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The internet is weird. And it’s only going to get weirder as we get older. Imagine responding directly to one of Robin Olds’ forum posts bitching about finance.

When selected for UPT, that spot is really tied to a an operational need, which drives a FTU seat, which drives a UPT (or theoretically a cross flow) seat, and not just a generic "pilot" position. So the AF works backwards: operational need -> FTU dates -> UPT dates. For example, just because the C-17 FTU can hypothetically crank out more copilots due to extra capacity available doesn't mean the line C-17 units can absorb them, or that the AF wants to pay for extra C-17 copilots, especially if the AF really wants a F-35 pilot. So the AF may delay a seat in UPT to align with when a seat at the FTU and IFF, if there's nowhere else that UPT seat can be used to fill a different AF need. This helps keeps the AF from having a UPT grad sitting on their hands waiting to class up, when that time/money/position could be used elsewhere within the AF, since there's a finite budget and a limit on end strength driven by Congress. The pilot shortage is about pilots on staff and manning the FTU (which some/many may see as undesirable), and not necessarily about pilots flying the line.

So...10 reactions out of 330,000 doses? I'll take those odds.

UPT studs right now were 5-6 years old when this thread was started. Damn we are old.

It's not the same job though. They are taking paid vacation from one job, while working their second job. The fact that it's the same employer means nothing, since that employer hired that person to do 2 separate jobs. For example, if a TR takes mil leave at the same time they take PTO from their GS Treasury dept job to maximize their vacation, no one blinks an eye at them getting paid twice to do the same thing by the same employer. What makes it all stupid (and gives an incorrect outside *appearance* of potential F/W/A) is the unfair rules piling up on ARTs over the years that blur the line between their civilian and military status. The biggest of which is tying an ART's civilian GS job to their part time TR status. They can't quit being a TR and just be a GS employee, nor can they typically quit (at will, like any other GS job that's not an ART) the GS job and stay a TR (without repercussions). The GS portion should be decoupled from the TR portion, but they won't do that because they know either no one will take the job (especially if there's a requirement to have military aviation experience in the unit's MWS), or they can't retain full time experience for cheap anymore. Part of the problem is following the AD model of using squadron pilots to fill jobs: a scheduler doesn't need to know how to fly the jet, just the scheduling and crew rest rules. Training shop just needs to understand how to read the training tables (if the A1C in SARM/HARM can do it, why do you need a GS-12+ to do it as an ART?) But all of those can be done by someone without wings for much less money. And if it's something that needs a pilot's inputs, they can get that one weekend a month from a TR assigned to the shop, or anytime from an AGR. Much less important, but related, is forcing ARTs to wear a military uniform while in civilian status, which completely blurs the line between what status they are working in, and creates the appearance of doing *military* work when they are in fact doing *civilian* work. This appearance can lead to thinking they are paid twice for the same work: once for their military leave for their part time TR job (military job), and again for being in the office working in a military uniform they are forced to wear off duty (civilian job). The government is utilizing them like full time AD, without paying them full time AD pay and benefits. This also gives DoD a lot more flexibility in manning, since civilians don't count against end strength, making the positions easier to create/eliminate (maybe not at the unit level) as needed, so long as funding is available. And yes, AD is the better comparison than AGR, as AGRs have limits on how they are utilized.

10 out of 21,800 doses from a single facility. Still decent odds but it helps to read the article.

Gentlemen, I see that you are attempting to apply the concepts of logic and reason to the Air Force. I must caution you against this, as side effects may include explosion of your brains.

What will they do...not let you retire? And if they KEEP insisting, just give them the most scribbled in crayon, nonsensical citation you can. Force them to keep sending it back for corrections until your final out.

I don't deny we need border security. I'm just saying, we don't have to wait years to implement it before we work on the other parts of the problem. Hell, set a date: "You must prove you were living in the US/working in the US/had a kid enrolled in a US school prior to Jan 1, 2016 to be eligible". I absolutely support border security. I just don't think it's all-or-nothing, and I think you'll get much better traction if you also attack the other half of the problem. Bush Jr. tried to do that, and congress fucked him on it.

7 years in AMC and never had leave cancelled. The key is ducking out 2 days early so they can't ask you to come in.

I really hope it is true, as that might convince me to get one! The wait time has been one of the biggest deterrents for me...

Just so you know, MattY has a face for radio and a voice for print if ya know what I mean. He's incredibly annoying to listen to IMHO even though he's a successful podcast host (The Weeds), so try not to be turned off if you listen to the book on Audible haha...I know I would be! I like his work but I literally hate his voice. I'm not sure that characterization is fair but making sure folks are integrated is an important aspect of successful immigration. Luckily the USA is pretty uniquely great at that! We're a creed-based nation with barely any truly "native" population and we're already a successful multiracial, multi-ethnic democracy despite some bumps along the way. All of that is not true of China, India, Russia, or even most European countries. I genuinely believe that I, as a European-American with some recent immigrant roots on one side as well as some pretty lengthy American heritage on the other, am no more "American" than the Chinese/Ethiopian/Russian/South African/etc. person who's relatively right off the boat, living here and working hard. That's part of what makes America great and it can be a huge strength if we would just be more up front about embracing it. I guess I just don't share the Luddite view that technology will destroy all human labor or the need for human labor. Just like all technologies in the past, new technologies will supplant some jobs while creating others and very likely making us all richer, live longer, and prosper more at the same time. The idea that immigrants are uniquely vulnerable to this centuries-long phenomenon is also spurious at best. FWIW, this is an even more impressive Boston Dynamics video. Look out stage performers...robots are coming for ya!

This thread started when my oldest kid was 4 1/2 and I was a T-1 student. He commissions in May. Your math checks.

I was equally as shocked. It was 4 or 5 years ago, things were a little calmer in the firearms market. I believe the ATF wait time page was 9-10 months at the time. Like I said, the store had some sort of extenuating circumstance with changing their license or something, but their were several us that were picking up our cans at the same time all equally shocked/happy.

So, to me, this is two of us looking at the same problem and seeing different causes/solutions. Even more so, it's like a balloon; when you squeeze one point, it causes problems in another. Sure, illegal immigration allows for cheaper labor and, potentially, the situation could be changed if you stopped illegal labor (although, honestly, I don't think that's truly possible, but for the sake of argument...), so you see the illegals as the issue. I see this as a more inherent flaw of free market/unfettered capitalism. Those high school kids/local folks value their work at a higher rate than the market is paying, so they won't take the jobs for what they're willing to pay. More so, you have BUSINESS OWNERS that are choosing to hire that lower labor (because it means higher profits to them because they don't pay taxes/benefits/vacation/etc.), as well as END CONSUMERS that are voting with their wallets to only pay for that lower labor because it costs less, so it's the free market working as it's "intended." If the high schooler's/craftsman's skills were that badly needed, they'd be the go-to. The illegals that come here and work off the books, longer hours for lower wages without any labor protections, are willing to work "harder" than the high school kids and locals, and are being rewarded for it by consumer dollars paying them over higher priced options. The situation could be fixed by cutting immigration, or it could be fixed by requiring business owners stricter adherence to labor laws, paying higher wages, and by the end consumers voting with their wallets to pay for "All American" legal labor. Again, like above, we see the same problem but have different opinions on how to fix it. I think this is a more a problem with our healthcare system than with a sick or injured person being at fault because they need medical care. ERs MUST, by law, see every patient that comes in. If an illegal doesn't have an SSN, then they can't be traced to pay the bill. But, if universal healthcare was a thing, then chances are a lot of those ER visits would be doctor's office visits and not be such a costly burden on the system. Obviously, there are more pieces to this argument, but I'll keep it short for brevity's sake. Same for my ancestors. While I'm certain instances like the pregnant lady coming over just to have the anchor baby do happen and there are folks working the system, I think a lot of it is also the "boogeyman" narrative that is played hard by anti-immigration folks. A lion's share of the immigrants are exactly what you (and most of us) hope to have: Law abiding people that want to come here to work hard, be an integral part of society, and be a part of the American Dream to give their kids a better life than they've had. Are there some that ruin that picture? Hell yeah. But, that's human nature and any group of people (immigrants, men, women, right, left, up, down, and even the damn Air Force) are no different. Do we all know pilots/coworkers/leaders/men/women/whatever that shouldn't be flying/are terrible leaders/are terrible people/etc. and give the rest of us a bad name? I've been in the AF for a cup of coffee in time, but I can say I see that. Just as I see it in the FD. It's life. I just hate to shut the door to everyone because there are some people that are going to take advantage. We don't get to choose who we pop out of and where, so not everyone is fortunate enough to be born in the status of life/country/situation that they wish to live in. A vast majority of immigrants I've run into in my life, legal or not, just want to have a better life for their children and will do what they can to make that happen. As a parent, I can't blame them. Agreed. We might not fully agree in the details or the exact way to go about it, but at least we're discussing it like civil adults. We need some more of that in this country right now.

Oh I can imagine. Idk, could be complete shit, might not be. I didn't dig into it so who knows. The gun store employee seemed equally surprised. But with that said, this is probably one of the more legit gun stores around my area. The dudes are pretty knowledgeable on the stuff they sell. All's I know is not a lot.

I've been reading/following/studying a lot of the migration crises in Europe lately due to my job and it's interesting to me in some of the slightly different ways they frame the problem. One thing they often do not discuss in the US that I've seen discussed here is the consequences on the country migrants are coming from when they leave. In short, the people that take the risk to migrate are often more affluent in society, else they wouldn't have the means to attempt the journey, even though they often lose their wealth in doing so. These people are often skilled in their crafts and when they leave a country, it further accelerates that societies collapse. Generally, the societies best problem solvers are bailing on it before the problems are solved. The impending collapse accelerates the migration and it reciprocates until a state collapse is imminent, creating a massive humanitarian crises for those who can't leave, and often a security crises for everyone else. Much of the literature floating the EU now, predicates that any refugee admittance programs should be based on the connotation that there is a plan to eventually return the refugee to their home country, so as to prevent that collapse. This often means negotiating with despised governments/terrorists/etc... To ensure their security. It also begs the question, is accepting economic refugees in the US the best thing we can actually do for these people? Or would taking a better interest in our southern neighbors with economic aid and humanitarian assistance go further? How many of these people WANT to be an American and how many just want to live in an afluent society, but really don't desire to leave home? There's a subtle difference there. Being an American should be about internalizing our values/morals/beliefs/etc... Not just about living our lifestyle/having money/property/cars/etc.... If migrants are only really interested in the latter than it's possibly better we adjust our strategy to one that is focused on garnering security in Central and South America. That may mean working with dictators. But that may be for the greater good.

The republic has hit rock bottom because you have to live under a (gasp) democratic administration for the next four years? Yep, you’re right. It’s definitely the end of the United States as we know it. Better get out while you can.....dude.

I had the 1st Moderna dose Thursday. Had a decent fever before going to bed last night with a really sore arm. Fever broke middle of night. Feel fine this morning. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

First moderana dose down the hatch. No issues 4 days later. The Gates Foundation is on the hook to replace teh battery every 3 years, which is nice.

When did I say anything about corruption? And traveling makes you an geopolitical expert on...nothing, of course. Anyway....I just watched the best country on earth elect a “dude” that can’t finish a thought verbally without inventing a new word or being a walking advertisement for dementia. So you see, my quip was more in tune to our state of woke affairs. Not theirs. Yeah, too late, Dude.