sure plenty need to be back in the office, this once size fits all mandate is hard to back. Lots of examples of people being more productive than in the office, where they have many distractions and people bogarting their time. My GF WFH for a company that is a contractor for the FAA. They've found their workers are much more productive with WFH. She'll hop on the computer an hour prior to normal work day, because that's when the dogs wake us up, and she'll knock out a bunch of stuff. She'll also jump on the computer after work hours, if I get called out on a trip, just to get ahead. Many of these things would not happen if she was required to go into office. Nevermind she'd have to quite because that office is 9 hours away. She already quit one job because they tried to make her go in office, which was over 3 hours away. I'm with Brabus in that there are plenty who need to go away. I fear that all the ones that do go away are the ones we want to keep. The ones who are a drain on their offices will never leave, because they'd have to actually produce out in the civilian market.

Ours is worded that it continue to "mandatory retirement age." While I agree with the sentiment, I don't think that would be legal, though I'm certainly no lawyer.

I used to think that, but I don't think that's the case for many of them. They want to be able to keep working their cush gig now that they're on top. Sadly, what will probably happen is our generous LTD will likely be targeted in future negotiations and we'll lose some of it as it becomes to expensive (in negotiating capital) to keep. Of course, by then, many of the pro-67 crowd will be gone, so it's not their problem.

Just delete my browser history!

I never prefer the visual, give me vectors to ILS final every time. The visual is a just ATC's way of being lazy or trying to shove 10 pounds into 5 pound sock. Never understood the desire to "get on the ground quicker." At best you get to the gate a minute or two prior. This job should be boring. I once had an FO who was super geeked about wanting to do a side-step. He's senior to me and has been on this plane for 12 years (9 years longer than me), so he knows what he's doing, so I said ok, lets do it. Everything goes fine, we show up to the gate about 3 minutes earlier than if we hadn't sidestepped...then we waited 10 minutes for a park crew lol.

There is no straw these guys won't grasp at to get 2 more years. I will say that I have a former student from college who is an CW3 AD Apache guy. His FB page is filled with this type of hate toward Army Aviation leadership about what's going on with Army helo aviation. I've never talked to him about it, but he seems to be pointing out the lack of hours, lack of training and prioritization of everything other than being steely eyed killers in the air. Sounds familiar.