Snuggie

With two big caveats: 1. If we can get it manufactured and distributed quickly. 2. If we can get people to take it. I'm pretty confident on the first point but not so much on the second. There should have been national education campaign this summer to explain to the American people how we know the vaccine is safe and effective. I've done an informal survey of my coworkers and maybe 50% are willing to get the first round of vaccines. If those two things happen I bet things get back to normal pretty quick. COVID has proven that Zoom can't replace all business meetings and people really miss traveling. I feel terrible for all of my UPT classmates that had training dates at the majors lined up then got COVID'ed and hope it gets back to normal quickly.

This checks with what I have seen. I've learned that hospitals will typically run 80-90% full in November and December due to people taking care of issues (i.e. surgeries) before their deductible resets. But a bunch of knee replacements is a different patient population than a bunch of COVID positive patients. The hospital I work at has a solid surge plan, and contingencies on top of contingencies, but if individuals don't change their behaviors we will be overrun. Much like AF leadership assuming there will be a pilot in the seat when needed, the public assumes there will be a bed for them if they get sick. It's true right this minute but it's might not be true in a few weeks.

I'm going to do it. After I left AD earlier this year I started working at a hospital and have been involved in COVID surge planning since the beginning. I would have been hesitant to get it if only political leaders gave it a thumbs up but with multiple sets of experts giving the go ahead getting it I feel ok about it. I expect my health system to receive one of the first rounds of the vaccine and my family will be authorized to get it then. I'm with @ThreeHoler in wanting to reduce my risk to COVID. Though the death rate for 35 year old healthy-ish men is low the randomness of the long term impacts and deaths concern me. 538, through their Podcast "PODCAST-19", did a great job explaining what we know about long COVID. Basically 20% of people who got SARS in 2013 still weren't at 100% two years later. We don't know if the same will hold for COVID but I really don't want to personally find out. My family has also canceled Thanksgiving. We moved across the country post AD to be closer to family but with my in-laws comorbidities and age if one of us has COVID they will probably catch it and die. It doesn't help that in Nebraska right now if you put 10 people in a room there is a 40% chance somebody has an active case of COVID. I feel comfortable managing risk but this juice doesn't seem worth the squeeze.

Realtor here! My wife runs a real estate business in Las Vegas and Omaha and I have my license in both locations to help (I have another separate non-flying full time job). It's a hard job to do well but if you find your niche you can make bank. My wife out earned me as a flying O-4 last year and is on track to do even better this year. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about real estate as there is a lot to consider if you decide to go that way.

We ended up buying a used Peloton early in the lockdown for my wife. Though in the last few months I have been the primary user. It's a premium product at a premium price but I have had no issues with the bike. If you want to go cheaper do what @Magnum did and buy a cheaper bike and use the app with it. The Peloton app also has other workouts that your family might like.

@AnotherPenguin I completely understand where you are coming from. I was non-vul'ed to RPAs twice, once after UPT and the other time after 1.5 years in the C-130J. My performance in the jet played a role in the non-vuls, but it was still a gut punch, especially the second time. The worst part was the 6 months between finding out about the assignment and the PCS where I knew I had no future in the manned community. But I have enjoyed my time in the RPAs. My satisfaction of the RPA mission is so much higher than it was in the C-130J, though I miss the traveling. The ISIS fight was dynamic and challenging and I loved it. As for your dad I'm also a 2nd generation AF pilot, my dad flew fighters his entire career. He celebrates what we accomplish in the RPAs, and doesn't think less of me because my manned time was so short. As for your dad I would send him some of the videos Creech PA puts out. They have done a great job the last few years showing what RPAs are doing right now overseas. I would be happy to talk more over PM about my experience.

I have a somewhat similar story that I told pages ago in this thread. I wish I would have been mentored/sought out help early in my career to learn the OPR code/path to a DP and make adjustments before it was too late. I made the decision to leave AD and go guard when it became obvious that what the AF wants me to do and what I want to do are different. I hope the new O-5 board works for others but I doubt it would have produced a different result for me.

This thread was very helpful as I prepped for my interview. My background; I'm a qualified IP in the unit's MWS and I applied for a part time position. The questions I remembered are below. Was told specifically not to report in (and that they would make fun of me for it if I did). For the interview it was the SQ/CC, DO, an ADO, Supt, another enlisted leader and another pilot. It was a quick interview and somewhat informal. -Why this unit/location? How did you hear about the unit? -Why you? -What are you plans for work? -How often do you think you will be able to fly with us? -They asked for the story of my call sign. -What airplanes are on the sticks outside the gate? There were 5 and I only knew one.

Had my OG/CC tell me a version of that when I told him my stay/go decision criteria. I was willing to be convinced to stay in but I knew if I signed on for one more assignment I was signing up for 3 moves and a 365. I just couldn't put my family through that.

I was told by my base education office years ago that I would incur additional ADSC every time I transferred the post 9/11 GI bill. I now know that was false but that prevented me from transferring it when I could prevent myself from having an ADSC past my UPT one. Break break Question for the group, if join the guard/reserves post AD can I transfer the benefit to my kid and take the ADSC in the guard? I’ve asked a guard recruiter about that and they said I could. But I am understandably paranoid after getting bad info in the past.

Search didn’t pull anything up so mods please delete if this has been covered previously. I’m a AD pilot starting to apply for ANG flying opportunities. One of the units I’m applying to ask for a cover letter. Besides highlighting my AD experience and my ties to the local area is there something else I should include? I realize this is a small part of the whole process but I don’t want to make an unforced error.

Realtor, though it can be tough to do on a shift schedule. There is a significant portion of real estate paperwork that is time sensitive (ideally completed within a few hours of starting) that doesn’t always jive with 8ish hours on the line.

I am very curious to find out what happens to you as I will be in the same situation in a few years. I made O4 as a 1 APZ and my last 3 OPRs are far superior to my first 6. But if LT/early Captain are all that matters I should bounce and not play the game.

I’m weary of a fully cash based system for healthcare, even if doctors provide their prices upfront. Vets are almost all cash based and prices are competitive. But if the cost is too high, or the suffering is too great, I can put the dog down. That isn’t something I would do for my kid or my wife. So people expect to do whatever it takes to keep their family members alive and healthy. I don’t know what will solve this problem; personally I think Medicare for all would be the solution for most people, but it would not be without cost. Of course a portion of expensive health problems can be solved by reducing obesity but that opens up a whole different can of worms, since it is a problem across every demographic in the US. I don’t want the government or google tracking my weight and denying healthcare if I don’t get my steps in.

I also found out yesterday. I’m a 1APZ and I made it. So far all the APZs I’ve talked to have made it. I wonder of guys that were passed over again if there are any that didn’t have a QFI or asked not to be promoted.

My wing is going to announce on Monday. I have heard of at least one APZ that got told he made it already.

I’m waiting for the “it was 100% promotion opportunity for everybody but....”. The question will be if it’s only for guys with QFIs or if they also looked at above the zone/in the zone guys.

This is what I don't get. If you are going to do that why only have commanders submit PRFs for people with derogatory information? And what qualifications are they using to count somebody as a promote/ what is their cut line? At least when I read the announcement months ago I thought the board would only look at those with a submitted PRF, which should have taken two days tops.

I remember when AIP went away the first time at Creech. Leadership's line was that we built a dining hall, you have a gas station and gym, so you don't need it anymore. And by the way it will save the AF a million dollars a month by stopping it. I don't think the extra $400 a month is going to change my stay/go calculation but I'll take the money.

'08 guy, found out I was passed over yesterday. No UIF or other bad paperwork but a mediocre record (no strats/awards). I wasn't surprised but I had hoped the AF's stated need for RPA pilots would push me over the line.

An article on the AF portal has been updated with the O-4 board public release date: 18 July. The AFPC website has not been updated as of an hour ago. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

The first few of the last round of UPT directs were in the last majors board. The ones I am aware of made it. For the 07 board that is about to be released most of the guys were at least a Aircraft Commander in their manned follow on. But it will be interesting to see how many of them make it and the reasoning for those who are passed over. If your goal is to make O-4, staying in RPAs would be a safe bet. You should be an IP and could have a clearer path at getting into certain programs (Weapons School) than as a 2nd assignment manned guy. But staying in something you hate to make O-4 isn't worth it.

If you want a MPA I would suggest University of Nebraska Omaha. Very military friendly (without the student body being 100% military box checkers), a wide variety of degree concentrations, and from a real school. It's over TA but only not widely so. The University of North Carolina also has a highly ranked MPA degree program but they are live streamed classes done in the evenings and it is very expensive. With my schedule it wouldn't have worked but could be an option if you have a normal M-F job and want a legit degree.

I am but I haven't asked any ATP places yet. From what the FAA told me they will have to fill out the paper application as the electronic one will kick back an error. I will try to contact the guy who I am planning on using to see if he has any issues with it.

Is there anybody here who has applied for and/or has been selected for the White House Fellowship program? I am looking for a little more gouge then what the AF application and the website have about the program; and to see if I even have a shot when the application window comes around next summer. Thanks in advance.