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What were the demographics of the polls? I'm not a health insurance expert by any means, but from my family's experience, the ACA has fucked over the middle class big time. Examples of that is small business was hurt (e.g. my in-laws had to let their employee count drop because they could not afford ACA mandates) and my parents' premiums and co-pays went up substantially, to the point I think they're very close to being in the same position as some others' family members mentioned above. Even the blue collar world has been affected to some degree (reference less jobs available in my in-law's town). Now, I do know there are a lot of blue collar/choose to be on welfare types that love ACA (again, referencing my in-law's town). It's damn near free health care for them, why wouldn't they like it? That crowd also doesn't care about less jobs in reality because they're happy to stay on welfare/suck at the government's tit for the rest of their lives. Bottom line, healthcare is fucked and needs an overhaul, and it blows my mind that anyone in the middle class with sense thinks ACA is the answer.

Not much to it besides doing well on the PFA, paying enough attention in class to pass the academics, and not getting caught doing something stupid. If you want to be a DG in OTS that's a different story, but don't be that guy.

Preach. Until we get past the "other side is the enemy" and not someone with a differing opinion of to get things done, we're screwed. Compromise is a strength, yet we've stepped away from it in every facet. Talking Heads on TV sure don't help. Hell, we've finally had R's in both Legistlature and Executive...and still can't get stuff done. Not looking forward to the halt that'll be "Blue 2018."

While you're ARC, pay a little bit for TRS/Standard. It's good coverage. Between ARC retirement and 60, you'll have to use your employer plan.

He is a doctor, don't let him be shy. BRS is a good deal IF PEOPLE SAVE MONEY. I heard a stat the other day that 70% of Americans don't have 1 month salary in the bank "just in case" . Gotta get that TSP match, and for those who do: https://federalnewsradio.com/mike-causey-federal-report/2017/08/16000-self-made-fed-millionaires/

huh?

Counts as normal pay, so no. You only get tax free up to the maximum enlisted rate, which is fairly close to that of a major making flight pay before the bonus. Since combat zone exemption is pretty much already max'd out as a major, the bonus goes above that amount and is taxed. Obviously your tax bracket may be lower for the bonus, so you do save tax money in the long run, but not tax free.

The weed of the serenity prayer: fix the things I can, accept the things I can't and have the wisdom to know the difference between the two. Aggression would be on a scale, not every incident would mean deal breaking aggression. Like pornography vs art, we would know when we see it... Happy New Year also.

After a successful 10 year stabilization mission? Probably 50k around Pusan for the next 10 years then eventual withdrawal of permanently based forces. 50k is about 35%+ what we have now there now, the additional forces would be a reassurance that significant capability to reverse and secure exists if any shenanigans were attempted. I would imagine for the stabilization force about 100k US forces of the total 300k force (China would have 100k to give them the prestige of a 1 to 1 with US forces and to ensure no loss of face), the other 100k would have to be combination of a new coalition, nations selected to be acceptable to SK, NK, US, China to round out the force and have "neutral" members to dilute any tension building in the stabilization force. ROK and DPRK armies would be training together and forming a new unified Korean Army, ditto for AF & Navy. Valid point on losing influence in the region but I am convinced that our excessive involvement in some areas of the world is detrimental to the Republic; politically, economically and spiritually. It (post Cold War maintenance of Cold War era deterrence missions) now work mainly to the interest of international corporations, the global elite, sullen & complacent host nations and the MIC. The Republic has gone from being prudently cautious and when called for absolutely decisive in war to overextended, tolerant of draining perpetual war/conflict and self-destructively over protecting those who are capable of most of their own defense. We should not accept that we will be in large deployment to SK, Western Europe, etc... for the next 25+ years. It's not good for us.

Valid point but with 30 x GDP and twice the population it would be some version of the current SK by the sheer weight of their influence and fact that they would be bringing the North up to modernity by transfer payments. Also, I doubt China would want the new Korea to be anything close to the DPRK, they may not like a capitalist democracy with good ties to America on the border but that is a helluva lot better than a wildly unpredictable, WMD armed communist dynasty ruling millions of desperate people on your border. Probably 30 years in total to rebuild and fully change the vector of a post communist economy and after effects of 70+ years brutal dictatorship. Trillion+ $ https://www.uskoreainstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/YB07-Chapt6.pdf

You assume, of course, that reunification would look like South Korea .....

A majority of the people who gained coverage under the ACA did so via the expansion of Medicaid and an uptick in enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP from those previously eligible. And that number would have been even higher had all states expanded Medicaid as was intended when ACA passed. Medicaid is very popular, with an overall 74% approval rating and majorities of all political stripes support the program. Thinking about the ACA as primarily the individual marketplace exchanges is pretty common, but that's not nearly the most impactful part of the legislation. I agree, and most Democrats in Congress would agree, that the ACA individual marketplaces aren't working great and could stand to be improved. The plans available on the exchange are often too expensive, especially for people who want to enroll but make enough to not receive subsidies. Then again employer-based health insurance plans are also very expensive and in general the U.S. spend much, much more per capita on health care than any other OECD country with worse-than-OECD-average outcomes across many categories so it's a big, hairy systematic issue that still needs more attention. The increase in ACA popularity can also be explained by loss aversion. Once the GOP actually had the ability to repeal the ACA (i.e. 20 Jan 17), people started to fear what they might lose or what might change under various repeal-and-replace scenarios. Even if what you have isn't great, the thought of losing it or having it change in some potentially negative way makes you value that thing more.

Prime has a premium ... about $600/yr for the family. But There’s no out of pocket really. But you still have to do referrals, mtf, etc. Min total cost $600 .... max total cost is $600 standard has no premium. Go anywhere, see anyone, no referrals, no permission. Pay 20% with a cap of $3k per year for the whole family. Min total is $0. Max total is $3k. No hassles. Delta gold is similar (20% ish co-pay). Costs over $650 a MONTH and the max out of pocket is $13k I think. Seems to jive with other industries in the outside world. I wouldnt expect healthcare costs to get any better either. DON’T DISMISS the health care costs associated with your retirement / 2nd job. Especially if you or your family (or potential family if may have kids someday) has any significant issues.

This thread has been extremely amusing. I'll throw my 2 cents in. Listen to what is being said here. Some of it you may agree with, some of it you may disagree with. But understand there is a lot of years of experience floating around on these forums. Grow some thicker skin and never miss an opportunity to STFU, whether it's here or in the squadron bar. You'd be surprised at the amount of good will you garner from just listening and not highlighting yourself. If you are going to rebut anything (and this goes for this forum and in life/your future flying career) be humble about it. Being an arrogant little $hit will get you no where, so work on your approach. Now when it comes to travelling, buy a vehicle and cruise the country. Hell if I could do it all over again I would have left 2-3 weeks early and gone camping all around the US on my to UPT. CA-MS is an awesome trip if done right. Take your time, avoid free ways and go see America, it's a big country with lots of amazing places and people in it. You can't take money to the grave, but you can enjoy the hell out of life while you're young. Also, good luck trying to pick up any girl, anywhere with some lame beater you got off the lemon lot.

Generally we (military) have a very narrow viewpoint into what a lot of other citizens feel about certain things. This is further reinforced with choice of news source, and social media's echo chamber. HOw many people do you know (while active) that had legit non-service related disabilities? Some of us will, but our culture/environment isn't set up to put us in contact with individuals like that for the majority of 20-40+. I've married into the only conservative side branch of a VERY liberal family. Got one bro-in-law who's a union organizer, and 2 bro-in-laws who are legitimate hippies (ugh). ACA is very favored by most of that side of the family. Doubly so because they have chronic, genetic diseases that would otherwise keep them in poverty (wife dealt with this) or kill them as children w/o expensive, continuous treatment. Kids that have it now are doing awesome as adults, very motivated, paying taxes, etc. Even my wife who's strongly conservative has seen how it's eased the lives of her family members. Even my family that isn't military has struggled with healthcare costs and they're all very motivated and educated. We're in a very unique bubble with how we view healthcare ("free"), doubly so when we retire.

The same Huffington Post which gave Hillary a 98% chance in winning the election? Oh ok...

buy a car and drive it to upt you knucklehead. i would have rode a freakin donkey across the usa to get to upt. millennials.

I agree. Strong opinions are the benchmark of a solid future USAF pilot. Be sure to keep a stiff upper lip and don’t be afraid to share your opinions at UPT. Your IP’s will recognize this and reward you above your peers. Stay strong!

Yeah there Cochise, I was actually born in California and lived there until I commissioned into the AF. I didn’t say BART, I said mass transit, which I used a good deal growing up because I didn’t have a car until I went into the AF. Maybe you should Google mass transit to see all that it encompasses other than BART.

i see we've drastically lowered our standards already.

Shouldn't that tell the powers that be just how deep the organizational rot has gone? When CSAF and SECAF pull all the WING/CC's in a room and say "Knock it off" and it continues, that is not "Stovepiped thinking", that is a completely broken organization. USAF needs real LEADERSHIP...stand up in front of the room with a baseball bat and knock some sense into these pencil pushing duncewagons. Fire the first couple that don't listen...get back to being WARRIORS. I get it, we need a system to manage people, but when the system becomes more powerful than our ability to grow leaders and project combat power...something is seriously fucking wrong.

Watch to see what board of directors that guy ends up on...

Management buddies? Liquid is a good dude, he has been promoted again and I think his job and circumstances keep him away from this forum...I am assuming. We are friends but I don't discuss this place with him. As for other senior folks, I wish I had a better answer. I am admittedly disillusioned having run in those circles and I am truly sad to say many are sycophants that could care less what you post on here because they believe alternate realities and nothing you can say (even the facts), will convince them otherwise. When you try to tell the MAJCOM/CC there is a retention train wreck coming and his response is "they will stay because they are patriots"...you reply, but sir they have done their duty over and OVER again...then he replies "fuck them, we will just make more." Some of these assholes made it worse out of pure malice...one in particular REALLY fucked some good people over and they got out. One dude had a life-long dream to fly the B-2, the now 2-star select refused on principle (our manning would have allowed it), so a Great pilot bailed. The same guy then stopped another guy from going to TPS (another life-long dream), because he was a CV-22 flight lead and we were short...so they guy got out and now flies for Delta. Much of our senior leadership is septic...the only reason they are pretending to care is because we are indeed 1920 pilots short and it is only going to get worse...MUCH worse.

I think the core issue here is a widespread problem of expectation (and entitlement) management on the part of the rank-and-file. In other words, people feel like they're entitled to a lot more than Big Blue ever 'promised' or even implied. It's been nearly 20 years since the era of banked pilots, RIFd officers, etc, from the early 90s drawdown period. We should ALL be well aware that such measures can be taken, and that we will have virtually no recourse if it happens. Wanna talk about getting shafted? Hundreds of those guys got fucked Long Dong Silver-style and for most of them it came out of nowhere. We don't have that luxury of ignorance and can't be the wide-eyed doe when the shot seemingly comes out of nowhere, because we SHOULD all know what the possibilities are. I agree that it would suck to get some of the bad deals I've read about here, heard about at the bar, and seen around the AF. But, let's face it -- there are LOTS of people who get 'screwed' all the time. If it hasn't happened to you at some point in your career, chances are it will. If you make it all the way to retirement and haven't gotten the shaft by Big Blue at some point, consider yourself lucky because you're in the vast minority. Bottom line, bros, getting screwed by Blue is simply part of the job description. Embrace it, or you'll end up living a pretty unhappy couple of years in the service.