brabus

Not worth it. If that's all thats available at the unit a guy wants, then I'd take it initially to get in the door, but I wouldn't plan on that for the long term/retirement purposes. 1. The GS system is filled with bullshit of the worst kind - a perfect example of govt bureaucracy and agonizing idiocy. 2. Who wants to work in the AF until they're 55 to get a retirement that you won't get paid until 60 (or maybe slightly earlier if you run it down with deployments, etc.) To really have a shot at two retirements, you're going to have to buy back your AD time (yeah I didn't want that $15K in my savings account anyways, can I please give it to the govt!) 3. Airlines aside and only comparing AD to FERS retirement, you have to live until around 80 at min before the FERS retirement starts netting you more money than an AD retirement in your early to mid 40s. And personally once I'm 80, I don't really give a shit about that paycheck...I would rather have been 42-45, start getting that check and living life/having experiences that I can look back at when I'm 80. Bottom line, the GS thing works out for that guy who joined in 1990 as a permanent GS and is still slogging along. That guy's life choice is great for him, but I think the majority of people are not looking for that lifestyle, especially for marginal pay and a very late retirement (compared to AD). Bring in the airline pay, and its laughable. I don't remember the details, but a break in service does have consequences, and you might be right about the BRS thing. Bottom line, do not have a BIS if you're going to punch to the ARC.

Yeah I know the staff gigs don't interest those getting out at 12...that's why I said that. I know several dudes who are O-5/O-6/COE for 1 Star on various staffs, several of whom are airline guys. As I previously stated, that avenue is reasonable for a guy who's at 15 or more years AD and wants to punch to avoid the AD bullshit (i.e. 365), get a line number earlier, then eventually take mil leave and finish up 20 for the AD retirement. The catch of course is you have to endure staff work and as you said, cost of living is not awesome in DC. For the punch at 11-12 year types, I don't think you have to do career AGR to 20, then go airline. You absolutely could get to 20 with a few years of USERRA exempt orders on top of your 5 normal years. Things like changing new aircraft, deployments and certain schools are exempt. You can also delay your airline hiring until you're at about 14 years of AD time, then you just burn your 5 years and get to 20 (assuming ~6-12 mo additional time in there for USERRA-exempt deployments over that time period). For example, take 3 years of AGR orders upon AD exit, then go airline for a few years, then come back for 5 years of AGR orders to finish out 20. That may have been a complete pipe dream several years ago, but its becoming more and more realistic nowadays.

I wonder how many "near center" democrats are fed up and withdrawing support for a party that probably once aligned with their viewpoints, but now has turned into an emotional dumpster fire? Personally I'm fed up with the majority of our politicians and disagree with several Republicans, but this incredibly polarized left is destroying their own party's credibility. The big problem across the entire political spectrum these days is so much emotion - absorb credible facts, look at the data, then make decisions. People of all political affiliations are unable to apparently do that these days, but the left is in general significantly leading that charge by miles.

TONS of AGR opportunities that'll get you to an AD retirement. It can vary widely at the unit level, but if you're willing to do staff, etc. it's about a 99% guarantee you can have AGR orders for as long as you can avoid blowing your brains out. I know the staff stuff doesn't interest many guys with 6-9 yrs remaining until 20, but for a guy who's at 5 or less and wants to bail from AD, they'd be a great way to finish out your 20 and not be at the whim of the AD AF for another 1.5-2 assignments (and avoid the 365).

There is still the issue of subpar students making it through formal courses. I understand they met standards on paper, but clearly there have been too many that met standards by the pen, not by actually performing. That's not on the line IPs, it's on leadership at multiple levels who are pushing the turd right instead of calling a spade a spade and FEBing a guy.

You can be a flight test engineer right out of commissioning, no requirement for TPS. I believe its still a 62E AFSC, just your assignment is Eglin/Nellis/Edwards as an FTE vs. Wright Patt (as an example). At least from what I've seen, "other" FTE jobs go to 2nd assignment FTEs, with a lot of them being TPS grads. I don't know how you get into an FTE slot, but worth a talk with leadership, AFPC functional, etc. PM your friend's contact info (mil) and I'll get him in contact with a couple FTEs.

I booked them myself (with SA on govt max reimbursement). They will only get paid for day of travel (we didn't stop anywhere enroute). So they should receive one day's worth of per diem (at 75% of your rate) regardless if they fly straight to or stay for a week somewhere else enroute.

The AF will pay for all of you to fly, regardless of car situation. Seeing as you have a car, you can drive it and are owed mileage plus per diem based on the alloted travel days. Your family gets, I think, 75% of your per diem rate since they're traveling separately. There's a table in the JTR that discusses dependent per diem options...I think it's 50% if they travel with you same day, and there's also an age component for kids. I did exactly what you want to do on my last PCS - Finance had no issues and it didn't seem like a weird situation to them. It's been 1.5 years so I don't remember specific paragraphs, but it's all in there. You may need to look at separate sections of the PCS part and combine them to get your answer (i.e. they may not reference each other).

I've been in the same MWS for 10 years and have experienced/accomplished new things the entire time. At least in the fighter world, if you've "done everything" in a few years, you're lying to yourself.

I'm guessing the dems and movements like #metoo don't have the SA to realize how much damage they've actually done to furthering women in our society. Hire a chick? Fuck that, she might call me out in 10 years for making a joke and I'll get fired. Invite a chick coworker out for beers after work with the guys - hell no, she may try to claim somebody got her drunk so they could take advantage. As a dad I'm saddened my son will have to be wary of every chick he comes in contact with. My daughter will likely lose opportunities because men don't trust her (and why would they not be wary?) This entire circus has set women back in our society.

My post had nothing to do with the bonus. It's also is not defending AF bullshit. What it is doing is highlighting to new guys they're surrounded by "I got a raw deal" IPs who may provide above average jaded opinions of MDS/community X that are not shared by many of those who are still in said MDS/community.

Meanwhile out back of CVS base ops...

That's a huge problem - every kid reading this who's going to UPT/in UPT, strongly consider this: besides the few guys who wanted a UPT assignment, many of your AD IPs are there because they were towards the bottom of their group when assignment time came. Doesn't mean they're bad pilots, not capable UPT IPs, or bad bros. But when you hear an IP making stupid, sweeping generalizations like above, take it with a grain of salt - many believe they got screwed, feel animosity towards a job/aircraft community because of the UPT assignment, etc. They're talking shit to make themselves feel better about their current lot in the AF. I saw this 11 years ago in UPT, it's nothing new.

Di1630 fucking nailed it. so why did you even go to UPT? Also, I recommend you step back a little and try to take in a bigger picture. How you just described your idea of what life in the AF is screams shitty attitude/hell bent on being negative. Your family will not go through hell just because you’re gone or you don’t live in your dream location. Yes there are good times and tough times, but that’s life no matter what you do or where you live. If you choose to have a positive attitude, you’ll likely find you enjoy a lot of things about being a mil pilot and you are actually able to provide a descent life for your family. The next 8-9 years will fly by in a second, don’t spend them being negative Nancy/making the AF the scapegoat for all your “problems.”

You seriously regret flying military aircraft only a year after UPT? Sounds like you should never have gone to UPT in the first place. To say it’s all the AF’s fault you feel this way is not accepting responsibility for your own attitude. Honestly if you’re so jaded after this short of time, you would have been just as jaded in the guard.

No punks/future punks should form their opinion based on the metric shit ton of sport bitching that goes on here (I’m guilty). I spent 11 years AD and had a great time; the bullshit was there, but it’s not as bad as it seems here except in unique cases. And I say that not just because things worked for me, but because I can count on one hand the amount of legitimate “he got screwed” times that happened across 9 years in 4 fighter squadrons I was in + at least 6 others I was close with (i.e. the other FS on base), not to mention talking to friends from all over different communities in the AF. I got out because the next 9 years was not going to work for my family, but the first half of your career when you’re not married/married with no kids/only have very young kids - the things we bitch about as Majs with 2 older kids and a wife are just not a big deal yet. If you’re a young guy who wants to fly, you should consider the guard for sure, but don’t discount AD. Yeah you’ll probably want to punch around year 8-10, but there’s a good chance you’ll have a pretty good time for those 8-10 years. There’s also a chance you’re miserable, but I think that’s truly unlikely unless you are the most unlucky person in the world, or more likely, you’d still have a shitty attitude even if offered free blow jobs every day. FWIW, several of my airline friends talk about how much the old captains bitch about how much the airlines suck now, the company is always screwing pilots, management is bullshit, the old days were millions of times better than now, etc. Sound familiar? This is not to defend all the fuckery of the AF and the asshats who climb the ladder and are the root causes of many problems, but how bad do you want to fly awesome airplanes and shoot ISIS in the face/directly support those who do? If sport bitching Majs and some threat of dumb queep makes you second guess it, then go be a CFI, work your way to a regional, eventually get to a major and enjoy life.

Fly what you want. But here’s some consids: you have a chance to not need a full TX course if you go F-35 vs. definitely needing a full TX course if you go hornets (may make a hiring decision easier) Aren't Marine hornets in general broke as shit with MC rates in the toilet? If that’s true, that alone might make me want to go F-35. F-35 is the future, there will be a lot of forward movement in that jet with simultaneous stagnation (relatively) in 4th gen jets. In the end, what you get now will most likely not make or break your POSSIBLE future desire to work at ANG squadron X. I think you’re putting the cart well before the horse.

100% sarcasm derived from the other thread.

Probably fucked up an ELP...flying canceled, UPT will be all sims until further notice. Also, might as well skip IFF while we’re at it.

If you have time/money and want to fly because you enjoy it, then do that. It’ll always add to increasing your basic airmanship. But as others have said, don’t waste one flight minute on trying to do “AF/UPT style” flying. If you don’t have much experience at a towered airport, that’s a good thing to do. Again, think about basic airmanship stuff that applies across all flying disciplines.

I don't know anything about the pilot-physician program beyond it's existence, but I am fairly confident it will not help you get a fighter - that's still merit-based in UPT on AD. The best "guarantee" for a fighter is getting hired by an ARC unit that flies fighters. The AD, regardless of job type, is generally the antithesis of stability. Your alternative of part time ARC pilot and civ doc will likely be far more stable than anything AD will offer. Additionally, if you go pilot physician on AD, my bet is you do not get to "see the world" (at least any good parts); that's such a specialized position that I'm guessing there are only a few spots at very specific locations. Pilot physicians are not a normal position at any "standard" flying base. Additionally I'd look heavily into the program and what it entails long term - do you stay on a relatively normal flying track or do you do one assignment and then off to Walter Reed for you? Bottom line is the last time I heard of a pilot physician in the Viper world, it was 10 years ago and they had done one assignment as a pilot/flight doc, then went onto some medical-only assignment. Do your research, it may not be exactly what you want long term. There is pretty much no limit to what you can possibly do in the world with ARC vs. AD. There are ARC personnel working green door projects, at DARPA, doing 3 year assignments in Europe, working at AOCs, flying test, shooting ISIS in the face, fucking up travel vouchers, and torturing dental patients. The ARC "one weekend a month/2 weeks a year" is not the baseline these days for a lot of people...if you want to do more than that (and you have to has a pilot), there are limitless opportunities.

Nowadays you can do all of the things you listed in the ARC, and fairly easily as well. The big difference is you can do these things generally when you choose to and no one will force you to do any of them (AD is opposite on both accounts). And to be clear, many dudes get retiremet the day they leave the ARC, exactly like AD. So with that knowledge, why do you really want to go AD?

Possibly to viper b course if it's determined they're likely to pass. If not, they'll go to normal phase 3 UPT (38s).

They're in a program that's evaluating their ability to do a normal b course. Only admin flying, no grades, no bust vs. pass, etc. If the IPs think they could hack a normal b course syllabus they'll go, else they go back to phase 3 and from there it's standard syllabus (e.g. further emphasis on producing numbers and not quality pilots). As long as this is allowed to be an objective experiment, it's not a bad thing. But obviously it becomes bad if they are forced along by leadership to make the experiment a "success."

The definition of "plenty" increases as time goes on...0s in month 1 become 1s in month 5.