Leaderboard

Well.. something big for us. https://www.reddit.com/r/AirForce/comments/5d9grn/17x_critical_skills_retention_bonus/ the gist of which is: "Effective the date of this memorandum(10 Nov), I designate the 17X (17D and 17S) Network Operations and Cyber Warfare Operations Officer specialty as critical to establish CSRB authority (Title 37, Section 355 USC, DoDI 1304.34). Upon approval, the Air Force will target qualified 17X Cyberspace Operations Officers with 4-12 years of commissioned service (TAFMCS) with payment of $15,000 per year for 4 years. These officers will incur an Active Duty Service Commitment (ADSC) of 4 years, and payments will be made on the anniversary of the contract. This designation of Cyberspace Operations as a critical skill and targeted CSRB is to incentivize highly skilled and experienced 17X personnel to continue leading and managing this critically manned specialty." So, I'm not too surprised it took the AF this long to figure out having our Cyber Operators continue to follow the support career path was forcing out the dudes who love the tech side of the job. They've also started to put a ADSC on the folks who receive the 3-ltr-org training as well. However, just like you fliers with the ACP, this isn't going to retain the numbers that are needed. Until there is a clear career path that allows folks to maintain tech roles for longer (or at the very least quals) we're going to continue to have a problem. If we continue to use the same career path as we did for support, while calling ourselves Ops, and meeting/not-meeting POTUS directed cyber force constitution--people are going to step. If I can't build a team to run missions because Lt So-and-so has to box check exec, PCS, etc., then people are going to leave. You can't tell educated and dedicated nerds that they're important and necessary, then file them into crap jobs when they don't have a ADSC required to put up with your crap. You can't tell some Lt/Jr Capt how important Cyber is, and how much they're needed, while PCSing them to inspect SCIF's or be a contract monitor over a "cyber integrator." We look for holes in logic and exploit it...it's literally what you pay us for. And we aren't beholden to a small group of employers with byzantine hiring requirements. Even basically accomplished individuals can trip and fall into $1XX+ year jobs. The market is in our favor. It's so strongly in our favor I can't think of a word for it. All that being said, this aligns with my plans and timelines. So... I'm a strong candidate, but I was anyway. This isn't going to turn anyone's head that wasn't already walking in that direction. Again, much like your ACP.

i love watching the world burn so im rooting for stop loss

Funny, I've heard BQZip's mom say the same thing...