ComingLeft

Two rules for success: 1. No excuse for bad manners. Your attitude will determine your altitude in life. 2. Work hard. Good things happen. You never want to fail for not trying hard enough. 2a. It is a picture frame to fill, not a box to check.

FWIW several years back, I heard a story during a Vance welcome brief from the base IG. Two Captains had Sq and Wg/CC blessing and applied for VSP at 0001. For whatever reason their applications were held up at AFPC, and they did not win at first come, first served. Details are fuzzy now, but I think they had to apply physically at MPF. Like I said, old story. The IG was able to get these two Captains separated despite the program being full. Granted they had Wg/CC backing, but keep good notes and save e-mails. Sometimes if the system does not work, the back up system does. I don't know why a CC would want to hold up a package; it is not a vote against the individual. No rational officer is going to get out because 24 months of overlap with their CC. These decisions are much bigger than that.

Let me get this straight: The AF will meet the FY14 force levels mandated by Congress without these programs. The AF wants to downsize the force for a post OEF world. The AF has an unapproved aircraft and force plan that is driving internal decisions. Mission sets are not projected to go away. Sounds like we are front running a problem that does not yet exist. What happens when Congress makes us keep the aircraft? They made us buy OSA aircraft we did not want. I can only imagine the shrieking when we cut aircraft people do want. I suspect Congress's retort will be, "You f'd it. You fix it." I am excited as anyone about VSP, but does someone have the audacity to cancel the VSP/RIF programs? This ill conceived Hindenburg-Titanic hybrid, slow motion train wreck is painful to watch.

PSDM nugget from the RRF checklist: You can only get a retain or do not retain. They just took your best hope of retention/safety away from the CC, who arguably knows best. Hope you look good on paper! 2

Or the bullet right below it: Provide justification? Offers pilots ADSC waivers for VSP. Denies pilots VSP because of the ADSC waivers. This is shaping up to be 2011 all over again. I encourage anyone who gets RIF'd that wants to stay in to make a Freedom of Information Act Request. Denied? Have your Congressmen make the next one.

Yep!

I am working on my post-VSP pipe dream. I have been talking to Cameron-Brooks and trying to separate the sales pitch from reality. I think I heard the guy salivating over his commission already. Has anyone had any luck breaking into the finance or consulting industries in Chicago, New York, Boston, etc? Any constructive advice or contacts would be appreciate. Stats for reference: Did well at the Zoo, the AF (multiple strats, awards), and MBA (4.0, Brick and Mortar, but not top tier). Just a simple What are my chances? question for the real world. Thanks.

See previous. Losing all control is the issue with the ACP. Bad deployment or PCS? Return the "unearned portion" and walk. Just like the real world. Power for money? Incorrect. Freedom for Money, which IMHO is a terrible trade.

Chang, your analogy is highly flawed. The AF is in a unique position in how it can create one-sided labor contracts. These are ILLEGAL in the civilian world, something about slavery. A labor contract in the civilian world is like a prenuptial. If a divorce happens, you cannot sue to stay married, but money and property will change hands. In fact common law has proceeded in such a way that courts will throw out highly restrictive agreements as unconscionable. Learjetter's concern is that the ACP is a bait and switch, not how good of a deal it is for everyone. Most want to fly their same aircraft through their ACP, not deploy on a non-flying 365. This is where the analogy breaks down. Learjetter goes to jail for telling the AF to screw itself. In the civilian world, money changes hands, and you never send your resume back there.

No guidance yet. I would imagine something before COB, but maybe I am asking too much. This dropped in the middle of the night on the East Coast.

Updated Officer VSP, Force Shape, and RIF eligibility matrices are poseted on myPers. The RIF matrix lists overage # and # of eligibles by AFSC and Year Group. 11Xs 2011-2009 are safe from the FSB. No change to RPAs or Fighters. 11Ms 10-20% depending upon year group. 12Ms are 75%+ cut, but get better for 12Fs and 12Rs (~10-20%). 11Ms, 2005 who were eligible for the last VSP: 80+ over/450+ eligible. Keeping it vague since the doc is probably FOUO. This is a huge cut for non-rated. Some year groups have a greater overage than eligible, and most are 25-40%. Still no PSDM. So the flood gates are open, but where is the unconditional surrender?

Ugh, that's what I get for not looking things up. I went and combined regs.

Edited for being stupid. Beer time anyways.

How many people would voluntarily work for a company that furloughs and terminates people with little notice? Demands a one way employment contract? Will deploy you to some crap-hole-country for a year to teach people to fly who want to kill you? It becomes a job after a few years. Benefit of staying must be greater than the benefit of leaving. For most people TriCare and the Pension weigh very heavily in that calculation. Good people know what they are worth and where they are going.

Keep the union strong. Don't cross the picket line for such a small concession.

Probably... I was really looking forward to my VSP check and the voluntary recall to Active Duty bonus. Hopefully, this is true. If we leave Afghanistan and get our flying hours back, it could be a few good years in the Air Force. Not holding my breath, and maybe not willing to be stuck in the one-way employment contract to wait and see. Props to HU&W for reminding me to turn my brain on and read the NDAA

Speaking of getting it one last time.. Assuming VSP is still available, when do you have to decide to take the money? I know they claim the money is to "buy you out" of your retirement, but most would have to sign the 3-yr IRR commitment. Does anyone have any data points about involuntary recalls or would the AF abuse the Guard/Reserves first? Sounds like a long shot, but increased probability in our present climate.

In talking to the JAGs while deployed, the JAG (as an office) recognizes this is an issue among senior leadership. Our leadership like to say it is young Airmen and signle Lts, but the stats do not back that up. Difficult to have a down day with the message, "Don't let us touch you."

This is the same logic taught in business schools, cut quicker and deeper than you need to once. It sucks, but people adapt and overcome. Everyone talking about quitting or getting fired for 5 years is terrible for the force. Right or wrong we get back to business quicker, e.g. you would write an OPR and a RRF each year. If it was too much, we recall people back to AD. It is a world of two Air Forces, the rated world is hurting, especially Fighters, Rescue and RPAs. I wonder how much including 11Ms on the VSP/RIF eligibility matrix is a shell game so the AF can claim they cut pilots.

Not future leaders, professional officers, or skilled aviators, but a commodity?

Oh yeah. I remember that DoD marketing campaign. Let us screw you for 40 years and we will make it up to you. If they really wanted to entice officers to remain on AD why did it start in 2007, for you? Why not for Year Groups 1998+ with wavers for 30+ continuous days BOG in AFG/PAK 2001 and 2002. Not in 1998, but sounds like a nice split. Captures all post-9/11 officers plus the ones who spent the most time in OEF/OIF.

If Guam is the only base, true. If the fighters are more than 3 hours away the KC-135 becomes a better option. The KC-135 has a longer flight endurance at MTOGW. There is a reason the KC-10 is kept closer to the air refueling tracks and has higher density of offloads.

Disclaimer: I am at the CAOC. You could guess someone's AFSC by their reaction to this.