What's wrong with the Air Force?

[matmacwc]

1 hour ago, ThreeHoler said:

34% increase? That’s old news. The current number is from 1200->2000 per year just to keep up with people leaving. And the UPT bases can’t even meet the 1200 existing number let alone the previous 1400 number that was thrown around last year.

And then the fighter pipeline will be backed up, creating a BIT program so once 30% more officers hit the new PRFs required majors board there will only be a 60% selection rate.  At about this time, leaps in unmanned airplane tech will require less pilots (projected) so mass RIFs and VSP rounds will take place.  The AF will overcut though, and ask the same group to come back in a few years.  Sum up the next 20 years?

[flyusaf83]

1 hour ago, HU&W said:

Official propo on the current status of the aircrew crisis.  

https://airman.dodlive.mil/2018/06/27/finding-answers/

Cute video. Still a complete lack of root cause analysis, though.  

[pawnman]

1 hour ago, matmacwc said:

And then the fighter pipeline will be backed up, creating a BIT program so once 30% more officers hit the new PRFs required majors board there will only be a 60% selection rate.  At about this time, leaps in unmanned airplane tech will require less pilots (projected) so mass RIFs and VSP rounds will take place.  The AF will overcut though, and ask the same group to come back in a few years.  Sum up the next 20 years?

I can't tell if this is the last twenty or the next twenty.

[tac airlifter]

2 hours ago, matmacwc said:

And then the fighter pipeline will be backed up, creating a BIT program so once 30% more officers hit the new PRFs required majors board there will only be a 60% selection rate.  At about this time, leaps in unmanned airplane tech will require less pilots (projected) so mass RIFs and VSP rounds will take place.  The AF will overcut though, and ask the same group to come back in a few years.  Sum up the next 20 years?

 

[BashiChuni]

2 hours ago, HU&W said:

Official propo on the current status of the aircrew crisis.  

https://airman.dodlive.mil/2018/06/27/finding-answers/

Typical general toting the company line. They don’t get it. Shame. Gonna have to learn the painful way...well painful for others unfortunately and not them...they’ll have cushy defense contractor gigs soon enough. 

[BADFNZ]

6 hours ago, matmacwc said:

And then the fighter pipeline will be backed up, creating a BIT program so once 30% more officers hit the new PRFs required majors board there will only be a 60% selection rate.  At about this time, leaps in unmanned airplane tech will require less pilots (projected) so mass RIFs and VSP rounds will take place.  The AF will overcut though, and ask the same group to come back in a few years.  Sum up the next 20 years?

Throw in a TAMI22 and you about hit the nail on the head.

[Bergman]

10 hours ago, HU&W said:

Official propo on the current status of the aircrew crisis.  

https://airman.dodlive.mil/2018/06/27/finding-answers/

Okay.  I’ve read that entire article 3 times today hoping my conclusion would change.  It hasn’t.  “What fucking planet are you on, dude?!”  I want to drive to his house with a 12 pack and invite myself in. “My man!  We need to talk!”  Because clearly NO ONE he has talked to has given him the straight scoop.

He might as well have said, “Well, based on my two 15 day deployments in the last 20 years, THIS is what the rated force means”.  YGBSM. 

Edited July 7, 2018 by Bergman

[Hacker]

That is a guy who has only ever been in the Air Force, and is so self-indoctrinated that he doesn't even understand the concept of "quality of life" as it exists in the real world outside of big blue.

Thus, his assessments and "solutions" are only viable when compared to other previous states of things in the AIr Force, rather than being a comparison to the greener pastures on the outside that pilots are fleeing to.

Basically, a man incapable of actually seeing the bigger picture due to his enjoyment of smelling his own blue-tinged farts.

[VMFA187]

On 7/6/2018 at 9:17 AM, billy pilgrim said:

It sucks to be one of those studs during the this surge.  They are going to have less training and fierce competition through their years AD.

A lot more weight of effort has to be placed on retention rather than production.  Period...  and I'm not talking about getting rid of a CBT or two or pen tab patches.

Are you serious? It never sucks to be a military flight student. Unless you suck and shouldn’t be there. 

 

Perhaps an increase in competition will drive the quality of students up as we in the strike fighter community have seen a relative decline in the past 2-3 years compared to 5+ years ago.

[IDALPHA]

1 hour ago, VMFA187 said:

Are you serious? It never sucks to be a military flight student. Unless you suck and shouldn’t be there. 

 

Perhaps an increase in competition will drive the quality of students up as we in the strike fighter community have seen a relative decline in the past 2-3 years compared to 5+ years ago.

It doesn’t suck for them at all!

Competition?! There is no competition. Everyone that doesn’t get airsick gets a trophy... Wings. 

Reference: “We must grow out of the pilot crisis”

With the majority of experienced/combat instructor pilots already gone, the training has become a mere shell of what it once was.

Where is the bottom? 

[RTB]

2 hours ago, Hacker said:

Basically, a man incapable of actually seeing the bigger picture due to his enjoyment of smelling his own blue-tinged farts.

That is a great line there Hacker!  Made me laugh out loud.

[NKAWTG]

20 hours ago, HU&W said:

Official propo on the current status of the aircrew crisis.  

https://airman.dodlive.mil/2018/06/27/finding-answers/

I don't have enough alcohol to do a buzz word drinking game here.   "virtual reality, mixed reality, automated instruction capabilities" "matrixed organization" "production through integration"

 

Can't they just say retention is a lost cause with the current economy, so we're going to produce our way out of the shortfall.  We'll cut training to meet our quotas, cross our fingers and hope for the best.  

[HarleyQuinn]

2 hours ago, NKAWTG said:

We'll cut training to meet our quotas, cross our fingers and hope for the best.  

Sounds like an Air Force inspired ride at Six Flags. Then I look behind me and I'm the only one standing in line for this ride. Probably not a good idea after all.

While I commend a few of the changes in the article below, I wonder as we try to keep maintainers around to fix our f$#!ed up jets, this is the best they got? Who put some of these archaic requirements in place to begin with? I guess the cool kids club is looking for members because nobody wants to play promotion games anymore.   https://www.military.com/2018/07/06/revised-air-force-handbook-ok-call-e-8s-senior.html

I had an FGO ask me if he thought he could get step promoted based on a not yet approved NDAA. I was like bruh, step promotions has always been for enlisted. You want to be a Lt Col, but you are twice passed over. I don't get it. Can someone explain his logic to me? And he is trying to avoid a 365 like the plague. The CC knows it's going to happen to this individual at some point.

Edited July 7, 2018 by HarleyQuinn

[Warrior]

Sounds like an Air Force inspired ride at Six Flags. Then I look behind me and I'm the only one standing in line for this ride. Probably not a good idea after all.
While I commend a few of the changes in the article below, I wonder as we try to keep maintainers around to fix our f$#!ed up jets, this is the best they got? Who put some of these archaic requirements in place to begin with? I guess the cool kids club is looking for members because nobody wants to play promotion games anymore.   https://www.military.com/2018/07/06/revised-air-force-handbook-ok-call-e-8s-senior.html
I had an FGO ask me if he thought he could get step promoted based on a not yet approved NDAA. I was like bruh, step promotions has always been for enlisted. You want to be a Lt Col, but you are twice passed over. I don't get it. Can someone explain his logic to me? And he is trying to avoid a 365 like the plague. The CC knows it's going to happen to this individual at some point.

From your article: “The new handbook replaces the 2009 Air Force Instruction of the same name.”

I’m actually a little surprised this hasn’t been brought up yet. In the push to reduce AFIs we are renaming them. AFI11-2MDSv1/2/3? Gone. Soon to be AFMANs. I can’t believe how much time we’re going to spend implementing this “improvement” that accomplishes what exactly?

[Hacker]

I just love this interview...this guy has future senator written all over him.  Totally incapable of answering a simple question.

Just an example:

"AIRMAN MAGAZINE: When did the Air Force start noticing pilot manning issues in the fighter community?"

Seems like a pretty simple question...when did you notice it?

"BRIG. GEN. KOSCHESKI: The fighter pilot crisis manifested itself because when you only have single seat fighters, it becomes a cockpit training capacity issue quickly compared to larger aircraft with multi-seats, where you have an aircraft commander and a copilot. You have a little bit more flexibility to manage your pilot training. The crisis happened quickly in the fighters because of that very reason.

But what we’re seeing is the same dynamics are in place for other career fields, and also because of the fighter pilot shortage, the mobility Air Force has been carrying some training shortfalls and pilot training to cover the shortage of fighter pilots. So, their effective manning has been hit and they’ve been doing more than their fair share, trying to help out while we heal the fighter pilot crisis."

 

Okay...but WHEN DID YOU NOTICE THE ISSUES??  WHEN, not HOW or WHY.  WHEN.  It is a time-based question, sir.  The answer should have some kind of chronological reference, like "in 2008 when Gen Welsh was going around USAFE asking fighter pilots why they aren't staying in", or "last week when one of my staffers left Baseops.net open on his computer and I started reading."

 

[ThreeHoler]

From your article: “The new handbook replaces the 2009 Air Force Instruction of the same name.”

I’m actually a little surprised this hasn’t been brought up yet. In the push to reduce AFIs we are renaming them. AFI11-2MDSv1/2/3? Gone. Soon to be AFMANs. I can’t believe how much time we’re going to spend implementing this “improvement” that accomplishes what exactly?

Honestly...they never should have been AFIs in the first place. Is it a happy to glad? Yes. But they really are more “how to” than “rules.”

At least in AMC where the sups are longer than the HAF AFI.

[Sprkt69]

1 hour ago, Hacker said:

I just love this interview...this guy has future senator written all over him.  Totally incapable of answering a simple question.

Just an example:

"AIRMAN MAGAZINE: When did the Air Force start noticing pilot manning issues in the fighter community?"

Seems like a pretty simple question...when did you notice it?

"BRIG. GEN. KOSCHESKI: The fighter pilot crisis manifested itself because when you only have single seat fighters, it becomes a cockpit training capacity issue quickly compared to larger aircraft with multi-seats, where you have an aircraft commander and a copilot. You have a little bit more flexibility to manage your pilot training. The crisis happened quickly in the fighters because of that very reason.

But what we’re seeing is the same dynamics are in place for other career fields, and also because of the fighter pilot shortage, the mobility Air Force has been carrying some training shortfalls and pilot training to cover the shortage of fighter pilots. So, their effective manning has been hit and they’ve been doing more than their fair share, trying to help out while we heal the fighter pilot crisis."

 

Okay...but WHEN DID YOU NOTICE THE ISSUES??  WHEN, not HOW or WHY.  WHEN.  It is a time-based question, sir.  The answer should have some kind of chronological reference, like "in 2008 when Gen Welsh was going around USAFE asking fighter pilots why they aren't staying in", or "last week when one of my staffers left Baseops.net open on his computer and I started reading."

 

Koscheski is a political General, thus the non answer that doesn’t even relate to reality. 

The better Q&A

AIRMAN MAGAZINE: What would you tell pilots who may be thinking of leaving the Air Force? 

BRIG. GEN. KOSCHESKI: I think the Air Force gives Airmen a chance to live a meaningful life and you get to see tangible results of the work you do. It’s important. It matters. You don’t wake up in the Air Force and go to work and go, “I wonder if what I do today, if it matters or not?”

In terms of quality of service, quality of life, I think we’ve also got a lot to offer, and folks see that and I also think pilots have seen the efforts that we’ve taken through retention, especially to try to improve things. We reduced some deployments, and we’re improving assignment processes. We’re trying to give stability to families, and they see that, and we have a lot of good faith going on right now across the force of people wanting to hang in there and stay Air Force, so they can live a life that matters, and they see that we’re trying to take care of them and make things better for them.

 

Did you guys hear that? Big Blue will take care of you!

 

[ClearedHot]

Place this increase in production against the accident rate for the next 6-8 years...

[HarleyQuinn]

There is this thing called a screen protector now you could put over the center console. Pretty sure one could be made in China for $1 to cover the screen and keyspad, but will cost the AF $500 a pop. Just saved the AF $113K. 

A Can Of Red Bull Nearly Caused Major Problems For An Air Force Spy Plane

https://taskandpurpose.com/red-bull-air-force-spy-plane/

Edited July 8, 2018 by HarleyQuinn

[HU&W]

21 minutes ago, HarleyQuinn said:

There is this thing called a screen protector now you could put over the center console. Pretty sure one could be made in China for $1 to cover the screen and keys, but will cost the AF $500 a pop. Just saved the AF $113K. 

A Can Of Red Bull Nearly Caused Major Problems For An Air Force Spy Plane

https://taskandpurpose.com/red-bull-air-force-spy-plane/

Not the first time, nor likely the last, a caffeinated beverage has caused significant electronic systems damage to a military aircraft.

[YoungnDumb]

AF answer- let's spend as much money as we can on a pointless cup that probably won't work but will involve 69 congressional districts

Common sense answer- tell your people to put their drinks in a bottle with a cap.

[flyusaf83]

3 hours ago, Sprkt69 said:

I think the Air Force gives Airmen a chance to live a meaningful life and you get to see tangible results of the work you do. It’s important. It matters. You don’t wake up in the Air Force and go to work and go, “I wonder if what I do today, if it matters or not?”

Raise your hand if many of the days you drive into work, you dread the fact that your day will be littered with stupid unimportant bullshit that has no tangible meaning.

[HarleyQuinn]

2 minutes ago, flyusaf83 said:

Raise your hand if many of the days you drive into work, you dread the fact that your day will be littered with stupid unimportant bullshit that has no tangible meaning.

I was talking to a friend via messenger who is a captain in the JA office. I was telling her about queep and gave her an example because she had never heard the term before. I wrote, "Queep - Wing commander tells every officer on base they must fill out a court member data form for the JA office." My friend couldn't stop laughing.

[LJ Driver]

5 hours ago, Hacker said:

I just love this interview...this guy has future senator written all over him.  Totally incapable of answering a simple question.

Just an example:

"AIRMAN MAGAZINE: When did the Air Force start noticing pilot manning issues in the fighter community?"

Seems like a pretty simple question...when did you notice it?

"BRIG. GEN. KOSCHESKI: The fighter pilot crisis manifested itself because when you only have single seat fighters, it becomes a cockpit training capacity issue quickly compared to larger aircraft with multi-seats, where you have an aircraft commander and a copilot. You have a little bit more flexibility to manage your pilot training. The crisis happened quickly in the fighters because of that very reason.

But what we’re seeing is the same dynamics are in place for other career fields, and also because of the fighter pilot shortage, the mobility Air Force has been carrying some training shortfalls and pilot training to cover the shortage of fighter pilots. So, their effective manning has been hit and they’ve been doing more than their fair share, trying to help out while we heal the fighter pilot crisis."

 

Okay...but WHEN DID YOU NOTICE THE ISSUES??  WHEN, not HOW or WHY.  WHEN.  It is a time-based question, sir.  The answer should have some kind of chronological reference, like "in 2008 when Gen Welsh was going around USAFE asking fighter pilots why they aren't staying in", or "last week when one of my staffers left Baseops.net open on his computer and I started reading."

 

What?  Does anyone except for this guy actually think that's why there is a pilot retention issue?  ACC and AMC/AFSOC are suffering a biblical exodus right now - this is the first I have heard that ACC's is more pronounced because they have single pilot airplanes and the others have copilots.  Lord help us if he is the one trying to figure out the why... 

[spaceman]

3 hours ago, Sprkt69 said:

Koscheski is a political General, thus the non answer that doesn’t even relate to reality. 

The better Q&A

AIRMAN MAGAZINE: What would you tell pilots who may be thinking of leaving the Air Force? 

BRIG. GEN. KOSCHESKI: I think the Air Force gives Airmen a chance to live a meaningful life and you get to see tangible results of the work you do. It’s important. It matters. You don’t wake up in the Air Force and go to work and go, “I wonder if what I do today, if it matters or not?”

In terms of quality of service, quality of life, I think we’ve also got a lot to offer, and folks see that and I also think pilots have seen the efforts that we’ve taken through retention, especially to try to improve things. We reduced some deployments, and we’re improving assignment processes. We’re trying to give stability to families, and they see that, and we have a lot of good faith going on right now across the force of people wanting to hang in there and stay Air Force, so they can live a life that matters, and they see that we’re trying to take care of them and make things better for them.