FY 14 Force Management Program (RIF, VSP, TERA)

[Right Seat Driver]

https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/473377/af-announces-change-to-reduction-in-force-board-schedule.aspx

"Changes to the scheduled RIF board date will result in changes to the eligible population. Some officers initially eligible to meet the June board will no longer be eligible as adjustments are made to year groups. Likewise, some officers who were not initially RIF eligible could now be eligible."

Nice, another 12 months of uncertainty. This whole thing is dragging into 2015 and it will probably change a couple of more times along the way.

Per af.mil: "That article is missing"

Edited February 20, 2014 by Right Seat Driver

[HoHum]

Anybody run the wickets on putting in a Palace Chase app now and also reapplying for VSP if/when it's available again? Would an open PC app block you from applying for VSP?

[Catbox]

I'm still waiting too, Tonka. No idea how this will play out for us selectively continued guys, but I'm hoping I'm just the kinda dude they want. To get rid of, that is. I've never been so hopeful to be rejected from something.

How the hell are you reading my thoughts?

[AnimalMother]

Article worked for me. It also mentioned Lt. Gen Sam Cox, so I googled him. Got this article: https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20131231/NEWS/312310016/New-personnel-chief-Know-your-options-under-force-cuts

Checked his Bio, then checked the comments section for the above article. Tony Carr, whom I've been following after someone mentioned here on BO recently, had posted a comment:

Disconcerting. Everyone has been calling AFPC clowns out of frustration. But what's the real story? Perhaps Lt Gen Cox and others are as good as it gets, yet even they are unable to fix or improve the mess.

Too bad his RIF/VSP programs aren't as squared away as his custom tailored blues shirt and cufflinks. I didn't know that uniform modification was authorized.

On a more serious note, you've asked the million dollar question here. My guess is the answer is currently unpalatable to most people. We'll see how long that lasts...

[Mountain]

How the hell are you reading my thoughts?

Camera in your bathroom, how else?

Are you also still in the "FM-Hold Batch Processing" status? I thought you had mentioned previously you'd been denied. If that's not the case, I'm glad to hear it!

[Catbox]

Camera in your bathroom, how else?

Are you also still in the "FM-Hold Batch Processing" status? I thought you had mentioned previously you'd been denied. If that's not the case, I'm glad to hear it!

I'm actually not sure, my incidents page just says "updated" I called AFPC to ask what that actually meant and she said that retirements policy has my application...have no idea what that means either.

[ThreeHoler]

Too bad his RIF/VSP programs aren't as squared away as his custom tailored blues shirt and cufflinks. I didn't know that uniform modification was authorized.

On a more serious note, you've asked the million dollar question here. My guess is the answer is currently unpalatable to most people. We'll see how long that lasts...

4.12.1. "The shirt may be altered for a tapered fit."

4.12.2. "Cuff Links. Cuff links are optional with the long-sleeved shirt. They will either be silver, satin finish or highly polished with the "wing and star" design; silver, highly polished with the AF symbol; or plain silver, highly polished, commercial design with dimensions and shape similar to the “wing and star” cuff links."

And now you know...

[Crewdog135]

Any other TERA denials? Approvals?

I'm still in batch processing. Hopefully know more in a week or two.

[LettersVSandP]

Article worked for me. It also mentioned Lt. Gen Sam Cox, so I googled him. Got this article: https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20131231/NEWS/312310016/New-personnel-chief-Know-your-options-under-force-cuts

Checked his Bio, then checked the comments section for the above article. Tony Carr, whom I've been following after someone mentioned here on BO recently, had posted a comment:

Disconcerting. Everyone has been calling AFPC clowns out of frustration. But what's the real story? Perhaps Lt Gen Cox and others are as good as it gets, yet even they are unable to fix or improve the mess.

I'm sorry, but AFPC is not splitting the atom. It's basic arithmetic. They have access to Excel spreadsheet technology. I really don't think it's much to expect of your leaders that they make a plan, tell everybody what the plan is going to be, and then, execute that plan.

From best to worst:

1. Right decision

2. Wrong decision

3. No decision

They've made no decision and thus, chaos.

[albertschu]

There is NO integrity left in this system. None. It's gone.

That's Ok. Whatever they lack in integrity and excellence, you can make up for in service.

[DUNBAR]

If only we as an Air Force could attain the same level of clarity and transparency for force shaping as we've achieved for cuff links.

[Dupe]

Boys, let's be real... at any company, you'd never know how many of what flavor of person will get a pink slip when the company is short on operating funds unless you're management or HR. It's the clarity of our process that drives the frustration. It's not that we're fucked up... It's that we're openly fucked up.

[MSCguy]

Anybody who wears their rank on their flight cap would be management at a regular company (unless you're an airline pilot)

[MSCguy]

And has anyone on line side that is on the VML and subject to RIF or force shaping gotten an assignment? In medical we've had some Capts on the VML get told they're staying here for a fifth year and their functional doesn't want to pay for any moves until they figure out who is staying in and who isn't.

[Tnkr]

And has anyone on line side that is on the VML and subject to RIF or force shaping gotten an assignment? In medical we've had some Capts on the VML get told they're staying here for a fifth year and their functional doesn't want to pay for any moves until they figure out who is staying in and who isn't.

Interesting. So if these FM programs run for concurrent years then I guess there won't be any PCSing for a while. Great if you're in LA or out east. Not so much if you got FAIPed in Del Rio...

[LettersVSandP]

Boys, let's be real... at any company, you'd never know how many of what flavor of person will get a pink slip when the company is short on operating funds unless you're management or HR. It's the clarity of our process that drives the frustration. It's not that we're ######ed up... It's that we're openly ######ed up.

I'm not reading many posts from people concerned about getting fired. It seems like people are more interested in how quickly they can get out. After more than a decade of doing more with less, increasing deployment lengths with decreasing dwell time, and the Air Force being run into the ground by incompetent leadership, we want out. I'm voting with my feet that if they want to have a war, they need to fund it and have victory conditions. And if they want to have an all-volunteer force, they need to treat people better.

[Dupe]

I'm not reading many posts from people concerned about getting fired. It seems like people are more interested in how quickly they can get out. After more than a decade of doing more with less, increasing deployment lengths with decreasing dwell time, and the Air Force being run into the ground by incompetent leadership, we want out. I'm voting with my feet that if they want to have a war, they need to fund it and have victory conditions. And if they want to have an all-volunteer force, they need to treat people better.

Yeah...I'm not worried about getting fired. Frankly, I wish I was in a VSP-eligible AFSC.

Letting some folks out early and paying them is an interesting problem, but I don't really see it as a strategic issue. These folks are likely to punch at the end of their ADSC anyway. Why rated retention is low damn well should be solved, but I see that as separate than the execution of Force Shaping.

We're sending airplanes to the bone-yard and passing out pink slips simply because we're forced to keep a bloated infrastructure in place. In some cases, we're going to fire people with nearly a decade and a half worth of experience who want to keep serving and otherwise have good enough records to stay in... we ought to be very judicious about how we do that. The agitated pilot crowd may be more annoyed with VSP and TERA execution... but that's really small pebbles.

[olevelo]

And has anyone on line side that is on the VML and subject to RIF or force shaping gotten an assignment? In medical we've had some Capts on the VML get told they're staying here for a fifth year and their functional doesn't want to pay for any moves until they figure out who is staying in and who isn't.

Yes. I'm a 12M core so one with a 75% overage listed. Got a RIP at the end of January. However, I do have a TPS grad RDTM, and they still haven't said which RDTM's will be eligible. My functional won't return my calls to answer the question. I was going to try to get my RNLTD pushed to after the results are released, but that obviously won't work now.

[RescueRandy]

This.

From Tony Carr:

https://www.jqpublic-blog.com/loss-integrity-deceptive-practices-air-force-struggles-draw/

Good article and hit the nail on the head.

[Bobby]

Glad to see the folks at AFPC have their priorities straight at such a crucial time...WTF!!

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140223/NEWS/302230007/Air-Force-launches-new-BBQ-competition

[Catbox]

For the TERA dudes...

We're well past the 30 days AFPC said it would take to get an answer (much less the two weeks they said it would take to process the first batches). I'm out on the road so wondering if anyone has called to get an update?

[Mountain]

Nobody here at Beale has heard anything yet, Catbox. I'm steeling myself to wait until 1 April.

[Catbox]

Nobody here at Beale has heard anything yet, Catbox. I'm steeling myself to wait until 1 April.

Yeah me too...god damn it.

In other news this came out FSS:

Important guidance regarding TERA (as I'm reading this, if you're twice passed over don't expect to be contined but you will be allowed to apply for retirement):

As outlined in the FY14 Force Management program, the Secretary of the Air Force has authorized Temporary Early Retirement Authority, or TERA, to those members eligible to apply. As the CY14 Promotion Board schedule begins, TERA will be available as a part of post-board actions. If a member is a two-time non-select for promotion, is not offered selective continuation,

and is TERA-eligible, they will be given the opportunity to apply for TERA after the public release of the promotion listing. Specific instructions will be included in their non-select letter. The Retirement Date associated with this targeted TERA window will be the mandatory DOS established by the board (1st day of the 7th month following approval of results by USD P&R).

[Mountain]

Yeah me too...god damn it.

In other news this came out FSS:

Important guidance regarding TERA (as I'm reading this, if you're twice passed over don't expect to be contined but you will be allowed to apply for retirement):

As outlined in the FY14 Force Management program, the Secretary of the Air Force has authorized Temporary Early Retirement Authority, or TERA, to those members eligible to apply. As the CY14 Promotion Board schedule begins, TERA will be available as a part of post-board actions. If a member is a two-time non-select for promotion, is not offered selective continuation,

and is TERA-eligible, they will be given the opportunity to apply for TERA after the public release of the promotion listing. Specific instructions will be included in their non-select letter. The Retirement Date associated with this targeted TERA window will be the mandatory DOS established by the board (1st day of the 7th month following approval of results by USD P&R).

Iiiiiiiiiiiiineresting. This certainly aligns with my belief that the selectively continued officers' eligibility clause means Big Blue really doesn't want us passed-over folks around.

To me, it makes sense: If I've been here 15 years, they have to assume I'm staying until 20, ESPECIALLY if they've already offered selective continuation. If they can get out of paying me my six-figure salary for the next 4 years, and replace it with a 38.4% retirement (I'll have 16 years as of August), they come out ahead. In four years they'll save ~$90K/year, then about $10K every year after that as long as I continue to stink up the planet. Plus they get rid of a guy who's clearly no longer interested in any flavor of Kool-Aid they offer.

For me, it's an escape to go be an airline guy and get in on a lower seniority number, but with something to show for my 16 years. For BB, it's a chance to get rid of a dude who doesn't fit their paradigm, and is also kind of expensive to pay. And before anyone reminds me that the grass might only appear greener over there, understand this: I'm not interested in leaving because the grass is greener over there. I want to leave because the sh*t is chin high and rising over here.

[Tnkr]

And before anyone reminds me that the grass might only appear greener over there, understand this: I'm not interested in leaving because the grass is greener over there. I want to leave because the sh*t is chin high and rising over here.

Shack.

Like I've told people at the office: I'm not angry at the AF. I'm angry that the institution I've spent my entire adult life in, the one that is supposed to exemplify 'excellence in all we do', should be executing at this level (/holds hand over head/) but is acting like it is down here (/holds hand down by junk/). I want the service that I've sacrificed for to operate at the same level it has expected me to operate at.