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

[Shaft34]

One (out of 5 total) of our TERA applicants has a DOS of 31 July 14 showing on his CDB on vMPF. He is a 19 yr continued O-4. Mine is still showing INDEFINITE, even after the validation complete message last Friday. I am a '99/11R with GI TEB ADSC.

[Catbox]

On the retirements Facebook page it looks like the 19+ years TERA crowd really hit pay dirt today, both officer and enlisted. The notifications seem to be coming from FSS, not mypers. Anothet indication was having a retirement date of 31 jul 14 loaded on the surf.

My fingers are still crossed

[Mountain]

You still waiting for yours to change Mountain?

Yup. So's DR.

[FBomb]

https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/473697/voluntary-application-processing-continues-during-force-management-pause.aspx

AFPC still taking and approving VSP apps...for those eligible (whatever that means).

[lossofclocklossofdata]

Just got off the phone with TFSC about my SOU letter being added. Said she received notification this morning that approx 600 packages were approved. Thought they were mostly TERA/QFRB packages. Though I'm pretty sure QFRBs aren't due until the end of this week so who knows. Unsure whether officer or enlisted.

Edited March 12, 2014 by lossofclocklossofdata

[chizz]

The 13-65 is more for ADSC waivers. And oh, btw, mind the SOU. I had to fill that one out as well. That makes 3 or 4. It also states we don't need to submit justification for ADSC waiver. PSDM 14-08 says the opposite

The PSDMs do not govern the ADSC waivers, they just try to explain them, but do it horribly. the SECAF is the waiver authority. That's why the CSAF was meeting with her, to explain the situation and come up with a way ahead. I know it sucks sitting around to hear about your life, your future but I would rather wait another week and get the right info and right answers than the goat rope that was their first attempt.

[chim richalds]

https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/473697/voluntary-application-processing-continues-during-force-management-pause.aspx

AFPC still taking and approving VSP apps...for those eligible (whatever that means).

approving, I laughed

[shweaty]

https://mobile.airforcetimes.com/article/20140312/BENEFITS/303120044

An expanded version of the AF.mil article.

[Catbox]

my status was updated today, again with no explantion as to what was done to the application. Anyone get any news?

[Mountain]

I'm now "Validation Complete." Catbox, is that yours? If so, see North48's post from yesterday. It sounds like Validation Complete is a step in the right direction.*

*AFPC is involved. Mountain claims no actual knowledge of AFPC's process, to include: goat slaughtering, astrology, voodoo, chicken bone reading, or information gained through seance. It is recommended you assume everything AFPC says is utterly false unless it involves you or someone you love spending 365 days in a festering shitpool in some waste of a desert tribal land listening to some asshole scream in gibberish from the top of a minaret every 6-9 minutes. Because that shit's probably gonna happen.

Oh, and for review, I'm a '98 11R, selectively continued guy with no ADSCs and a penchant for '70s 8mm porn. I'm "red" on the matrix, but eligible due to the selective continuation thing. Probably not the porn thing. But I dunno, maybe it helps.

[stract]

did you check vMPF to see if you have a DOS of 31 Jul 14?

[Catbox]

I'm now "Validation Complete." Catbox, is that yours? If so, see North48's post from yesterday. It sounds like Validation Complete is a step in the right direction.*

*AFPC is involved. Mountain claims no actual knowledge of AFPC's process, to include: goat slaughtering, astrology, voodoo, chicken bone reading, or information gained through seance. It is recommended you assume everything AFPC says is utterly false unless it involves you or someone you love spending 365 days in a festering shitpool in some waste of a desert tribal land listening to some asshole scream in gibberish from the top of a minaret every 6-9 minutes. Because that shit's probably gonna happen.

Sorry should have clarified...I was FM Validation complete on the 5th...now an update today with no explanation. I saw on the retirements facebook page that for the 19 year guys the mypsers updates essentially stopped and the approved notifications came thru the local FSS. I'm on leave for the next week and at least for the next few days can't get to email.

did you check vMPF to see if you have a DOS of 31 Jul 14?

yeah...tried but can only get to the limited portal with a login/password. Hoping to glean some information on what has happened to everyone else.

In other words read the GD tea leaves because AFPC method at communicating with us has been for absolute shit.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Catbox

[Mountain]

stract, I want to, but I'm not at work and have no CAC reader ability. I kinda doubt it though, because the other two non-19-yr guys in my Sq haven't seen a change yet. We had one guy get orders today, but he's a 19+ dude.

[jstarsshag]

"No Walter, your not wrong.... you're just an A$$hole."

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140312/BENEFITS/303120044/AF-stops-work-most-force-shaping-programs

[aerobat95]

"No Walter, your not wrong.... you're just an A$$hole."

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140312/BENEFITS/303120044/AF-stops-work-most-force-shaping-programs

Well that is just great....we all laid our cards out and now this.....I guess I can expect a remote to Afghan or Korea in the next 6-9 months.....I have never tried so hard to quit and not be allowed....this is not much better than prison.....

[chim richalds]

At least you can read your bible in prison, and you expect to get it in the ass.

[FlyFastLiveSlow]

Seems to be where my TERA app is. 15 year guy and although I check it hourly, it still says "CC coord complete" 3 Feb.

[Mountain]

FFLS, when did you submit?

[FlyFastLiveSlow]

Eligibility verified 31 Jan, CC coord complete 3 Feb. No movement since.

[Mountain]

Yeah, seems like you should have at least gone to "hold batch processing" by now. That said, I bet the number of people who applied in the first two weeks the window was open was pretty significant. It might just be that you're in another batch.

[Fedupafwife]

From CMSAF Cody...

It looks like all of the talk about 70,000 plus applying is a load of crap.

According to Cody they haven't had enough people apply.

The following is from a q&a on CMSAF Cody's Facebook page.

Thanks for the question, Adam. The numbers are consistent with what we've seen in the past with these programs. We're still short of where we need to be. The pause is tied to pending force structure decisions, not to the number of volunteers we've received so far. We're in a dynamic environment with a lot of moving pieces right now, and we need to evaluate the programs so we can make the best decisions to meet future force structure requirements. Once we know what force structure changes are coming, we'll adjust as necessary and unpause the force management programs. v/r jac

[FlyFastLiveSlow]

I submitted at the beginning of day 3 and it took the full 10 business days for the eligibility check. I think the flood gates opened. I love how everyone was surprised by the number of apps. "Record retention"

[MSCguy]

That record retention could be driven because everyone knows the AF throws around VSP every three years-why get out for free when you can get paid for it a couple years later?

[Fiver]

I don't think Big Blue is going to let pilots VSP and probably not a lot of TERAs. We are transferring a ton of planes to the Reserves and Guard. I think they are going to open up the ADSCs to allow/encourage pilots to take the Palace Chase option--not VSP/TERA. Pilots are too valuable. Regardless of the sunk costs of pilot training, we can train pilots in a short time span to be MSG officers. We can't train MSG officers to fill the Reserve/Guard pilot positions that are opening up when we move planes to the Reserves. Read the Force Structure articles and FY15 PB out there. MQ1/9s replacing U-2s and moving to the guard. F-16s moving to A-10 Reserve bases, tankers doing the same, C-130Js, etc. all moving to the Reserve/Guard. All the publicity about Total Force and increasing the role/responsibility of the Reserve/Guard. We can't let pilots go, we HAVE to let pilots go to the Reserve/Guard. I don't think the current PSDMs allow pilots to go Palace Chase if they have an ADSC, I could be wrong as I usually am.

We have to let folks out by 1 Oct to afford all of the Force Structure movement and large acquisition programs in FY15 but our hands are tied. The leadership keeps saying it, without saying it. That's what Big Blue calls transparency. It would take a pair of nuts to explicitly say it and stand by what you say, and Billy Mitchell is long gone.

If you hear the lawyers are holding up this program, it's because the FY14NDAA that came out only allows us to cut 2K people. That is a far cry from the supposedly 25K we plan to cut over the next 5 years. We have to ask for permission from Congress, OSD and CJSC to go below the FY14NDAA level. Plus, there is USC10 which says you can only get rid of a certain percent of officers based on what the FY14NDAA authorizes. Therefore, we wouldn't be able to get rid of as many people as we want to this year. We are better off waiting until next year to see what next year's FY15NDAA authorizes our end strength (hence the RIF delay). So, when you hear leadership say they are trying to designate who has authority, they are trying to clear these things up. In addition to that, there are a lot of people with ADSCs that are not waiverable based on the current PSDMs , therefore those people are eligible for the RIF but not VSP/TERA. That greatly reduces the amount of people that can apply and voids the statement that they will maximize voluntary applications before doing the involuntary measures. They have to open up the ADSCs, I just don't think many pilots will be allowed to go.

I think they are trying to see how many people and which people they should let go this year because they are limited by the FY14NDAA. Hopefully, the approval they get allows them to process all of the voluntary applications but who really knows how many applications they received. I bet they slow roll this program. That's why some TERAs with 19 are approved and nothing else. They are going to chip away at the 2K-3K people that we are allowed to reduce.

It is a complicated problem that has changed since the Force Management announcement with the FY14 NDAA coming out and it is tough to blame Welsch and Cox (who I have heard are Dudes) for not being able to predict what Congress would publish. Plus, once real lawyers (not JA) get involved nothing good can happen. That's a shot at JA, but I am sure they have been involved this whole time and never saw this coming. It is NOT tough to blame leadership for the lack of communication and lack of accountability. It's the 21st century. Tweet some sh**, make a Facebook page, make daily (not bi-monthly) posts on MyPers/vMPF. You might even get valuable feedback from the peasants you are trying to get rid of; however, you might be held accountable too and that is something we can't seem to get right in the AF.

In the end, these dudes can't and won't get fired. Deadlines spur action and they control the deadline. There is little to no incentive for them to get it right the first time, any other belief is romantic.

Hopefully these dudes grow a pair and let us know what's up. It's really not that hard to communicate. I have cancelled 2 interviews, my bosses hate me, and I haven't done anything productive at work in 6 weeks; unless you call checking MyPers, BO, and vMPF every 10-15 minutes productive. Go to church, hug your families, and tell them you're sorry for putting them through this emotional rollercoaster. Good luck.

[Catbox]

Hopefully these dudes grow a pair and let us know what's up. It's really not that hard to communicate. I have cancelled 2 interviews, my bosses hate me, and I haven't done anything productive at work in 6 weeks; unless you call checking MyPers, BO, and vMPF every 10-15 minutes productive. Go to church, hug your families, and tell them you're sorry for putting them through this emotional rollercoaster. Good luck.

I wonder how many millions of dollars in man hours has been wasted by the way this program has been rolled out. I know at least 10 O-4s (myself included) making 100k+ a year who have done exactly what you mentioned above for more than six weeks now.