FLEA

Well at least the curfew is gone now. You got that going.

All call by our 3-star yesterday mentioned that new promotion buckets would not change DP allocation. In other words SR's still get DPs based on total IPZ candidates and not based on "buckets." Furthermore, nothing to stop a SR from giving all the DP's to one bucket.

Really needs to be a rule that if you can prove your recruiter lied to you or acted in poor faith to manipulate you into a decision you otherwise wouldn't make, your ADSC is waived. 1.) We don't want officers that don't want to be in. Officers need an exceptional amount of motivation to lead effectively. 2.) It betrays the very core values we try to instill. Stories like this are really frustrating to me. 2.6 GPA, via ROTC.

I wouldn't call Korea a bad deal though. It's got modern ammeneties, great access to overseas travel, and you can drink copious amounts of alcohol. To me it would be worth at least investigating the risk because even if you still pull a 365 to the desert you really didn't lose anything by going to Korea.

I dunno but I heard from a friend that only 1 DP was given to a rated guy at Holloman and the other 3-4 to outgoing supoort squadron commanders so the logic makes sense. Also, did anyone catch the one BTZ without a DP also didn't have IDE! Does that mean there is hope?

So I'm playing the NCS game at Osan right now and basically Brabus had it mostly correct. In general if you want to be safe with the law, just switch to dependent OHA. Otherwise, your dependents can not reside with you more than 90 days. Different commanders have interpreted the intent on this differently as far as whether just going to Japan for the weekend hacks the clock. In short Uncle Sam doesn't really want you collecting BAH in an area that you don't own a residence in. I don't know anyone recently disciplined for this but if you search Reddit it has definitely happened in the past. The SOFA status sometimes gets confused with residence rules and Non Command Sponsorship because without a SOFA visa your family also has to depart every 90 days. The good news is the ROK government doesn't give a shit if your family is CS or NCS. They will grant a SOFA visa either way which allows your dependents into Korea for as long as your orders run. Definitely do this because if you accidentally break 90 days you don't want persona non grata status on your spouse. It might make it difficult for them to visit other countries as well. Korean apartment associations are ammong the most pet friendly I've seen. In short, most all of them allow pets at no additional cost but you will be responsible for damages to the premises after you leave. No grass at Osan so your dog will need to learn to poop in the street. Please pick up after it. Uber ass pain to ride your bike through it. Off base care is available in Suwon which is about a 20 minute drive or 45 by train. The hospital has a foreign traveler ward which deals with Tricare and organizes care. You can still use the Emergency Room on base in emergencies. If you have children that are school aged that is going to be your biggest problem. DOD schools will not take NCS dependents. There are private British prep school options but they can be pricey. You cannot use Space A or the rotater to move your dependents here. You can use it to move them back if you plan it correctly. BX and Commissary privledges extended as normal. You can only register 1 vehicle on base. Don't show up with Use or Lose leave. Burn down to at least 50 days or so. I'll send you a PM with my .mil and I can give you a lot more info.

The biggest crock is that our strat system has become so convoluted and mystical that even with a solid #/## you still don't know where you are at. How are you 4/42 or top 20% in a board that promotes 60-70% and still now selected? It makes zero sense except that commanders have been gaming the strat system for so long that even they don't know how it works anymore.

Wow....

Just watch this one on prime with my wife. I vaguely remember this attack but it didn't get much media coverage in the west. Thought it was pretty good insight into how terrorism can just destroy the lives of innocent people. Also a good look at some of the best heroism in humanity.

Ahhhh the ol' "How many aileron rolls can you do across the MOA" challenge. What the happened to this generation. Now they just eat tide pods and put water filled condoms over our head.

This is true. In fact, I have a good friend who received a Q3 in his FEF on a check-ride. He was later selected for not one, but two "for-hire" flying squadrons afterwards. My guess is, you will have to learn how you can orate the learning value of this experience to future commanders/employers. The Q3 wasn't designed to be a career crusher tool and they tell you that when you make evaluator. I would think only a lazy commander would use it to make a prejudiced judgement on your future officer potential.

This is an interesting topic. I think we've all had that one student in an FTU, or even an MQT program that noone "really" wanted to fly with. There were certainly students I had, even in the droid, where I was "extra" alert on things like airspace, and CAS procedures. If you set the tone that every student generated mistake can lead to a Q3, then who is realistically going to fly with them? I guess the counter argument is, if you don't believe you can prevent a student from initiating a mishap, you aren't ready for your instructor qual. That said, we live in the era that every student who can breath for 50 weeks and not get a DUI can get pilot wings. So I only see this problem exasperating.

Don't forget to dust off your dive gear and get a rehack. If you don't dive, better start. It is seriously some of the best scuba diving in the world there and I've never seen such dirt cheap prices on equipment and certs as when I was at Kadena. Water is warm year round and visibility is amazing. If you've ever thought of starting the hobby I would recommend picki g it up while youre at Kadena. The dive shop at Torii Station is legit. Seriously jealous, I would love a PCS to Okinawa. Nothing like doing a full day of diving them cozying down for the night to a bowl of pork ramen. Nothing else like it.

This article is sort of bull shit because it really doesn't mean anything. Did the 4 star backpay 25 years of retirement? Did he receive a change in discharge? What came of this at all and why wasn't it reported 25 years ago? All this amounts to is a PR feel good story that the Army is trying to do something about sexual assault while at the same time not actually doing anything. Sounds like the aircrew crisis task force....

I actually really like that idea as well. Can we get General Chang as a guest AMA?

I found the info on the vMPF website. You will need a CAC to login. But the application form is under outproccessing actions similar to request to change RPNLD etc....

So been a while since I DITY'd, but you should still be able to use a private carrier. A private carrier will provide you a weight ticket and you will be reimbursed a flat rate based on weight and miles. Just tell the truck company that you will need a weight. The rental contract for a uhaul is only used to calculate tax liability. For example, if a Uhaul costs you $70, then $70 of your reimbursement is tax free. But you are not reimbursed $70. You are reimbursed a flat rate based on weight and mileage only. You can still provide both vehicle registrations if you drive your cars yourself. This is used to calculate vehicle mileage reimbursement, which is separate from the DITY move all together. Lastly, your family will get per diem separate from you if you are traveling on separate days. I know a few people that used PODS to do a DITY and said that while they came out a bit under for their circumstances, the experience wasn't bad. You save cost on a POD by packing it yourself. Then a moving company comes and picks it up, then stores it into a warehouse until you recall it. At that point they drop it off at your new home. I believe PODS even advertises military service on their site and they have a representative that can talk you through the best options to save money.

I believe there is an early return from overseas program. I believe the info is on vMPF. Your command sponsored dependents can return from an OCONUS tour to a follow-on CONUS base up to 4 months early and receive full benefits. I found this on accident the other day because I thought it applied to my case. Glad I read into it for a reason.

She was fired because she called people idiots and yelled at people on the phone? That just dashed my hopes of ever going further in my career.....

We all know it takes 15 years for the Air Force Indecision Cycle. Look at Light Attack Fighter. If we discuss the problem until it goes away we never have to solve it.

So an interesting discussion at work today was whether new promotion "buckets" will bring back second tier strats again. For example, a 30/100 CGOs looks a lot better now if you are also 1/30 Combat Support Officers. Now your actually telling the board on your PRF this person competes well against others he is boarded against. Thoughts?

I feel like stringing people along 2-3 years at a time would be a better strategy than the current lump sum. Right now they are only targeting people who are willing to go all in. If I had the chance to play assignment dice between each bonus I would probably stick around a bit longer. Who knows. I find most people are very hesitant though to sign another 9 year commitment after having already felt battered from the 10 year one they just got out of.

That's awesome. And sorry to hear about the storms. I grew up near Dayton and my parents took a good deal of damage as well. Hope you recover everything successfully.

Guys.... It's all part of the calculus. There is no "one" issue. People are leaving because the scales simply don't favor the Air Force's side. You add it all up and that's why people punch.

I would say my wife's inability to hold a career is probably the single biggest motivating factor to me getting out. Even financially, when you run the numbers, adding a meaningful income to anything you make in the military is going to out weigh any bonus offers, etc.... and then there is the whole effect on spouses mental health. The feeling that they lack contribution to society or identity. The fact that they are only known as "Capt So-and-so's Wife" instead of by their name. And the fact that the Military keeps trying to push this creepy 1950s family model that relegated them to the home when they are better educated than their peers.