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I was reading an article and realized in a little less than 2 weeks (24/25 March) will be the 75th anniversary of The Great Escape. To The Fifty

Great... now I suddenly hate my wife. Thanks, asshole!

I think I can help some, but I'll preface it with I had a very odd run at things and did a whole lot of it out of whack with the normal progression and timeline. That said, you're right on the Reserves pipeline all being on continuous orders; although it's not ONE set of orders that spells the whole pipeline out, but just a continuous path through all of the training with orders cut back to back so you're never "off" orders and not in training/not getting paid. For the Reserves, all pilots (no matter the airframe) are put into the 340th FTG, so there's one POC handling the entire training pipeline. So, technically, we're not owned by our home units until (at least) after UPT. No drill weekends while waiting to leave and no real interaction with your home units, besides check-ins. The 340th handles all pay, travel/PCS, orders, leave, questions, etc.; nothing is handled by your home unit. The Guard has each individual unit handling things, which means each unit is fighting for limited training slots in each piece of training (OTS, SERE, IFT, UPT, etc.), which can sometimes lead to big breaks in the training. They also "own" you immediately, so you're attending drill weekends and all issues (pay, orders, travel, etc.) are handled directly by them. Any waivers have to go up the chain from unit, to state, to NGB, which can be disjointed, from what I've heard. Pros and cons to both, but I've appreciated the Reserves single POC/continuous pipeline aspects and knew it would move things a little faster along, which was important with my advanced age. Anyway, in the Reserves pipeline, you'll go to Inprocessing at Randolph about 2 weeks (can vary, but usually within a month) before your OTS start date. That will be a separate set of orders than OTS and you'll be back off orders after it. Starting with OTS, they'll do just about anything, scheduling-wise, they can to keep you on continuous orders (less than 30 days break in training/authorized delay). As of now, I can only verify this is through UPT, which will also include SERE and IFT (if you don't have a PPL already) and not further through FTU/unit seasoning, because that's my experience thus far. The orders are broken up, so it won't be one set that takes you through everything, but they write them to be back to back as you go through the pipeline so you won't have any breaks in pay/being on AD orders. For instance, I have OTS orders that end after graduation, that follow the very next day with my PCS to my UPT base, break in training, SERE, break in training, and then start of UPT/T6s. I had initially seen orders taking me completely through UPT, but they got pulled back before full approval and they were cut down in number of days, but the timeline and dates are the same. Speaking of which, I dunno if I've ever put a full timeline of my little journey up here, so here goes: Dec 2017 - AFOQT Mar 2018 - TBAS May 2018 - MEPS July 2018 - FC1 July 2018 - Interviewed with Reserves heavy squadron; told I was hired less than 36 hours after leaving. They hustled to get my age ETP/waiver signed and up the chain, as well as my packet together, for the next UPT/OTS board, which was beyond awesome and super helpful. I also annoyed anyone I could to help expedite things along. Plus, being old as hell (I was 36 then) helped, too. So, my paperwork likely moved quicker than normal due to that stuff, I think. Sep 2018 - UPT/OTS board; picked up by board Dec 2018 - Inpro with 340th FTG at Randolph Jan 2019 - OTS Mar 2019 - PCS to Vance April 2019 - SERE May 2019 - May 2020 UPT (I have orders only to T1 start, due to FY break/funding FTU and Prog Tour dates TBD, but likely following a PCS back to my home base at the completion of UPT, before the TDY to the FTU. YMMV at all of this, but that's the general Reserves system and timeline.

It sounds like a KC-135E that crashed on approach to Geilenkirchen, stab trim run away , left the rest of the remaining fleet looking for serviceable jackscrew units. 737 jurassics had a problem with its rudder going full deflection on approach causing a snap roll, later found that the power control unit fluid got so hot it caused it to lock up.

Yup, TRS for you and the family is $215ish per month. I have DAL vision and dental and DAL life insurance and an AAFMAA term policy. I am sure UAL, AA and SWA have life insurance, vision and dental too.

Check last cycle's PSDM on myPers. You need an ETP to reapply since you denied a slot previously. From the PSDM, it might be difficult to get that. Buuuuutttt they're also short a couple hundred this fiscal year so it might pan out in your favor.

Yes

Delta life insurance is something like 875k and we only pay tax on an "imputed" income based on "gracious" nature of our life insurance. I use TRS, with delta dental and vision.

So AFPC informed me the normal UFT board PDSM will be released mid-March with the board convening in Sept. It looks like they also supplemented it with this Pilot Preparation Program.

I do the company life and add SGLI to reach the number I want.

Calling total fucking bullshit on this. We all know the type of culture that existed in the Block 10 days and while it may have been fitting at the time, I'm certain that even the greybeards who came back in leadership capacities were glad to see that it had changed. Facts are facts: UPT direct accessions changed the age distribution, the program became more inculcated into the normal AFSOC hierarchy, and the "cowboy" culture disappeared. What remained was a more highly skilled group of aviators who knew when to push it up and how to do it properly. You know damn well the type of skeletons that linger in the U-28 closet and a lot of those black eyes haven't been seen recently which is for the better.

Now you have DRACO guys running from the MPs and being followed back to your compound by the PTDS.

Well, if they do more surveys, now is the chance to say that bonuses do in fact work. Because some of this was self-inflicted when so many aviators said "it isn't about the money" as they left for an airline gig in order to make more money.

The AF is not going to end their shortage by 2023 like they are planning. Watched the 12 March hearing of the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Military Personnel, and Congress ate up the testimony of the guy that said bigger bonuses won’t help (Mr. Todd Harrison, CSIS). He said that he thinks paying military members more would cheapen their service. The subcommittee loved it. One congresswoman even piggy-backed to say that in her 20 years in the service she never heard any of her peers complain about pay. Mr. Harrison also cherry-picked some stats to argue that increasing the bonus had zero affect on retention. Congress ooh’ed and ah’ed. “Wow! That’s eye-opening!” His recommendation? More or less, “We shouldn’t do anything until we do more surveys to find out why troops are really leaving and mine that data.” To the credit of the representative from RAND, she vigorously argued that the data we already have showed bonuses do work, but it is simply not high enough to have the desired effect. She was largely dismissed.

https://airshowstuff.com/v4/2019/did-you-notice-the-burning-piano-in-captain-marvel-heres-the-special-meaning-behind-it-and-its-connection-to-a-real-life-hero/

I'll add something a bit different here. The above advice is solid, especially not drinking. Remember that everyone you deal with other than your wife and kids has seen this a million times. When a judge/lawyer/mediator asks what you want, it's just a test. You're getting half. If that's what you ask for, they know which party is acting in good faith. "I want my children to have a great relationship with both of their parents going forward, and to split the assets we accumulated while married right down the middle." Don't date for now. You have kids, I didn't. But they won't understand I'm guessing, and it sounds like the soon-to-be-ex will tell them if she finds out. You're going to get so much ass it'll make your head spin, so be patient. Write down everything that was wrong in your relationship. You determine the detail, but it should include what she would do that you didn't like, why you didn't like it, and how it made you feel. For bonus points, also write down the things that she didn't like about you. Trust me on this. When you meet that flight attendant that turns your stomach into butterflies, if it ain't written down, you won't remember it. Make sure the woman you decide to make into your kids' second mom isn't a recycled script. Do not trust this to your memory alone. The smaller brain is always an optimist. Think about how many people you know. Then think about how many of them are good friends. Then think about how many of those are best friends. The friend you can go on a month long backpacking trip with and not get annoyed with or tired of once. Pretty rare, huh? Now add sexual compatibility to that. If you find your forever-mate after 3 months and a few tinder dates, you'd better be buying lottery tickets too...

(slight spoilers to follow) Generally, I dislike prequels, it always feels rushed and parts are shoehorned in. "Ooh, look, this is the connection to that other film you like!" It felt forced and the character development and emotional hook/connection with the audience is non-existent, both of which are why Marvel movies are good. It isn't as bad as Thor 2 or Iron Man 3, I'll put around Dr. Strange. However, I, the wife, and the kids all enjoyed the movie. I disagree with @17D_guy (noted above). One scene involving a random nameless background actor I thought was unnecessary. It could have been resolved the same way to advance the story without that particular dialogue (little too close to current feminist complaints of being patronized). Some of the interactions between Captain Marvel and Nick Fury felt choppy. Probably a rushed editing job and my dislike of prequels. The soundtrack was the soundtrack of my Middle and High School. "Just a Girl" by No Doubt was too on the nose though. Additionally, I don't understand some of the decisions made regarding the Mar-Vell character itself nor the Skrulls. I'll have to wait for more movies to see if thy will eventually resemble their traditional role in the Marvel canon. I enjoyed the visual theme of the hero always standing back up. It was consistent throughout the film and a good metaphor for real life. I will also caveat all that by saying that while not near as bad as it's been reported in some outlets, I thoroughly enjoyed it, there were some issues...however I don't think I would have noticed half of them if it's media relations had been handled different. Just my opinion, but the controversy is mostly self induced. It's a good popcorn flick whose faults would have been passed over had the public not been keyed in to look for them. Overall: Solid B+. Go see it as a matinee.

I know everyone had skepticism when she started but she was a hell of an improvement over Debbie. Saw her speak at A/TA and was really impressed. Here's to hoping we get an even better appointment. Sent from my SM-G960U using Baseops Network mobile app

So word around the camp fire is that it’s official that the next AFSOC CC is the one and only Jim Slife. My interactions with him were very minor, but the reputation is atrocious. Anybody have any better info or is this news appropriately placed in the “What’s Wrong with the Air Force” thread?

Why don’t we start with not requiring military members to pay federal and state income tax? That’s an easy pay increase across the board with no perceptible reduction in tax revenue.

“Integrity first, servi.....never mind”

The Air Force (and they aren’t alone) has truly been missing the forest for the trees over the last 2 decades ignoring all the mission speciality 707 aircraft who thanks to the march of technology could have been replaced effectively with a modular designed package capable aircraft ala commercial civilian aircraft. Instead we are chasing the bleeding edge of fighter/bomber technology and ignoring the fact that JSTARS and other like aircraft are critical both in the current fight and the big scary one we are supposedly preparing for.