General assignments questions

[Guest Logic]

I have a two-part question for you all:

1. I have heard on the enlisted side that there's an assignment swap program where you can swap assignments with another airman and you just have to pay for your moving expenses out of pocket. Does such a program exist on the officer side as well? Who would be the POC?

2. I have also heard that you can request a remote assignment to improve your chances of getting an assignment that's higher up on your dream sheet. How long do you have to remain at your current assignment before you can go remote? What are the remote locations? How long do you remain remote? I had heard roughly 18 months.

[Toro]

1. I have heard on the enlisted side that there's an assignment swap program where you can swap assignments with another airman and you just have to pay for your moving expenses out of pocket. Does such a program exist on the officer side as well? Who would be the POC?

I have never heard of this and would surprised if it does exist. A POC would be somebody at AFPC - try the FAQs on the site.

2. I have also heard that you can request a remote assignment to improve your chances of getting an assignment that's higher up on your dream sheet.

Sort of, and it depends. The deal is that the AF tries to fill its undesirable assignments voluntarily (remote unaccompanied, 365s), in exchange for which it will sometimes offer your choice of a follow on. I can only speak to the rated side of the house here (personal experience with Saudi and a few buds who have been to Korea), and I'll say that it can be done but you will need to coordinate with your AFPC functional (the guy who handles assignments for your AFSC), get it in writing, then realize that it could still be changed based off needs of the AF. In the F-15E community, guys who volunteer for Saudi remotes generally get their choice of follow-on and guys who volunteer for Korea generally get dibs on a TX course (to get back into the aircraft, not necessarily their desired assignment location).

There's some remote info here, but it's geared towards aviators.

How long do you have to remain at your current assignment before you can go remote?

In general, two years time on station (TOS) is the minimum for you to be releasable to another assignment, but that can vary. Some short-notice assignments from the AFPC Roboto specify the minimum TOS required.

What are the remote locations?

Korea and Saudi are the big ones for my group. Realize that Iraq/Afghanistan are NOT remotes, they are 365s and they fall under a completely different set of rules. AFPC is not as committed to offering you your choice of follow on (I know two guys gearing up to go who have no idea what their follow on is). Also, since you are TDY you are still accruing TOS towards your PCS location.

How long do you remain remote? I had heard roughly 18 months.

One year unaccompanied (no command-sponsored family), two years accompanied.

If you have a functional at AFPC, they would be a good starting point. If you don't know who that is, go to the AMS page. The system is currently down, but from that link you can go to 'Officers Assignments' (tab on the left), then 'Assignment Team'. That will bring up a page where you can find assignment-specific information and should be able to find out who your functional is.

Don't do any of this without keeping your commander in the loop.

[budderbar]

The Enlisted Assignment swap does exist. At least it did when I was enlisted in 2006. It was on AMS and was like a craigs list with people requesting assignment swaps. I've seen it done twice and both times money was involved behind the scene; One airman pays the other $XXXX amount of dollars so they can get that assignment.

I know that for the swap to work the Air force can not incur any expense. The Airman must also take personal leave to move.

I'm surprised that option is not available to officers.

[zach braff]

The AFPC COP is a huge source of info. We just had an assignments team rep out here who gave the unnofficial lowdown to a few of us. Bottom line if you take a 365 you're at the top of the list but its still needs of the Air Force first. Also keep in mind that job type will trump job location every time.

Also, these cats are right, your CC's word means about 100 times more than yours with AFPC. AFPC also keeps a record of every interaction they have with you so your assignments team will see that you're the damn kid that keeps bugging them. Won't be much incentive for them to give you that dream spot.

My experience/advice... I too got dartboarded out of ROTC with somewhere nothing close to my dreamsheet. 4 years later I can say I've had the most amazing opportunities that most of my comm peers haven't even come close too because of it. Nothing wrong with keeping your eye on that next assignment but don't burn any bridges at the one you're at being the guy that everyone knows doesn't want to be there. Kick some ass at the job you're at and your CC will be more inclined to push AFPC to hook you up.

And BTW - My experience with the advice above: I'm now on my way to another kick-ass job out west to a top choice on my dreamsheet.

Good luck and PM me if you've got any other questions.

zb

[Guest WXboy]

Just curious where you can view assignments that are out there in the AF available. Thanks for the help!

[osulax05]

Portal -> AMS -> Officer Assignments -> Requirements/Authorizations

[schokie]

Keep in mind that's just a list of AFSCs that a particular unit is authorized. Even if it's listed as not filled it doesn't mean that AFPC is looking to fill it during the next or really any VML.

[Guest Smoke_Jaguar4]

See if your Assignment Team has an email distro. Some communities will use these to fill "hot jobs" (volunteers for out-of-cycle assignments), 365 day TDYs, or special duty (16X, RAS/PAS, Exec for General Officers, etc...).

SJ4

[PirateAF]

I might be wrong but I don't believe that some "interview required" billets are posted on AMS - ie. the 89th at Andrews.

[Gravedigger]

I might be wrong but I don't believe that some "interview required" billets are posted on AMS - ie. the 89th at Andrews.

You are right, but you can find these and other "hot job" type assignments on the AFPC secure site under the officer assignments tab. They usually have plenty of word documents and powerpoints on the current special assignment openings, as well as future opportunities.

[Toro]

Portal -> AMS -> Officer Assignments -> Requirements/Authorizations

You can also access AMS through AFPC. If you are looking for assignments for a specific airframe, the functional manager should comprise a listing of the upcoming assignments for the next VML. From Officer Assignments on AMS, select "Assignment Team" and choose your specific airframe. The F-15E functional has a Word document with everything from prerequisites for assignments to manning requirements.

[Toro]

Just received this regarding assignment notification. Once again more personnelists are being removed from the equation, but this actually seems to streamline things in a good way (the big thing is that the notification goes straight to your email - no routing through the orderly room or commander).

Automated Assign Notification.ppt

[Herk Driver]

Just received this regarding assignment notification. Once again more personnelists are being removed from the equation, but this actually seems to streamline things in a good way (the big thing is that the notification goes straight to your email - no routing through the orderly room or commander).

Good thing on the surface. We'll see how it works out for deployed folks. In most squadrons, the Sq/CC would already know that an assignment was loaded, at least if he is doing his job and is in contact with AFPC.

[Jughead]

seems to streamline things in a good way (the big thing is that the notification goes straight to your email - no routing through the orderly room or commander).

One other item of note, it would appear that the 7-day opt is now a ~14+ day option for anyone who wants to game the system. If you don't log into vMPF (and therefore don't start your clock ticking), 7 days later your CC gets the email.... Am I reading that right? We'll see how long that lasts....

[viper154]

Thread rival, instead of starting a new one. I was one of the first classes from the lastest round of UPT directs to RPAs, after we graduated we were rushed out the door for training and we never got any real info on our current assignment or future. All we ever heard were rumors and what happened to the previous RPA directs from years ago. The AFPC rated assignment guys are coming to my base for a briefing and individual Q/A sessions. Anyone ever meet with the guys or know how helpful/useful they are? 

[sqwatch]

They will answer your questions honestly, and they have no crystal ball. They are middle manager flesh peddlers. Know that they won't have answers to many of the question we asked; when will we go back and what will we fly when we do, but they may give their best guess.


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[viper154]

14 hours ago, sqwatch said:

They will answer your questions honestly, and they have no crystal ball. They are middle manager flesh peddlers. Know that they won't have answers to many of the question we asked; when will we go back and what will we fly when we do, but they may give their best guess.


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Sweet, that's all really wanted, at least to know what the long term plan was and intentions.  I've been in the AF long enough to realize they can't figure out tomorrow much less 2 years from now. 

[Jaded]

I've sat in on a brief with those guys when they literally said, "We briefed the A-10s across the street yesterday, but between then and now all of this has changed." If you are looking for a long term plan, you're going to be mighty disappointed.

[matmacwc]

17 hours ago, viper154 said:

Thread rival, instead of starting a new one. I was one of the first classes from the lastest round of UPT directs to RPAs, after we graduated we were rushed out the door for training and we never got any real info on our current assignment or future. All we ever heard were rumors and what happened to the previous RPA directs from years ago. The AFPC rated assignment guys are coming to my base for a briefing and individual Q/A sessions. Anyone ever meet with the guys or know how helpful/useful they are? 

CV-22 out of MQ-1's was somebody I know personally.  

[Magellan]

FWIW: Every UPT direct to RPA got a spin up course in either the T-1 or T-38 then were sent to the FTU for their follow on aircraft.  For the first few this was close to around the 4 year point getting closer to the 3 year point towards the end.

Those who chose to stay RPAs went to the RQ-170, WIC, or TPS for the most part.

The guys I would be worried for are the guys that got AMC assignments out of UPT then quick turned into RPAs.  As far as I know they are stuck because they already had a manned AC assignment regardless of how brief it was.

 

[MooseAg03]

FWIW: Every UPT direct to RPA got a spin up course in either the T-1 or T-38 then were sent to the FTU for their follow on aircraft.  For the first few this was close to around the 4 year point getting closer to the 3 year point towards the end.
Those who chose to stay RPAs went to the RQ-170, WIC, or TPS for the most part.
The guys I would be worried for are the guys that got AMC assignments out of UPT then quick turned into RPAs.  As far as I know they are stuck because they already had a manned AC assignment regardless of how brief it was.
 

Not true. Those of us holding fast to the hope of returning to a manned aircraft still have hope. At the beginning of each VML, the RPA assignments guy creates a "Return to Fly" list of the highest time on station RPA Alphas. On the current VML it was about 20 guys. He then gives that list to the MAF assignments people to figure out what to do with them. During their last AFPC roadshow at Creech, he was very clear that unless an Alpha tour pilot re-cats or volunteers for a 2nd RPA assignment, we cannot be given an RPA follow on. I believe the bleeding is getting worse on the manned side, and since RPA 18xers are much easier/cheaper to generate, the odds are getting better for a manned aircraft return.


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[viper154]

That all checks with what I have seen thus far. If I get any info that is helpful I'll throw over in the excaping RPAs thread. 

[Azimuth]

20 hours ago, Magellan said:

FWIW: Every UPT direct to RPA got a spin up course in either the T-1 or T-38 then were sent to the FTU for their follow on aircraft.  For the first few this was close to around the 4 year point getting closer to the 3 year point towards the end.

Those who chose to stay RPAs went to the RQ-170, WIC, or TPS for the most part.

The guys I would be worried for are the guys that got AMC assignments out of UPT then quick turned into RPAs.  As far as I know they are stuck because they already had a manned AC assignment regardless of how brief it was.

 

Friend of mine went KC-135 -> Global Hawk -> Kc-135's. I've never heard of anyone else doing it, but it's not impossible.

[gonefishin]

I've been released back to MAF. We will see what happens now

[MooseAg03]

I've been released back to MAF. We will see what happens now

You were told at the beginning of this VML that you were on the list? Just wondering what your previous airframe was and if you would please keep us updated when you get your assignment match.


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