Predator Follow-on

[Snuggie]

The first round of UPD-D guys have gotten their follow on assignments, 16 in total at Creech. No location as of yet and they will start training in April of next year.

2x C-130J

1x B-52

3x C-17

1x CV-22

1x DO-328

2x C-5

1x KC-135

3x KC-10

1x RC-135

1x C-130

[Rifleman96]

The drop at Cannon resulted in:

CV-22

C-130

B-52

KC-10

PC-12

2 x U-28

all were first choice assignments with the exception of the buff. We only had 7 eligible for this window so everybody was stoked to be at 100% plane assignments.

Edited November 29, 2011 by Rifleman96

[nsplayr]

The drop at Cannon resulted in:

CV-22

C-130

B-52

KC-10

PC-12

2 x U-28

all were first choice assignments with the exception of the buff. We only had 7 eligible for this window so everybody was stoked to be at 100% plane assignments.

Congrats to all those guys...cool that dudes wanted to and were able to stay in AFSOC. Guess the PC-12 guy really liked Cannon eh?

Edited November 29, 2011 by nsplayr

[Guest]

Are fighters an option?

[SurelySerious]

Are fighters an option?

They weren't for this drop, but there has not been a definite answer for the future drops.

Edit: Had a chance to talk to the ops group commander the other day. His opinion on the matter is that 99% of the UPT-D guys from -38s wouldn't have gotten a fighter out of UPT even in the absence of UAVs, and he doesn't think it would be fair for us to get a second chance. I would draw a parallel to FAIPs who take another assignment in lieu of what is currently available hoping to get something better later as a counter argument. That's his (non-pilot) opinion, though; we'll see what AFPC hands down in the future.

Edited December 2, 2011 by SurelySerious

[Rifleman96]

Edit: Had a chance to talk to the ops group commander the other day. His opinion on the matter is that 99% of the UPT-D guys from -38s wouldn't have gotten a fighter out of UPT even in the absence of UAVs, and he doesn't think it would be fair for us to get a second chance. I would draw a parallel to FAIPs who take another assignment in lieu of what is currently available hoping to get something better later as a counter argument. That's his (non-pilot) opinion, though; we'll see what AFPC hands down in the future.

What about those guys that were ranked in 3rd in the class but for equity reasons were given preds? I think that is a pretty ignorant explanation.

[SurelySerious]

What about those guys that were ranked in 3rd in the class but for equity reasons were given preds? I think that is a pretty ignorant explanation.

I agree it's pretty weak.

[TAMInated]

That's his (non-pilot) opinion, though;

Say no more.

[NOLAflyer]

Any knowledge on when they anticipate the second round to take place? What about the locations of those assignements? Aside from the obvious PC-12 staying at Cannon. Congrats to all!

[Snuggie]

Any knowledge on when they anticipate the second round to take place? What about the locations of those assignements? Aside from the obvious PC-12 staying at Cannon. Congrats to all!

Not that I am aware of. We were told that our assignments would be given 3 years after finishing initial qualification. One would think they would group guys from every few months and make a drop.

No word on locations either, but I wouldn't be surprised if future drops include location.

[matmacwc]

They weren't for this drop, but there has not been a definite answer for the future drops.

Edit: Had a chance to talk to the ops group commander the other day. His opinion on the matter is that 99% of the UPT-D guys from -38s wouldn't have gotten a fighter out of UPT even in the absence of UAVs, and he doesn't think it would be fair for us to get a second chance. I would draw a parallel to FAIPs who take another assignment in lieu of what is currently available hoping to get something better later as a counter argument. That's his (non-pilot) opinion, though; we'll see what AFPC hands down in the future.

Total bullshit. He wasn't there, he didn't see the crappy drops we were giving in 08 compared to 07, this guy is ignorant and blind. The dudes I saw (and sent) to UAV's could have handled a fighter, it sucks they can't get them now and probably lost alot of the real airmanship they had.

Edited December 4, 2011 by matmacwc

[Guest]

Edit: Had a chance to talk to the ops group commander the other day.

That's his (non-pilot) opinion, though; we'll see what AFPC hands down in the future.

Who is that? What kind of background does an OG have if he isn't a pilot?

[TAMInated]

AWACS trunk monkey.

[Guest]

AWACS trunk monkey.

Seriously? That can't be true. It just can't be.

[SurelySerious]

Seriously? That can't be true. It just can't be.

Close. RC-135s EWO >> RPA Operator.

[Guest]

Can he fly the thing? Are non-pilots allowed to fly?

[Rifleman96]

Can he fly the thing? Are non-pilots allowed to fly?

They are called Beta's or 18X'ers. They are referred to as pilots in the RPA realm (Some of us will never call them that and refer to them as operators). Just one more reason to really be disgusted with it, yet at the same time I want the non-pilots to succeed so that those of us real pilots can go back and big blue no longer throws real pilots into it.

[TAMInated]

Can he fly the thing? Are non-pilots allowed to fly?

He can, but he doesn't. Is it common in other communities for wing and squadron "leadership" (again, using the term loosely) to not even maintain currency in the airplane assigned to their base? It's not in fighters, but seems to be standard in this one.

Edited December 5, 2011 by TAMInated

[GKinnear]

He can, but he doesn't. Is it common in other communities for wing and squadron "leadership" (again, using the term loosely) to not even maintain currency in the airplane assigned to their base? It's not in fighters, but seems to be standard in this one.

In heavies, it's about 50/50.

[TAMInated]

I can see that I guess, but when all you have to do to is walk out the door and sit in a shipping container full of computers and punch yourself in the sack for a few hours, you'd think it'd be closer to 100%. Then again, if I had the choice, I wouldn't either.

[ThreeHoler]

He can, but he doesn't. Is it common in other communities for wing and squadron "leadership" (again, using the term loosely) to not even maintain currency in the airplane assigned to their base? It's not in fighters, but seems to be standard in this one.

I have seen a range in the MAF. We had one OG who used to stop copilots in the squadrons and ask them how many hours they flew the previous month. He would then brag when he had more hours. He also maintained his IP qual, and when he wasn't yelling or throwing things, he was a shit hot pilot. I had one Wg/CC who maintained proficiency and was a solid pilot. I also saw some Wg/CC and OG/CC who were senior staff qual'd and barely flew.

IIRC Gen Lichte went through a copilot course as a 4-star (was a previous Sq/CC and IP in the jet). He was still pretty decent as a 4-star pilot from what I heard.

[Guest]

Holy shit.

It is insane that the OG wouldn't be full up. He should be taking your quarters at the range and kicking your ass in BFM (or whatever the equivalent is for the predator)...and leading the toughest sorties in combat. He is the OPERATIONS group COMMANDER. This "operations stuff" shouldn't be beyond the reach of his technical skillz. Given his built in squash bug penguin wing credibility gap he should be going above and beyond to make sure all the pilots give him props for being a solid operator.

This isn't some fucking joke. This isn't some Operations Group booby prize we award to some fucking nav who is "a good shit that" deserves a shot at command but doesn't have to actually be engaged in the operations part of the command.

You guys are killing people and flying around in the same chunk of sky with other airplanes with live humans inside them who will die if you run into them. You could fuck up and create a fucking global uproar. You could also kill the top cat on the list and be super heros. You are flying places and emplying ordnance in places the fighter guys can't go. As frustrating as it is to be stuck there it is not a fucking video game and it is certainly not a joke.

He needs to ask himself, WWROD?

Worse than all that, I can't imagine some fucking EWO talking shit about whether a pilot could/should fly a fighter or not. Especially based solely on observing him fly the predator, which it sounds like he doesn't even do.

[TAMInated]

This is the standard at said base. I had squadron commanders who were not only not IPs, but also didn't maintain currency. IHTFP.

[nrodgsxr]

This is the standard at said base. I had squadron commanders who were not only not IPs, but also didn't maintain currency. IHTFP.

at least it's starting to change.. the new wg/cc flies weekly.. so does my sq/cc

og? uhhhhh

Edited December 9, 2011 by nrodgsxr

[HiFlyer]

I have seen a range in the MAF. We had one OG who used to stop copilots in the squadrons and ask them how many hours they flew the previous month. He would then brag when he had more hours. He also maintained his IP qual, and when he wasn't yelling or throwing things, he was a shit hot pilot. I had one Wg/CC who maintained proficiency and was a solid pilot. I also saw some Wg/CC and OG/CC who were senior staff qual'd and barely flew.

IIRC Gen Lichte went through a copilot course as a 4-star (was a previous Sq/CC and IP in the jet). He was still pretty decent as a 4-star pilot from what I heard.

Ha. That reminds me of my days at Laughlin back in the early 70s, where our "OG" (then called the DO) was discovered to be he highest time pilot in all of ATC one year. He was dual-qual'd in the 37 & 38 and flew 3 or 4 times a day, even when the weather was bad. He'd show up at 5AM, grab a student and go fly a "weather check", then go to the other squadron and do it again...two sorties by 0900 while no other wheel was turning on the whole base. Needless to say, the stud never got to touch the stick most of the time. We got calls from Houston Center wanting to know why that "Rake 02" guy was flying when all the weather reports were below minimums! Somehow he always "found a hole" (the rest of us couldn't even see the ramp!). Then he'd go down to his office to work for a while and show up again at 1400 for more sorties. He had something like 1600 hours in one year. He was a heck of a stick, but sure did draw a lot of attention He also had some great war stories about flying F-82 Twin Mustangs in Korea!