SocialD

Rumor has it, he didn't turn roll calls into a PC, gala-type event, that's setup and ran by the wing EO office.

No no, this is different...

I guess I didn't see it so much as as blaming them, but telling them that this is life...some assembly required. We screwed up, but you can't always just sit there and wait to be saved. This isn't about the .gov providing the utilities, that time was long past (and undoubtedly will come later), it was about survival. Like we learned in survival, you may have to affect your own rescue. Gas tanks, generators, wood burning stoves/fireplaces, guns, bullets, food stores....suddenly preppers don't look so crazy!

It's just a matter of time.

Why am I not surprised. But yes my joke was directed at the crew. Karen's gonna Karen.

But did they have their masks on?

I exited ROM 92 days from when I tested positive for COVID. I guess I'm just lucky I didn't come in "close contact" with someone who had covid-like symptoms during ROM. Would have been painful being in ridiculous cycle of quarantine for no apparent reason.

Nothing would surprise me. The worst I heard was someone was ~100 days into their 120 day deployment and still in quarantine, with leadership not knowing what to do. All logic and common sense has left the room. I heard a rumor of a suicide after prolonged isolated quarantine, but I honestly don't know that to be true.

Ha, like the ROM, which appears to do nothing but make certain people FEEL better. They had people in ROM for 70+ days because they kept testing positive. Some ended up with psychological issues...that's really taking care of your people.

Laughs in last decade and a half of flying circles in the sky, aging out our Strikes/Vipers/Bones/Hogs... just in case we need to sling an $50k bomb at a dude carrying an RPG.

I definitely think kids need to be back in school...but around here, it seems like it's always Karen who is the loudest voice in the "kids need to go back to school because both parents HAVE to work." The same Karen that stands out front of their 10k/yr (per child) private school, with her $5 Starbucks, beside her 70k SUV, that she just drove from her 500k McMansion...complaining about HAVING to work "to make ends meet." I don't think they've ever even heard the word downsize. I get that this isn't the case for many Americans, but find a different voice in your fight. *I get this isn't the norm...I grew up with 2 siblings and 2 blue collar parents whose combined income probably never exceeded what we made as junior captains.

Ya, I guess I never understood the status symbols culture. Ya probably. I'm not a car guy...still driving my 2Lt car from 2006. 1.8L of fucking muscle!

LOL that there are, however I don't think that is the target market. How Tesla gets people to pay 100-150k for a car is amazing. I'm guessing many people who buy these are the same types who put solar panels on the wrong side of their house, so people on the street/neighbors can see their wokeness in all its glory.

Damn, I hadn't been paying attention enough to know that Tesla had anything other the standard 3 or S. 133k base price...you really have to want to get to that next stop light faster than the next guy, to spend that kind of cheese on a car.

The costs seems stupid high for the ROI, at least when our base had a solar field installed a decade ago. Based on the cost to install vs the numbers that were quoted for cost savings, it's going to take ~69 years to get our money back. That doesn't even account for mx and panel replacements, which will need to happen well before the 69 year point. To your point about subsidies. I bought a plane from a guy in the solar industry and over some campfire beers, he pretty much backed up what you say. I'm guessing that's the reason his business was built around repairing/maintaining solar fields, not building/owning them. It's also why he's about to sell out in his mid-30s, so he can just raise his family and fly his planes. A decent option for solar is to own the land the solar field sits on...

Old recycle, but always a good one.

I have nothing to add on the military side, other than to say best of luck to @Bode on a tough decision. However, the bolded above may not be the case. I think FDX/UPS are both hiring and there are strong rumors (potentially to be announced this week) that DAL will need to hire a large number of pilots for summer 2022 flying. Both UAL and DAL are projecting summer 2022 flying to be at 85-95% capacity of 2019 numbers. If Bode has the time before making a decision, I think the next few weeks/months may be illuminating wrt the airlines. I can't disagree with you on the CARES stuff.

We have quite a few part timers on base that are full time LEO'S. In the last 5 years or so, quite a few of them have left their LEO gigs for full time spots at the base. Almost every one of them says the same thing...you're one edited cell phone clip away from fired or worse. None of them felt like their bosses had their backs if anything hit the media. They all seem to think it's just not worth the risk anymore. I respect the hell out of them, but I don't envy the ones that remain.

Well true, there are hustles to be had everywhere...but I'm speaking strictly QOL without having to "hustle," especially for commuters. There is a reason guys get on a WB and don't upgrade until they can move to the left seat. Same reason we see guys bid off NB Capt back to WB FO. It's truly like working for an entirely different airline, and it's also a great place for commuters. Even reserve (at DAL anyway), is a great deal...so much so that often times even the plug gets (sometimes forced into) a line because so many senior guys bid reserve. Even on short call on a WB, I'd go fly my cub around...can still get cell signal at 500 ft lol. But since you brought it up, on months I bid a line, I'd do the same thing. I'd drop my entire schedule to zero, then pick up more efficient trips. Generally for me that meant a 4-day trip that was actually 3 days of work due to being able to deviate DH on the front or back end. Most months I'd just do 9 days of actual work, while being paid for an additional 4 days (~63 hours total). I'm more of a days off type of guy...63 hours is more than enough for me. At DAL, due to staffing, it's generally MUCH harder to drop your entire schedule on a NB fleet.

I'm sure you've heard this before, but if you choose to go to the airlines, you'll want to get to a wide body ASAP. It's about as close to retirement as you can get while still gainfully employed.

Just got the first shot and that night I slept for a solid 12 hours. Next day I had some body aches, 800mg motrin solved that. A squadron mate was down for the count for a day or two. Hoping shot two doesn't take me down long since I'll be in the midst of airline training.

I wasn't NQ, just a Guard fighter guy not getting enough hours and ended up at regional. I actually had a good time, but then again I was home based, flew with Captains my age (mid-late 20s) and the FAs were mostly in the early 20s....good times. Pay sucked, but I had lots of fun and learned a lot about the airline world. That airline (Compass) is now no more...if you have to go to a regional, Skywest is probably your best bet. It's the most important part of the contract. To add to the thread, there seems to be more and more traction on bringing people back (and maybe hiring later this year), but we (DAL) may get more information later this week from a town hall. Basically the airlines are expecting to be ~90% of pre-covid capacity by summer of 2022. As Hacker eluded to early, the early outs will be a big help to get hiring kicked off as we recover. In many (domestic) categories at Delta, there are TONS of overtime trips going out every day. Some of that is because guys are NQ due to landings, part of it is because we have too many people out on UNA. Either way, after your apps are put in at FDX/UPS, update your other apps...barring any major resurgence/pandemic part deux, hiring could happen fast and furious.

It wasn't an AGR spot, but it was promised orders (from a previous boss) for 3 years. Dude literally broke the news to me while I was in-processing from said deployment. Pulls me aside and says, "we're changing things up a bit, but you can apply for the tech (GS-12 Step 1) that we'll be opening up soon...Oh, and thanks for volunteering for that deployment." This was a watershed moment in my career, where I went from "maybe airlines after mil," to 100% airlines. So much so that I said fuck you and went regional to get hours. In hindsight, I probably owe that guy a beer because I firmly believe I was hired so early in the wave because of my regional time, on top of my mil time. In the end, it all worked out as I love my airline gig more than I enjoyed being full time. But I definitely keep that in the back of my mind any time I make decisions wrt the military, and why I'll never be full time again.

Having spent a few months in Tallinn, Estonia, I can attest to the above post! Just be carful not to catch the High-Five!

Highly dependent upon leadership within your unit. Does your squadron leadership have a hard-on that all drills are mandatory? Are your currencies monthly or quarterly? As Chida said, when you chat with the Bob's, be sure to have a solid plan to how you'll meet all your currencies. There is really no legal/enforceable requirement to live within X miles of a squadron, so the world is your oyster. That said, it sure does make life ridiculously easier wrt Guard duties/time at home. If you have a dream location that will keep the family happy, then consider looking at squadrons closer to that location. If they hire you, most leaders don't have a problem letting guys go. Switching units is not all that uncommon and often works better for everyone. One thing to keep in mind is that, just because the current boss allows it, doesn't mean the next boss will. I once volunteered to deploy with another unit and was told my full time job would be there when I got back. When I got back, we had a new OG (from outside the unit) and I suddenly didn't have that job anymore. This was the day my views on the military drastically changed, and why I'm now and airline guy/DSG. Noone cares about you, more than you...remember that as you make life decisions throughout your career. Goodluck!