ImNotARobot

#Trump2020. I’d fill out my ballot now if they’d let me.

On the latest AFRC LtC board, there are several O-5 selects that I know personally currently in the Cat E program. Dudes that gave up on Cat A deployments, LtC board be damned, and it worked out for them to make O-5 having done several years as a Cat E leading up to the LtC board. I think there was a bit of luck involved in some of those, but I also think the fear and loathing I've heard about going to Cat E prior to the O-5 board was incorrect. The data does not bear that out. Still awaiting board stats though...what I'd really like to know is what percentage of Cat Es did make O-5. That is better actionable data than my straw poll "I know a few guys who made it."

Anyone have knowledge on the Beale or Shady J 120-day tanker deployment taskings for 2019? Did the deployments actually execute as 120-day orders, or were the units allowed to break those up into 60s? From what I can find, there has been no official change with the 3-stars memo delineating 120s as the new standard. Everything I've heard that would lighten that load is heresay. The MFR remains signed and unchanged from its release 6 months ago.

I'm a little confused about your facts here. Help me understand. The IRR is different from PIRR (Participating). With PIRR, also known as Cat E Reserves, you'd undergo an AF1288 unit transfer process after you were hired into your respective Cat E program. Said another way, I don't think you can go into PIRR without having been hired into a Cat E program. The interview/hire has to happen first, so the 1288 can be coordinated between losing/gaining unit. The IRR, however, is a truly inactive status that allows you to be recalled during the IRR period. That recall can be voluntary (you interview for a Cat A or Cat B position, get hired, and an AF1288 process pulls you up from Cat E), or involuntary like a draft. The second scenario is highly unlikely obviously. I don't think it's possible for you to just transfer to PIRR without a job. Who's telling you that?

List out on vPC / MyPers.

It's total BS because it's not numbered <first aircraft I flew>, then all other aircraft I've flown sequentially. Other than that, pretty good list. - Everyone.

These days? That’s been the standard for the last 20 years I’ve been in uniform. CCs protecting their future promotions by showing their boss they can “take the hard line and instill discipline” through totally annihilation of the target regardless of the details. It’s cancer.

You do.

According to vPC, thru SECDEF on 2 Aug. Expected board release 19 Aug.

https://taskandpurpose.com/air-force-academy-colonel-relieved-drunk-driving

Nope. That board is currently @ SECDEF. Expecting release 3rd week of Aug, like last year.

Last year it was released the 3rd week of August. Expecting the same this year.

What's old is new again. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/u-s-military-has-begun-reestablishing-air-base-inside-saudi-n1031916

Cannot emphasize this enough. This has been mentioned for years on this board, I'll let it percolate back to top. The timing on "in the zone" boards are much different in the ARC. I left Active Duty just prior to my 1BPZ LtC board. Because I had a firm separation date, that PRF went to the board as Recommendation Only (blank 9-lines, just a P). As with all the double speak with OPRs/PRFs, the message was sent. This person is not promotable. I was not on AD when that 1BPZ board convened, nor the following year when my commissioning cohort met our IPZ board. Then I get into the ARC, where everything is based on the FY in which I pinned on the current rank. ROPMA/DOPMA laws drive to 7 FYs in your rank. So in the fifth FY in my current rank, I meet the Position Vacancy (PV) board. My ARC PV board was roughly 2 years after my AD IPZ for LtC. The PV board is loosely equivalent to an AD BPZ board, but with different rules. There is only 1 PV board, not like the 2BPZ & 1BPZ boards on AD. In order for your PRF to meet that board, there is one big requirement--you must occupy that next rank's position number on your unit's UMD. For instance, if you're meeting a LtC PV board, you must be in a LtC position number on the UMD. That simple administrative act allows your leadership to push your PRF to the PV board. In the 6th FY in your current rank, you meet your "in the zone" ARC board. The universal requirement here is having a pulse, AND having your PME complete. That's it. Correspondence PME does the trick. After you've been selected for promotion and then enter the 7th FY in your current rank, your local leadership has the option to let you pin on at any time, not having you wait until the month where you'd actually be in your rank for 7 years. That's why you see a bunch of guys pinning on Maj / LtC on 1 Oct in the ARC...beginning on the 7th FY for those dudes/dudettes. The timing of these boards mean that you could be passed over on AD promotion board timing, and not even have met your PV/IPZ board timing for the ARC. So if the AD clownshow tells you you're a non-select, you know have actionable data to decline continuation and start getting prepped for interviews, both in the ARC and possibly airlines if that's your flavor. Don't forget...the pilot hiring era we are currently in is without historical precedent. There has literally never been a better time in the history of aviation to get hired as an airline pilot. It's a massive life change to get out, with a family or not...but try not to let the fear of the unknown drive your decision here. You've done harder shit than this. The time is now. If I've said anything incorrect here, please correct me ARC bros. This info needs to get out to the guys on AD who are at decision time. Thanks.

A yuge “2” on this, and a slight modification if you’d permit me: Don’t let the USAF in any way define your worth as a person. Ever. It’s a f—king job. Period. As much patriotism and pageantry as they try to attach to it...it’s still only a job. Promotion boards are a question on politics, luck, and timing. Two out of three usually required to pass through the gate. There are other jobs available that only have one basic requirement for progression-the date you were hired. I’m not advocating feeling sorry for yourself dude or dudette. The company just told you officially where you’re going. Now it’s time to take that information and move forward. Best of luck.

In the late 2000s at Yokota, the 5 AF/CC would occasionally fly the Herk. Probably still does. The Sq/CC is always KANTO01, and the NAF CC didn't want to use that, so he chose SHOGUN01. After he returned from flying under SHOGUN, Japanese ATC already had multiple calls to the base, confused because the SHOGUN callsign he arbitrarily chose was listed as a diplomatic callsign, normally with Japanese government officials aboard. Everything went back to KANTO after that IIRC.

Wild is one word to describe it. Hope nobody in charge gets ruffled feathers over that HD video.

Block the retards. You’ll never have to see him again, until someone quotes him.

Totally agree. Just binged that this weekend...was surprised at how great the flow of the 2018 season was narrated, and the HD video of the races was fantastic.

The perception of “bullet proof” is probably why she got as far as she did. SJW, assemble!

Ok so after more homework at the unit, looks like my ROPMA board will be Apr '20 for an Oct '20 promotion. When would be the earliest I should transfer to the reserves to Cat E? Wait until the results come out summer of 2020? Earliest to submit 1288 is PRF Accounting Date, which is 150 days prior to your board. At that point, you've been "accounting for" under your current Senior Rater, and he/she would have to take additional action to remove you from the MEL for that upcoming promotion board. That normally would include someone with negative personnel action, or someone who hadn't been on station very long. All subjective based on your Senior Rater and your time on station. (All those possibilities are listed in the Promo Board Announcement MFR if you can to read the details) The other calculus is how long it will take to change from Cat A to Cat E...I've been told by more than a few (including the interviewer who hired me) to expect 6-10 months. With the long processing time (and I'm told no one gets a fast track), you're safe to drop papers (get your 1288 signed) after the accounting date. For me, the 6-10 month wait will not only include the promotion board itself, but also the board results announcement, and the beginning of the next FY, where I'll pin that rank on. Not tooting my horn about the chances for the promotion, but let's be honest, for a Cat A Reservist, it's a simple PME check from AFRC. The SAFEST time to drop is after you've pinned on that rank you'd need to get through 20 YoS. Then it's in the bank, no one can change it. However, I think the plan outlined above would work due to the extended processing time to become a full time ALO. I guess I'll let you know if I crash and burn. The alternative for me is almost 6 months of mandatory orders next year...no fr!cking thanks.

Thanks dude. Simply stunning storytelling. WOW.

It helps IMMENSELY, and thank you. I also haven’t found the AFI ref for the sanctuary diff for Cat E; I heard it primarily while interviewing for the CAP position. Will see if I can get some hard data on why I heard that so many times. Again, thanks. I’m about to ALO myself, I’ll pass along any lessons learned.

Very cool, thanks for the reply!

Guess I'm still the only dude that cares about this one, as I post the 3rd consecutive time in almost 2 yrs. To answer the above question: Whatever rank you have entering Cat E, expect that to be the rank you exit Cat E. If you're already a LtC, that's a good place to be. If you're a Maj with prior E time, you may be good there as well...as long as you're not twice passed over as a Cat E. The sanctuary rules do not function the same as with Cat A (flyers) and Cat B (IMA). If one is twice passed over as a Cat E, recent history shows that continuation is not offered, meaning that dude has to get out with only a couple years to go to 20. It sucks. The rub: The ARPC promotion results for 2018 show that 4/4 Cat E CAP dudes with PME made LtC. That is the only document that reflects that...all the CAP and ALO leadership with which I've interviewed have told me the exact opposite. Furthermore, the CAP is under a hiring freeze effective 2 weeks ago. Duration unknown. For an organization that lacks a UMD and therefore any discernible budget, most likely scenario is the CAP overages will lessen through attrition. That means the freeze will potentially last quite awhile as their swell in numbers very slowly reduce. So in an attempt to reignite this thread...anyone know these unicorns getting promoted as Cat E? Just curious how reality looks on that side of the CAP or ALO fence. Thanks.