Leaderboard

If you're not getting paid by the minute, you're doing it wrong anyway.

Fun fact: The moon landing scenes in First Man were filmed on the same sound stage as the actual moon landing.

The ROTC forum is a few pages back

I was selected by a Reserve unit for UFT and then got an ETP for my TFCSD with about 6 years in. I'm not sure if it helped or hurt that I'm currently IRR and have been for half my commissioned time. I believe the ETP had to be approved by the NAF and before my package went to the AFRC board. I did not have to do anything for the ETP - the unit handled it themselves. The manning situation now is probably quite different than 10 years ago when this thread was first posted. Where there's a wavier or exception, there's a way, so be up front about it and don't let it stop you from applying.

this is SEC country, brother.. we drink bourbon cradle to grave

I’ve never heard of a single employer looking at OPR’s, and when I was briefly out a few years ago, no one ever asked or even hinted at wanting to see one. They look at your resume, and maybe talk to some references. So make sure to give them ones of guys who like you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Can I turn in my GTC and use my AMEX instead?

Hell, I say reopen K.I. Sawyer in the upper peninsula of Michigan, turn and burn over Lake Superior. Learn to love snow and cold weather OP's. Or any other northern tier old remote SAC base.

Too soon?

Are they all complete losses? Time to reopen the line MAGA more Raptors... 5 more squadrons! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please do not spread until official notification of family members.

Joke is on whoever tries to use it; damn thing maxes out at $69 anyway.

Forget about the Raptors - more importantly, how many T-38As were damaged in the storm?

I got the TFCSD waiver signed recently with 11 years of prior commissioned service. Former active duty CSO, then Guard CSO, soon to be RPA pilot. The unit wrote the letter and handled the process, all I had to do was get them to hire me. Cavet that it took over 2 years for my package to be complete with all waivers signed, but that’s more of a hit on the Guard training bureaucracy than the TFCSD process specifically. Good luck!

So some hackers might have my GTC info now? Oh noez!

So where does this new rating system leave those passed over APZ? Considering promotion rates to O-5 are 70%-ish wouldn’t that leave any remainders in the bottom third for essentially the rest of their careers? What I am wondering is, does this new rating system guarantee “bottom” designations for the final 2-4 OPRs of everybody passed over 1APZ? That would seem to give CC’s an out to speed on other officers. Need an extra “top” recommendation? Just give a passed over Officer a “bottom” designation. Maybe it doesn’t matter but I would think it would have a negative effect on any potential employer that reviews OPRs (no idea if that happens).

@gatsby I'm getting closer to the age cut-off (28 now) and let me tell you, don't stop until they tell you NO, cause guys get waivers for just about anything short of missing a brain (kidding of course). This is not coming from me, but from POC's and chief hiring members (various fighter squadrons), so to their advice, I'm not letting a number stop me. If you've got the aptitude and attitude, then go for it. Like I've learned and been told... If there's a will, there's a waiver and where there was a waiver, there was a will.

GoFundMe to support the bros trying to rebuild in the area: https://gofundme.com/hurricane-michael-relief-funds

Uhh, yes, they do.

No one should ever have to write their own OPR. Although I’ve always written mine.... but I’ve also always written those that I have rated personally, I do t trust someone else to write mine. Only two bosses have known what the push lines mean/can mean. current one has no clue

As @flat4power said, and from what I've seen, they did up the age and commissioned service time for the AD board upcoming next month. 33 for age and 7 (I think) years for total commissioned service. There hasn't been anything I've seen on it spilling over to AFRC/ANG yet, but it certainly doesn't hurt chances for those candidates. I was able to get a non-prior service ETP for a Reserves heavy unit through at 36 (technically, I'll be 37 by UPT start, too). There was a whole lot of hustling/annoying people, by myself and my squadron (they were awesome at making calls), to get that to happen, but it worked out. I made it through the wavier process and the board, was just sworn in last week, and I've been working with the 340th and just awaiting inprocessing/official OTS start dates. Anything is possible and it's always worth the shot. Good luck!

Like never passing up the opportunity to just STFU?

Non-compliance with...the AFI? Because the AFI is pretty clear that you shouldn't be writing your own OPR anyway. So if you're already passed over and running out the clock on retirement, go ahead and fight that battle. What are they going to do...pass you over again?

I thought First Man was good. I'd warn that if you're expecting a movie like others you've seen on the space program, e.g. a docudrama like Apollo 13, The Right Stuff, etc. it's not quite that genre--it's a biopic. That is, it's not as much about the moon landing, the space program or the cold war--it's about the life of Neil Armstrong. I'd say it did that very well and it's clear they made an effort to keep it historically accurate (some creative licence here and there but I don't think any more than Apollo 13 had). The camera work hits and misses. The X-15, Gemini and lunar scenes were excellent (saw it in a dfx theater with really good sound--recommend). For the dialogue scenes though, they overdid the grainy "home movie" style with too many shaky, blurry, zoom-in closeups, really distracts and gets annoying. They shot most of it on film to give it that grainy look, but then switch to IMAX for the lunar scenes--a good call. What I'd heard about the flag controversy was that some pundit didn't like that they weren't wearing the flag on their uniforms....when a simple google search reveals that the original Gemini uniforms had no flag. Manufactured outrage.

You should read 13 Days to Glory by Lon Tinkle. Those guys stayed there fully expecting to be relieved by a larger Texan force. When their situation became clear, they all chose to stay and fight to bleed the Mexican army and give the new government time. It’s one of my favorite stories from the Texas Revolution, right behind San Jacinto and the ass whooping that Sam Houston put on the Mexican army. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This will explain.

Completely inaccurate article. We signed this contract 3 years ago in fall of 2015. These were basic provisions in that contract and have nothing to do with the holiday season or any other industry dynamics. There are two "bonus" payments that really have nothing to do with "keeping pilots from retiring". One is the $40K if a pilot gives 1 year advance notice of his retirement. If he has 23 years of service or more, it doesn't matter if he goes this year, next year or anytime after that - same $40K. As long as he gives 12 months notice. So, not much going on there to "keep pilots from retiring". The other ($110,000 bonus) was a genius move by the company. Again, nothing to do with keeping pilots around longer. It was all about incentivizing maximum work and min sick leave usage over the last 2 years a pilot works here. Prior to this contract, pilot approaching retirement would make judicious use of their sick leave over the last couple of years which typically involved draining their maxed out sink leave bank (about 9-10 months worth of pay). With 6 weeks of vacation on top of that, they could usually take 6-7 months off each year with full pay during their last two years. Of course, they can still do this. But, they do so knowing they are turning their nose up at what could amount to another $110K on top of the rest of their pay. Not everyone values their time off that much. However, there are some strings attached - if they want the full $110K bonus, they need to work a full schedule for their last 48 months (i.e. earn at least $740,000 over that same 48 month period - which is pretty busy). None of that income can be from sick leave and their sick bank must essentially be full when they retire. If either of those two criteria are not met, the bonus is reduced accordingly. Again - both of these bonuses really have nothing to do with keeping pilots from retiring. Most guys are staying until the bitter end now anyway. But, if a guy has been here 25 years, he can get both of these bonuses in their entirety if he chooses to retire at age 60. Or, he can stick around another year or two, three, four or five. No change to the bonus - no real incentive to stay longer other than the pay he will receive for working those extra years. Just another poorly researched and written article.

If you’re asking for permission instead of forgiveness on these queepy things, you’re doing it wrong...

As far as I know, yes, it's only for already commissioned officers who are applying for the AD rated board. As for commissioning into another AFSC to get your foot in the door, it's not really a "loophole" and there's nothing shady about doing it. Just keep in mind that the Active Duty boards are the most competitive route to an AD pilot slot (compared to OTS, ROTC, USAFA), and you'll probably have to stay in your non-rated AFSC for a significant amount of time before you're eligible to apply. You'll need to bust ass in your AFSC too since you'll probably be competing against some standouts. If you really want to go Guard/Reserve but aren't picky about airframe/location, I'd keep trying heavy units before rushing to commission into AD. It seems that a fair number of heavy units don't have a problem doing age waivers these days. Plus who knows, maybe the next step will be for the Air Force to make age 33 the cutoff for civilian accessions too. If you'd rather go AD anyway, then sure, it's a decent plan to commission into another AFSC and apply for the rated board when eligible. If you don't care whether you go Guard/Reserve or AD but you just really want fighters, then that plan is probably your best chance at getting a shot.

Hey all, I tried to memorize the questions as best as possible from my interview. Not exactly verbatim, but very close. Here are the questions I was asked: Tell us about yourself, personal and professional; also, tell us about your flying experience. What do you know about the KC-135? What does it mean to you to be an Officer in the military? How have you handled leadership roles (if any applies to you)? How have you handled disagreements between you and co-workers, including superiors and subordinates. Tell us about your coolest/craziest flying experience. Can you pass the physical portion of OTS? (funny story with that 😅) What are your personal/professional goals? What are your goals for flying with the Air Force Reserves? (Full time AGR/ART or TR) How do you plan on supplementing your income as a Reservist, especially in CA? Are you ok with deployments? How do you plan on committing your time (outside of your career) to the Reserves? Tell us about your most proud moment(s)/achievement(s). Tell us about your least proud moment(s)/failure(s). Are you applying to any other units? Is your family/spouse on board for what you plan on committing to? This question was something they really emphasized. I believe a lot of folks (especially younger) don't realize the extent of how committed you have to be, especially with a family on board. I interviewed with the amazing pilots and aircrew from the 336th ARS, and they mentioned I did well. Awesome experience and quite frankly, ANY chance you can interview, do it, regardless of the base, airframe, etc. (just my $0.02). Being a civilian showing up to an air base for the first time with a panel of 7+ Officers and NCO's can be intimidating for some. (I've been fortunate enough to be around a lot of military personnel, so I've grown used to it). Side note: I know I really shouldn't have to say this but... just be completely open and honest in your answers. Some of the answers I gave were very personal, but hey, if I am to be with these folks for the next 20+ years of my life, then we better lay a solid foundation of trust right out of the gates.

That’s reserved for eagle drivers and the crew chiefs

Late response but my .02 from an MC-130 baby/MC-130J pilot: TL/DR: Flying the MC-130J involves a varied mission set that many folks find awesome. It comes at a cost with regard to the drawbacks of the potential bases and their respective commitments. AFSOC is a demanding command and you will work hard/get good enough to progress or find yourself doing something else. It will be both an amazing time for families/an awful time and those can be in the same day. Change is constant, both socially and in the airframe and units. I've enjoyed it, many haven't. 1. Ops Tempo/Deployment Dwell average: 50% not just true deployments but with TDYs for training, JCETS/JCS ex, MLATS, aircraft moves/mods, WIC support etc your head will be on a homestation pillow half the time (overseas replace deployments with 2-3 week TDYs). This doesn't really let up because advancement means more schools, mission commands, and ground deployments. Deployments can change based on time of year/involvement of the overseas units but expect 3-4 months gone for flying (including transit time) and 6 month ground. QOL deployed is solid with good connectivity and flying ranges from SOF trash hauling to more specialized mission sets. True super secret squirrel things can happen, but don't sign your life away in the hopes you will be the one crew that did the one cool thing if that's all you want to do. 2. Lifestyle/ Family Stability There's a social group for every stage of life but not cliquey. Young single guys can live it up and family dudes can throttle back or jump in to the fray. The crew is 5 and generally you end up with them and a few stragglers as you travel. If you want to be a dirty tac airlifted you can, if you want to observe and not drink, that's cool to. If you stay home and read the Bible, you'll still be welcome in the crew bus the next day. Es and Os have great working, flying, and unit relationships. Opportunities for leave vary greatly depending on time of year but there are times when you will miss time off. We are trying hard not to lose use/lose leave, but dudes do as well. Single guys do get looked at the most for opportune trips/pop up taskings as well as being the ones who hold the fort during holidays. Leadership as a whole attempts to accommodate life and responds to your desires when able. Needs of the AF and AFSOC will sometimes outweigh this but talent management and assignments are pretty well tailored to the individual. Not many toxic leaders, but they exist and some flourish. You will miss holidays, birthdays, sporting events. Planning more than two weeks out is hard. Change is constant. If you pull your weight you'll work 50 hour weeks. This includes a 12 or two of flying once or twice a week and holding down undermanned office jobs. I'd love to say the spouses are tight and rank doesn't impact their relationships but that doesn't seem to be the case as a group. However, on the individual level the wives seem to feel comfortable making friendships without regard, even if cliques do exist. MC folks (male and female) have high divorce rates. Not sure how it compares to the AF as a whole or what factors influence it, but marriages take plenty of hits. Every base I've seen geographically separated spouses/kids. Employing spouses at every base is tough, especially specialists/professional jobs. Medical support for families varies, EFMP folks should look at other airframes. 3. Community morale Ebbs and flows. Units are generally tight, with the overseas units usually leading the charge with strong organizational identity and camaraderie. The 17th is the smallest but may get a bit more strained as they grow. MCJ enterprise has an identity issue. Especially as the ACJ comes online saying that you're a "J guy" won't mean much. Symbols, unit identifications, and even the aircraft's name keep changing. None of this helps. Still guys take a lot of pride in what they do and we stay on the positive side of morale to excellent (especially when away from the office). 4. Advancements & Future of the airframe The MC-130J is here to stay. Mods keep happening faster than we can train crews. The airframe is new and even our oldest tails will outlive our careers. Tons of cool stuff coming online. No issues with career advancement within the MC-130. Schools on time, good ratio of leadership opportunities to organization size, staff jobs go to the right folks. Just be advised in high performing organizations like AFSOC the talent pool is larger with bigger fish than you may be used to and it does take a lot of work to be a shiny penny. If your goal is to fly another airframe good luck. Generally, don't expect to ever leave. Only the shiniest of pennies go to another aircraft for good reason or you have no future flying the MC-130 and are politely shown the door. 5. Preferred PCS locations (note: my best guess) 1. Mildenhall - 67 SOS 2. Kadena - 17 SOS 3. Hurlburt - Staff/Test/WIC (potential TF schoolhouse+ops unit) 4. Albuquerque - 415 - Schoolhouse Instructor 5. Cannon - 9 SOS (Potential Top Off Schoolhouse at - 551)

A nickel on the grass... F-15C Eagles from the 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard from Fresno are participating in Clear Sky 2018. Additionally, a C-130J Super Hercules from the 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Calif., has arrived at Vinnytsia AB, Ukraine, to participate in the exercise.

Lawman, you realize you are speaking army to a bunch of Air Force guys, right? I don’t think the majority of this board understands much of what you just said, nor do they care about asinine army policies that aren’t applicable to 99.969% of the readers of this forum. This OCP conversation is mostly about the AF’s new OCP policies, and the discussion is mostly from an AF pilots perspective. Army policies are mostly irrelevant here.

As a G-suit wearer, I don’t care about your 2-piece. The Air Force left the Army for a reason.

So how many dudes coming to AETC have a Q3 or didn't upgrade to AC? Oh yeah that's right, the majority. I'll stick with the FAIPS teaching good fundamentals.

Move Tyndall mission to literally anywhere, rebuild base as new UPT base. Move all assets of (take your pick: CBM, DLF, END) to Tyndall. Create massive reserve squadron for IPs. 80% AFRC, 20% AD, profit. AD will want to move there and AFRC guys will probably want to go full time. Profit. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk