jazzdude

Yeah, but more than likely they will make you serve out the rest of your commitment, at which point it's a voluntary separation with no pay. Keeps the bodies in while not paying a separation pay. Plus creates a pool of people hot for 179 deployments. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I see ADSC as a one way contact-I owe the AF, but they owe me nothing. Then again, you can't stop loss someone who's already separated... Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I thought that was the goal for many, at least with all the talk here: fly the line, screw the game, pass on the staff assignment. Seems to be what every mid-level captain at least says they want to do in their career. That results in being passed over for Lt Col. Not a bad thing, just a different path (hmm, like a fly only path that has unofficially existed with continued majors). It does create a leadership challenge, because guys like that aren't going to be incentivized the way the AF likes to. Probably don't care about quarterly awards and beyond the AF ball/holiday party planner, or taking a job for "career progression." They are also likely the ones to point out the BS, because they don't have as much to lose telling the emperor they have no clothes ("what are they going to do? Pass me over for promotion...again?"). So the typical carrots and sticks the AF likes to use probably won't work. But give them a purpose, let them be the best pilots/instructors they can be, allow them to mentor the younger generation, and you know what, they'll probably be happy and get the mission done. Might even help the retention issue... Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

The fact they can't touch the mil network is a fail. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Counter point- maybe they don't get around to it because the metrics briefed to leadership are good. Pilots doing the work only masks the problem. Let it fail. Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

From what I saw, generally FAIPs weren't the best instructors. Not necessarily bad, but they weren't disproportionately the best instructors. They could fly lots of sorties though, but generally because they weren't tied down with significant office jobs. They would sometimes miss the bigger picture of why we do some things, or teach a lot of -isms only relevant to the base or that jet. Not their fault because it's all they know, but it reflects in their instructional style and what they emphasize in briefs and debriefs. Like someone else mentioned, there is a difference teaching someone how to do something, and teaching someone how to teach doing something. I think PIT made me a much better instructor in general (previously was a MWS IP). Being TDY for PIT also meant no outside pressures-focus on flying and learning to instruct. Saying that upgrading IPs will be protected from office work until cert is as laughable as saying that new copilots will not have jobs for their first 6 months to focus on flying the jet... Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Isn't their upgrade much longer? My understanding was Navy UPT IPs essentially go back to the FITU multiple times, and each instructional phase is another upgrade/letter of x. So basic contact, adv contact, instrument, and formation were all seperate checkouts, which would mean a significant shift in how AF UPT would need to be scheduled since all IPs won't be certed to do everything. Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

Yeah they can audit. And youcan't fix stupid, overzealous commanders. But you are still supposed to use the GTC for PCS expenses. It's why you can't get a DLA advance anymore to handle things like moving out of a place, or service termination fees,; you know, the stuff DLA pays for. My last 2 PCS briefs included using the GTC for all PCS related expenses. An A1C might not have the money in the bank to float the costs of moving, which is part of the reason why GTC was approved/mandated for PCS. (The other half being the kickback the government gets from citibank). Don't use it at a strip club. Probably not a good idea to purchase a TV with it. But cleaning fees, storage fees, utility fees, hotels, gas, pet fees, uhaul/shipping fees, etc are all fair game in conjunction with a PCS since travel advances are no longer a thing. Hell, for TDYs you're supposed to also use it to pay for food and incidentals. I'm sure that'll make it fun for an audit, even with legit charges for food. I'd be willing to bet more than one AO or CC would throw a fit if someone actually used their card for 3 meals a day at restaurants, much less things like laundry, haircuts, or incidentals purchased at a store.

Your shirt was wrong. You can use GTC for many PCS expenses, basically anything travel related or what DLA is for (such as cleaning expenses...) Actually directed to, but nobody checks. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Well, that's not always the case. Last 3 TDYs I went on booked through DTS, I was issued a non-a, but since there were preferred commercial lodging available, my lodging rate was capped at the highest available preferred rate, about $20-60 below the max lodging rate. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Without flat rate per diem, you still could've sought out and got the apartment, just wouldn't have gotten the difference. Can't find commercial lodging at per diem rate? Document where you looked, then file for actual lodging costs. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Flat rate per diem exists for gov benefit, not mine. It forces me to have to seek out a place to live and negotiate a price, including utilities. Yeah, I might be able to find a cheap furnished apartment and pocket the remainder, or I might not and have to pay out of pocket. It puts all the responsibility on me to make sure I find cheap lodging. Without flat rate per diem, I can just get the gov rate at hotel, not worry about negotiating leases and hunting for cheap rents, and accrue a ridiculous amount of hotel points and status to use on a future vacation. Want a kitchen? Extended stay hotel. Want a bigger apartment to bring the family? Find a nice month to month apartment that comes under the gov per diem rate. Yeah, you can't pocket the difference, but you get a lot more flexibility in where you can stay. Plus, getting back that 25% of meals should make up any profit you would've made anyhow on flat rate per diem. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

So how do you fix no bag wearers in A-1? Staffs are all already short, and many pilots would rather get out than go to staff. Companion trainers so staff can keep flying would be a good start. But it's probably already too little, too late.

Shoot for OSI if you want to do investigations.

I think the requal adsc is a sign that we have all seen coming-our FTUs are not adequately manned/resourced. It should be a big red flag that FTU capacity isn't where it needs to be, making the strategy to grow our way out of the pilot shortage near impossible.

Or they could still PCS you without the requal and you'll get to do some crappy ground job until your adsc runs out. Hmm, I wonder who will soak up all the 179 day deployments...

Until you get stop lossed anyways...

With 4-5 years less seniority than what they could've had. Not saying it can't be done, but it's probably smarter to punch at your first opportunity if you aren't going to stay to 20, especially in this hiring environment

Realistically, guys would be going to staff around the 12 year mark, pretty close to when their initial commitment is up. If you want to go to the airlines, that's the time to punch, and pass on the staff gig. If you take the staff gig, you probably will be staying until 20 anyways (non current after staff, with 15 years in and close to the check of the month club, and probably took the bonus). Staying in past your initial commitment for a staff assignment, going non current, then deciding to get out at 15 to go to the airlines is dumb.

Good thing they considered all those fancy second- and third- order effects of a new policy before implementing the policy. /s

Nice thing about UPT is it's pretty much all turbine PIC time. 1000 hrs post PIT in 2.5 years is easily doable in the T-6, even if you end up as an attached flyer in the OSS or STUS for a year. I found instructing in the T-6 to be fun and rewarding, and would go back in a heartbeat.

Still waiting to see the first reservist FAIP

My bet is it's a temporary stop gap while they try to ramp up pilot production to "fix" the shortage, based on the year group's they're targeting and the 8ish year commitment they get from the takers. It buys them some time. Or it's so they can say they tried everything, and stop loss is necessary. I just don't see how this is significantly different than what it is in place now, besides an 8yr ADSC in return for nothing (or at best, not doing a non-flying staff assignment). And I doubt commanders will care what track a major is on when it comes to assigning jobs within the unit.

So how is this different than a major deciding they just don't want to play the game anymore and just fly?

It's the 10% BTZ an internal AF policy, or is there another driver to it?