matmacwc

From a lifer....

So, a recent Sheppard and IFF grad I know is being told he will be hanging out in the T-38 IFF squadron for 2-3 years to get an RTU slot for the F-22 he dropped on drop night. How is my question false?

The CAF never really cared either once you are in, but to g t in you need some skills.

I've heard the F-22 pipeline is backed up 2-3 years?

No fighters at 4500' but they can land at March, done it.

We serve at the desire of our elected officials. Period. Who approves your commission, or promotion. Think about it.

O-4 with 13.56 years. BUT, get some orders and you can easily get the magical 7200 (or is it 7300) points get get a full retirement right away. You get Tricare at 60 as well, almost makes the whole thing worth it. I do think your point system is guessing pretty low though, might be a good idea to look into.

Revival INCAP is 2 tiers. Tier 1 is all lost military pay plus all lost civilian pay up to your active rank and YOS max, and yes, the BAH and BAS are tax free, you even get flight pay. Tier 2 is all lost civilian pay, but not drill. If you are an ART, they pay your healthcare but creates a debt. If you work at Walmart greeting, they will only pay you that much though. If you are slaying it as an ART, expect active duty pay. More on MEDCON in a bit. IF you are a TR/DSG or ART, pay attention.

We don't talk about the dark lord. And where do you get off talking about military pilots?

We have seen it as well, nobody wants to be an ART, and they shouldn't unless it is a stepping stone.

Yes, yes and yes....but it depends on your timing. Apply to the Guard slot as well as the reserve slot, there is no way to convert it in the hiring phase, only once a graduate of UPT, and on occasion once in UPT. Don't think the ANG will hire you just because you are a Reserve hire, it doesn't work that way. You were selected for RPA and now trying for a manned airplane is what I'm smelling, or heavy wanting fighter, it doesn't work like that.

Do you smell like kimchi?

Like above, this is a terrible idea, don't do it. There will be people that sign up and fail out, but owe the commitment, see? There will be people that sign up and pass, and be the runt of the squadron doing the MC-12 business again and/or the OSS non flying job cause the hours that aren't there. These people will try and game the system, saying one tour and I will go ANG, but that door is already being pounded on and your 200 hours ain't gonna cut it. You will be the sacrificial lamb, spread the word. For reference, I know a Viper dude that got non vouled back to the Viper to Kunsan as a Major out of white jets, one year at the Kun and about 60 hours of flight time later, right back to white jets.

The party of Pres O will not pass a budget, they didn't even do it when they were a majority in all branches.

The system was supposed to be gridlocked. I don't like Pres O and thankfully we have a house and senate that can shut hum down, executive orders can and should be shredded by the next president. He had 2 years of control of all houses and could have done anything, but instead rammed the ACA through on Christmas eve. The constitution is the greatest document ever conceived by man, and we should move back toward it.

We don't, and we shouldn't.

Ha! And Harrumph!

No, a limited basis for RPA's but nothing manned. I'm a but surprised at the RPA possibility actually. The genius of American airpower rests in the bro's in the squadron debriefing each other to the Nth degree on their screw ups and how to improve. It also relies on the fact a Captain can tell a LtCol to F off if he is wrong, I've done it and seen it. Adding E's to the mix complicates this dynamic and may bring USAF airpower to a point where we have a bunch of "yes sir" drones flying planes. The E community is also very good with regulations, for which the pilot O community is very good at stretching to a breaking point, sometimes for the good of the mission. I don't see that with E's becoming pilots. I could be wrong, I hope I am, but in my time in service observing many different cultures, I don't think I am. My lens is the fighter community, which would be the last to integrate if it ever happens, and I don't think its a good idea.

I'll bite before this is closed, your WG/CC cannot do much to get you hired into a (ARC) fighter wing. This process is delegated usually to the OSS/CC and an interview process, sure, they can call and recommend but that does not have to be taken into consideration. You need to rush and apply to units, there is no hiring unless there is a hiring announcement that you qualify for by the closeout date. No college, no luck, no ASVAB, no luck, douchebag, no luck. A lot of this applies to active duty as well, just think of UPT as your interview process. You are guaranteed nothing, you are entitled to nothing. I had 50 hours and a private pilots license going into UPT as an active duty dude, I did better that some 2000 hour CFI's, and did worse than some 0 hour, non private license students. Attitude can be 70%, but there needs to be some ability, and you don't know if you have that yet. If you pass the FC1, you could parlay that into a backup slot, lots of people lose their physical, and you could be on the next bus to UPT. And before you ask and not search (damn millennials) I flew fighters for thousands of hours, and taught UPT (T-38s).....all very recently. Now close this ridiculousness

So they will plus up the CSS?

This could be epic if the above really happened.

Competitive for SOS is like competitive for herpies no?

Where are you going? With orders in hand you can set up your move, there is some rule about how early you can go though, I don't remember what it is.

Random thoughts: 1.) Its thrust to weight is infers it will be a pig in space. 2.) Two cockpits? 3.) Just a weather radar? 4.) No air refueling. 5.) No gun? 6.) No threat warning. IF I t thought about it longer I could come up with more, I just mentioned the AT-6 because we have most of the parts in the supply chain already. Some of the issues above could be addressed but not at 20mil a copy. And the Martin Baker seat from the T-38 is a pain in the butt, literally.