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At least your golden retriever can be trained...

No. Depending on the community and RA involved, maybe. At a staff gig, going for cross country jaunt, my RA looked at me like broccoli just sprouted out of my forehead when I'd clicked that block. "Well don't you have a flight plan? Don't you know where you're going?" I gave it the ole college try to explain the concept of field hours, limited wx capability in a jet that has a number on the tail somewhere in the 60s, etc. The look I got back was what I'd expect if I asked my golden retriever to get me a 10mm socket. ...so, I just built the executed itinerary for "approval" once I got back.

Dude, we found out where to cut the staffs!!

I've never had DTS orders that didn't have variations authorized. Even when I didn't build the orders myself it was always there.

I wonder if their office symbol is AFPC/COWDFTAFTMIC

I figured I should update in case anyone searches this subject in the future. I got my unit's flight doc involved and she concluded the DQ was completely stupid so she requested I get to WP anyways. Early this week I was scheduled for an FC-1 for Nov 27th. They requested additional paperwork for the splenectomy, and almost immediately came back with bad news. I am DQ'd with NO chance of a waiver and the physical is cancelled. Of course in my opinion it's laughable. There's some studies that suggest that cases of ITP are slightly different in children versus adults. Namely, childhood cases tend to completely resolve while adult cases tend to be chronic and relapse. An overwhelming number of cases that relapse after splenectomy (the most common method of treatment with about 2/3 cases obtaining complete resolution) do so in 2-4 years after treatment. I have yet to find a case of relapse more than 8 years after treatment. I am 10 years post-splenectomy, normal platelet count the entire time, and no complications of any sort. I have letters from several Hematologists assuring that my case was cured 10 years ago with no chance of relapse or any other reason it would impede on military service. For FC-1 only: In an effort to disqualify cases that have or could relapse (and rightly so, a very low prolonged platelet count could be dangerous during flying duties) someone decided to assume all "adult" cases are chronic in nature and disqualify those. The age of 18 is used as a cutoff to separate "childhood" vs. "adulthood" even though it is completely arbitrary as there is no scientific evidence suggesting a certain age where chances of a complete resolution decline. So if the condition occurred after the 18th birthday, it is not waiverable for FC-1. No study of the the actual case, treatment success, time of remission, etc. I was barely 19 years old. For FC-2: It is waiverable, regardless of age, if resolved. Most guys getting their FC-1 aren't 29 years old like me, so I'm willing to bet there's not too many guys who got ITP around 18-19 years old followed by 10 years of complete remission, but that's my case. I think it's pretty absurd to write a hard age cutoff that rejects any chance for a waiver at all, especially when no study suggests a certain age. Why not let the doctors look at the case and decide that? Even if by some miracle I did have a relapse, it is easily identified in a normal CBC, adds no added risk of incapacitation, and can now be treated with prescription medicine. According to the 48-123 Waiver Considerations, it shouldn't be an issue. I know it's a written policy, albeit an absolutely stupid one, and I know there's nothing I can do about it. At this point I think it'll take an ETP but I'm not sure of my unit's opinion of pursuing that especially with my age. I'd still be really disappointed if it was a legit medical concern, but the fact that it's not (according to every doctor I've ever talked to) is pretty infuriating. I know I'm not the first person to get the shaft from a shitty AF policy and won't be the last, but it still sucks.

How many man hours do we waste on that one non-value added requirement: no white space. It's easily 95% of the effort that goes into those things. Plain English; articulate in two to three complete English sentences, why we should promote this officer. Done. Still room in the block? Yes; did you complete the thought and make the case? Then fuck it: done. I just saved the USAF 100,000 officer man-hours in the next year. Airmen's time. Oh, wait, we talk about Airmen's time, but it's calculated as valueless, so never mind.

Is this something to be angry about? It was already a 90% promote rate, and if you are looking to get a strat you aren't concerned about pinning on, but rather getting a school slot. This doesn't change that. Higher promotion rates are better for everyone. It gives people more flexibility in their careers without getting completely hosed because they didn't follow the expected career path. Sure old crusties get their panties in a wad because "major used to mean something"...but the more off-ramps the USAF removes on the highway to LtCol the more likely the "flying-only" career path is for guys who just want to fly. The checking of boxes for career progression (SOS, Masters, Flt/CC, ADO) is the epitome of kabuki theater, and the easier they make it to get promoted the less box-checking we have to deal with. I for one welcome more FGOs into the court martial duty pool.

Yes! How many man hours do we waste taking a line flying IP and making him do exec work, all because he "needs it for major/ school select?" How many man hours does he then waste editing OPRs and PRFs for 0-4? I may be optimistic, but hopefully this news coupled with eliminating school selects means we at least delay the fray of queen that a mid level captain faces allowing them to focus on the mission/ their primary job.