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It's simple, but this may be my ANG mentality speaking. When I've got important deadlines due and scheduling needs an IP to fly and I'm their last resort, 99.9% of the time, the sortie will cancel for manning. I am not about hiding manning issues by trying to execute every flying hour. We can't be in two places at once and if it takes 16 hr days to do our jobs, we need more people or less work. it. Let the sortie cancel and the OG can explain why to the Wing King. You bet your ass I'm leaving by 4 today to get to my son's lacrosse practice. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

It's not attitude when you point out facts. Your second post appears to prove your SNAP status.

Absolute lie. Prior to the overpass it could take 30 minutes just to get off the base, now traffic flows off base, the issue is the merge onto highway 98 and the fact that the lights are not synchronized on highway 98. That being said the state is wrapping up a multi-million dollar study and effort to synchronize the lights on highway 98 which will have a big impact. Regardless, from Hurlburt to the far west side of Holley by the Sea is 30 minutes, 40 on a bad day. Other things to consider: 1. Schools - FWB school are ungood. Some of the elementary schools are good but overall FWB schools get a 6 out of 10 rating. Navarre and Niceville are ranked much higher, both have incredible sports programs which act as a pipeline to some great schools (UNC, Auburn, Miami, Harvard to name a few recent scholarships). Niceville has a better AP program and there is a really good charter school in Okalossa County. I won't post all the details but we have been exceptionally happy with the Navarre schools. 2. Housing - As discussed the FWB homes are much older (1970's), so for the price you won't get the modern conveniences many folks want (big closets, granite counters, three car garages), unless it is a remodel. There is a LOT of new construction in Navarre so you are far more likely to find or built something to suit your tastes. 3. Crime - All three areas have seen a spike in petty crime and drug usage, FWB is having some gang issues. 4. Water Sport - Standby pointed out that he likes to go deep sea fishing, that is a tougher prospect in Navarre because you have to go to Destin (nightmare traffic in the summer with all the tourists). There used to be a pass through the barrier islands to the Gulf of Mexico but it was filled in by a hurricane many years ago. Newly elected Congressman Matt Gaetz just sponsored legislation to reopen the pass. If it is approved it will certainly change the dynamic of Navarre and already increasing home values will go much higher...something to consider as you invest in a home.

No and yes, we are up to 80+ jets I think.

I wonder if we (DOD) also happened to make this mistake at the worst possible inflection point. When requirements were being drawn up and put under contract, the internet was a novelty, cell phones were just moving out of he zack Morris era, computing power and data storage was very limited, concepts like cloud storage, social media were in their infancy, and end-to-end encryption was still the sole property of major world governments. The democratization of data and technology unfolded at a blinding pace while this machine was moving at the speed of government. Bad time to get caught in bureaucratic quicksand. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Sad situation when filling a DS position is even on the radar. At the Wings I served in, that didn't exist until just a few years ago. But now there's so much queep that Wing CCs feel the need to shack an otherwise mission-flying O-4/5 as the queep master for the Wing. UFB.

You mean attempting to convince guys to ignore the jackpot of luck and timing to forego an airline seniority number while simultaneously drawing military retirement pension and stay AD AF instead? Good luck with that.

If this guy is on the CAIR shit list he must be doing something right.

Made my day when I saw the news this week. It will be a good thing to have the network run by a community that understands there is more of a mission than just the network. Perhaps my cries of "your nonsensical fvcking rules are hurting my wing's ability to launch jets" might fall on an ear that gives a sh-t. zb

Don't worry, they are. Until very recently, the high-time guy in my squadron in terms of C-17 hours was a first assignment Captain (ahead of both the CC and DO). We just don't have any gray beards anymore, and it's stunning how fast that's changed. I've only been doing this for four years, but when I got to my first squadron, we had a Lt Col chief pilot in the squadron whose career had consisted of five consecutive C-17 tours. He knew everything, or it at least seemed that way to a new Lt, and he spent virtually all his time flying locals with the new kids to get them smart. That doesn't really exist anymore. If we exclude attached dudes and guys up at the Group/Wing, I think the squadron currently has one assigned Major and zero assigned Lt Cols who aren't the CC or DO. There's just no one left.

Fun fact, there are pilots currently in the $650 bracket who were not born yet the last time ACIP was increased.

The AF strategy is to retain people at the 12 year point, when in actuality they need to start retaining people at the 2 year point. It's too late to try and make people change their minds when you have beat them for 10 years. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Sorry, the thread title was too much of a softball.

This one really took a turn for the "what the hell?!" I'm sure we've each had good, bad, or nonexistent experiences in the mentoring department. Just like mentors you learn from the bad ones almost as much as from the good. Or at least you should. What I'm saying is you should be able to take something away regardless of the advice given. You may not like what you hear. You may think said mentor is out to lunch. Thems the breaks. It's equally an opportunity to provide the two way street you lament not receiving here, Slick. Be an instructor. Don't tell everyone CH's advice isn't mentoring... tell them why. (Youre wrong by the way, IMHO) Tell us "What I'm looking for is ...." You alluded to your time spent joint - what's mentoring look like to those joint guys you mentioned? What would they expect if they asking the same questions? Please tell us, because I for one want to compare it to my similar experiences with our sister services. Otherwise the petulant whine (and the cry me a river 'everyone is ganging up on me' self-pity BS) has no place, especially in a conversation about mentoring... Chuck

Slick, grow the F up. CH made one jab at your comment about the "retirement benefits" attached to Lt Col vs Maj and you get butthurt? I don't even know who CH is, but lurking around here for years means I know he's the kind of dude that the AF needs to clone. I respect him more for his recent comment that he'd blast right at 20 if he could do it over again - that shows humility and the ability to realize the bureaucracy will press on in spite of the best efforts of 1 or 2 or 6-9 great dudes that crack through the system. I agree with the sentiments that you've made a decision and only want reinforcement rather than honest feedback. It all comes down to Beerman's #1 question and you can't answer it. Mine was simple - regroup and take advantage of an opportunity to get my entire family within 2 hrs of each other, while simultaneously keeping open as many options as possible. I passed up $25K@9yrs for that. The irony is that my AGR bonus (pending the release) may exceed it, but that's just a chuckle-worthy story about how timing is everything. Money is no substitute for QOL; even if your decision is made already you need to realize that everyone's situation is a little different. Bitching at one of the [very respected] old guard here won't win you any street cred among this group of dudes that have already made the decisions you are pining over and moved on to bigger/better things. You can stand tall in Cabrini Green? Good for you. Get one of those asshats you feel so comfortable among to jump us who live in a non-libtard state; they'll get shot. You aren't shit to the guys here who have already been there and done that.

I'll throw in my 2 cents. Been married to my wife (1st and only) for 10 years. Got married a year before UPT. I was very upfront and honest that I wouldn't have a whole lot of time besides Saturday and half a day Sunday, until I was done with UPT. She actively supported me because she knew it was my dream and she wanted me to be happy. 10 years later, we have been through countless deployments, TDYs and short notice interruptions to our life. She's been a single parent for probably the majority of our youngest kid's life with me being on the road. I think you need to be upfront and honest. Paint her a realistic picture. If she is a keeper, she will stick through it with you. However I have never once put my "career" in front of her. That's not saying that she has always been happy or that it's all been easy and yes there are some things that you just have to do as part of the job. If you have messed up priorities expect to not have the same family you started with when you retire/separate. I've seen it all too many times. Most of those guys leave with a lot of bitterness and regret. The Air Force will one day be done with you, but your family should be with you forever. You have chosen a tough life. Rewarding but tough. Not just on you, but your wife and your kids never forget that.

Whether it's easy or hard to get away on the weekends or not, life in the USAF with a spouse/loved one is all about expectation management. Set her expectations now that it is unlikely you will be able to travel to see her very often at all -- anything more than that and you are her hero because in her mind you pushed he limits just to see her. If she wants to know what time you'll be home, tell her 8pm even if you think 6pm is possible. Tell her that two 365s could happen before you hit 20yrs. If you only do one, or even none, she'll feel like she's won. Words to live by from a fighter pilot in my first squadron. Expectation management.

Exactly. IFS wasn't hard flying wise for the folks I knew with prior experience. More so it was everything HiFlyer mentions above. We did have a few folks wash out due to their inability to fly, however if you busted your rear and rocked out all the other stuff, they went out of their way to get you through the program. That's just what I saw when I was there. I don't think I knew of anyone that washed out due to non-flying stuff there, however sucking at GK, EPs, ect in UPT will get you booted out the door quicker than swapping ends in the flare for a tail strike will!

Fixed.. my apologies I was in the middle of a turn.