Tommy

I enjoy flying the KC-135. I like how it is a real airplane that is somewhat challenging to fly and land. The TDYs are usually pretty fun. If you are dragging fighters they need extended crew rest so guess what you get extended crew rest. The other TDYs are often in decent locations for a few days or weeks which is nice with decent ops tempos. Deployments can be tiring but they aren’t too bad and you can build a bunch of time. Negatives are the plane doesn’t have AC on the ground... but we often get AC carts at deployed locations. And from what I’ve read (and I believe it) the airplane literally has more checklist steps to get the airplane off the ground than any other airplane ever made.

I also loved how the Deid never seemed to have enough air conditioners for the KC-135s. Please tell me that’s changed.

Has anyone thought about elevating this to their congressman or senator. If they want to deny it then deny it but making you wait til last minute is ridiculous. Perhaps it’s time someone tries elevating this.

Yeah my ISR was/is pretty useless. Definitely recommend spending 10 minutes looking at AFI 36-3205 and searching Palace Chase on MyPers. MyPers has a document that provides more info on how paperwork is routed, etc. For the twice passed over types I also found out that the Reserves currently don’t require twice passed over waivers ie it’s basically blanket approval. Good luck everyone. PS- If anyone knows anyone who has denied continuation please PM me as I’d love to get some advice.

Anyone out there Palace Front after getting passed over twice for Lt Col ? Looking for advice... When should I start the process to get medically approved to separate? When should I start coordinating a waiver for getting twice passed over? I don’t want to do it after I get passed over and then try and seven day opt and then not get the waiver approved. Any other Limfacs that I’m missing? I’m trying to make the transition as smooth as possible. Feel free to PM me. Thanks

Anyone out there who took the bonus try to Palace Chase? And if so did it get approved? Any details/lessons learned would be awesome.

Yeah I figured it was a long shot. Thanks guys.

I may have the option to do a non-flying guard job part time (DSG) and a part-time flying reserve job and just wondering if anyone out there is doing both or if it’s an option. And if it’s an option are there any limfacs or issues with doing both. Thanks!

Anybody successfully PC with an ADSC for the pilot bonus? I took it to 20 but got passed over for Lt Col and thinking about getting out this summer/fall. I also have an ADSC for my PCS around 1 Oct. So I was thinking about asking for a couple months early ie around 1 July. Any chance that would get approved and what are the repurcussians of getting denied ie would I be able to resubmit in time for the 1 Oct date or should I just ask for 1 Oct when my ADSC for my PCS ends. The other option is to just wait to deny continuation when I get passed over again this summer but I’d rather work it from both ends so to speak. Also anyone know if a PC gets approved for a certain date can you slip it to the right or turn it off if needed.

I was sent a memo from my AO last week stating 45 days is good for 5 years. If you or anyone else has a memo stating otherwise could you post it.

An update for those who read this and in a similar situation. My MEB paperwork came back already and I will be medical coded to require reliable electricity due to sleep apnea and they flight docs are working a waiver to return me to fly. I spoke to a guard unit recruiter and they sent me paperwork for me to sign that will release my medical records to their flight docs who will review my medical records, waivers etc and will make a determination if they will take me or not. I’ll keep everyone posted on what they say. I do know a friend who coded to not be able to deploy at all and tried to get into a UPT reserve unit who was denied due to not being able to deploy.

That won’t be a problem.

Well I don’t think I’ll be discharged from AD (fingers crossed) But was diagnosed with sleep apnea and they are doing an MEB Which i heard was standard practice for flyers. This is just what I’ve been told. With that said I’m thinking about going guard/reserves and deny continuation to 20 in AD but don’t want to find out afterwards that the guard/reserve won’t take me. Any help is appreciated.

Currently AD and diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and considering going guard/reserve. Going through an MEB which I was told wouldn’t be an issue for me to “pass”. Would a Sleep Apnea diagnosis or a disability rating associated with it (if there is one) prevent me from going guard/reserve? Considering not taking continuation to 20 but don’t want to find myself not in AD and not be able to go guard/reserve.

I’m a MAF guy and my goal is to get an AD retirement at this point and just looking for opinions on what I should do. Have a few questions as well if you have time Does getting passed over twice for Lt Col affect me geting in the guard/reserves? Is it easier to get an AGR position in the guard or reserves, or at certain bases, etc? Is it worth the hassle to rush a unit, trough/bum, then be an ART with the hopes of getting an AGR position or should I just stay AD and ride out the next 5 years Anyone know anyone who got out after being passed over twice and regret it and/or wasn’t able to get a 20 year retirement that wanted it. Thanks!

MyPers says CY18 LT COL (LAF) results will be publicly released on 10 Oct at 0900 CDT. Wish everyone the best of luck.

Heavens forbid there’s a good deal in the AD Air Force for IPs who have put in 15 plus years deploying or living at crappy UPT bases. I spent time as a PIT IP and when I was teaching PIT all the IPs had a ton of experience and were professionals who really cared about the students, regardless if they were passed over or ROAD. I learned a ton from them and haven’t worked with a better group of pilots since. I can’t imagine UPT bases creating a better IP. I’m sure there are some pros of turning PIT into UPT... but I think the cons out weigh the pros. When I was at PIT we proficiency advanced guys/gals appropriately, the students had time to focus on studying ie didn’t have another job in the sq, and when I was going through TI at my UPT base it took FOR..EV....ERRR because the students were behind the timeline and they had priority. You can try and make sure those things don’t happen if you get rid of PIT BUT all it takes is one IP getting sent to the wing or group before they are done with TI to make it the new norm. Or for student lines to take precedence over TI/IP Qual lines and before you know it all the “efficiencies” are lost. Also if this does happen who’s gonna have teaching this new TI/IP Qual program? I sure hope it’s the Sq’s best and brightest. You dont want some new-ish IP acting like a student and kill the crew. I say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Or worse guard folks who want to keep the AD folks down.

Haha. I argue Day Man and herkbum work for congress and are trying to keep aviation continuation pay low.

Here’s my 2 cents... during exit surveys and during talks with the CSAF (saw this with my very own eyes), pilots who get out/want to get out state that extra pay wouldn’t have changed their mind and that it’s about QoL. With that said I’m not sure if money not being a factor really is completely true. First the exit interview I saw back in 2016 asked if an extra $10k/yr would have changed your mind on a scale of 1-10 ie 35k/yr. They never asked if a $50k/yr or 100k/yr bonus would have changed their mind. But even if they asked the question I believe the data would be skewed as i believe it’s human nature especially for most pilots to say this is the decision I made and I’m not gonna change my mind based on a survey question. They say to themselves I invested time, money, and energy prepping for interviews, getting my ATP, etc and I wouldn’t have changed my mind for anything in the world. This is their new goal and path and nothing’s gonna change my mind. Just human nature. IMO people see the bonuses offered a year or two a head of time and start making a decision to pursue the airline option and by the time the bonus comes out they are pretty well invested in their new path. So to break the cycle they need to put out a substantial bonus to increase retention and WAIT 3 years. But senators and USAF leadership also have made up their mind based on poorly made surveys that money won’t help and just like the pilots who get out and say it’s not about the money they are firm in their convictions. The other issue I see is that in the heavy community QoL equals a slower ops tempo. Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t see the CSAF specifically mentioned to Congress/Senate that we must reduce ops tempo. So if extra money and lower ops tempo are off the table. What’s left qeep? I can’t see retention increasing until airlines slow down hiring. But even if we have a recession, mandatory retirements will be happening. So all the USAF has left is increasing pilot production, try to recall to AD, stop loss (hopefully off the table), pray for a massive recession and reduce qeep. As more and more people get out, if I were them I’d try a $70/yr bonus and see what happens before it’s too late... if it’s not too late already.

Stitch, I'd have him check out the following site. For a married O-2 at Vance AFB the annual salary showed like $55K without flight pay. https://militarypay.defense.gov/Calculators/RMC-Calculator/ And for reference at 12 years in as a major with flight pay you make about $120K. Often at that point you're either paid to leave or offered a bonus which is currently around $25K to $35K a year to stay in which can vary from around 5 to 9 years depending the Air Force's needs.

I took the 9 year bonus to 20.5 years. So far the AF has treated me better than most. Seen some cool things and been stationed at some cool locations and flew the first 13 years and now in a pretty good staff gig. I guess time will tell how the next 6 years will be. Worst case or maybe best case I get passed over for O-5 and get out and go to the guard/reserves and get an airline gig. In the meantime I don’t mind making $150,000 a year plus retirement if I stay in to 20.

JPIG, if you know a lot of 12Rs that you trust you could all agree to not take the bonus early. Doing so may even cause the AF to raise the bonus for your career field. Knowledge is power.