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So, this loss happened a little before I joined the site. When I did, I didn't want to put too much personally identifying info up while I was interviewing for slots, so my apologies for bringing this thread back up. But, I was wearing one of the memorial shirts for Tripp recently and it got me thinking about these guys. I unfortunately didn't know Raguso (he worked in another Borough/Division from me and our paths never crossed), but Tripp originally worked in the firehouse (Engine 28/Ladder 11) next to mine before promoting to Fire Marshal years back. I'd only worked with him a few times on details between firehouses and caught a few jobs with him, but more knew his story from the guys he worked with more than I knew him personally. Pretty incredible dude all around, with his military service and law degree from Stanford, that was talked of very highly by the guys in his firehouse who knew him well. They all figured he was on track for a life in politics, which he sure seemed like he would have excelled at. Anyway, the FDNY sendoffs for him and Raguso, with the Air Force also playing a big part, were great. They gave the families a lot of pride and showed a lot of love from those of us that worked alongside them. Those were followed up by memorial t-shirts for each of them, and one for Jolly 51 as a whole. One of the ones is pictured below and I thought was a cool mix of FDNY and USAF, so I figured I'd share it here. Belated cheers to those that were lost.

https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-lawyer/articles/knock-elbows-tribute-tripp-zanetis/

So they’ve got a bachelors? So a year ago when they expressed their desire to be pilots, their Chief leadership sent them to this program instead of OTS and UPT where they’d be nearly done by now?

Continuation provides an option, not an ADSC. If you sign for over 20, you have the option to stick around but you don't have to stay until the last day. If you have an ADSC that takes you out past 20 (bonus acceptance, for instance) and you accept to 20, you return the unearned portion of the bonus at the DOS established based on your acceptance of 20. Make sense?

Shit, man, that's a really great article. They really did capture his personality, from what relatively little I knew of him. Funny story: so he had come out to his firehouse back when it was still pretty rare to just be open about it. Guys broke his balls (pun intended, I guess), like they do to everyone, but they never treated him any different because that's how the majority of the department operates. We will make fun of you for anything, but we're all brothers in charge of one another's lives. He was good at his job and that's all any of us really care about. True to his unique form, when he was killed, he didn't want the typical FDNY funeral; lots of Catholics on the job, so usually a big mass with plenty of boozing after. He actually had a really great (and quick, by FD standards) ceremony in Washington Square Park, right in the middle of the city. It was cool and a nice departure from the normal department funerals, honestly. But, the kicker was, the night before the funeral, his wishes were to have a celebration of life at his favorite gay bar. I actually worked at his firehouse driving 11 Truck that night so the guys that worked with him there could be off to go out. Of course, there were lots of jokes thrown about beforehand about them heading out to a gay bar. Some were hesitant about the venue; but everyone went, because it's what you do on this job for your brothers. Just picture 50+ gruff New York City firemen ranging from early 20s-mid 50s in age milling about getting ready to go out to a gay bar. I couldn't stop laughing. But, out they went and, to a man, came back boxed, saying they had a great time. In the morning, before his funeral, the stories flowed and the hangovers kicked in, because it's just kinda how things go. Seems like it fits his character of marching to the beat of his own drum. That article summed him up pretty nicely about who he was. Thanks for sharing. I'll pass it along to guys in his firehouse, in case they haven't seen it. Stay safe out there.

There's a big gap between "it's not about the money" and "it's not ONLY about the money".

https://abc30.com/fresno-based-fighter-pilot-killed-in-ukraine-identified/4505215/

I didn't see it under jobs or on bogiedope but the 155 ARW is holding a board. https://ne.ng.mil/Resource/Lists/TraditionalJobAnnouncements/Attachments/2383/Nebraska Worldwide UPT announcement 2018.pdf

Had a KC-135 board today: Tell us about yourself Did you do anything in town last night Tell us about a stressful situation What do you think makes a good candidate on paper. Followed up with what makes a good leader *Read weather report* What do you think UPT is like How do you take criticism How do you feel being a role model not only as a female pilot but as one of the few female officers on the base Scenario: You're a new co pilot and your AC/Boom get into a huge fight at a bar, the next day they aren't talking. How do you handle it? Tell us how you got your call sign Why did you get a D in immunology What lets you see in the dark, rods or cones What are the lights on the aircraft and where are there Tell us about winning Airman of the year for your state I was fortunate enough to get feedback before I even reported out. Just breathe and be yourself, getting the job is great but more importantly you want a unit that likes you for who you are! Good luck on your boards!!!

I’ve never understood the “it’s not about the money” argument. A 6 month deployment is way more tolerable when you’re making 250+ a year. So are alllll the other problems everyone complains about. Same with the wife’s problems.... Close the pay gap with the airlines and you keep a BUNCH of pilots. But couple the known aircrew issues with literally half the pay of a 3rd year airline dude/dudette and the AF doesn’t have a chance. Not sure why this is so hard.

https://www.npr.org/2018/10/15/657411353/ukraine-hopes-russia-takes-note-of-its-air-exercises-with-u-s There was an interesting story about this exercise on NPR yesterday including an interview with CANG pilots.

1. Promotion opportunity should equate to “how many of x AFSC do we need?” 2. UMDs should be updated as well to allow for O-5 billets in the squadron besides the DO and CC position—allowing the above question to not backfire when AFPC suddenly says we are healthy on O-5s. 3. Individual MAJCOMs need to be able to define these requirements outside of the insane and pointless math that manpower and personnel types use. It needs to be like this “I need 4 Lt Col types in my x squadron because at anyone point I only have 2 on hand because of random TDYs, Leave and Deployments, and must fills at the OG or higher level. We believe that 2 x O-5s on station is the appropriate leadership when in garrison, 4 will get me 2.” Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One thing that surprised me about Eglin was why they didn't use all the existing Hardened Aircraft Shelters on the base/reservation to store stuff during hurricanes. I was stationed there 5 times in my career/lots of hurricanes/hurricane prep/evacuations of flyable aircraft and stuffing the broke birds/equipment in hangers, etc. Same fallible drill every time.

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

The alternative? Nothing changes, commanders don’t rack and stack, and that everyone gets promoted? Serious question. I’ll tell you as a Sq/CC I spent more time taking care of people on reports than was required. But yeah there was a rack n stack and it didn’t always end up fair in my opinion. I don’t think there can be any other way as things stand. I also don’t think we do it right... but if you don’t change the way EVERYONE does it then doing it right doesn’t matter because you screw your people. (I.e. The only way the Enlisted force got away from firewall fives was to change the entire system) The above-center-below rating system will require some caveat I’d think, some that the Army and USMC have stipulated in varying degrees. First, all reports for each rank close on the same date (common reporting period) - although this will drive its own issues as there’s a huge difference between new guy captain wingman and old guy star on his wings WIC instructor pilot / mission commander. Second, that there is zero access to the individuals previous reports - what you did during the period of report is all that counts - no halo effect, “this guy was great last year” or “this guy was lousy last year” bias. (This, as has been identified, presents its own challenges and there’s questions of realistic expectations too). I’d say these changes have a lot of growing up to do before they are ready for prime time, so don’t hold your breath - my guess is two or three years before we see movement, though A1 states otherwise. As to the PRF, Id think the recognition that all the work put into those things is wasted is a good thing. I’d expect that change almost immediately. There’s a lot of unanswered questions, but less meaningless work is a good development. Edit: one additional I need to add after looking at my notes. Allegedly, the LAF category at promotion boards is going to be split. Pilots will compete against pilots and so on... Caveat: I’d expect quotas (i.e. ceiling to number of promotions per year) to follow in trail. So aircrew got what they wanted (a good thing, I think), now we will see how long it takes for us to start bitching about it... Chuck edited: to add the bit about promotion boards

You’re a special kind of stupid aintcha?

I mean... Wright Patt spent like 8 million dollars to build a bathroom on the golf course back in the 90s, so while it’s totally possible to spend that much I’m almost sure it’s because we’re stupid. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Make sure Boeing or Space X or Northrop sends the AF a thank you note for gifting them an employee, trained and educated, without costing them a dime.

Awesome, this does nothing for the secret rack and stack that WILL take place behind every members back.

Last thing the AF needs is to give a little authority to some hoity-toity Maj who thinks he can go fixin things that don't need to be fixed with all his fancy book-learnin'.

Some good changes coming wrt PRFs and OPRs outta Corona.... the table was slapped, but the timeline wasn't determined, so hold on to your butts. 1. Two line PRFs. It was determined through survey that the majority of board and MLR members use the top and bottom lines to make their determination.... So they're moving on that - two lines is all you get. If you've seen the form for command consideration, it's similar. Line 1: this dude is great because reasons. Line 2: #x of XX, absolutely promote etc. 2. Strats on OPRs are going away (like EPRs) - instead they are replaced with a by-commander recorded top-middle-bottom designation (or like the army, above, in, below center of mass), with a redesign of the form. Commanders ratings of their people will be tracked, so they only get X amount of each rating and if commanders are grading heavier or too light that will be recorded and reported at THEIR next promotion board... Undetermined: timeline for implementation, mainly because this style of rating is going to drive toward rating all of each rank at the same time, which is going to cause thrash as it did on the E side. Chuck

All interested - The 122nd Fighter Squadron, flying F-15Cs out of New Orleans, LA will be holding a UPT Hiring Board sometime in the spring of 2019. If you're interested in coming down for a visit during one of our upcoming Drill Weekends, please send an email to 122fspilothiring@gmail.com with your AFOQT/PCSM scores, some data on college, and a short BIO. The full application package contents are below, and will be required NLT the Drill Weekend prior to the board. Single PDF file containing: 1. Cover letter 2. Printout of AFOQT and PCSM scores 3. Resume (single page) 4. College Transcripts 5. Minimum of 3 letters of recommendations 6. If prior military service, your last two EPRs/OPRs 7. A current photo Please direct any questions to our hiring inbox, 122fspilothiring@gmail.com

Burying the airplanes for survival is an extensive part of the base defense plan.