di1630

I just made a spreadsheet of staying until 28 years (my current bonus expiring at 20 Yas) as an O-5 or getting out at 20 and working for my "desired" airline which has much lower pay but based where I wish to live. The USAF would have to extend my current $25K just to compete. Add in 12 days a month off and no threats of 6 mos away/365....no brainer My magic number is I'd consider staying for $60k without deployment exemptions/homesteading. $45k with some stability measures. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

The F-16 exceeded my expectations in that story. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I sat jumpseat in a C-17 hopping from Bagram to Manas. I got a kick out of watching the crew work after only flying single seat for 500 hours. I noticed while everyone was sharing tasks running checklists we were really high cruising fast getting close to the field. The approach was a sh-tshow start to finish flown by the co-pilot who was a fresh LT. At the end we were too high to land so they had to go missed, and the LT in frustration told the IP, "you have the jet"....I was happy to see the IP tell him to take the jet and fly the missed. I knew right then how different our worlds were. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I'd say the bigger factor in T-38 success is attitude. 69% of T-1 students would probably do fine in the T-38. 96%+ of T-38 students would do fine in the T-1. I knew a reservist who flew T-38s for 8+ years but had to go fly T-1's to make rank....he'd stop by with some great stories. T-1 studs should take pride in their training and jet. Just recognize it's a different mentality being taught. My T-38 students would talk about their T-1 roomies sleeping in and playing video games while they were pulling 12 hour days. That's where the animosity often lies between the tracks. Not better/worse...just different perspective. We did get some T-38 studs who just weren't cut out for single seat. Ok pilots overall but not on their own so we kept them safe enough to pass, got them crew aircraft and they've done great things. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I just can't figure out what the Scorpion brings to the fight an A-29 can't. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Ha, that's because the USAF and military as a whole wastes so much damn money on non-essentials, they need to prioritize better. I'm deployed and just in awe of how much it must be costing the taxpayer to deploy airmen to do jobs that shouldn't even exist at home base, let alone deployed locations. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

So he's out of line by saying there is a disparity on work vs reward but you admit the current pay does not cover the difference....Where ya going here? I don't think his intent was to marginalized comm. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Yep. Hence why when VSP was offered, under compensated pilots tried to leave while overpaid shoe clerks wanted to stay. I make plenty of money as an O-5 on the bonus..point being that the fact that my flight pay hasn't been updated in 15+ years shows me the USAF doesn't think I require that sort of attention hence, where it values me. I see airlines upping salaries and actively competing for skills such as mine makes me want to work somewhere I'm appreciated. What's my motivation to work more hours, get paid the same with less stability for my family? When I hear stories from friends of working 16 days a month for the same pay, living where I want, no work outside flying....you'd better bring some more incentives to the table. Supply and demand. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

They are going to up the UPT commitment. 16 yrs is my guess. This will push some people away, but there will be no shortage of people signing up not knowing what they are getting into. Quality may go down, lowered standards in ROTC/academy for a pilot slot but I think it's coming. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Aren't you in the Guard because your reward assignment for 4 years in Del Rio of T-38's was a 3 year follow-on assignment to Sheppard for T-38's? Maybe you should have bowed a bit. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

It's time for pilots to take back the USAF. I get it, 6-9 years back when we were scared of pissing someone off and getting an RPA or RIF, we bowed to the chiefs and spineless leaders. You are setting an example for the young airmen just by being a pilot. Pilots should have status, status should have privileges. Don't be an ass, don't be a clown with your superiority but accept it, you are at the top of the food chain, act like it, be proud of your work that got you there. Don't let some jealous nonner shoe clerk pilot-wannabe strip you of it.....especially in times like this where you are finally being acknowledged as an asset. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I'm caught between the "nice job USAF" on letting me roll up my sleeves and the "YGBSM....the fact I need a memo approving it" in the first place to show how f'd up our priorities have gotten. Personally, ever since I realized the USAF needs me more than I need it. I've been rolling up my sleeves, zipper down, morale tab tab on, embroidered shirt exposed, sunglasses on my cranium, baseball cap with flag anyway while deployed. Nobody has said sh-t. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

The promising thing is that problems are being seriously looked at. Remember we are not far from the Welsh era of "go ahead and quit, we'll train more". It's gonna take a while to find the right fixes. I think Fingers gets it. The bleeding will continue short term but if leadership can establish some trust and inspire some hope, some of the jumpers may back away from the ledge. Up pay, cut BS duties, treat me like a valuable trained asset, not a replaceable 18 yr old with BMT training. It's not too complicated. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

After falling out of my chair laughing I printed this and hung it in the sq. Well done. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Big blue will screw this up and piss off more people. People who signed the bonus a few years back willing to stay as long as they can fly operationally will be given IFF and "other" 11F billets while the return to AD guys will be given the enticing assignments to get them back which will just piss more people off. Our leadership is not skilled/smart enough to enact this correctly. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

6-9 years ago was a different AF....if you go thru 38s today, I'd expect a fighter. That being said, if you want a u28 talk to your flt cc in t-6s early so they can guide you. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I just checked the history of the last time ACIP went up......1999. My $840 now was worth $1,217 back then. However my base pay is better. Still, you'd think they'd target aviators a bit better. It's the little items neglected that add up. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Tired of the popular vote argument. Let's not forget how many people didn't vote at all. How much motivation do you think there is for a Trump supporter to stand in line to vote in California when the chance is 100% it won't matter? I'd bet if the criteria for president was popular vote, Trump would have won. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

How many flights for the FTU? Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Yep. Our leadership is disgustingly piss poor at adapting to the needs of the fight and could probably give 2 sh-ts about fuel use when we need to justify every jet community getting into the fight in order to build those school resumes and groom community leaders. But I'm just jaded. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I heard from a 2-star that the USAF knows stop loss would be a catastrophe. Reasoning, they'd temporarily retain some pilots but overall it would cause more to leave in the long run. I highly doubt we see it. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

All my liberal friends blame racist and sexist voters....I love watching liberals get upset. Run to your safe spaces you p-ssies! Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I'm a big fan of *most* FAIPs, the problem happens when a weak -38 UPT student gets T-6 FAIP'd, they spend 3 years doing AF std shenanigans such as exec and other non-flying accomplishments to get the fighter they couldn't earn on flying merit. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Is it a 365? They wonder why people leave. You couldn't pay me enough to have a good attitude to leave my fam and go work with the f-ing afghans. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I saw some awesome T-6 faips get Q3'd sime years back for doing std pilot stuff but their CC was a CYA careerist d-bag so they got screwed. When I was in AETC some fatty driver clown recommended me with a Q3 for doing a unrestricted climb during a UCI which got quickly disregarded by fighter leadership but you see how this crap works. Bottom line is that AETC is a shitshow. Take the praise/punishment you see from those places lightly. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums