Magellan

Which 2 commandants? Webb and Pabon? While they may feel that way I don't know many officers that make it to the O-6 of the Air Force without a strong implicit bias against white space. Whether they realize it much less admit it is another thing. The subconscious is a weird beast. Also, unless you are max performing a timeline to make O-6, which isn't really a thing any more with BPZ being eliminated, what is the draw back of doing AFIT or any of the other schools? It could affect IDE looks maybe... But what do people gain by being the same cookie cutter Blue Patch as all your peers? The USAF TPS course is more of a fraternal right of passage coupled some academic exercises and lots of really cool flying that isn't even objectively graded. The knowledge I gained from the year of TPS was much less useful than the year I spent doing MAJCOM OT on my MDS prior to TPS. The only benefit of USAF TPS over the other schools I see is getting to know your classmates (and their families), and that is a double edged sword if the ones you (and your families) click with during that year don't both stay at Edwards after TPS. That said I also think the establishment over values what the course teaches when the real value of the TPS pipeline is the selection process. You could probably take the pilots, CSOs, and FTEs selected and give the TPS resources to the CTFs and get just as good or better product at the end of the day. But then you lose the fraternal right of passage, and the token MS in Flight Test Engineering Degree. That said the job options that are available as a TPS grad are awesome. Developmental/experimental flight test is the best mix of flying and nerdery out there. Plus your peer group are some of the most outstanding individuals you will ever get to work and party with.

The best combo I know of is your SQ/CC and any 2 TPS grads you can find. Even better if you can get to know them well, but you are already on the clock for this year. Line IPs, Group/CC, Wing/CC, etc don’t mean much unless they are known by someone on the board. I know TPS grads that used a Professor. But it should be an Aero, Mech, or EE professor to carry much weight. Better if that professor has successfully recommended folks for TPS before. Don’t fudge or get cute about hours. You have what you have. They only care about hours after UPT. Just fill out the form following the instructions in a way that won’t get scoffed at by O-5s and O-6s who are really smart at sniffing out BS. If they want you to have more hours before TPS they will put you in the later Alpha class as opposed to the earlier Bravo class. This works out to 16-18 months from when you hit send until showing up at Edwards to rack up more hours. Also, if you have GRE scores and DLAB scores put them on the form and check all the boxes associated with them. You might just get a good deal, and it looks better (more motivated) than white space and empty boxes.

A Master's in Engineering makes you more competitive at the board, but it is not a requirement. A letter of recommendation from a TPS graduate (or 2) probably has more weight for pilots quite honestly. Plus you get a Master's of Science in Flight Test Engineering for going through the course. The only thing a Master's in Engineering opens up for you is if you want to get selected for the TPS PhD program after TPS. In my class about 1/2 of the pilots had an Engineering Masters, 1/3 had non-Engineering Master's degrees (ERAU, MBA, etc.), and some had no Master's degree prior to TPS. Plus there is an AFIT TPS option. Take the GRE and get a Letter of Academic Eligibility from AFIT for their Aero or Electrical Engineering Masters program then apply for TPS with the AFIT box checked on the application. As far as how to get a letter of recommendation from a TPS grad. Find out who the TPS grads are that are working DT on your airframe, get in touch with them, and convince them you are they guy or gal they want to work with. Figuring out a permissive TDY out to Edwards or just straight up taking leave to go there on your own to check it out sends a pretty strong message. Plus you will realize where you are signing up to live for possibly the bulk of your active duty career going forward. The flight line is like an airshow everyday especially when TPS has qual eval aircraft in town, but it is a very remote place to live for people that like urban amenities...like a drive through Starbucks, fully stocked liquor store, or gym that isn't as old (or older) than all the bombers on the flight line. If you want to do an online MS go for it. It certainly won't hurt you. One of my classmates did the CSU program that was mentioned, and I know at least 3 TPS grads that did the MS Program from the University of Alabama. https://catalog.ua.edu/graduate/engineering/aerospace-mechanics/ms/

Man this thread has aged terribly... now back to digging again because the search function isn’t finding what I am looking for.

https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bahCalc.cfm Hooray an extra three fiddy a month. (DC Area)

So I have been in touch with Trident 3 different times. The first time we ended up not making the discussed purchase working with Marty. The second time was Spring 2019 for a Jumbo VA loan in an expensive area. Jon got us a very good rate and the process overall was very smooth. Then just now we did a refinance for a better rate, and we signed the paperwork on Monday despite the current craziness. Competitive Rates √ Good Customer Service √

Here is an example of a heavy to fighter guy that seemed to do well enough for himself. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/611899/brigadier-general-daniel-j-orcutt/

It is the announcement for the Rated Active Duty selection boards.

SO=significant other NOT Sensor Operator Sorry if that ruins anyones Valentines Day plans.

PSDM 20-18 just hit MyPers. Go to https://mypers.af.mil/app/answers/detail/a_id/45850 from a cac enabled computer. Application Suspense: 29 July 2020

So the announcement came out on Tuesday. I got the signed paperwork turned in the same day, because my UPT ADSC expired already and I have another ADSC that is 7.5 years long for just starting a PhD program. So I was all about signing up for free money. The email said give DFAS 6-8 weeks, but I had the money deposited on Friday. They withheld 22% FYSA. YMMV

Really? Because being a Wg/CCE when you meets your majors board should set you up for life no matter how bad you eff things up after that? As opposed to an IP who was busting his butt doing the JOB and teaching guys how to do the JOB, while probably being a flt/cc or shop chief. When both are in the same year group. In the old paradigm the WG/CCE is bullet proof and the IP is now a second class citizen behind the power curve because no one was pushing him for anything past promotion to Major. At least now more guys should have a shot...depending on how this gets managed.

There is always a list. And there probably always will be, but when you publish the list for the world to see it triggers problematic behaviors. Which in turn crush morale right as dudes are getting to the end of their UPT commitments. At least now commanders have more control, and it will be easier to scratch a name off or add another name from a late bloomer. That said I will be very curious to see how this plays out at bases like Nellis, Edwards, Eglin, and among the cyber operators where you have a higher percentage of top performers than most wings. It will either be a boom or bust for them.

Mike is a legit brain and able to call a spade a spade in public journal forums better than anyone I know. That said I just wished he had pulled the tanker/airlift bros into the fray with the representation they deserve.

HitMe was a solid dude. Or at least he seemed that way when he was the wing cc at Vance. The fact he and his vice both made general prove that sometimes the AF gets it right.

Check the course discussion board in the lesson. There is a lot of good advice to be had. The ILAs and exercises in the last two self paced courses will anger you to no end.

Why the odds are stacked in our favor?

All good things.

https://www.tehachapinews.com/news/edwards-air-force-base-pilot-dies-in-san-antonio-crash/article_bd4f2c2c-e423-11e6-aad2-0bf8c6e8a090.html To SWAB

Maybe if General Chang and his cronies realized the people they are treating like dirt have a skill set that earns them as much as a VP of Human Resources for a major company on the open market and that they can't just change dollar amounts to solve the problem. https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/vice-president-human-resources-salary-SRCH_KO0,30.htm If the AF tried to compete by seeking to compensate with job satisfaction and Quality/Control of Life they could manage these problems in a few years. Until that paradigm shift happens no amount of congress approved money to pay pilots will fix the impending crisis.

January's increment is 261.

FWIW: Every UPT direct to RPA got a spin up course in either the T-1 or T-38 then were sent to the FTU for their follow on aircraft. For the first few this was close to around the 4 year point getting closer to the 3 year point towards the end. Those who chose to stay RPAs went to the RQ-170, WIC, or TPS for the most part. The guys I would be worried for are the guys that got AMC assignments out of UPT then quick turned into RPAs. As far as I know they are stuck because they already had a manned AC assignment regardless of how brief it was.

Chang records a cost savings on his spreadsheet with a smile on his face.

You implying he could go there to fly the 586ths C-12 and T-38s (perhaps both) on test missions? Or he could be there for the F-16 FTU?

This is accurate. I think you may see SOME 07 guys get kicked in the junk though. That said the result may have been the same for them had they been AMC guys the whole time. If so at least they will be set up for the airlines and able to get out sooner than the guys who get promoted.