Ops to MX

[zrooster99]

Apparently certain year groups in the MX Officer career field have significant short falls at my base and they are asking aircrew to help back-fill AMU OIC and MX Ops Officer (MOO) positions. The deal is that the rated folks would be allowed to continue flying and maintain currency but their main job would be MX for a given period. I was essentially offered such a position and since I am a former MX officer thought it might be a good fit/opportunity. My understanding is that in my case it would be to take over a MOO position. Apparently, also, It's an initiative that the WG/CC is a big proponent of. Does anyone on here have any experience with this sort of situation and/or an opinion on positives and negatives associated with it?

Edited February 14, 2012 by zrooster99

[matmacwc]

Seen it in AD, the fighter dudes went BMC and didn't get that some months.

[I don't exist]

So let me get this straight...AFSOC has so many pilots that they are letting them become MX officers? Is this why they won't let me have a white jet? This must also be why we kicked 9 pilots out of my wing on the last RIF board.

Idiotic. I can't wait to get out.

[zrooster99]

Who said AFSOC?

[BADFNZ]

The MAJCOM isn't relavent here, it's a MOO point.

[M2]

Har har!

[SuperWSO]

Does anyone on here have any experience with this sort of situation and/or an opinion on positives and negatives associated with it?

I've seen it done in the ANG. It was a way for a flyer to get career broadening without PCSing. These days I would see it as a way to stand out from the rest of the crowd. If you have prior experience, it might be a great way to move up. It probably will result in less flying though - I guess it depends on how you prioritize those two factors.

[skibum]

This used to be SOP back in the day. When I was a tyke my dad's (F-4 pilot) first command was a maintenance squadron. They used to like having ops cycle in. Currently it's not completely uncommon in the ANG. I know a couple pilot MXG/CCs. These were basically dudes who got promoted to O-6 but the ops side was plugged up. When I was in AFSOC long ago we did some down-sizing, and a coupe navs went to mx. I think it's a good option if you're looking to not fly.

Edited February 14, 2012 by skibum

[Bull-Mi-Dah]

I recently moved back to the OG after serving a year as the MOS MOO. Here some observations and things to consider:

Career broadening is looked highly upon in the Air Force right now.

For non-prior 21As, Accelerated Aircraft Mx Officer Course is a 2 week AFSC awarding course crammed into 4 at Sheppard.

As matmacwc said, you will go BMC as a fighter guy but you still get to fly. I flew 55 times last year.

Mx will have a hard time accepting you as a "zipper suited sun god". To help yourself out, wear your flight suit only the days you fly.

Prepare yourself, take the first two weeks and become intimately familiar with AFI 21-101, AFI 21-103, TO 00-20-5 and ACCI 21-165 plus all the supps. After you are done with those, read the MX 3-3 and Maintenance Metrics US Air Force. Knowledge is key.

Mx is like the Army, rank and position mean everything.

In conversation with other MX officers/sncos I would refer to ops as "them" and Mx as "us". It helped with trust and credibility.

Here is the kicker, AMU OIC = FLT/CC & MOO = DO. Your ops leadership should not let your SURF take a hit when you return. I expect to take flak for this statement. Some of the old heads on here will be better suited to give guidance on career progression and how promotion board members read surfs.

Hopefully this helps. I learned a lot and hopefully it will serve me well in the future.

Standing by for questions or comments.

[Fudge]

Doesn't the Navy do this sort of stuff?

Career broadening is looked highly upon in the Air Force right now.

I'll go with "How about no, Scott."

A majority of my fellow late rated bubbas have never faired well in regards to peer ranking/strats/DPs/DRs/etc. Never once have I had a commander even acknowledge my prior job as a 21A to me. Not that I give a $#!* anymore...

Edited February 14, 2012 by Fudge

[nsplayr]

Who said AFSOC?

Are you not still in AFSOC?

[ClearedHot]

Doesn't the Navy do this sort of stuff?

I'll go with "How about no, Scott."

A majority of my fellow late rated bubbas have never faired well in regards to peer ranking/strats/DPs/DRs/etc. Never once have I had a commander even acknowledge my prior job as a 21A to me. Not that I give a $#!* anymore...

Thats funny because the last three O-6 boards have been full of late rate or banked guys who were MX officers, many of them BPZ.

You will be walking a fine line and the challenge will be to keep profeiciency and credibility in the jet, if you can manage that task you will find an opportunity like this is awesome....not as a careerism move but as something that will teach you a lot of about leadership.

[Prosuper]

Info note: 00-20-5 has been rescinded and all data is incorporated in the 00-20-1. As for the AFI 21-101 don't forget MAJCOM supplements. Chuck Yeager did a stint as a MX officer, seems it did not hurt his career, performed all the FCF's and OCF's. Don't be afraid, we both speak the same language and you will find which MX guys really care as much as you do about safe acft. Watch out for guys who's green boots on the flightline still look brand new, they don't do anything. Take care of the guys who will make you money on the line and ignore the politicians and get used to ass chewing's by O-5's and above. Find a good Pro Super as your go to guy to find out if your getting BS'd or the straight scoop. Don't be afraid to be the bad guy.

[pawnman]

Doesn't the Navy do this sort of stuff?

I'll go with "How about no, Scott."

A majority of my fellow late rated bubbas have never faired well in regards to peer ranking/strats/DPs/DRs/etc. Never once have I had a commander even acknowledge my prior job as a 21A to me. Not that I give a $#!* anymore...

I'd submit there's a difference between late-to-rate and career broadening.

[Fudge]

Well if some of you want to drink some koolaid and "think" this will be good for you and your career, go for it. If you're considering doing this because you actually want to (and don't care how it affects your career), then cool, go for it. But if you're unsure about this don't do it.

MX isn't for everyone, especially leadership positions.

Doing things because "oh yeah, this will help me down the road" is retarded. Do it because you want to. The current O-6 might like it. That just means two O-6s later it will be the dumbest idea ever. I don't know how many guys I've heard of volunteering for crap additional duties/179s only to get effed in the A later anyways. Why subject yourself to that? Do what YOU want. Not what the man wants. Eff the man.

[I don't exist]

SAMMY = one of the fixes on HRT ILS 36 and a well known strip club in the panhandle.

I have heard of other peeps at HRT doing this.

[zrooster99]

Are you not still in AFSOC?

I haven't moved.

Thanks for all the inputs. As mentioned I'm already a late rated former 21A (which I did for 6 years) so I wont be going in blind.

A few more notes: it was suggested to me by the WG/CC in a discussion about my chances next year of making O5 IPZ as a possible way to strengthen my record. My DO thought it was a good idea but observed (as Cleared Hot suggested) that I will need to work my ass off to keep up with the flying. I think I'll give it a shot, and if anyone is interested/has questions I'll be happy to share my experience as things progress.

[nsplayr]

SAMMY = one of the fixes on HRT ILS 36 and a well known strip club in the panhandle.

I may have visited each of these a few times

Edited February 14, 2012 by nsplayr

[BQZip01]

I'd submit there's a difference between late-to-rate and career broadening.

I'd submit that they just deny all late-raters. Found out that 4 of us who were late-rated got RIF'd. Apparently improving your value to the AF is frowned upon unless you are brand new.