SocialD

Everyone is desperate....

Did you tell said support shirt that he's in the wrong fucking section and firmly, yet politely, advise him that he can STFU? I would like to see his face when he sees the same attendance at drill going forward. What so many on base don't realize is that we have to show up 5ish times a month, and we can't fly everyone on a drill weekend. You should ask him if he's in the habit of bringing his people in on days where they accomplish zero training? At the same time ask him, aside from the shirts course, how many nights he's spent away from home over the last few years. Though that will likely be changing with all the 6 month RCPs the AD is dropping to the ANG these days. Drill weekend for pilots, made sense when we were used as a "break glass in case of...," and a true part time force. We also had quite a few jets that were fairly new, no alert mission and very few depot upgrades, so flying a 12x12 both days on drill weekend was no big deal. Now we're saddled with aging jets, never ending depot inputs, an alert mission stealing jets, reduction in total number of jets (PAA) and non-stop TDYs/deployments. Putting up enough sorties is just not possible. I truly appreciate the extra AFTPs, but let's be honest, it's really just finally giving us the required number of pay cards to accomplish our minimum required training. Trying to strong arm us and hinder our ability to UTAs is just working contrary to what they're trying to do by giving us extra AFTPs. I wonder how many of these staffers have spent any time as a part-timer in a fighter squadron. How about you spend your time seeking out shit that helps our flexibility and/or fight shit like this that makes no sense. Here's hoping that many of the Commanders out there are taking their ability to approve rescheduled drills and running with it. Oh ya, get the fuck off my lawn! Stuck at home sick today...on a roll!

I'll caveat the follow with the fact that this is my personal opinion and not necessarily how others will view it, so take it for what it's worth... I've sat on numerous ANG UPT interview boards and been in the military long enough to know that you are the only one looking out for you. Interview at both and see what happens. If you get both, then you'll have a decision to make and I would go with the one that fits you best. We completely understand that we may not always be the first choice of everyone, but I will still pick the best possible candidate. Personally, I respect the honesty if a candidate is upfront about their desires, but I also understand if they hold their cards close. Either way, that's why we pick an alternate. Best of luck!

Words and platitudes don't represent shit. I've heard all kinds of inspiring shit from CSAFs that never came to fruition. I wouldn't stick around based on hope of what one of them says.

My understanding that this is just being added and/or reemphasized because someone on the staff, spent a lot of time reading a DODI. Anyway, I guess it all depends upon your Commanders idea as to what is "convenient for the government."

Nah, just being a cynical asshole and talking about a program that I assume is not even in the works...I could have really inserted any known issue we have going on right now. I hadn't heard about the program you're dealing with, I'll hit up my contacts in comm to see if that's something they're expecting. Given that they're understaffed and just got tapped to fill a 6 month to the desert (or two) I doubt they'll be rolling out such a program any time soon.

LOL, ya inspirational videos will fix AF issues. How about a video showcasing the new comm system that will allow our computers to work close to 50% of the time at speed faster than more 5 year old, porn/virus laden Dell.

If you're simply looking to make as much money while waiting for an airline to call and no hope of an AGR retirement, then I don't disagree. Actually, that's exactly what I would have done if they had offered me GS-13 (plus the bonus) and not GS-12 step 1. We happen to have a handful of guys with a decent amount of AGR time from their enlisted days. They'll soon be looking at 16-18 year Major (plus big AGR bonus) and < 6-9 years to an AGR pension. I don't blame them for angling toward AGRs. Our AGRs have much better flexibility than our Techs. We may be a unicorn but our scheduling is pretty well optimized for QOL of the AGRs. If Techs don't sit alert, it's just the standard 4x10s + working their mil time. 100% agree.

"Walking around base with their sleeves rolled up..." Somewhere there is Chief having a meltdown.

Until they started offering GS-13, we couldn't give our tech spots away. We have been filling our tech spots with guys right off seasoning because no one else wanted them. Before they started handing out GS-13 like candy, some guys chose to just go to the regionals to build time (some are still going to the regionals anyway). Up until recently anyone who wanted a tech spot in my squadron, could have had one. The only reason it's changing is because we're swapping tech spots for AGRs as guys move out of their technician spots...almost all of them to move to AGR or airlines. I can't remember the last person that retired as a technician in my squadron. Now getting an AGR, that's a different story. Right now, that will take some time. As always, timing is everything though. When I was finished seasoning it was the exact opposite. You could have all the orders you wanted (Temp-AGR/ADOS), but getting a tech spot was nearly impossible. If they did offer you one it was GS-12 step 1 until you were an IP. I'm sure the pendulum will swing the other way some day. For reference this is a fighter squadron with an alert mission, so YMMV. ...as a GS-9! 🤢 I guess at the end of the day, it is a job. Having a few friends that have switched from ANG to AFRC, there are A LOT more than a few tradeoffs, especially if you're moving from a stand alone Guard base to a Reserve squadron co-located with the AD...A LOT!

Where'd you end up Brabus? Becoming a DSG was one of the best things that ever happened to me and my only regret is I didn't do it sooner. If I had a dime for every time situations like yours happened...I'd have enough for a pour-over from the local hippie joint. We once had a position announced and the only reason the masses found out was because a squadron wife happened upon it while searching USA jobs. The whole technician program is archaic and painful, and is really only a good deal right now because they're handing out GS-13/bonuses like candy. When I was a young FL it was GS-12 Step 1, take it or have fun on the outside...I ended up at a regional (before the pay increases) and couldn't have been happier. The 2 or 3 techs we have left are just young guys waiting for an AGR or enough time to apply to the airlines. Some of them even bailed to the regionals to gain hours and/or because AGRs were all full up/used to entice experience from AD. I'd be surprised if we have any techs 5 years from now. With 72 AFTPs, UTAs, AT, rando TDYs, and some alert days/orders, even in fighter squadrons, you could make a decent living just bumming. If you had no ambition for the airlines, this would an awesome setup for a side gig or lots of free time. Of course, living cheaply or having working spouse would be beneficial.

Is Bobby G still teaching? Matt...4 quarts tells a good story of his tower shaft failure (sts?).

Turns out it's not as bad as we think, rescheduled drill approval will be at the CC level as long as they are at the benefit of the government. If we forced everyone to show up for drill, we'd had have a bunch of non-current dudes because we just don't have the capacity to fly them all...and our part-timers are not going to come out even more days/month. On to huge upside we're getting 72 AFTPs, with a max 24/qtr. So as long as it's not another bait & switch like a few years ago, this change should be rather positive.

I was wondering what was up when I logged into ARROWS and couldn't find rescheduled drill in the drop down. There was a policy update or reminder sent out a few months back about how making up UTAs is not supposed to be the norm. It will be interesting to see if NGB plays hard ball on this wrt pilots. For the average enlisted Guardsman, it makes sense...drill weekend is what it's all about and time for them to get their training en masse. But to force pilots, to show up to drill just because it's drill is beyond ridiculous. Who is making these decisions?

Given the state of Boeing, it's not just the military industrial complex that worries me. Hope he doesn't bring the Boeing mentality with him...Fire the engineers and hire lawyers, keep putting lipstick on a pig, then sue/appeal to the government any time you get beat out or are challenged. Just over 2 years to...

Is the 340th hiring guys off the street to be T-6/T-1/T-38 IPs now? Have they always done this?

Eh, those are some small fries compared to what some guys are doing. I think even working both gigs can be legally done as long as you have permission from your CC and you don't violate the leave reg. We've had a guy fired (quit in lieu of...) because he was taking MLOA then working at his contractor side gig. That's real abuse and detrimental to the rest of us (vast majority) who use it as we should. Other shenanigans has led to Delta moving to a policy wrt to dropping trips with MLOA, especially around holidays. Say you attempt to drop a 4 day trip with 1 day of MLOA on day 1 of the trip. They may now just drop that first day of the trip then have fly the balance of the trip starting on day 2.

I logged UPT flights as total time and dual received or PIC (if solo).

Congressman...wild card bitches!

I honestly haven't looked into this but I believe it's actually NGB that pays for the training, as they are the ones who divvy out the UPT slots. If you haven't already had to get TAG approval as part of the VLPAD application process, you'll likely have get their sign-off if accepted. If they release you, you're good to go, but I'm guessing your ADSC will remain. We've had guys leave for non-flying gigs in other state and they technically still have their commitment. Then again, there have been guys leave the Guard before the ADSC is complete. I don't really understand VLPAD, so excuse my ignorance. Are you just rolling to AD for a single, specific assignment, or just planning on moving to the AD for the long term. We've had opportunities pop up here and there for random (some decent) assignments, but we'd still return to our squadron. It could have been part of this VLPAD, I'm not sure. I just wouldn't want to completely put myself at the whim of the AD, they've clearly proven they can't be trusted. Anyway, best of luck!

Plenty of skallywags there trying to feel better about themselves, but it's a better place than most.

That might be best left to a PM...

It’ll never happen, and this is why... Every student pilot starts off in an ejection seat aircraft, so every student pilot will continue to get regular flight suits and wear them at their first duty station. Plus, the fighter mafia runs the Air Force, so they will never let the one piece leave the normal rotation. It’s all about the supply chain. Ejection seat bubbas across the US military all need to wear one piece flight suits, which means they’ll always be in the supply system. They may become a little more difficult to procure at a helo or AFSOC base, but they’ll never ever go away. Mark my words, once they're authorized for ejection seat aircraft, we'll all be wearing them in due time. Scooter, I think they'll use your reasoning in reverse and say it's a cost savings issue and make bags go away. But it's just another move in the direction of everyone is the same.

I think most of them specifically tell you to NOT count other time.