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I'l be the witch here - while Champ, myself and everyone else have solid reasons for being disgruntled with AD and many dudes jump off the burning ship for those solid reasons, I would still absolutely recommend to you (or any young dude wanting to fly in the military) to go for it. What you see in those threads referenced above is a lot of bitching (many valid) and negative outlooks derived from years of this lifestyle and dealing with the bullshit. Do not read those threads and change your mind or lower your desire to serve and fly in the AF. You may very well be "us" at 8+ years into your AD time, but despite all the assholes and bullshit you'll run across, you'll still do awesome things, go awesome places and have a job that is untouched by 99% of the world. Yes, some people get hosed more than others, but there is risk in all walks of life - you could not do the AF and risk wanting to suck start a shotgun every day you drive in an hour of traffic to get to your shitty cubicle job you thought for sure would be a great career after finishing college. So, don't get discouraged by anything you read here, continue to work your ass off (as you clearly have been) and get a pilot slot. It will be awesome and you'll never regret the decision - even if you say "fuck this place!" and leave at 10 years.

Yes, and the British asking about dental care is a whole different thread. Come on Steve, that was funny....

Two words: lifetime annuity. That is why people sign the bonus. I'm paid six figures to fly (and do lots of other stupid stuff--see: What's wrong with the AF thread), I've already done a 365, and I get free health care. By time I can get out all my friends who were hired by airlines in the past 24 months will be excellent internal recs for me (I hope). I'm a path-of-least-resistance kind of guy.

I just don't buy it. I was a Welsh fan boy when it was first announced he was going to become CSAF. Some of that may have been that he couldn't have been any worse than Schwartz. He's had three years. We are beyond "trying". I do think he was our best chance to make things better, but it has become clear that the toxicity and disfunction in this institution is so deeply-rooted that one person, charismatic, combat-proven, and charismatic as he may be, cannot overcome the bureaucracy. That has been the biggest eye opener for me recently: not that things are so jacked up at the squadron/group/wing, but that the manning and intellectual paralysis spreads all the way through the NAFs, MAJCOM, HAF, and beyond. I truly don't know how things can get better.

All the more reason to leave, right? I think people that take exception to the AF's "significant leadership & culture problems" should be more concerned about an active duty exit strategy than they are about the bonus take-rate and the potential fallout from that.

I don't think USAFA needs to motivate cadets to choose a pilot AFSC. As a matter of fact there are more that choose rated than get slots. I also think IFT is still doing most of what it was designed for. Those that go there and discover: A. they don't actually enjoy flying B. don't have the aptitude for it C. Can't handle the training will leave (or be forced to leave) before UPT. I don't believe that the little extra "hand holding" during IFT is going to have an overall detrimental effect on the UPT grad rates.