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This is complicated, and I don't claim to have the full picture, but here is what I think it really takes. TL;DR: Congress, the Joint Staff, and the USAF all have a role to play. All must take unprecedented steps to fix this, but the potential gain is beyond anything we've ever known. Congress: 1. Eliminate the vast majority of queep driven by federal law. 2. Bring pilot pay up to 75% of airline pilot pay with similar seniority/qualification. 3. BRAC Cannon yesterday, everywhere else tomorrow, and mass forces at superbases near major metro areas. Build a DFW-worth of runways to support and make the airspace Class B if needed. JCOS: 1. Inform COCOMs that their staff requirements will be combined (Navy flyer for USA/USAF/USMC/USN rated job, etc) or eliminated, to the scale or 50-75% or more. 2. Annihilate 179s as a thing. One fvcking day? Are you kidding me? Give people the credit for their service. This is one example, but i think the trend is clear: shorter deployments, where the service pays a premium to get people home to their families, and if not credits the time served, rather than allowing a cowardly bureaucrat to steal that credit. USAF: 1. Divorce rated promotions from non-rated. Separate boards, with separate quotas. To make a long story short: you can replace an MPF 0-3 with about 30 grand. To replace a (good) pilot is 100 times that amount. Time to recognize return on investment, kids. 2. Make the non-verbal signals clear: stop the anti-ops "you're all officers and equal" jihad. I won't rant about why. 3. Man the queep positions so that pilots/rated only do DOT, DOV, etc jobs aside from flying, aka those that require their expertise. 4. In Robin Olds' words: "If I can order a man to combat 24 hours a day, he can get paid 24 hours a day." I truly do not care if MSG folks have to work 12 hours shifts; they will support. If they quit, I do not care; I will replace them for the cost of a single aircrew TDY. Run the numbers and tell me I am wrong. However, I will also massively increase incentive flights and the like to connect Ops to MX to MSG and MDG. I would unite the factions so that they would SEE what their worth ethic empowers. 5. Inform COCOMs that their "rated requirements" will be manned at about the 10% level or lower. And see [JCOS] part. 6. Start researching how to finally quit the AEF and move to a better, more cohesive, more predictable model. Don't go full Army, because that is just retarded, but find a way for families to know that "this" deployment is just the one in 4 years, or whatever. 7. Most important: CSAF has to get out there, to every base, and every squadron bar, with nametags off and interview the pilots/CSOs/STS dudes with beer in hand and no entourage. This is the hardest part. He/She MUST establish credibility by allowing the rank and file to speak truth to power at the risk of being disrespectful. This will be a self-sustaining process; if the CSAF showed up here, paid my bar tab and got me a DD, I would whiteboard out the cycle of factors, at the FGO level, that are ensuring our mission failure - but only if I trusted him. 8. I'd overhaul Lackland to look more like an Army basic training unit than the clown show it is now. Kill the "but the queep reg says" buffoonery, and make 50% or more personal combat skills. I could go on on this point, but this is the essence of "expenditionary skills" and would motivate people that want to be part of a warfighting organization. Those who don't: quit. They will be replaced at their least expensive point. Folks, it's time to steal from the USMC model and challenge our people to be part of an elite combat unit, not an office camo welfare unit. And the take-away, folks: trust. This will require huge risks by leadership to change the paradigm, but if they can restore trust, then the rest will follow. Their biggest challenge now is that no one trusts the leadership, even if they make valid arguments and really want to change the culture.

It would seem Foxnews knows more about the GBU-43/B than you do.

Chang is an Olympic level troll, no one could seriously believe any of the tripe he posts on this forum, it is simply meant to throw fecal matter at the oscillating disk. I almost feel sorry for someone who has so little going on in their life that they have to invest this much energy just to cause a reaction. Sadly his comments represent the worst of everything that is wrong with our Air Force right now, the sickening result of a fighting organization converted to a corporation then repeatedly dunked in political correctness. The shoes thrived in a corporate environment where everyone is a "warrior." While I believe every Airman is important and makes a valuable contribution, if you don't take lives or cross the fence with your life at risk, it doesn't mean you are a lesser person, but you most certainly are not a fucking warrior. I hate to be the old guy who points out everything that is wrong while yelling get off my lawn and granted I do have a unique view now that I am out and safely wrapped in my DD-214 Blanket, but for fucks sake something has to change and make people like Chane a distant memory.

hey man take this however you want IDGAF, but in most of your posts you come across as a huge ass hole

You said dildo 3 times. Very unprofessional.

Implement the things in Bleeding Talent would be a good start. Also based priority for all support based on proximity to the fight. For example: Personnelist or finance dude works overtime to get the queep right for the MX troop who's working nights to fix jets. MX troop busts his hump because pilots need the jets to launch on time. Pilots double turn and stretch their min fuel to get a bomb down supporting the JTAC on the ground. JTAC stands exposed on a rooftop to get in comms so that his guys don't get overrun. Find your approximate place in that workflow and demand excellence from those behind you in priority and provide excellence serving those ahead of you.

I think Chang is a better troll account than scoobs. I wonder if multiple people participate in it.

I have as much, if not more, respect for our ground guys than most. We have to spend six months training to be rifle platoon commanders before we transition to our individual MOS - Many of my friends are infantry officers. Where did you think I was taking sole credit? I simply stated a fact. No one believes they are out there winning by themselves. Relax dude.

Nobody needs to read the assessment for Korea in order to tell that you don't know that MOAB is a guided weapon.

This is like going to the midget convention and asking for the tallest person in attendance to play forward for the NBA. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seems to me like joining the Air Force is the first place fulfilled patriotic duty, along with the countless deployments. I wonder how many stop-lossed pilots will then go to a 365 staff job in AUAB or Korea to churn out PowerPoint slides? These personnelists...would they be the same ones who thought it was a good idea to pay pilots extra money to get out of the service two years ago? Chang, at what point do you believe someone has fulfilled their duty? Because you clearly don't think it's at the end of their ADSC. And FlyinGrunt, it won't just be a net loss once the Stop Loss has lifted. The fact the Air Force is even talking about it is convincing people to bail now, while they still have the chance.

AMC and no Q2s or Q3s? Well there goes like 96% of the MAF... lol

It would be more but most of us are on mobile and have no dislike function... Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I hope they let a slick Herk guard unit on a 60 day deployment drop it...

I'm convinced Chang is a line flying Major that just loves to rile everyone up while sipping some 18 year single malt.

They hang at the mall because the only contact they have with their grandchildren is the obligatory mass-produced Christmas card/photo they get from their now estranged adult children once a year. See, years ago mama left the service member while he was deployed (again) and got full custody of the kids. Convinced by her bitch also divorced friends that it’s in the kid’s best interest, and to make the adjustment as smooth as possible, that they have minimal/no contact with their bio-father. Then, now-divorced mom meets and marries a nice guy with a “regular” job. You know; 40-hour week, home each night at a reasonable time for dinner and able to go to soccer games/school picnics/dance recitals, etc… and this guy is now defacto dad because “he was there” during those developmental years when the kids “needed” a father figure in their lives. All these vets have is the mall, war stories, flat cheap beer at the VFW and of course, a handle of Military Special Whiskey in the new improved non-breakable plastic bottle from the local Class VI. All this and only half his retirement check cause she got that too.

By insisting that everyone should compete in promotions, we too often revert to metrics that apply across AFSCs...Which ends up meaning you are not actually rated on your primary duty. That needs to end. See the AFBlues cartoon about Luke Skywalker's OPR...

Serious question(s): Bad Wx and down jets can decide mission/airframe for the next 10 years for an AD stud? Or would you guys have sent more to -38's if you felt maybe 3 or 4 guys were much stronger swimmers than the rest?

7 posts too late... Unless you're an insanely hot chick, you shouldn't be acting this crazy. Chill

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The seniority system is the only way to ensure that safety is the #1 factor motivating decisionmaking, vs trying to "look good" for management.

FIFY.

It would also help to nip the mindset that everyone is equal (IE a warrior) in the bud by overhauling PME. Ensure the courses/mindset being taught starting at Basic/commissioning sources reflects that of "if you aren't shooting you are still important but bottom line you exist to support the guy/gals who do shoot". Make sure it's presented in a way that they can take pride in what they do but don't convince them from day one that their spreadsheet abilities are akin to putting a bomb on target. Then overhaul the abortion of a process(s) that they teach at AU PME to reflect the same. I honestly believe that is one of the central locations that bread this type of thinking.....

Ugh. I'll bait him. Chang, I won't even argue with you, but do keep in mind the epic exodus that would occur the second Stop Loss was lifted. It's a net loss, long-term. There's always a better option, unless we start trading nukes with North Korea. And if something like that happens, you won't need Stop Loss - because we ARE patriots, and we WILL stay to defeat the enemy. Insert ad hominem ad infinitum, bitter Cannon comment, and Congressional corruption zinger. Close with incrimination of average American handout taker.

The only thing that will fix the Air Force is a no-shit shooting match. Within a very short period of time, the weenies will be fired because they can't lead in combat, and the warriors will rise back to their rightful place at the top. The American public has become fat, dumb, and happy and that's why the Air Force is in the state it's in. Excellence is borne of strife, not prosperity.

I mean, would a 6-900 hour copilot do worse in fighters than a new guy straight from UPT? Honest question since I could see a couple of pros and a couple of cons.

Not possible to retire from IRR unless you picked up at least 35 points from point-earning activity from IMA, AD, or SELRES (includes ANG and PIRR). USAF has two PIRR programs that are technically IRR, but AFRES treats them like SELRES in that they're on the same promotion board as SELRES and they get a CAC. The two PIRR programs are Admissions Liaison Officer and CAP-RAP. Straight IRR does not get a CAC, thus cannot do PME courses. The only points possible are 15 membership points for a straight IRR guy, so you'd need to get the other 35 prior to going IRR in that RR year for that RR year to be good. In addition, AFRES only let's you stay IRR for two bad years, then you're transferred to the inactive status list. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You didn't do the CBT about the bandwagoning and group think requirement? It's a critical part of the OPR process and your success in today's AF

Haha, way to stay on message! -If our personnel folk are doing such an amazing job, why is pilot retention now in crisis mode and getting worse? -Are bandwagoning and group think now core values? Was there an MFR I missed? -Accusing service members of being unpatriotic for trying to avoid the AF's absolute breaking of faith and coercive actions...well, here is EXHIBIT A of the type of "leadership" that drives people away from what should be one of the coolest, most enviable jobs in the world.

deleted

Not dumb. Not unguided.

Working day and night except for: Wednesday's closed at 12 Every 3rd Thursday closed for "training" PT on Monday's till 10ish (desks not actually manned till after 3 hour lunch) Resiliency Fridays Commanders call once a month Did I miss any? Seems like maybe in a given week... 15 mins of good solid work. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Sure about that? Many Guard and especially Reserve units have become mini-AD, same queep and BS, just with no PCSing. The ARTs in my unit who are being slammed with AD-mandated crap overflowing their plate, and looking to leave at the first good opportunity they get, attests to that. Then again, the ART program is its own problem in and of itself, but that's another story.

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Because it would be a cool story for some Guard bubbas??

Chang...please stop with the rhetoric and oversimplification of the repercussions of stop loss. You challenge the patriotism of individuals who HAVE served and separated from the AF. You have no knowledge of their level of patriotism or sacrifice. Are you an advocate for conscription to fill the void of other such manning shortages? What's the difference? Stop loss, for all intents and purposes turns an all volunteer force into a selective draft. I would argue drafting or applying stop loss to individuals to become power point rangers or bullet sponges is an effective technique because patriotism be damned their morale is likely in the crapper anyway. Now apply that logic to aviation, where individuals are FORCED into a position responsible for multimillion dollar weapon systems. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Be sure to add a line to the ORM matrix for stop lossed aircrew members. Don't put the past screw ups of your beloved personnel world on the shoulders of aviators who departed the fix for greener pastures. It is amazing that you cannot see that YOU are the problem and the solution is NOT to ask more from those that you need. Fix your world, demonstrate your accountability, fire your leadership, and then maybe you will have an influx of VOLUNTEERS to come back and demonstrate the patriotism that is within each of us. Until then...fuck off!

You said it yourself already, the problem with "AGR$ for all my brothers" is that it turns the place into Active Duty proper AND absolutely places scarlet letter on airline-aspiring Reservists that haven't been hired already. The airlines do notice the uptick in long tour mil drop and throttle their hiring of said demographic accordingly. Delta has been known to have already behaved in such a way last year. Hell, it's getting to the point there are people on the other board asking about the feasibility of using the god-damned sabbatical program to try and snag a mainline number, come back to regAF for like 7 years (since there would be an ADSC in excess of 5 years associated with that program), get an AD retirement, and have it all employment protected. I don't think it's gonna work, but if it does then watch out, that first asshole is gonna ruin it for everybody else behind him. It does beg the question, if the airline job is so great, why the fvck do people long tour MLOA the shit out of it all the time? Don't answer that, I'm being rhetorical; just a little pot stirring for the a-word crowd that like to speak out of both sides of their mouth on said topic. :) All to do about nothing of course. There's no shortage of AGRs in desirable locations. It's a tight little club too, they got their inheritance line to those jobs out 2-3 iterations out, so that's 12 years worth of tom dick and harrys gerrymandering the honey pot. Most of the leftover revolving flying openings require living in DOD-standard, make-work, pork barrel economy shitholes, at the expense of your family's QOL. So in the aggregate it's not as effective of a solution as chronically-fatigued/burnout regAF folks naturally feel it would be, especially for the majority that wishes to stop living in Minot/Altus/Cannon/Laughlin/et al and raise their kids somewhere dignified. Something the AF could try, that AFRC would jump on in a NY second, is to make the ART job (title V), a title X mil equivalent for USERRA purposes. ART crisis averted overnight. People would take that paycut in a heartbeat, since what they're really doing is hiding from their shitty schedules/commutes as junior guys. Further antagonizes their civilian coworkers at the airline for sure, but the game is chess. But since it's not legally possible to take MLOA for a civilian job, which the ART is considered to be, then the openings remain unfilled and ARPC is forced to consider AGRs. Problem is that AFRC simply does not have the political capital to ask for such a thing. AFRC is ART centric for money reasons, you can't just flip the manning system wide to be majority AGR. That will never happen, wish in one hand shit on the other type of thing..

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Stop Loss seems like a really easy way to convince anyone sitting on the fence to leave at their earliest opportunity. Incredibly short sighted and just plain stupid--and therefore an exceedingly likely possibility.

seem like we were just firing people an assignment ago .... weird

We don't know when they'll start dropping them out of the Boeing factory, let alone UPT.

Same. Thanks for sweating it out with me!

O-5, Command list, flying with the majors now. Didn't hurt my professional livelihood at all.

Or you can apply here. https://www.news9.com/story/28039187/a-10-warthog-to-take-on-oklahomas-thunderstorms

For those on AD, I take it you saw the AFPAK Hands solicitation we sent out today. I hope you give strong consideration to volunteering. We are ramping that program back to full capacity, and A1 will facilitate. ISIS is altering the battlefield and we must have many, many more air power experts on the ground with long-term continuity, earning the trust and respect of the tribal leaders, especially in the remote mountainous regions of both countries. Many amazing carrots to participating: attend NIU for IDE, work at the Pentagon with some of our greatest minds of our time, free language training, and likely early promotions to both Lt Col & Col. Finally, a real shot at General Officer down the line. Truly, we will see many of our future Sq/CCs come out of this program, because they will be the most relevant/qualified in the current state of affairs. This is a big, big deal; don't miss your opportunity. If you really don't want to participate in this program, please encourage your friends who are on the fence. We have a very small volunteer window and many slots to fill; it will not be long before Wing Commanders will be racking their senior Capts, Maj(s), and Majors (esp post bonus) for these opportunities. Even the non-volunteers will see some of the carrots (because of the importance of this program, we will target the highest performers in the Squadrons; this program will accelerate even their careers and give them new perspectives on leadership). No doubt this thread will get bashed and trashed, but it will reach its intended audience anyway. Honestly, there is no truer way to "take your career by the horns" than volunteering for AFPAK Hands. The last 3 CSAFs put their money where their mouths were regarding incentives. If you joined the AF to make a difference for your country, then volunteer for this program. I truly thank you.

Sockpuppet. Nice. I guess when someone posts a positive thought on these boards, they become trolls & sockpuppets. I do not advocate for stop loss. I merely remind it is always on the table, and despite what Gina said, we are closer now than we have been in many years. If it comes, just jump in with two feet, stay positive, and we will end it as soon as able. For those on AD, I take it you saw the AFPAK Hands solicitation we sent out today. I hope you give strong consideration to volunteering. We are ramping that program back to full capacity. ISIS is altering the battlefield and we must have many, many more air power experts on the ground with long-term continuity. Many carrots to participating: attend NIU for IDE, work at the Pentagon with some of our greatest minds, free language training, and likely early promotions to Lt Col & Col. We will see many of our future Sq/CCs come out of this program, because they will be the most relevant/qualified in the current state of affairs. This is a big deal; don't miss your opportunity. If you really don't want to participate in this program, please encourage your friends who are on the fence. We have a very small vol window and many slots to fill; it will not be long before Wing Commanders will be racking their senior Capts, Maj(s), and Majors (esp post bonus) for these opportunities.

Stop Loss always has been (and still is) on the table. It has to be. U.S. citizens are depending on military pilots, some reading this forum, to defend this country and their right to L/L/PoH. We must sustain an appropriate posture to our enemies in this interconnected world. Stop loss, if invoked, becomes a patriotic duty. I sincerely hope we have a few patriots left in the pilot ranks. Your personnelists are working day and night at the highest levels to solve this problem by any other means. Those personnelists are heroes in my book, and I believe they will be successful. However, if they are not successful & Stop Loss is invoked, it will be easier, and shorter, if service members remember their core values & jump on the bandwagon. Young people- do not be disheartened by the negativity on this blog. The future of our Air Force and our country is bright, and you are the beacons. Thank you for serving.

Stop Loss always has been (and still is) on the table. It has to be. U.S. citizens are depending on military pilots, some reading this forum, to defend this country and their right to L/L/PoH. We must sustain an appropriate posture to our enemies in this interconnected world. Stop loss, if invoked, becomes a patriotic duty. I sincerely hope we have a few patriots left in the pilot ranks. Your personnelists are working day and night at the highest levels to solve this problem by any other means. Those personnelists are heroes in my book, and I believe they will be successful. However, if they are not successful & Stop Loss is invoked, it will be easier, and shorter, if service members remember their core values & jump on the bandwagon. Young people- do not be disheartened by the negativity on this blog. The future of our Air Force and our country is bright, and you are the beacons. Thank you for serving.