Champ Kind

"Avoid" may have come off a little strong but I was trying to exercise some brevity. If you like the idea of going through a 6 month pipeline to learn systems/procedures for an airplane that you may literally never fly operationally because you will get another assignment upon reaching your squadron, then go Hs. Spinner can probably speak to that as a recent FTU IP. I should have prefaced my statement with the fact that I'm a prior H guy with a decent amount of experience in the plane. It sucks to hear what's going on with you guys. While the writing has been on the wall (IMHO) for years, it seems like the divestiture and associated personnel actions (mostly undesirable) really started ramping up last year.

Avoid the H. Active duty is trying to divest itself of them as quickly as possible. Options then are J school if there is a spot (pipeline is pretty much at max production), UAS (there is still a need for bodies), or some other aircraft. I've heard of everything from C-17 to AFSOC to MC-12. Luck and timing, and a push from your boss that will probably barely know you helps. As for deployments, I can only accurately speak for the Js. Units are doing six month deployments and then not deploying until it's their "turn" again. This is obviously going to be subject to change as A) more units convert to J and B) the drawdown proceeds in OEF. You will almost certainly go to another C-130 ops assignment as a J guy. Hope that helps.

It's a freakin' deployed location... I would hope so!

That should be part of it as well... Still think we should root out the avenue for funding it and acknowledge that CGOs pursuing AADs unless specifically assigned as part of their AFSC is a waste of time/money. Even better (in addition to the above): remove everything except "Performance in Primary Duty" from award templates/1206s. No more "Base/Community Involvement". No more "Significant Self Improvement".

Full disclosure: no personal dog in this fight, other than 36 credit hours of my life wasted in completing an AAD a few years ago specifically for the promotion requirements. Simply saying to senior raters/board members "thou shalt not consider AAD for O-4/O-5" by itself will not work. Access to the apparatus used to obtain those degrees on the AF's dime must be limited. I know this ruffles feathers because we are talking about messing with TA, but think about it. This CSAF can make the decree that AAD won't be considered. What happens when the next guy's term begins? That can be quickly changed. Now, if access to TA was restricted to officers above/below a certain grade as a result of the policy, well, now we're talking. This will STOP some overachieving senior raters from saying, "Well, I know what the CSAF said, but this is my policy...", or, more likely, "I know what CSAF said, but who knows if that policy will last forever, so go ahead and start banging it out..."

And it's why I keep coming back.

Nailed it. /endthread

More and more every day. And the paycheck.

Now if we can just calm down on some of this PT shit, life is rapidly approaching "good".

That is great! May I propose a separate thread with other "confessionals"?

Someone tell me why we have NAFs again?

Pass "everyone" or highly qualified mil guys with years of worldwide experience executing complex missions?

It will generally make it into an OPR push line.

Just one thing after another.... makes me wonder if the current CSAF will be able to make it a full term.

Made the NBC evening news tonight.

Unless 18 AF had a change of command that didn't get publicized, I highly doubt he said anything like that... not really his M.O.

Guys, don't feed the troll. Chang is, at best, a lower-rung staffer who thinks he is empowered by his access to slide decks on a Sharepoint or in some org box. Maybe he gets to sit in the cheap seats during middle-management meetings, nodding profusely and scribbling notes on his steno pad. He is not an authority, and should be disregarded. He logs in to play with your emotions. Don't feed the troll.

Mods, if this clown isn't a textbook example of a troll, I don't know what is.

So that's why she's always asking me on Sunday what nights I'm flying that week....

Weekly-ish occurrence in the Kind household.

Planning on getting it after my term life runs out at 50.

Ahhh... otherwise known as "going to black" in another Lockheed product. Or, "Ctrl-Alt-Delete".

GuardGuy.... I've read/re-read your post (thanks, BTW). Maybe it's because it's 0200L and my brain is fried, but I am still not seeing a direct answer. If I take my ATP written prior to 31 Jul 14, when is the latest I can take the practical, assuming I stay current in the C-130?

To any of you guys eligible for TERA: how tempted are you?

Plenty of O's, too.