Hueypilot

Ran into a guy I knew from a previous assignment at an airline job fair. I told him I got out and I'm in AFRC enjoying life. He stayed in, made O-5 and got sent back to the base we had both been at 7-8 years ago. He's got about 12-18 months left till retirement, wasn't on the command list, so he's just waiting for his 20. Others we knew are also back at that base, but on the Fast Track. He told me he did a 6 month deployment to the Deid...one of those "why am I here" jobs with no point...but he was an available body, so he got tagged. He got home, and six months later (just a week or so before the job fair) he's informed that they are deploying him to that SAME JOB again, for another 6 months. He pleads with the O-6 to find someone else...he just did that deployment, and he's about to separate and is afraid deploying so close to his retirement will hurt his ability to find post-AF work. O-6 says sorry, but the other O-5s are fast burners and he can't spare them...to do so might inconvenience their rapid upward mobility. Never mind that some of them haven't deployed at all in 6-7 years. I feel bad for him, but that's one reason why I got out. After doing a 365 in Iraq, I asked to go to the AETC squadron to have some time with family. Less than 18 months later, I was deploying on a 182-day tasking, even though there were several others who could deploy, and had not deployed in several years...but again, they were Golden Boys that the leadership didn't want to inconvenience with a deployment, so let's send the career flyer to the desert again even though he just got back from a 365. When I protested that, I was told that since I volunteered for the 365, I "did it to myself". That was straight from the O-6. My counterpart hadn't deployed in 4 years but they refused to send him because he was an alternate for the Phoenix Mobility program. So while I was deployed, I applied for Palace Chase and GTFO of the RegAF. Been happy ever since. Oh, and despite being the chief of flight safety with an excellent record (did great on the UCI, built several programs from the ground up, etc), the O-6 downgraded my separation medal from a MSM to a AFCM. My boss fought it until she PCS'd (I had already separated) but as soon as she was gone, they downgraded it and finalized it. I'm the only O-4 who PCS'd/separated from my wing without a MSM. I know pretty much for a fact it was downgraded out of spite because I punched from the AF. I wasn't "blue" enough, apparently. Treating people this way is another reason why the AF will be pressed to retain people once the job market gets going again.

I found it interesting that they intend on reducing their income (see bold in the story above) in order to qualify for subsidies (ie govt handouts). The great race to the bottom has begun. Why earn more when you'll just get taxed to death for it?

I'd consider Chile. They have a pretty stable, transparent govt now. It's affordable, they allow guns, no nanny state or any "Viva la revolution" talk, and they are very expat-friendly. Spanish would be easy to pick up and many speak English...plus they have a significant European influence, particularly German.

I was raised being taught that painting over history was stuff the Soviets and People's Republic of China did...not America.

I wish I could give crews the PowerPoint presentations and videos because I would. But as a WG/Chief of Safety I have no ownership of those products. AFSEC controls them and I have to get a "mother may I" request to do so...and I've had those be denied too. I'm not saying the system isn't broke, I was saying that as a Ch of Safety I'll do whatever I can to help our crews. But having Liquid slam ME as if a failure over something that's well out of my hands to fix is bullshit. It's a bit like telling a Sq/CC that he's a failure because he won't fix how the AF funds the FHP...our of his hands. Ditto with the special products for safety...once the SIB wraps up that stuff becomes the sole property of people much higher than me. And to tll you the truth, it's primarily AF/JA and AFSEC/JA driving that.

Here's where you web off the reservation, Liquid: Runner's World skin suit = sports Wife in bikini swimsuit = sex When actually it's this: Runner's World skin suit = sports Wife in bikini swimsuit = day at the beach/pool with the family Or hell, I don't know, maybe you really do think women put on bikinis to go prowl the beach or pool for sex. Wait a minute! You better get to the base pool ASAP! BTW no one here is advocating letting Airman Snuffy to display soft porn glamor shots of his wife in lingerie. If you'd just let people exercise common sense, 99% of us will do right and we'll hammer the 1% that doesn't. And we need to stop encouraging people to go out and be offended, because if you do, they will. Being a victim can be a form of attention-seeking. I know because I have family members that are always throwing butthurt fits over nothing. We are smart people. We can filter the real issues from the perceived. There is a Nav in the Herk community who is infamous for always being wronged and harassed. I'm glad she left the USAF before leadership got uber retarded or dozens of good people would be in ruins because of her.

Ditto. The people here protesting this latest round of PC are upset that the USAF won't treat them like adults. Seriously, you have to have a victimhood mindset to even remotely be offended by someone in swimwear. Adults dont go running to Big Blue crying because someone has a picture of another human in swimwear...its just ridiculous. I promise I won't get offended if some female airman puts a picture of her husband or boyfriend in a swimsuit on her desk. I wouldn't even be offended if said guy was in a speedo...although I would carefully avoid trying to view such a photo to avoid searing my cornea with something that should just remain unseen. But I wouldn't be "offended" and claim I'm a victim of a hostile work environment. There are so many more important things to be offended about. Like a 600+ page DoD manual that implies because I'm white and male I'm automatically racist and misogynistic...and if I say I'm not, I'm only in denial. Now THAT offends me! But seriously...if you're constantly being offended by small things like swimsuits and minor innuendo that's not even directed at you, it's time to take a look in the mirror and ask why. I've been the subject of jokes and pranks, heard all sorts of stuff from males and females, seen pictures I wish I could gouge out of my brain, and not once did I feel offended or feel like I couldn't cope with it. In the few instances where I was being directly insulted, I handled it like an adult and moved on.

Well they were extremists...to the Loyalists.

WTF? Are you on some kind of war path tonight? The PowerPoint/videos and other stuff like that requires tab data access and I can't just pull that up just because some pilot shows up in my office. I'd be more than happy to brief it during a safety presentation because including any type of info aside from the written report requires preparation (and approval from AFSEC to get the data). Unlike many SE offices that won't even show you an AFSAS report without some kind of senior leader approval, I'll gladly dig up what I can if you come by my office. But producing the convening authority PowerPoint and videos last second on demand is unreasonable.

That is an understatement. Time to move on to the airlines and make use of my 20-year letter if this bull$hit gets any worse.

I'm chief of safety for my wing. If any aircrew member walks into my unit wanting to know what happened on a particular mishap, I'll gladly let them read the report. Standard reminders of privilege apply and the report itself doesn't leave the office, but you are free to find out the causes and recommendations of any SIB. Every safety shop should operate that way.

Anyone know the demographics for female black homosexual atheists that are in poor health in the military? Someone's gotta help those one or two people!

So some AZANG dumba$$es are sitting trial for defrauding the taxpayers of money in a scheme of commuting to work among other things...they are all going to a PITA prison as they should. Enter the IRS, where dozens of top executives routinely live in other parts of the country but commute via air daily to their office in DC. Some were in a travel status for more days than there were work days, incurring expenses of up to $161,000 per person...and yet the harshest language the auditor could find was: https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/iereports/2013reports/2013ier007fr.pdf Uhh...hey, US Government...I'd rather live in the Virgin Islands and commute to Little Rock each day if that's ok with you...oh, and you're gonna pay for my travel too. Sound good? Great! Good thing these efficient organizations will be responsible for managing our health insurance now too...

I bet few if any of you MC-12 bubbas knew about previous MC-12 loss of control incidents...and that's sad. I've personally worked two previous and similar mishaps, one was an MC-12 and the other an IqAF ISR King Air 350 (flown by a US pilot) that's nearly identical to the MC-12. I wont go into details for sake of OPSEC/privilege reasond, but it doesn't appear the SIB process did its job in preventing this fatal accident. I lay most of the blame squarely on leadership and the current culture within Wing Safety shops. Leadership should notice trends and ensure these things are briefed extensively, and not let their deployed crews get buried in queep. FSOs need to stop treating SIB findings like Cosmic Top Secret info and locking them away in their offices. They should allow everyone to come up to Wg/SE and read the report, and it should be briefed often.

No, it's paying what civilians pay. I'm an ART and no longer get a third of my pay exempt from taxes (BAH, etc). Myself alone, I make $124,000 and with our kids and all, the tax I had to pay was $12,000. Add my wife's $56,000 and the tax liability jumped to $26,000. Yes, a $14,000 increase on that last $56k. We were not prepared. The Bush tax cuts were repealed and child tax credits have shrunk and effective tax brackets have grown. I can probably whittle some of it down, but the only way we can keep up is to claim zero dependents on our W-4s and look forward to an extra $500 a month in tax deductions to avoid getting jumped again...which we probably will because who the hell knows what this health law is going to bring in new taxes...

On the subject of taxes, I ran a calculator to see where I stand WRT to next year's filing...I only claim my wife and I for withholding purposes (my wife withholds at the single rate) and we have three kids and it appears that despite that, we will owe around $6,000 next April! First time ever that I've had to owe taxes since I always over estimate...

It appears that was merely another catch phrase bounced around at staff meetings to make the senior leaders feel good. In reality, the mid-level leadership was told there were UAV and MC-12 bills to pay...it's sad whenever your own leadership can't be honest with themselves. I personally heard the "liberal palace chase" thing mentioned a number of times by the OG level on up and by AMC/A1 types at the SATAF, but was disappointed to hear bros were being told no PC options unless you were within a year of your ADSC...then again, I shouldn't be disappointed because that's par for the course.

RPAs?

Keep in mind that TFI hasn't officially started yet. The 50th remains a stand-alone AMC squadron under the 19AW. That, and I've seen the iron flow. If I were to place a bet, I'd bet the TFI thing either doesn't happen or is short-lived.

I think in the upper levels of DoD these days (think cabinet level), the focus is in the $$ and not necessarily the capes. The -10 is among the most expensive airframes to operate (mostly because of its size), and there aren't many if them. Easy kill.

That is a COA being discussed, and it's one that AMC likes since they don't want to pay to keep crews flying an airframe they are divesting. I would bet it becomes a reality, IMHO.

The usual journalism excellence continues: Didnt realize Bishkek is the capital of Afghanistan. Which authorities??

AF Safety (AF/SE) or the AFSEC Deputy Commander (AFSEC/CD) is authorized to release the SIB findings to other services. Denzel, I'd contact the US Air Force Safety Center directly and they can probably help you with your request. PM me and I'll give you some numbers to call.

Like I said I apologize that it's off, I was trying to compile a lot of data and I mistyped and only included numbers from plans for 2 or more persons. That being said, this insurance is quite expensive. Additionally, the non-Obamacare plan has a $200 copay for emergency room visits. The Bronze 6200 would require you to pay up to your deductible, then cover only 70% of charges after that. All while charging you quite a bit more on premiums. That's the point of my graphic. You can nit pick over the small details but the big picture shows these plans are substantially more expensive and cover less. Yes, I know preventative visits are free, but I'd rather pay the $30 copay than double or in some cases triple premiums just to get a few free visits for a checkup. Also, I realize the $1 mil cap is there for the non-Obamacare plan, but 99% of America will probably never get close to using a million bucks in direct benefits in their lifetime. To me, it's a steep price to pay for a very slim chance if need over $1 mil in benefits.