Chuck17

Free money, baby. Chuck

I’ve heard good things. But at the same time I’ve also heard “a current commander in AMC” tell another GO once that “the organization will run itself if you just let it...” I’d say that is the prevailing wind at this point. Steady as she goes gents, don’t expect the boat to rock. I wouldn’t expect meaningful or impacting change anytime soon. We’ve got a years-long wait until the brains, wild cards, and innovators make rank... if they last. Chuck

100% true. Chuck

If you don’t mind the ask, which wing are we talking about here? Chuck

https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/104920/brigadier-general-bradley-s-baker/ It's not that hard to figure out who pushes folks - this guy was his Wing King at Travis. From there he went to be the ADC for ADM Fox Fallon (PACOM and CENTCOM/CC). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Fallon Once you are a 4-button's ADC, life accelerates. It's important to know who's who... Chuck

I'm guessing that would generate a referral training report at the very least - was he already designated as golden/protected that young or are we just that skosh on options for AMC wing commanders? Nah this guy did umpty ump tours as an AFPak HANDS and came out of those as a poster child... Didn’t work out like his Senior Rater thought, I’d imagine... Chuck

We are about to find out. That was a table slap from the last Corona. 18AF will be a shell (ADCON responsibilities only) in a matter of weeks, 3-Star goes back to the MAJCOM Vice... No clue exactly how ops will fit into the OT&E world of the MAJCOM but they’ll make it work, it’s been done before. Big changes coming in lots of places. Chuck

Jesus. Maybe you guys are better off down there at Dyess after all. This is some straight early 2000’s super base C-17 BS. I thought we’d grown past this “wing commander acting like a squadron commander” crap. Guess not. Good lesson though gents - what got you here won’t get you there. Chuck

Essential in Syria, huh? GMAFB. That's not a knock on the F-22 drivers out there. Just making sure he's saying it was 'mission failure' if the Raptor's weren't up. Words have meaning, guy. Chuck

Whoa whoa whoa, you mean there’s another side to this story!? (#sarcasm) Your measured response is getting in the way of our righteous indignation...! Chuck

So... if they’re going to be lost anyway, you make an interesting case for longer commitments and less bonus money... Yeesh. Chuck

I’m guessing if it’s a squadron volunteer opportunity, the squadron gets the cash...? Pretty sure they ain’t paying straight cash to folks who do it voluntarily. They wouldn’t have to beat the bushes for bodies if they were. I’m not even sure that’d be legal. Chuck

It pays $500.00 cash for about 26 minutes of volunteering... If it is anything other than voluntary, someone should be fired. Chuck

Concur. But “We’re desperately short O-6s” ain’t it. Chuck

Shortage? There isn't one. The AF will always have enough O-6's. QUALITY is the short. Take a look at some of the oxygen thieves wearing eagles these days... Innumerable. But we won't ever be short O-6's. Chuck

Mostly true. The billet Im in could be way less. It wouldn't be as good for continuity, but it would manage. One year gig is not required by any means. Most bases turn at least halfway over in every squadron every 3-6 months anyway... Makes it hell on getting things all the way through to final, closing things out. But it is manageable. Not good, but manageable - which is the name of the game when deployed. If it was easy, it would be too easy. If it was terrible, people would be getting careers damaged or (quell horror) getting fired. Manageable suck is the best. Chuck

Dewey is a known quantity... Chuck

Not shocking. There's a certain expected attrition with these "opportunities." The real barometer is how many dudes punch instead of take them. I'm betting the USAF has no stats on that... that would be too damaging to report. Though for expectations management - if you stay long enough, a 365 is going to happen. If you stay, get it over early - if you can. Chuck

So why the heck am I still active duty if there's no difference between that and the ANG? In all seriousness gents (and speaking strictly for the C-17 and C-130 communities here) this is an idea that IS going to hit ops sooner or later. There are former-Herk-now-C-17 units out there that are touting unit/partial/individual mob and "voluntold-ism" as a way to get their units/crews street cred, get them in the game. For every one you have saying "this isn't what we want" you have more O-6s saying "we should do this!" - and Im not just talking about the flying four month rotation gigs, Im talking everything that goes along with them. It's just odd that now that we have a retention crisis and are trying to do something about it, we are taking actions that will likely decrease retention out the gate. Bizarre. Interesting times. Just wait for the COMREL changes on the horizon... It's a brave new world. Chuck

Already done long before now. Chuck

457th Airlift Squadron...? PM Me. DO is a buddy of mine. Get you some info at the very least. Chuck

Depends on your 11/12X categorization... in a nutshell for old guys who took (and it expired) or didn't take the bonus, they'll give you cash (up to 35K a year) to stay a min of a year, out to 22 - or max 24 years of service... again, all depends on what you flew, so need to check the MyPers to see where you fit. Chuck

You're saying move away from a MOB where all the support, MX, and enough hotel space exists to go to the middle of nowhere to be able to launch easier? Im not saying this is a bad COA - it was certainly looked at during planning. We should just go to Alpina and call it good, like in the old days. There ain't shit there. You guys would love that. Throw in some MOPP4 time and its just like 2005 all over again - we could even change the name back to MOBEX... (HEAVY SARCASM) Chuck

Little (if anything) will change until the crisis is deepened to the point of systemic failure - THAT is the only time systems change. Everything that's been done until now is prelude. Either we are in for a true departure from the norm, or the storm will be weathered and we will maintain the course. That's not pessimism, that's history. Either the "old science" works, or we come up with new solutions to solve the problem, and that becomes the new way of doing business. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Structure_of_Scientific_Revolutions Chuck

I think this is a valid point. And you should be skeptical after the terrible track record the USAF has displayed re: personnel decisions over the last ten years. If you are not continually skeptical about bureaucracy, you're a babe in the woods. Had the retirement system NOT changed, I'd say that's exactly what this is, disguised as a QOL/Service improvement... which, true, arguably it is. But don't kid yourselves. The USAF doesn't give a crap about your QOL. There is little difference between this and the change to a ten year post-UPT commitment that happened back in the day - both are designed to get you to the next hook, over the next hump so they keep you till retirement age - or now since we have a new retirement system, keep you through the 'thin years' where dudes bail due to pending staff and non-jet-fying assignments until it's time to do something else. I will say this - if you are lucky, they send you back, but you're never as good as you were when you were a Captain with a star on your wings. At least Im not... Cheers, Chuck