OverTQ

2. I don't think it would hurt initial recruitment. But, there would be a big difference in the retention rates at the eight year mark. It would be big for RES/NG recruitment. The argument would go, "Why go AC if you can go RES, get the same training, fly about the same, not have to do desk jobs and draw your retirement pay at the same time as AC?"

Again, the “I am in the Army disclaimer”. But as someone who has access to all the Aviation numbers on our side of the house, here is my take. The reason we make the money (yes, it is a lot) is not because we do such a dangerous job. Sorry to all of you that like to think that but it is just not true but I am sure the girls in the bar will still believe you. The real reason is that the military unlike the civilian world cannot “hire” mid level managers. Work for brand “X” and need someone with mid level or even senior management? You will have more qualified applicants than you can ever interview. The civilian market is very competitive right now. The military cannot do that. For example, we are short Majors right now. The reasons are simple. We went from 1.3 million men to 440,000. Officers make up about 10%. We commissioned less (keeping 10% for the 440). That same group of commissioned officers is a part of a 540,000 man force that has been deployed more than any group in history. So a lot have gotten out leaving us even shorter. How do we fill this gap? Make the time lines shorter to make MAJ? That will work in a while, but mean while, that mid 90’s class will get promoted to LTC and then we will be short of LTC’s. There is no way for us to close the gap. We can’t just go hire an Army Major. That is why we make so much. Simple numbers. Find yourself in a year group that has far more than it needs and see how important you are. The amount of money we make is trivial compared to the amount of money spent training us and the impossibility of replacing all but the junior officers. Simple business. You would think it would be simple to manage. But as we are discussing now, congress keeps changing the end strength numbers. It is all numbers needed vs numbers on hand vs funding and the possibility to maintain each. That was the officer in me prospective. The personnel side doesn’t have any friends in the civilian world that have had to spend as much time away from their family as we have. Or get up every morning in their 40’s to do PT because their employer requires it. None of those same friends have ever been shot at. I don’t know any civilian who has had to move 5 times in 3 ½ years. Personally, I do think I make a lot of money and will get a lot for retirement. And I think I deserve every penny.

Not speaking for the AF but as a current Army Aviation assignments officer, shack.

Flashback to 1992-2000.

I think whoever is the Sec Def the budgets and manning are going to get cut.

The AF is at a growth point. But the problem is in which way does it grow. There will eventually be something that changes the landscape of the battle space for the AF so dramatically that it has to shift the way it fights. Much like the Airplane itself changed the effectiveness of the battleship. The other problem is how much is too much money to put into a program. Although the AF has taken a lot of heat in the recent years, it will come out better than it was before (but maybe with different platforms/strategy). Ralph is using the AF as a antagonist to elevate his views of "How the world should be". We in the Army have crashed a lot more aircraft than all the other services combined. And we have some of the newest aircraft out there. Sometimes metal and blood are the price of doing business. I think Ralph is just drumming up business for his latest book idea.

That is too funny. My vote if for the Hog too.

Great Intel for us.

Anybody else humming Dos Gringos?

Now that's funny.

I would perpetrate the rumors or start new ones.

No, really they do. But some of it is from not understanding, some are jealous because they think they AF has it better and some of it is probably warranted. But if it makes you feel any better, they spend more time complaining about the Army.

Picture of Gregory Charvat.

That is two.

Picture and article at: Link

That is true. I bought a double axel 16' x 7' when it counted. The rule changed after that so I only got to claim it for one move. BUT, that trailer has paid for itself many times. You are most likely going to have a wife and kids one day. The amount of crap you will need just to keep the family going for the possible two weeks until you get your stuff, continually increases. Besides, it also makes a good storage locker when living on base housing.

The bastards know our weakness

Strategy Page That's just not fair.

Edited for Source: Defense News

Million Air is definitely nice. It is hard to beat the cheap room on, the fllight line, with a large hot tub walking distance from the strip bar at EFD.

Warrants are taught bitching at WOCS I have come to believe. I am not saying that officers don't bitch either. But with warrants, it is an art form.

2

On second thought, no it's just too easy.

Flying at night under crappy FLIR and hearing my front seater gasp "wires" Then looking up to see them. Edited due to memory repression.