Leaderboard

You, son, have lots to learn.

This is a great thread to emphasize the importance of delivering actual feedback. Most dirt bags in your squadrons probably think they’re doing a good job. People don’t earn wings (or become 14N’s, etc) and get operational without wanting to do well at stuff. Not everyone has enough self SA to realize when they’re missing the mark. I love this quote attributed to Nick Saban (not sure he said it). “If you want to make everybody happy, don’t be a leader. Sell ice cream.” You think passed over good dudes would rather be casual acquaintances with you or have you tell them what they’re doing wrong and give them a productive way forward?

What is this feedback thing you speak of?

Sadly, push lines matter and not everyone knows that, including squadron CCs. job school and staff pushes are the way to show who’s a HPO and who’s in the bottom. but if your eater doesn’t know what they are doing, then your push lines could send the wrong, negative message. A good group or wing staff will catch these things. Sadly, most just pass it along. job push: should show the next job you are being pushed for. Or it could say, on track for Sq/CC. School push should always be there. IDE, in res IDE, SDE, SASS, etc.... leaving it out sends a direct message. staff push: there’s a hierarchy for sure. Malcom, Haf, JT staff.... leaving staff off sends a direct message. So does a MAJCOM push for that matter

So I guess the take-away here is that if you got a couple mediocre OPRs as a captain, don't bother growing or improving because it won't matter anyway.

Aaaand this is why we have a retention crisis, incase anyone was wondering.

AIB is out. AF Times link

They can always just make another career field "rated" like they did with ABMs.

Their planes won't last more than 2 years if my TV is any indication

Nobody Expects The Spanish Inquisition

You might be the “best” person in the world, but if you support murdering babies in the womb and allowing anyone and everyone to pour over our southern border and be welcomed with open arms, I could never vote for you. It says something about your morals. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thread bump... still a long line to buy beer for folks in the 97th/313th/728th AS at UTA weekends?

There are a lot of really experienced folks here commenting with more authority on the subject than I can give. With that said, I'm currently in Phase 3 so figured I'd share my take so take it for what it's worth. Like others have mentioned, I don't think you miss anything by going to IFT. In fact, there is a lot of downside to include: 1) exposing yourself to needless elimination. This happened to a buddy of mine who I thought would have had no problem getting through T6s, really sharp guy with a good attitude and apparently decent flying ability who just ran into some bad luck on a few consecutive rides in Pueblo. Poof - pilot slot gone in an instant flying a composite-airframe lawnmower. 2) Having to endure what is effectively a giant fraternity haze (aka the "kick in the nuts" people talk about) for longer than you need to...you will get plenty of it in T6s (and T38s if you go that route). You would rather show up fresh to T6s ready to kick ass than risk getting all burnt out early. Like others have said attitude is so much of the game... 3) delaying your training by getting stuck in "waiting for orders" land. Some of these guys sit on casual waiting for months to go, when all you have to do is show up to UPT and start the grind with your PPL. Along those same lines, any sort of injury (for example having too much of a party with your pals in Pueblo and getting hurt) exposes you to even more delays in your training. It can happen in UPT as well, but why risk it with yet another opportunity in the pipeline to get set back. Really the only thing you might get from the IFT experience based on what I heard from my classmates who went is the procedural stuff (learning to recite bold face or do stand up in front of a crowd, getting up at 5AM to do formal brief, reporting to fly, MATL, etc...) But you will learn all of that in your first week in T6s anyways! That's what happened to me and I didn't feel behind because of not going to IFT. Don't get me wrong, I could still flop on the rocks as I finish up UPT but my guess is if I wash out now it will have nothing to do with not getting to go to IFT. If you are really concerned about being uncurrent, why not go do a BFR to freshen up? Or better yet, hop in a pitts special with a crusty old flier down at your local grass strip and spool up that inner ear fluid in preparation for T6s! In all honesty, IFT or not, unless you have prior HP or turbine time you will likely have the same learning curve as your buddies coming in from IFT. Anyway that's my completely unqualified 2 cts...feel free to PM if you have any questions about my experience. I'm a guard guy with a PPL, did no go to IFT, did not feel behind or unprivileged because of it. YMMV

You are asking for pain. Unnecessary, over-scripted, high threat (dialed back in the past few years, but nonetheless) pain. Why? Why are you getting into flying? Ego? Family pressure? Is Fun anywhere in the calculus? My recommendation: don't sweat UPT. Attitude is everything in that program. Every SIE or 89 elimination that I remember came down to attitude. My own ups and downs came down to attitude. Want to knock some of your flying rust off as a form of anxiety therapy? Do some fun learning. Good ideas: -get a Glider add on -tail wheel endorsement -upset training/acro lessons -local checkout to take the girlfriend for a sunset flight You're going to spend the next several years getting nut punched and occasionally asking if this is still fun. You are literally asking to practice your anxiety. Don't: get an instrument ticket or commercial training (see above) Coming from the guy that had all his ratings going in, and thankfully missed the IFT paintrain. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

For anybody still tracking this, had an interesting conversation with a senior leader about what happened to me. Basically I was told my records were fine, except for 2 OPRs. Those OPRs weren’t referrals and they didn’t have any overt negative indicators on them, but, they did have words that made them negative in the eyes of the board. Specifically, they both had push lines that said something like, “ready for next challenge “, and “IDE look” or, “prep for IDE”. Neither had a leadership push but one did have a staff push. So basically, 2 OPRs that were put in my record 8 years ago and 10 years ago have eliminated me from consideration for O-5. I did ask when records from 3-5 years ago would start counting more then records from 8-10 years ago and I was told there isn’t a good answer for that. I was told that if I had received those OPRs as an Lt they probably would have been ignored by the board. As it stands, outside of a General pushing my PRF there is nothing I can do to overcome those two OPRs. Bottom line, if you are a early/mid-level Captain make sure your push lines have all of the parts they need (strat/leadership/school). Nobody else will watch out for your records so you have to.

Most likely only invites, never saw a squadron do both invites and rejections at the same time.

It can be a salty process!

You're a fucking idiot.