ShavedDogsAss

I've got the original Pixel, with Garmin Pilot that I run in the background during flights either off station, or IMC. No complaints, so long as I open it before step, and allow it to refresh (automatically) any chart/plate I have. Flight plan function is limited to speed/timing, as it doesn't have any mil aircraft programmed for fuel burn or filing purposes.

2. I was out of the jet for way longer than 3 years before the start of PIT. It wasn't all smooth sailing, but even old dudes can catch up. It took many years, and a LOT of underhanded threats/ultimatums from AFPC, but I refused to ever re-cat. Haven't regretted it once.

Not sure that's 100% accurate. His exec during his time as CFACC was a TAMI guy, who subsequently made it back to a gray jet.

I like to think of it as the ultimate loss of innocence when dealing with AFPC. Lt's who worked thier asses off to get to their dream job of flying a fighter get it absolutely yanked from underneath them, through absolutely no fault of their own. The justification, execution, and subsequent "re-cat" program all served to irreparably destroy my trust in the Air Force, and every commander who tried to half-heartedly back it up. I don't like putting negative posts up here, but this was absolutely inexcusable. It served only to refocus my priorities on what is best for me and my family, with no allowance for "needs of the Air Force" anymore. Every single pilot retention survey I get, my response begins with "TAMI-21..."

22k is the average I'm seeing. Anything less than 20k still has that new plane smell.

Grantown-on-Spey. Perfect basecamp for anything Speyside.

For what it's worth, I'm all for the Fly-Only career track. Hell, I'd sign up for it tomorrow if I could. Here's the but: there are only so many "bad deals" that can be eliminated at the system level. If we swing the pendulum too far into the Zipper-suited Sun God's corner by allowing them to stiff-arm anything outside of bankers hours at a homesteading base, then the pool from which to draw from for the needed bad deals shrinks evermore. Thereby, the "traditional" career path (for argument, our next leaders) would know little more than that they are perpetually the ones getting stuck outside of the cockpit, further diminishing their tactical skill set, and credibility for combat leadership. This would only exacerbate the problem we've all seen develop. A Fly-Only career track can not be essentially an airline pilot wearing green/tan. Recognize that a pilot's talents are needed all over the Air Force and DoD, to include the Fly-Only. Compensate appropriately, but don't create a separate, "protected" class of pilots that somehow believe that graduation from UPT supersedes the commissioning oath. My solution: 1. Let pilots be pilots. Ensure the ability to maintain currency in the primary MWS (or similar) no matter what school/ staff/ RPA/ ALO assignment is forced upon them. Guarantee I'll never be forced into a dissimilar MWS without my expressed desire. 2. Eliminate 365's. 3. Incentivize the bad deals with guaranteed follow-on's and increased hardship pay. Korea isn't going away, but it doesn't have to be so painful to go. 4. Re-establish the aviation culture of the Air Force. Celebrate the heritage we've earned, and not relegate it to the back room of the squadron. Analogous to "Every Marine a Rifleman", find and grow a common foundation for support airmen to understand that each and every action they take should be focused towards enabling that jet to get airborne. 5. The Bonus needs to go up. How much, I don't know. Tie it to some sort of inflationary index. $25k/year for decades without any raise for inflation is just insulting. ...Rant off.

Is this actually a question, or just nerves? If you truly want fighters that badly, put them first, with FAIP second. Don't look back. You'll love anything you get, and no advice from anyone is going to tell you how to feel. That being said, should you get FAIP'd, realize that it's only another 3 years to wait, where I'm sure your desire to fly fighters has been far longer. Meanwhile, you'll be getting paid to gather flight time, experience, and cross-country "friends".

"Sorry man, I know you're on an ALFA, but since we released all the TAMI guys, we can't send you back as well. They met the Re-Cat board, so the Air Force has made them a promise. I know you're still 11F, but since you didn't meet the board, you don't have that promise. Here's another RPA gig for you. Oh, and don't worry about the re-cat'd guys we are sending to jets for 'career broadening'. " -OG/CC

Just got the nod for -38's this summer. Been out of the jet for a LONG time. Beyond the normal pubs stuff, any areas to focus my study prep on?

Sadly, none of these arguments weighs into the calculus. My $$$: I'd expect DM for the active flying. (Great ranges and ready restricted airspace access, along with tenant guard DGS on-site) MCE will go to Langley. Huge DGS on-site, with the added bonus of political theater whenever you need it. Yes, they are new locations, but QoL or shift-work timing would not overpower airspace, politics, and DGS self-aggrandizement.

These being the "RPA pilots" that suck up invaluable IP time simply to get the qual on their Surf just in time for an O-6 promotion board, then give exactly 0 time flying the line before leaving for that Pentagon staff job? Are those your "RPA pilots"? Are they the ones throwing down their policy opinions as RPA experts? Because those guys know less about flying RPAs than you know about inspirational leadership.

Shack.

Unfortunately, many non-RPA commanders still perceive RPAs as a dumping ground for the "unwashed". Until that mindset is changed, it would be unfair to match percentage to percentage against other MDS. I'd like to think that a dirtbag is a dirtbag, regardless of MDS. Let's hope the boards see the same.

I've been lucky enough to fly, work, and talk with Fingers on a few different occasions. He's definitely one of the few who "get it" and understand captain level concerns. Let's just hope he's given a little more leeway by Congress to make the long term changes we need. Regardless, I believe he's got the right vector in his heart. Sent from my SM-G900V using Baseops Network Forums mobile app

I have nothing to add, other than not wanting to see that terrible suppository picture on my phone every time I open this app. So, here's a picture of Yeager's Starfighter instead.

Also in USAFE; 5 hr drive / 3 hr train. At Maxwell, it was undefined, with the caveat during holidays of "If you aren't sleeping in your own bed, you must be on leave." Sorry, single guys. Sent from my SM-G900V using Baseops Network Forums mobile app

Somewhat of a derail: A bit of both. While the part-time banker's hours were a great sabbatical and chance to be with the family, there was a significant amount of material to read. On the surface, they advertise that they want you to "think strategically, and solve the complex problems of the air force". And a lot of the international relations/military theory courses do teach you a huge amount that engineering type minds wouldn't necessarily be exposed to. Realistically, they are bound by JPME curriculum and handcuffed by the AETC formal course mentality, grading rubrics and "approved" solutions. Then, there are the near daily parade of stars wanting to give advice to an audience of Majors. Pros and cons abound... Definitely learned a lot...Definitely wouldn't consider it the "Harvard of the South"

Finance is flat-out wrong on this one (imagine that).... Thanks for the info. It's taken me 3 months just to get a partial reimbursement, and now I expect it to take another 3 to get the rest. It's as if they are trying to convince me that 1) I was in the wrong by doing anything other than what they find most convenient for the paperwork and 2) that I should fund my own PCS in no small part.

Has anyone seen this fun one?: PCS'd from school to an overseas GSU back in June. Did the circuitous travel, approved with normal constructed point-to-point cost from school. I even self-procured my tickets (approved) and saved the AF over $1000. Here's the wrench: my planned flight through Chicago was cancelled the morning of. We were auto-rebooked through Dallas the next day. Now, finance is trying to argue not only that the tickets would have been cheaper via Dallas than what I bought, but it would have been more advantageous for my family to drive from AL to Dallas before leaving, then they used the Dallas cost as the measure versus the cost for leaving direct from school. Therefore, while I was authorized over $10k for the normal tickets, I self-procured for $9k, finance has only paid $6k. I guess I should have foreseen my flight being cancelled and rerouted, then rented a car to drive from AL to Dallas? Looks like I'm being penalized over $3k for the airline canceling my flight. As if having to repack and reshuffle 2 toddlers on an international flight wasn't bad enough...

Not to poke the bear, but what 3-4 star at this point in time grew up in the cyber world, or has any more sage experience to offer in it than if they were 'operational' from the beginning?

I'm not a huge Raptor advocate, but we need to acknowledge 2 things. 1. Any Air-to-ground mission it fulfills is inherently a secondary mission. A2A is still primary. 2. That's OK. Yes, it may not ever meet the aerial hoardes in an epic battle, but it may not ever have to in order to be successful. The simple fact that we can meet any threat skull-on may be deterrent enough to ensure it won't happen. Would it not be a strategic victory on our part to instill a sense of inevitable defeat, should our enemies challenge us in the air? Hell, our purse beat the Soviets, not our power. The raptor at the very least intimidates our near peer, and provides us a cushion from which to operate our other, more CAS-centric wars. As msn/cc, I would never base my plan on the raptor A2G capes, but at the same time, their specialized capes can certainly enable a more efficient plan.

Sounds like calm SA enhancing comm. As someone who was left to BFM a dude under chute, any skulls up comm is good, but not required.

A terror organization that melts into the background just as they are being confronted is tough to target from the air. If Jordan is truly serious about destroying IS, they must close the border with Turkey. And that means putting some serious pressure on them to be more active in this fight. Most of IS's recruits and money come through Turkey. Lean on them effectively, and we've got a chance.

These are the little-seen aspects of what we each fight for. Very moving. Godspeed Pyro. Here's a toast.