Cooter

😉 Having flown both...great for partners and lots of capes. Not enough for us...

Having worked with both companies and flown the AC-208 for a while this is pretty interesting. Lack of pressurization is a factor depending on where you operate. I would say 8x -114s or 28x APKWS would be extreme, would cut way into fuel. We were putting 14x unguided on with three guys and could only do about 1400 lbs of gas, still about 3 hours play time but APKWS are about 10 lbs heavier. Mission system would need a complete overhaul too, it’s killing people with DOS. If they take a multi platform approach I could definitely see a -208 at the low end. Cheap, simple and flexible. Problem with APKWS is lack of hard target Cape unless you throw a penetrator on there (Never used it but willing to try!). Will be interesting to see where this goes. Cooter

Whether organic or for partners there is utility in having a similar platform for that conduct a variety of missions (lift/airdrop/ISR/strike/etc.). Especially for partner nations when you start talking small fleet dynamics. Your run into the "jack of all, master of none" issue but makes for easier fleet/aircrew management. Not to mention the systems being employed, I can train pretty much anyone to do either fairly quickly to a basic level. I have guys right now doing all to one degree or another, the flexibility is awesome. And makes for easier integration i.e. AC-208 escort/armed overwatch for C-208 airdrop that can the roll into ISR/armed overwatch for a ground unit. Cooter

Wait...didn't we go through this a few years back? Unnamed AFSOC GO...riiiiiiiiiight. I'd rather have gasoline soaked shoes than flame resistant lead weights on my feet. Cooter

Imagine for a moment if you will...USAF pilots on staff around the world that would jump at the opportunity to fly anything. COCOMs/TSOCs solve their little intra-theater airlift problem and pilots still get to fly. Think of the possibilities... Even more frustrating is having that capability (plus airdrop) and seeing it pissed away for one reason or another. Cooter

OR...spend your hard earned money how you want...then ask her to pick you up from said establishment! Cooter

Went to CGSC...took away a couple of nuggets that have really helped me understand my successive Joint (spelled A-R-M-Y) assignments But overall a huge waste of time, although the DLI program, the electives and the SOF branch-off after holiday break were pretty good. In-Res IDE might put you in the ballpark (on someone's command list) for SQ/CC but no guarantees. I was a draft pick to be named later so I went out and found myself a job. Just remember, there is no "ONE" path and timing is everything (Life Rule #1). Cooter

Like Tac said, not defending just presenting the facts. It's a war, there's some risk, there's risk getting out of bed in the morning. If you are interested in FW/RW partnered advisor positions you can PM me as well with a .mil. Cooter

I have one of my squadrons that flies 99.9% of their sorties AFG unilateral and the others are just as capable, we partner as needed but usually for dynamic mission sets not safety related. Green on blue is always a concern but that doesn't mean people are walking around jocked up all the time (mostly). As stated, it's better to have the facts from people in the know instead or running around screaming fire. Cooter P.S. I've got FW/RW positions open if anyone is interested!

There is a flip side. There are absoloutely jobs below the O-6 level that require -365s. Whether they are being employed properly is a separate discussion. Most can get by with -179 but some of them take 30-60 days to get into a groove. End game...pshhhhh! This thing is a cash cow that no one wants to turn off. Cooter

We had a guy show two weeks after the rest of us because that's when he was notified and a friend of mine found out a week or so before RNLTD. Bottom line, all bets are off. I've told guys the last couple years , "if you're an alternate, plan to go last minute." There seems to be a trend of exhausting the alternate list as of late (weird...). Be careful what you wish for. After two months of school taught by wannabe Gen Patton's, and then to follow it up with 2 years of Joint tour (that's a post in of itself)? More instances in my career of, "just do [insert USAF paid advertisement] and you'll be set up." That's how I find myself back in the AFG, best choice I've made in 4 years is stick with what I love doing [J-O-B]. Personal anecdote so take it for what it's worth. Cooter

Tac is not speaking from a position of ignorance, nor I, and I tend to agree with how he put it. There are non-6 SOS advisors with a fraction of their training (a couple weeks at most) doing partnered missions almost everyday. To say they are in harm's way is putting it mildly. As someone who was in the process of applying for the 6th, I will tell you my perception and reality were very different, which is why I did not go through with it. Flying combat missions is my jam and that was not the place to do it. Not knocking the 6th, valuable asset in high-demand but not what I was expecting from Combat Aviation Advising. If you want fully partnered combat ops advisor positions, they are out there, you just have to look for them and be ready to sacrifice a year or more of your time. Rewarding and frustrating at the same time. But hell of a lot better than spending time an effort to train and advise folks to only wave at them as they head off to get after it. Cooter

Bashi I'm with you and have an expanded proposal... Participants allocate $$$ toward a fine bottle of scotch (more players the better the bottle!)... Although FY vs CY needs to be clarified. Propose closeout by FY21 since the decision is based fiscally. I'm rooting for LAA...but I LOVE scotch. Cooter

Marry a stripper...problem solved! Cooter

Jimmy keeping it real...proves you can be an actor and NOT have to be an ass clown! Cooter

Nailed it! Hitters ONLY apply. I want the guys who want it for the mission not because it sounds cool or the location is great. I'd prefer there be no focus other than building a sustainable cadre for the future of the program. The last thing you want to happen with this program is it gets turned into some kind of goddamn flying club and screws the pooch for being a sustainable program well into the future. In a perfect world you'd put it at an austere location (outfield of Eglin...WAY out) and build a bunch of steely eyed killers to carry the reputation well into the future. Who knows... Cooter

Only just recently come in contact with some of these individuals...NOT impressed. I feel like they are individuals who either could not hack it in their communities or had the personality of a door stop. I'm judging from a rather small sample size I know but JeeeezUS. Cooter

2! I was planning on staying beyond 20 anyways so it was an easy kill for me. Little extra jangle in the pocket never hurts. Cooter

Whoa..that is a bit bizarre. Last I heard for -365s (O-5) they were starting with guys with dates of '03 (which I don't know how that's possible) so it sounds like yours at the local level. If it's a flying AA gig there are worse jobs from what I here. I'm headed out at end of the month so I'll know more after that I guess! Good luck. Cooter

If you’ve done enough deployments how are you getting tagged? different strokes for different folks, I sought mine out. Granted, not a pilot so my situation is different? Cooter

Anyone know if you take your 50% while deployed, is it tax free?

Why you gotta put that evil on me....? Cooter PS Still totally worth it

PREACH...I’m hoping a year or so from now I’m one of those Lt Col’s. I’ll sign whatever they want and stay until they throw me out kicking and screaming! Cooter

PSDM is up on myPers Cooter

Totally agree, There are multiple 11X/12X in critically manned career fields at my current job. Very little what we are doing involves air at all and in most cases NOTHING to do with it. Not one of us here can come with a plausible reason for us to be here given the current aviator retention issue. YOu have a higher probability of getting forgotten about in critical windows than you do anything else. Cooter