nsplayr

Same issue...will try tomorrow from work (snow day at CVS). Palace Chase is my #1 goal at this point anyways. If it doesn't work then oh well. GL to you!

HAHAHA...And people with UPT commitments were eligible until yesterday. Or maybe they still are, who knows I think I'll take my chances and apply anyways. There is an overage in my AFSC and year group. My confidence that AFPC knows it's own rules and will apply them across the board is zero.

FWIW I'm applying for both VSP and Palace Chase even though I have a DOS set from the 7-day option. 2007 K12S3X with 9.6 months of nav school commitment remaining. Clearly the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing at AFPC so at this point I have absolutely nothing to lose by applying for all of the above and seeing what happens. This is somehow a bigger debacle than I had imagined. for all the pilots especially who thought this was their ticket to early freedom.

Nailed it. I just went though this. Got orders with a RNLTD within 1 year of the end of my commitment, did the 7-day option, got sent on the assignment anyways. It will be 11.9 months boots on the ground at my assignment, not counting terminal leave (~80 days). May have to do one last deployment that will basically prevent me from taking all that leave as terminal because, as herk driver said, terminal leave is at the discretion of your commander. I would not recommend this path for many; I lucked out and have a great SQ/CC who isn't holding it against guys with DOSs, YMMV. Pro tip: don't "burn the bridge" if the assignment will add less than a year to your commitment.

Thanks muscle. When you did yours, did they look at the original amount of loan #1 or how much was still owed? That would make a possibly consequential difference in my case since we've paid off a decent amount of that mortgage.

General VA loan question: Took out a VA loan IVO $219K for a house in FL on my first assignment. Now renting it out and likely will keep it as an investment property. Looking to potentially buy a house at assignment #3 (i.e. not right now but soon-ish) and I'm interested in potentially doing a VA loan again. From what I understand, unless you're in a high-cost area, the max VA loan (driven by lender conventional wisdom) is ~$417K. When looking at "how much you have left" that the GOV will guarantee, would they look at how much my original VA loan #1 was for, i.e. $219K, or would they look at how much is still owed, which is obviously less? Anyone done this before? Or bought a second house w/o VA? Pluses/minuses with that? I understand VA funding fee is much higher on a second loan but all it takes is 5% down to knock it down to 1.5% and that's NBD. Seems like I'm not getting a better enough rate on a conventional loan vice VA to be a better deal than paying the fee up front. Especially with PMI since I'm gonna put down more than 5% but not 20%. Thanks in advance for any advice/wisdom

You're in luck man just in case you lose the AF Hunger Games...from the Aus article: "Air Force: Focus on jet pilots, electronic engineers, surveillance and reconnaissance specialists." You and your fam may need a bit of sunscreen down under though!

That's not really gonna help reduce your taxable income...

Dude, I have to say what the fuck? Seriously 27 SOW...fucking seriously?? The Chief puts out a new uniform reg that finally gives dudes a tiny sliver of optimism on something we all agree is "small shit" and you have to take a big ole subdued-green AFSOC dump on it? I never, ever understood the rule of, "Well, the local reg can be more restrictive than the parent reg" when being more restrictive goes against the intent of the parent reg. I get that the AFI in this case specifically gives discretion to WG/CCs and this is within that realm, but clearly the intent of the parent AFI was to allow these things under reasonable circumstances. How the F can local regs just totally disregard that intent? Isn't using your creativity, on-the-ground knowledge and technical expertise to turn the Commander's intent into a workable reality what rated officers are supposed to excel at? Why can't our "leadership," all of whom are rated, get that fundamental principle right? Unfortunately I'm not surprised.

Ahh man, don't even mention "dogpile!" You really don't wanna know what that means...

Glad you guys are enjoying an alternative lifestyle over there in Europe!

I'm guessing they treat VSP payments like they do when you get paid from TMO for doing a PPM. When I filed for my voucher for the crap I hauled in our cars, they withheld 25% in fed taxes (FL resident so no state taxes). When I file my taxes for 2013, my tax rate won't be anywhere near that high so I'm expecting to see quite a bit of that money back in the next month or so. Would expect the same deal with VSP...they can withhold at whatever rate they want, all that matters is what your actual taxes owed vs what you've paid throughout the year when you file. Does that all check?

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/02/22/getting-rich-from-zero-to-hero-in-one-blog-post/

Anyone know if there will be public info released on which RDTMs within each rated AFSC are being targeted? Or is that still "secret sauce" that AFPC doesn't want Captain Everyman knowing? Somehow I've got a feeling that although ~17% of my year group & AFSC are "overage" that the necesary cuts will not come from my particular tribe...

Here's the main player gentlemen. Didn't say FOUO or any such thing on it but mods, feel free to purge if deemed out of line. Posting for quick access and for those without CAC readers at home. The attached matrix, IMHO, is the one that matters if you're thinking about getting out. Gives you the number of eligibles and the overage broken down by AFSC & year group. So while I have not terrible odds of getting approved in theory (11 overages, 66 eligible officers for a 2007 12S), my pilot buddies dreaming of getting out have somewhat worse odds. (8 overages, 101 eligibles for a 2007 11S for instance). 12M is the most affected rated career field among CGOs thus giving dudes the best opportunity to punch if so desired. Ironically there is an overage of 64 CGO-type 13Ns (Nuclear & Missile Operations)...I think we may have some early candidates for those slots! Cheers & have a happy Air Force Friday Officer Reduction in Force Eligibility Matrix - as of 23 Jan 14.pdf

Great article by Tony Carr that was being discussed in the Force Management thread somewhat. Figured I'd post the entire thing here: Also just read an email from my SQ/CC to all personnel. It talked about how he had read the article, agreed with it's sentiment, and emphasized how all of us have a vote in our own morale and our important role in improving our unit. I think that's a good point to drive home and I was actually really pleased that my CC was reading JQ Public and felt strongly enough about the article to bring it to our attention. Definitely lucky right now in terms of leadership at the squadron level.

I'll defer to Fozzy here. She was about a 9 in terms of providing useful information via email though, so props on that. Apparent competence at the FSS...pleasant surprise.

We had 2x "Force Management Townhalls" today at CVS. Didn't go but did email the FSS POC ahead of time to see if it'd even be worth it. The POC was actually a really helpful Captain and I got good info without sitting through an hour of pain in the base theater. She straight sent me the 13-130 as they have it at the FSS and caveated it by saying that the "no-joke eligibility chart" isn't done yet; i.e. the red/blue one we have out now basically is worthless. Air Staff is taking probably IVO 2 more weeks and will release final eligibility information as well as the actual PSDMs in "late Jan or early Feb." I'll throw that in to all the other random RUMINT here on BO.net. Overall 100% agree this is the best source of info on this whole mess.

A) Who the F is this Gen. Welch you speak of? Is he a purveyor or juice products? Not the first time you've made this mistake... B) I'll humor you and play your game. The answers to your questions would be evident if you read many of the threads here or left your office and talked to real no-joke airmen. I digress...as someone who's getting out and looking to take advantage of whatever seperations programs the AF may decide to offer my year group and AFSC: I've had a great time in the AF. On the logical side, great, stable paycheck, recession-proof employment over the last 6+ years, lived in some nice places for the most part, good medical and family support for myself and dependents. On the more emotional side, great dudes, awesome mission where I feel we're really making a difference, got to fly some great airplanes, very proud to have served my country and I hope to be able to do so in other ways in the future. Why am I wanting to get out you ask? Endless deployments, terrible personnel management (I'm looking at you A1...), non-releasable for anything other than flying the line and churning out deployments, ready for new challenges, not looking for more undesirable PCSs either. Massive uncertainty on the future of my community and what that means for one's career, where they will live, how much they'll be gone from family, etc. I'd love to stay in and do any number of jobs AD Air Force has to offer...they just aren't willing to offer then to me or my peers at this point or at any point in the near future. Career field too undermanned to support anything other than flying and deploying and adding more air medals over and over and over again. So I'll release myself. Looking at guard opportunities, looking at other federal employment, mildly looking at other random non-gov related jobs but honestly I'd like to serve in some capacity as a career choice. I look at it like it's all the same team so if AD Air Force isn't willing to play ball with what I and my family want to do with our lives I'm willing to look elsewhere and won't feel a shred of regret or anything other than pride for the career I had up to the day I leave. God speed to my bros who are staying because it's an important job and I'm in awe of many of the good guys who want to do it for the long haul. All that said...if this is all another BS "service before self" ploy to guilt dudes into staying on active duty, I'm sorry that you're even attempting that. It's extremely inappropriate at any level to pull that move on dudes who are separating after honorably serving. Now get off BO.net and get back to fixing this force management train-wreck Debaclypse 2014.

Maybe a dumb question but here goes... First time buying from Bud's LE shop and I need to register my credentials to receive mil/LE discounts. They ask to send a front and back copy of your ID. Thought there was a law against making copies of your mil ID, could be wrong. What have you guys sent in to fulfill this type of requirement? Thanks in advance

HAHAHAHAHAHA! I have ZERO faith in anyone working in senior A1 management at the pentagon or AFPC. Abso-fucking-lutely none. Would you have faith in pilots that just landed at the wrong airport? Well A1 et al have landed at the wrong fucking airport multiple times with the shenanigans surrounding the 2011 VSP, the 187, this latest round of force shaping measures, etc. Faith in other human beings is earned, not given blindly. Earn it. Wait...what? You realize you're talking about VSP, a VOLUNTARY program. That's what the V stands for. Anyone thinking about applying by definition does not want to continue serving on active duty and most want a thorough, well-communicated and timely plan, not more RUMINT and delays.

What do you fly? What camp will you be living on? More details needed...it's a big base with lots of units and YMMV. Don't compromise OPSEC but honestly no one will be able to give you good gouge if we know nothing other than that you're going to Bagram. Or go on baseops SIPR. Or ask a dude in your unit. Have fun...Bagram is wonderful this time of year!

Where did you go to school? I was an IR major for undergrad and did this type of thing exactly never.

Senators from VA working to replace pension cuts: https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/mobile/pressreleases?ID=931dacb6-1dff-4bb5-8c00-8574d2b5aaca

No more tax free or IDP will certainly make those deployments to the Deid or Manas more enjoyable!