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nrodgsxr

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Posts posted by nrodgsxr

    Shipping car CONUS?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    The brokers typically use all the same drivers. Just make sure the broker has a good review on BBB in case you have problems and need to file a claim.

    I've shipped two cars via open carriers and both times they put a beater car above mine that leaked oil and garbage all over my car. My cars were both new too. If you can pay a little extra to have your car on top I definitely recommend that. Closed carrier is the best way to go but it's usually twice the cost.

    I just shipped a car for $1,100 across the country. I think driving 6k miles might be more cost beneficial if you're getting mileage and TDY travel days vs paying over $2K to ship it round trip. You also have to give them 7-10 days to make the delivery and the car has to be available for a week for pickup since the driver isn't just transporting you car and might not know exactly what day he'll come get it. You'll have to add all this inconvenience into your cost-benefit analysis.

    Promotion and PRF Information

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I'm curious if anyone has a good list of good vs bad push lines. If MAJCOM staff is bad, is HAF staff good? Having never been an exec, I want to scrub my OPRs for mediocrity.

    Edit: Not trying to derail, just want to know what sort of crap I'll be putting on my PRF whenever '05 gets a chance to submit one.

    it depends on the SR but ive seen the order as joint, HAF, MAJCOM, then NAF or some generic staff push. No staff push as a younger cgo is normal since staff isn't really where you belong.

    also there should always be a rank appropriate PME push along with a job push

    RPA School at Holloman

    in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA/RPV/UAS/UAV)

    Posted

    Have any of y'all going through Holloman worked on your FAA instrument rating while out there? Some of the sim time here at RIQ counts (if the right flight school accepts it) so I was looking for recommendations on any worthy flight schools out there.

    Also, my drop is this friday. We've all but given up hope for -9s since we've been told the next class won't start till fall and AFPC doesn't want us waiting around until then. So we've seen only basically preds only the last 2 drops. Any words from Holloman?

    What do you need an instrument ticket for? Already trying to leave RPAs in RIQ?

    Are they still pulling UPT grads for RPA?

    in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA/RPV/UAS/UAV)

    Posted

    That sucks.

    I honestly haven't paid much attention to the UAV/RPA issues lately. Anyone have any links to numbers associated with the growth in RPA pilots as compared to the growth or decline in the numbers of pilots of other airframes?

    No specifics but bottom line we need a lot more folks than we have and very few RPA dudes stay after their ADSC due to the 100 different reasons why this community sucks. Time will tell if that changes when the mass of 10 year ADSC dudes can start punching but I seriously doubt it will. I really hope I'm wrong.

    SOS/ACSC information

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    The irony is, all the leadership here at SOS keep going on about what a problem it is that capts are doing SOS in correspondence and in-residence. I guess it doesn't matter what they say if wings are going to keep stratting their eligibles based on correspondence being complete.

    As long as the stated goal is 100% in-residence attendance, the strat list should be based 100% off time in grade (with the ability to heisman the guy who got a DUI).

    You can't control what a wg/cc uses to strat his dudes. However, HAF could change the AFI so that captains can't enroll in SOS-C until 7 years TAFCSD or when I ineligible to attend SOS-R (without a waiver)

    Flight (Pubs) Bags

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I actually tested a brightline bag via BO.net maybe a year and a half ago or so and only used it a few times. Good bag just not a good fit for my airframe or needs. Free to anyone willing to pay shipping.

    I'll take it. Sending a pm

    Drone Pilots: We Don’t Get No Respect

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Remember that half of every MQ-1/9 crew is enlisted (not sure what the breakdown is on the cyber side but I'm sure it's not all officers) and that decs, and more specifically the precedence/points associated with decs, play a role in promotion. This isn't just an academic argument over which fiddly bits of ribbon the O's get to wear on their chest.

    Doesn't matter for enlisted mq1/9 sensor operators. They max out on dec points very quickly in their first tour from AAMs unless they cross train as a senior nco and are in a leadership position. . But the dec points stop mattering for them at that point anyways.

    Drone Pilots: We Don’t Get No Respect

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Isn't that what about every MOH recipient ever said? Not saying they're equal, but just because you guys are just doing your job doesn't mean it shouldn't be recognized when it's a job well done.

    We already get recognized just fine with our Aerial Achievement Medals for a job well done. Why do we need anything more??

    How about we just recognize our drone operators for a job well done by letting them get out of this shitty weapon system? Sign me up for that.

    • Upvote 1

    Are they still pulling UPT grads for RPA?

    in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA/RPV/UAS/UAV)

    Posted

    - Guys tired of flying manned aircraft for one reason or another and volunteering for an RPA

    I wouldn't get too worried about UPT drops. The 18X pipeline is expanding, albeit slowly, and that should take away the manning problems in a few years once more people get through their training and onto their first assignments. FTU's currently seem to be the bottleneck for the process.

    Wrong.. Almost all manned aircraft dudes are non-vol'd. I can count the number of prior MWS guys I know on one hand that outright volunteered for drones. I don't count the guys who volunteered for creech to avoid a cannon assignment.

    And the 18x pipeline isn't 100% stable... If I was a UPT stud I'd make sure to not be the bottom ranked dude in case they start the UPT direct pipeline again. Shit changes all the time in the drone world. Also all the 18xers 7 day opting after their short commitment doesn't help either.

    SOS/ACSC information

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I get the distinct honor of attending America's finest learning institution and need some advice. Anyone know of any good places to stay off base while attending SOS? I'll be taking my wife, two very small children and possibly a cat (optional, yet desired). Yes, I like cats. Anyone know of any good places to stay?

    Also, besides service dress, a few flight suits, and PT gear, is there anything else that's required? Do I need to bring my ABUs? Honestly, I bought them when the BDUs went out of fashion, but I've never even worn them besides trying them on. I don't really want to mess them up the first time I wear them.

    I stayed at the hometowns suites with the wife and baby In prattville and it was ok. You need abus.

    Predator Follow-on

    in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA/RPV/UAS/UAV)

    Posted

    2x F-16 TX courses for the Spring. Much improvement from the doom and gloom of resent past. I slipped to the Summer VML.

    Locations sounded nice too.. Glad to hear guys are leaving but I just wonder who is going to man these damn caps.. It seems like every beta guy I talk to is planning on separating after only 1 drone assignment

    Info on Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS/UAV/RPA)

    in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA/RPV/UAS/UAV)

    Posted

    In case any captains were wondering.. the promotion rate to major sucks in drones

    RPA pilots: In demand, but losing out

    By Jeff Schogol - Staff writer

    Posted : Tuesday Aug 21, 2012 8:47:42 EDT

    The demand for pilots who fly the Air Force’s unmanned aircraft grows each year, but promotion rates for those aviators fall far behind their fighter, bomber and mobility counterparts.

    And although the Air Force is training more pilots to fly remote-controlled Reapers, Predators and Global Hawks than traditional fighters and bombers this year, it could take two decades for the promotion opportunities to even out, Air Force officials said.

    PILOT PROMOTIONS

    Chart: The promotion rates by paygrade and airframe for the past five promotion cycles

    Pilots in the unmanned aircraft community come from three backgrounds: “Traditional” pilots, who go from flying manned aircraft to drones; other aviators, such as combat systems officers and air battle managers; and airmen specifically trained to fly drones as part of the 18X career field, which was established in October 2009, followed by the start of undergraduate training a year later. The 18X career field has grown to 821 pilots — about 60 percent of those assigned to fly remote-controlled aircraft.

    “It is not uncommon for promotion rates in new career fields [composed] of individuals from varying backgrounds and expertise) to take time to stabilize,” Air Force spokesman Maj. Joel Harper said in an email. “The first step in building a career field is creating a training pipeline followed by cross-flowing midcareer officers from related career fields to meet mission requirements. Accomplishing this in a wartime environment, with ever increasing demand, has not been without its challenges.”

    Promotion data since 2007 show that pilots considered by promotion boards while assigned to flying drones were less likely to advance. In 2011, for example, 92 percent of captains assigned to fighters and bombers were selected for promotion to major, compared with 78 percent of pilots assigned to fly unmanned planes.

    Through five promotion cycles, only twice have pilots of unmanned aircraft experienced higher promotion rates than other pilots: In 2008, 77.8 percent of majors were selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel, compared with 68 percent of mobility pilots; and in 2011, 35 percent of lieutenant colonels up for O-6 were selected, besting the 31 percent promotion rate for mobility pilots.

    BETTER OPPORTUNITIES

    To increase unmanned aircraft pilots’ chances of getting promoted, the Air Force is trying to give drone pilots more opportunities for professional military education, Harper said. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley also advises promotion boards that drone pilots have unique skills that are critical to national security.

    “He further instructs board members that in assessing these records, the board members should consider the fact that these officers, because of the needs of the Air Force and combatant commanders, may not have received the same development opportunities and normal career progression as their peers,” Harper said.

    But one drone pilot said the Air Force has not addressed the basic obstacles that prevent unmanned aircraft pilots from being promoted.

    “With the training and security checks involved in transitioning to [remotely piloted aircraft], almost a whole year can be lost before establishing a place in the new RPA squadron and continuing again in promotion enhancing work,” said the pilot, who did not want to be identified. “While transitioning to other airframes within one’s command may also take a lot of time and training, those transitions are considered leadership preparation, whereas transition to RPAs is often seen as a demotion.”

    Also, drone pilots fly so often that they don’t have many opportunities for activities that would enhance their chances of being promoted, the pilot said in an email.

    “Regardless of promotion boards’ awareness of the critical skills of RPA pilots, their system is based on points and direct comparison with other pilots and other officers,” the pilot said. “The sacrifices demanded by the brutal and unending shift work, the common 6-day work week which often includes upwards of 40 flying hours alone (daily briefings, training and administrative responsibilities must be accomplished on top of this), and the minimal chances at leadership responsibilities in the large and growing squadrons are not rewarded by the boards in any way.”

    The pilot suggested creating a level playing field for all pilots by lowering the promotion requirements for unmanned aircraft pilots.

    The Air Force has heard similar complaints from airmen in other career fields, said retired Col. Terry Stevens, who has 35 years of experience in personnel.

    “The non-selects want lower standards and higher promotion opportunities for their ‘unique’ career field to speed up promotions,” Stevens said in an email. “They complain bitterly that they are too busy, or [too] critical to the job, to worry about things like advanced degrees, decorations, professional development courses, involvement with unit and base activities, and so forth and so on.”

    Many of the officers against whom drone pilots compete for advancement have not had better promotion opportunities, Stevens said.

    IMPROVED CONDITIONS

    Given the number of drones the Air Force plans to buy, the service is going to have to do more to make the unmanned pilot career field viable, said Peter Juul, a military expert with the Center for American Progress think tank in Washington.

    “Last year’s Aircraft Procurement Plan projected 650 Global Hawk, Reaper and Predator drones in service by FY 2021, up from 340 in FY 2012,” Juul said in an email. “The disparities continue to exist so that you’re more likely to be promoted if you’re not a drone pilot than if you are, so the Air Force will have to do a better job of making drones an attractive career path for younger officers and pilots.”

    At a news conference before his Aug. 10 retirement, former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said pilots of manned aircraft will always be important, but he acknowledged the ever-increasing reliance on drone pilots.

    “Ultimately, it is conceivable that the majority of aviators in our Air Force will be remotely piloted aircraft operators,” Schwartz said at the conference.

    But if drone pilots are achieving a higher status in the Air Force, it’s not reflected in the condition of their work and living spaces, said a second drone pilot, who also asked not to be identified.

    The conditions at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., where many pilots are based, give the impression that “this mission does not really matter to anyone, anywhere,” said the pilot.

    “The main facility consists of a hangar and something that looks, feels, and smells like an old high school that should be condemned,” the pilot said in an email. “Our bathrooms only function half the time (400 people, 5 toilets per gender). We have outhouses posted immediately outside our main entrance.”

    The fire alarm was broken for nearly a year, with bullhorns placed in each room to compensate, and water has at times been shut off or unsafe for drinking, the pilot said.

    Air Force officials said they are working on improvements at Creech, and they blamed problems there on its rapid growth as the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission became more important.

    The Air Force has spent $17 million on construction at Creech in the past two years, said Air Combat Command spokesman Col. Todd Vician.

    Another $2.5 million in operations and maintenance funds and $1.3 million in Army and Air Force Exchange Service projects were used to improve the fitness and recreation facilities, he said.

    Still, morale is a problem in the unmanned aircraft community, the pilot said.

    “I was shocked just the other day when I held a candid conversation with one of the ‘rising stars’ in the squadron” who plans to leave the Air Force, the pilot said. “He told me because this community is a dead-end. There is nothing more he could accomplish, the job itself is terrible and the possibility for him getting back to his previous airframe (F-15s) was slim to none.”

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