dream big

That tends to happen when you only have one engine.

Idk man, money? Some of us also enjoy flying ;). I can see how a separated Air Force guy would kill to work that little and spend time with family- but flying only twice in 90 days and most of that probably only on the bunk? Sounds boring. Different folks for different strokes though!

What he said, you'll drive yourself mad. I will say this : every assignment is what you make of it. Know very few of my bros flying manned aircraft that don't love their job, myself included. I was pissed when I didn't get pointy noses but now I absolutely love being a low and dirty herc driver. I would kill to go back to the time to "learn to fly, drink beer and chase tail," fun times in Enoidville.

Didn't congress tell the Air Force a hard no to the A-10?! Besides the McCain McSally/Arizona bloc of congress is strong.

Very true, but at the end of the day, isn't that the case for any business? It's economics, a business wants to maximize profits, one variable to doing that is minimizing costs which paychecks are a part of. Just like employees seek to do the minimum amount of work for maximum pay. Not defending pressures for lower pay, just saying it's economics. On the other hand, I'm personally convinced that there are factions in the Air Force that enjoy screwing pilots/officers. Whether it was a former squadron commander who got all jolly when he talked about how it was his job to QC the Air Force by giving out reprisal paperwork, whether it was that piece of work Celusta (old SOS commandant and LR AETC wing king) who told pilots to stop complaining and bragging about how he would end the careers of pilots that didn't want to play the game, or the lovely finance shop that would have their doors closed for lunch when I could hear them behind laughing at me when I was asking for help after being 3 months behind on a $10K travel voucher. Best advice I heard about an Air Force career: "The Air Force is your second wife and you are in a disfunctional marriage. Eventually you guys will get a divorce- best do it in your terms because she will screw you all the way to the bank." At least in the Airlines, there are features such as Unions, contracts (not the fake ones that the Air Force never follows,) and the ability to quit and have control over your life. But what do I know, just another whiney entitled zipper suited sun god that just wants to fly planes and hack the mission.

Even if 20 year retirement-> going to the airlines vs. getting out at 10 and going immediately was break even in terms of income, it completely ignores all the other stuff we love to gripe (rightfully so) on this forum. I'd take a paycut today to escape most of the AF BS and just focus on flying (which includes doing the necessary jobs (scheduling, training, tactics, instructing etc.) to run a flying squadron.

I'm in my early 30s, if you are in somewhat decent shape it's easy to pass. Getting a 90 (what I shoot for so I don't have to take it in a year) takes some effort due to the run and giving up beer a few weeks before but doable. I can't run an 8 minute mile and a half anymore and I prefer to focus on lifting weights which is arguably a much better workout then being able to run. Airmen in their early 20s have zero excuse to fail it! I find it pathetic that guys have to bring their colleagues to "cheer them on", for f**** sake this is why the marines and army shit on us. That being said, I think we put way too much focus on the PT test. As long as guys are passing commanders should focus on other things, like taking care of their people and making sure the mission is getting done. Morale runs?! I'm not taking part in your flamboyant fun run.

Guys on active duty (at the 10 year point mind you) are completely clueless about the opportunities to continue their service in the guard/reserves, mil leave and still flying for the airlines. When I became aware of all of that my decision matrix to leave active duty went out the window, it was a no brainer. Wait, I can do the same job, part time, still potentially work towards retirement with a quarter of the bullshit, oh and STILL fly for the airlines and make 3x what I do now, AND live where I want!? Why anyone would stay on active duty is beyond me. The fact that these opportunities stay under wraps speaks to the skill of various commanders in protecting the company (sarcasm.)

Every year you stay in the Air Force is a year people are giving up in seniority, which equates to millions of dollars on the back end of an airline career.

Do you provide anything of value on here, or anywhere for that matter? What is your issue? Wife ran out on you and alimony payments taking their toll?

Exactly, I've been bringing this up for months any time this discussion comes up. Same job, same beans, same freaking deployments, still serving the country and achieving national security objectives. When the shooting starts you activate the units. Problem is...looks like they are having parallel similar retention issues.

My 2nd or 3rd landing in the thing: came in several knots hot over the threshold in gusty winds, pulled power, the gear slammed on the pavement right at touchdown speed...my IP says: "well that's one way to kill energy...". Several years later, doing assaults in the 130 and little has changed.

Getting passed over and getting to focus on flying/instructing/developing wingmen (not the catch all Air Force term) & copilots is a silver lining....IF you actually get to do that. I've seen so many passed over guys shoved into a cubicle on wing staff flying once a month (instructors). Their next door neighbors, the wing execs, are weapons officers. Wtf are we doing..

Aren't SRs by reg supposed to sit down with you and give you feedback, or maybe I'm thinking of the actual PRF itself? As for actively screwing, a former commander I had the privilege to exec for would brag about how he will screw over people's careers if they don't fit his mold of leadership. If there is karma he will be a known entity to said folks at Delta/United/AA when he goes in for his interview, if he makes it that far. Conversely, another former commander would sit every officer down after every OPR, PRF and wouldn't hesitate to tell a guy he was #5/10/20 out of 20 and what they can do to fix it in the next year.

Does this mean Qatari customs dolts will be bigger a-holes? I personally know of several aircrew to be permanently banned from country: one for having a can of dip, one for having a funny moustsche drawn on his CAC, and one for "making a funny face" at a customs dude. The Deid is reason 847 why guys are bailing left and right. F that place and F the Qataris.

Standard ops for a certain airlift squadron Far East that frequents the beaches of Pattaya, minus the drugs. At least they weren't lady boys and no one got killed.....

Just say thank you, my pleasure? That's what I do. Some people genuinely mean it, and I don't try to dissect a basic compliment into the deeper meanings, that's what liberals do.

Absolutely: Technical v. Leadership track. The schism won't happen till your major's board much like one is selected for school. Up until then, primary duty as a rated officer is progression in the jet. Those selected for the leadership track can be "groomed" as necessary. Technical track doesn't need to just fly, they can be the ADOs, DOs, WICans, the crusty experienced instructors. They'll perhaps top out at Lt Col. There will inevitably be some issues with this..for instance I can say with certainty much less than 15-20% of us probable "selects" would even want to be on a leadership track. But is it much different than how we do things now in terms of "leadership"? Formalizing a technical track would mitigate some of the retention issues and keep the experience in the squadrons so we aren't sending young and inexperienced guys out on night one...IMHO

Dude don't even get me started. If I ever have to deal with comm and falcon view on the same day again I may jump out the window

C-130s: They are shoved in a hole at wing staff or HHQ staff, their experience and knowledge going to waste, while the only IPs/EPs in the squadron are also Flight Commanders, mission commanders and tasked so heavily with non flying related queep that they maybe actually instruct once or twice a month.

But was he/she a wing exec!? UFB

Oh holy hell. Little Rock AFB's morale is still recovering from this piece of work. He is everything that was toxic in the AF. I remember IPs were terrified of air dropping because a bad bomb board would be preceded with a trip to ole Rhat

Ah but I'm sure his records were pristine, that's apparently what matters. I wonder why they don't incorporate a boarded interview for promotions (at least Lt Col and above.). Not saying the toxic wouldn't slip through the cracks but maybe then you could get a "whole" person view of the officer?

Apparently this was a blood path for rated eligibles in many bases...wtf. Is this some big conspiracy to force people out who might have stayed thus fluffing their arguement for stop loss?!

I hope you are wrong, my stomach cringed with anger every time a mishap happened during the period of sharply increased mishaps during 2013/sequestration.