MooseAg03

Let's hope they aren't that smart. At my base they could just PCA a few folks around and be good to go. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm sure the hang up is them digging into who is currently where doing what job. I knew it was too good to believe they would only take into account core AFSC. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've heard that in my squadron as well. Has everyone checked for any DOS updates today? Nothing has changed so far on any of my stuff. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Let's hope what he's hearing is correct and some of us will receive the good news over the next few days. I can't take too many more days of anticipation and frustration of not hearing anything.

Nothing here yet... Doesn't the FY15 PSDM say the pre-selection brief should have been sent out today to those eligible? Also, I believe we are a few days behind on the weekly Pulse on Force Management. Maybe that means they are too busy processing our VSP applications, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Except I will have a senior in high school next year and cannot separate in December. This timetable was perfect for my family. I was hoping to aim to be RIFed if this VSP didn't work out, but I'm afraid they'll hit their numbers before then. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How do they expect us to separate by 30 Sep with ~90 days or less notice? AFPC needs to get this shit done and notifications sent yesterday. This delay is unacceptable.

I've got to say, I've tried to be patient through the 2+ month delay from when we first should have gotten a response, but this day to day waiting is driving me crazy. I hope I'm not the only one constantly checking DOS in every possible location on vMPF, AMS, PRDA and wherever else it's listed. Give us an answer already!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm guessing 11R? If you've been following the force shaping fiasco since it started in Dec of '13, the RRF requirement shouldn't surprise you. Everyone who is in an overage AFSC and year group meeting the RIF board will have to do one. There are a lot of us on this board who showed our cards back in February expecting a quick answer to VSP (applications "processed in batches approximately every 30 days") before the RIF which was swiftly postponed until Oct. To answer your question, yes they really need the stuff. New VSP window opens 22 May, check out the FY15 RIF PSDM on myPers.

So it's Friday, anyone have odds on whether we hear anything at all today? "We find it's always better to fire people on a Friday. Studies have statistically shown that there's less chance of an incident if you do it at the end of the week."

Question for the recent successful Palace Chasers, did your squadron and wing CCs recommend approval or disapproval? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These numbers include the cuts currently underway. FY14 end strength requested was 327,600. They said during the strategic pause that the previous cut of 25k would be more like 15k due to budget changes. 327,600-16,700 = 310,900 for next year. I'm not sure with PC apps, TERA, and VSP but there may not be many left to separate under another round of force shaping, but who knows. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There's your reason for the months long delay in releasing VSP answers. They were betting on people losing faith in VSP for early separation and going the Palace Chase route instead. I don't know about you guys, but I've never seen someone get PC approval in less than a month especially with 4.5 years of UPT ADSC remaining.

I agree completely, and not only for VSP status but some of us probably have guard/reserve applications that we are working on and I'm waiting on decs and duty history updates before I print a records review rip to submit. Why can't they just do it all at once instead of taking it down for a full day every single week?

I think they will use the dart board method, what you describe seems far too complicated for AFPC to ever figure out.

I'm betting on seeing my AFSC and year group listed on the upcoming RIF matrix, and probably the next day I'll receive my VSP denial.

There's our next group of RPA pilots. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, this is the one thing I was waiting on to kill the rest of my hope. There's no way guys like me are going to be let go with 18X stink on us. The manning in my squadron is only getting worse as this year progresses, and I was hoping to get out of jail and avoid the upcoming ass-pain. There's not much of an influx of new RPA pilots (at least for us for the next 6 months), they've already gutted 11Ms to send to RPAs/Staff/MC-12 and want others to VSP/TERA, and the 11Fs are all desperately needed either back in the F-16 or to backfill T-38 slots due to the same issue. Bravo.

Nobody knows if these numbers include applications already 'processed' but not notified or what. There may still be hope that you receive a nod and maybe they just updated the matrix to reflect what they have already approved. Last week it sounded like they had quite a few approvals who were still not notified. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It makes a lot of sense to have another VSP window open from 22 May to 30 June then. It says the second window is specifically for those who previously had unwaiverable ADSCs or were deployed. Maybe their 300 number is correct and they're enticing more people from 04-08 year groups to apply to hit the required numbers.

That's what it seems like to me. I just can't figure why they would eliminate higher numbers from the more experienced guys in their pilot force. You'd think they would want to match the overages they identified to keep from gutting the experience level. Either way, I hear they are hurting for T-6 IPs and now they may create a shortage in the 11M world. It may mean good news for RPA guys like me trying to make it back into an airplane if VSP doesn't work out. But I'm sure big blue will find a way to crush my dreams. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's all relative, top out Capt pay at AirTran was $174/hr and at Southwest it is $216/hr. That pilot had the potential to gain a 24% increase in pay, unless that drop in seniority pushed him/her back to the right seat. Sure the QOL probably dropped with the loss of seniority but the increased future earning potential cannot be denied. The benefit was even greater for those lower in AirTran's pilot pool with more years available at higher pay, sure the top guy on any seniority list is going to resist any changes that take away that advantage, but you have to look at what it did for the remainder of the group as well.

I would be worried about that too, except for the last sentence on Note 3 "This note does not apply to officers approved for VSP or TERA." That tells me VSP/TERA still keep their benefits. It looks like to me they are referring to the LADSC Waiver program. I think PSDM 13-130 was rescinded on 14 Feb, because I submitted my VSP app on 13 Feb and was pissed when the rules and timeline changed the next day.

For the rest of us out there, what is your Short Tour Return Date? That way we can estimate how vulnerable the rest of us are.

Go guard. Use some of that $100k to fly some and get your PPL, keep applying to guard units. If you go active duty, you'll have a blast in pilot training then you'll wind up stuck in a GCS for 8 years of your 10 year commitment like me and so many others. If I had a civilian job that paid that well, there's no way in hell I'd even be considering active duty AF. Guard all the way. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk