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Magellan

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Posts posted by Magellan

    Drone Pilots: We Don’t Get No Respect

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    But back to the article instead of your personal cheap shots. What I will take issue with is taking time to imagine some far off sci-fi world while the rest of us were in the real world practicing, fighting, studying and building TTPs for the foreseeable future so that we can integrate as a fighting asset in current/near-future contested environments (within limitations) or rescue package and as a reconnaissance/strike asset beyond the Army-S2-point-and-stare game. I've done actual contingency mission planning to bring unmanned to the fight in real time and for future OPLANs as well as plenty of lobbying with actual war planners, joint teams, and within AOC cells to leverage the very real skills that our unmanned assets possess. I’ve also cautioned when they're at their limits to steer the conversation back to getting unmanned assets into a viable role to achieve desired effects. And I think that's the key: useful thinking versus wishful thinking. What people ought to be reading are things like Squeeze Callahan's SAASS paper, because it can be taken seriously.

    This article is fantastical and does little to prove that any of what he talks about can be done at the simplest level. For instance, the AOD/commander's intent isn't a 1's and 0's programming problem like he paints mission/targeting prioritization to be. We do it with preplanned ground targets and standoff weapons, but those typically don't move and the missile doesn't interpret commander's intent, the MPC and aircrew do.

    And if a semi-autonomous system has to reach back to its operator at a critical juncture, it is vulnerable, whether from the increase in decision time thereby negating its computer advantage or from the transmission it just made to give itself away, negating its stealthiness.

    Unmanned technology definitely has a future, but there are so many other problems to solve before frying his big fish.

    I agree with everything you said. This is valuable dialogue.

    Drone Pilots: We Don’t Get No Respect

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    They're pretty hand-in-hand in this case.

    Paul you don't have a leg to stand on. You earned your Pred out of UPT just as much as he did, and have your own set of personality/professionalism quirks as well so I wouldn't start chucking stones.

    Mike published a peer reviewed article in the Air and Space Power journal. Most people won't agree with him, but he has no control over how people spin what he wrote. He is a super nerd with a 10lb brain, and it shows though both in his article and if you have ever met him. It doesn't mean he is a lousy officer by any means.

    http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/digital/pdf/articles/2014-May-Jun/F-Byrnes.pdf

    • Downvote 2

    FY 14 Force Management Program (RIF, VSP, TERA)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Flash Forward to today: I'm assuming there are quite a bit of young guys at the Acedemy and in ROTC that constantly lurk on here and I'm sure they tell their friends the good/bad/ugly stories we discuss...have these stories influenced the young 20-year olds to not pursue taking on the longer ADSC? As naive/immature (and motivated, of course) that the pre-commisionees are, hearing all the crap we put out, not to mention the open-source info about RIFs, constant focus on SAPR stuff, you name it...this stuff eventually has to influence the younger guys. Flying is great, but anything great has a price, and if it gets too high people will eventually say it's not worth it. Or will there always be enough halfway decent young guys wanting to fly so badly that they don't care about the horror stories? Either way, you're right--it won't change much in the short term I'm sure.

    Their deals have gotten progressively shittier, but the AF still keeps getting enough officers from these sources. So much so that OTS is barely producing any officers. So as long as the Air Force is getting enough meat for the grinder I don't think the AFPC folks will ever really give a shit, because they operate under the illusion of, "Hey we have enough bodies. So what if we piss a few people off...we need to get rid of some anyway."

    Getting back to the shitty deals...one example is the rated slot application process. Back in the day (early 2000's and before) you could apply for just one rated career field Pilot, Nav, or ABM. Then they changed it for ROTC cadets that if you apply for one you apply for all of them with RPA operator thrown into the mix as well now, and the Air Force is supposedly rolling this out at the Academy as well. So until high school kids get wise to the AF shenanigans and stop applying for the academy and ROTC scholarships the AF will always have enough bodies on the officer side so they will continue to treat us like crap and mismanage the force. The reason being simply because the Air Force is naturally more inclined to replace people than to retain them.

    That said the Academy is in a downward spiral according to my friend that is an instructor there that just got approved for VSP. Apparently AETC thought it would be a great idea to shit can the program that gets almost all the military instructors there the degrees required to go teach in their respective departments. Not to mention they are all but shutting down the channels for the top instructors to go on to get their doctorates so they can come back and be department heads...in short in a few years the only people that will be qualified to teach at the USAFA will be civilians.

    Return of Friday shirts / patches

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Email to SQ exec sent with list of pencil tab patches. Will be wearing them until told that they aren't authorized, and I expect our wing commander and squadron commander to have come out with approvals for nametags, morale patches, and shirts well ahead of Friday.

    In other news shares of Mardon stock have quadrupled overnight!

    Questions on TPS (Test Pilot School)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    No problem and thanks! In case it does change in the coming years, do you know how many hours a guard fighter pilot could expect to get yearly?

    No clue...depends on the unit...funding...how much they like you...etc. But instructor would probably be able to happen faster than the 750 if they were on board with pushing you for TPS.

    Questions on TPS (Test Pilot School)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hey folks,

    I know this has been briefly touched on before, but does anyone know if it's likely for a ANG fighter pilot to be selected to TPS? I know Col Colmer did it some years back and that the AFI does mention guardsmen, but has anyone had any experience on how likely it is to happen? Would a guard unit typically let you go on EAD for TPS?

    Also, does anyone know how many hours guard fighter pilots normally get? I'm wondering whether it's likely for them to get the required 750 hrs before they become too senior to be considered.

    Thanks in advance for the advice!

    Straight from the PDSM

    NOTE: Members of the ANG and AFRC are currently ineligible to apply to TPS due to suspension of all voluntary recall programs

    Air Force 2027: Fewer Pilots, More Drones, More Challenges

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Is this the truth?

    For prior MWS from AMC mostly yes, or it was people who wanted out of the Air Force deployment/TDY grind. TAMI 21 guys were a mixed bag, but they are all being recalled to F-16s or white jets. That is unless they re-catted because they decided "careerism" was more important than waiting for a cockpit that may have never materialized. UPT direct guys...it depends. MOST of the T-38 guys are sharp dudes that straight up got a raw deal, and T-1/T-44 guys are a mixed bag across the spectrum. The 18A direct ascensions are solid, motivated, and eager. However, they aren't on an equal airmanship footing with UPT grads for obvious reasons. The prior officer career field 18A guys that retrained aren't anything to write home about with few exceptions.

    Finance Problems

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Let me guess, they sent an email to your old email address after you PCSed. I've had that one happen. The talent level in most Finance shops is too low to handle the level of power they have. No money should ever be deducted from a servicemember's paycheck without the member's consent or Squadron Commander's approval. Your Squadron CC, not the Finance CC. Zero dollar fix that could be implemented tomorrow.

    Because SQ/CC's don't have enough to do already?

    Promotion and PRF Information

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    This whole discussion is really moot. You have Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 officers. Your tier is determined as a Lt/young Capt. At that point, your career is pretty much mapped for you. Why worry about anything after that?

    That works for 75%, but what about the 25% that are late rated, FAIPs, guys that change MWS, and late bloomers.

    Omega X-33 Order

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I'm trying to start an X-33 buy for my squadron. Can anyone who has dealt with them lately please send me the Omega rep's contact info?

    Thanks

    PM Tunes he has the data...and you won't regret the purchase the watches are worth every penny.

    Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP - The Bonus)

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Magellan

    Sounds like you have a Change of Command to plan or Christmas Party to volunteer for...

    Way to anchor your argument!

    Dude the lowest common denominator officer/pilot in any community 11F, 11M, and God forbid I mention 18x will probably stay in regardless of the bonus, because the rules are simple and the pay is decent. Some of the best and brightest will choose to exit the service because of how poorly the Air Force does/did X, Y, Z, and in their situation they feel they are better off on the outside. That said most of the ones I have talked are simply too proud to admit they regret it when they see their old buddies getting retirement checks 10 years later because they stuck with it, but their body language tells the true story with a few notable exceptions. Now what their wives and kids have to say about them getting out is another matter. This is simply an incentive the Air Force uses to target a specific demographic that might be on the fence about staying in for the long haul or punching. It is a BONUS for those lucky enough to be eligible not an ENTITLEMENT for everyone blessed enough to make it through pilot training.

    edit: changed to to too for the grammar police.

    Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP - The Bonus)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I remember asking as a new capt, why we couldn't have enoug tx seats to get everyone back from white jets, ALO, staff, etc. I was told that we couldn't have all of those Majors and LTCs coming back because there weren't enough jobs for them in a flying squadron.

    Funny, it seems as though Creech has a much different perspective on that issue.

    Most of them have $$ in their eyes looking at the jobs they can get after they add UAV experience to their resume when they hit the 20 year point.

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