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Thanks for the feedback. Here is the recruiting pitch of the Air Force: “Pursue your interests, find your strengths and elevate your skills while serving your country in the U.S. Air Force. We provide unparalleled career options, growth opportunities and challenges to set you up for success and bring out the greatest potential in every one of our Airmen.” -AF.com Here is the recruiting pitch for Air Force doctors: “When you become a doctor in the U.S. Air Force, you can care for your patients without the red tape of managing your own practice or dealing with insurance claims. Our doctors receive a top-notch education and serve around the world in their chosen profession.” -AF.com Recruiting pitch for Pilots: “We employ some of the most advanced aircraft in the world to complete our missions and defend our country. Utilizing extraordinary skill and precision, Air Force Pilots push each aircraft’s limits with complete control. While successfully completing their missions is paramount, their role as leaders and character models, training and commanding crews, is just as important. These skilled professionals deploy around the world to wherever there’s a need as fighters, trainers, bombers, advisers and more.” What??? Role as leaders? Why is employing a fighter aircraft in combat as a 4 ship flight lead is not seen as being a leader in the Air Force? The Core Values are an interesting part of this discussion. Who gets to choose what our core values are? Who writes those values? Does a pilot that gets out at 10 years get to write the core values? How about the squadron commander who only stays in for 20 years? Nope. The officer first who stays in to 40 years of service. Maybe. What year were the core values incorporated? Any idea? Core values were written in 1995 and formally published 2 years later in the “little blue book”. 1997 was an interesting year for the Air Force. Version 2 (or 3?) of the dear boss letter was written. A mass exodus of pilots was occurring. 1997 was the same year the UPT commitment was raised from 8 to 10 years. Why can’t we change? Because “yes men” get promoted. Its Doctrine: Air Force Doctrine on Service Before Self: “This value also demands each Airman keep “faith” in the system. This does not mean we may not question what we are doing or that we will blindly follow our leaders without a second thought. It means that we place our trust in the processes, procedures, and other Airmen to get the job done and in the right way”

Thank you for your constructive criticism. Until now, I have not considered the relationship between a passion for aviation and aerial combat effectiveness. I too am deeply concerned that we will not survive the next shooting war. Here are some more thoughts. I place a lot of value in retaining experienced pilots. Retention of experienced aviators is down and mishaps are up. Coincidence? Pilots with 10 years of experience are walking away from a bonus and retirement that is only 8 years away to start over with the airlines. What is the reason? I guess it doesn’t matter. I have a theory or two, but who cares. We aren’t retaining experience. In addition to being safer, I believe that a seasoned combat force is more lethal than an inexperienced force. There is probably an intelligence officer in Russia or China who is paying very close attention our experience level. The relationship of experience and mishaps and will likely be discussed and a potential adversary's intelligence analyst might advocate that our inexperienced fighting force should be exploited in some way. Those intelligence officers might comment on bonus take rates or whatever. But inexperience will probably be briefed. Quality of life is usually mentioned as a factor for pilots or officers or whatever choosing to leave Active Duty. I have heard Senior Leaders and SECAF talk about QOL improvement. I just haven’t seen those QOL improvement measures at my level. Experienced Pilots are walking. I talk to the pilots who leave. It’s not about the money. The threat of a 365 continues to be the most efficient force reduction tool the Air Force has. I like airplanes, that’s why I’m here. If being a warrant officer was the requirement to fly for the Air Force, I would be a warrant officer. I am mission focused. The most important thing I do for the country is flying a student training line at a UPT base. I won’t be able to change the Air Force. My record won’t promote. The wing exec will probably promote. He might be more lethal than me, but I doubt it. He is flying less than a third of the amount that I am. Consider the mission of Columbus AFB “Cultivate Airmen to be innovative leaders, Create the world's most advanced military Pilots, and Connect to each other, our families, and community.” The first sentence of the mission statement of a UPT base isn’t even about producing pilots. Creating a leader is their first priority. Is that wrong?

What’s wrong with the Air Force? Why can’t the Air Force change? I spent a lot of time soul searching this question: What is wrong with the Air Force? I spent countless hours wondering why the Air Force has a “pilot crisis”. I think about my fellow officers who separate at 11 to 12 years of service who are only 8-9 years away from retirement. Is active duty Air Force really that bad to prevent a pilot from continuing to retirement? Especially considering that pilot at the end of a UPT commitment is over half way there. Why can’t Air Force leadership change policy to snap us out of the rut we are in? I think I know the answer. Air Force has "Officers who happen to be Pilots" and "Pilots who happen to be Officers." Those two don’t understand each other. There are individuals who join the Air Force to fly airplanes. The “pilot who happens to be an officer” is only an officer because that’s what the Air Force requires of them to fly airplanes. If the Air Force required its pilots to be a warrant officer, the “pilots who happen to be officers” would all be warrant officers. This is a majority of the Air Force pilots. They will leave the organization because of the leadership responsibilities placed upon them at the end of their UPT commitment. There is also a group of "officers who happen to also be pilots". Those officers are excellent officers but would have been just as content to be a maintenance officer, or an intelligence officer. Those officers are here to be officers and lead men. The “officer who happens to be a pilot” doesn’t care about flying. He doesn’t have a true passion for aviation. The officer who happens to be a pilot will not retire or separate after their commitment ends and become an airline pilot. He or she will continue service to 20 years and beyond. The “officer who happen to be a pilot” will become a senior Air Force leader. That officer will make the rules and values for the organization. They will continue in service and say "officer first, pilot second" The "officer who happens to be a pilot" will drive the pilot who is an officer to separate at 10 years or 20 and join an airline.

Couple of FAIPs moved to between bases to be closer to home. (Family emergency type stuff)

Well said...

Most heavy guys teaching T-38s will be flying for Delta in 2 years. So, I guess that makes this a non issue...

I agree, out of line... Sorry, bout that one...

As a "filthy noobsauce", I understand completely the crap that former RPA pilots have to deal with. The number 1 issue is breaking through the stereotype.

Question: Where do these crappy pilots go when you close the UAV pipeline? Do they just go away? Or do they go directly to your squadron? If the UAV pipeline is open, at least these "bottom feeders" arrive at your squadron with 3 years of experience in a squadron under their belt. Also, many of these "$hit bags" have actually employed weapons and killed for their country unlike c-130 pilots. (except for the occasional paratrooper who lands on his face)

What exactly is keeping a pilot who tracked T-38s in UPT from getting into a fighter or bomber after their UAV assignment?

UAV Article Excerpt: "UAV pilots will receive the “18X” Air Force Specialty Code. It will be a “rated” career field and require airmen to serve a six-year active-duty service commitment." I really find it hard to believe that a new rated AFSC for pred pilots was created with a 6 yr commitment while a UPT grad has to stick around for 10 years doing the same job... I think and hope they have other plans for the UPT guys.

I was curious why they don't give predators with a follow on at assignment night. And I hope to god, along with many of my peers, there will be a follow on. So if you are a general reading this... take note Morale will improve drastically.

The Air Force instructors at Whiting seem to think that same way you do. So they created "A-Forms". Essentially it was intended to be an attempt to "catch you back up" to the way Air Force Flys by adding 5 more formation flights to the program. But what it ended up being was a haze and if you don't perform you loose the 38. So, You spend that time studying for "A-forms" and preparing for a PCS.

38's are easier to get from whiting especially if you have prior flight time. If you have PPL/Instrument its a sure thing. BUT, if you do get 38s prepare for a haze at Vance. Air Force students, ips, sim instructors all think you are a crappy pilot when you show up day one. They think this because: 1) you don't know how an Air Force pattern works and you classmates do (a t-38 pattern is pretty much a t-6 pattern mirror image with the same concepts and radio calls) 2) you don't know the 11-217 3) You don't know tac form and your t-6 competition does (form check ride has the most weight for assignment night) 4) the list goes on and on So because of this Creech is like a whiting reunion both t-1s and t-38s... Cheers!