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

[Jughead]

  On 9/9/2014 at 5:01 PM, NotADude said:

ALSO, whatever you contribute while deployed (tax-free) doesn't count towards your $17.5K annual limit, so if you're thinking ahead, max out your contributions while deployed, since you can't do it retroactively. Things I wish I'd known 1 year ago...And no, I have no idea why they make it that $&@!ing difficult.

  On 9/10/2014 at 6:20 PM, skytaco said:

Note that this is only true for traditional contributions, not Roth.

Further note, tax-exempt contributions do have a limit ($52K for 2014), and that is shared with the elective deferral limit ($17.5K for 2014). In other words, the total of your tax-exempt & elective deferrals cannot exceed the $52K limit. BL, if you're truly maxing your contributions (and have a high enough tax-exempt income for this to be a factor), be careful not to make more than $34.5K of tax-exempt contributions, or you will lose the ability to make a corresponding amount of elective deferrals (thus paying more tax for the same amount of total TSP contribution).

Don't blame the AF or even DoD for it being "$&@!ing difficult"--that's tax law & IRS policy making at work. I doubt CZTE money was originally considered when these various limits were created (the upper limit was designed to limit employer contributions), but that's how they've been applied to the uniformed version of the TSP.

ETA:

  On 9/9/2014 at 5:01 PM, NotADude said:

one issue I ran into was the only way you can contribute to TSP is via allotment.

Generally true (IRS rules again, not USAF). One exception that I've ops checked twice: if you deploy late enough in the month that that month's contribution doesn't get made properly (due to CZTE status not being applied in time), you can "write a check" to pay in the missing contribution. In IRS-speak, that option is allowed when a contribution is not made via the normal payroll deduction due to employer error, which is how the delay in getting CZTE started is treated for this purpose. Edited September 11, 2014 by Jughead

[tunes]

  On 10/1/2014 at 1:42 PM, BONE WSO said:

VSP Update: Separated on 26 September, Final Pay deposited yesterday and VSP paid out today!

Niiiice hopefully us 29ers will have it by weeks end

[MooseAg03]

Jealous...

[casemac]

Also a 26 sep vsp'er. Do not have my final pay as of yet but did get my nice Vsp check.

[lossofclocklossofdata]

  On 10/1/2014 at 1:42 PM, BONE WSO said:

VSP Update: Separated on 26 September, Final Pay deposited yesterday and VSP paid out today!

Did they pay out from different accounts? I received 58k today from the Indy location, but it's the same account that my normal pay comes from. Not sure if they were lumped together or if I haven't received my normal last pay check yet?

[stick]

My VSP and final pay came from the same Indy account, but in separate chunks.

According to Dover Finance, all VSP calculations were done at DFAS and your final paycheck was calculated at your individual base to include any sold leave.

[tunes]

I got my vsp payout today but haven't gotten my final check yet

[chim richalds]

I too received my $58k today, I wish all jobs I quit could end up like this

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[StealthDriver]

Anyone else eagerly awaiting the FY15 Force Shaping Program to kick off with full force...or is it just me?

The waters warm outside of Active Duty! Bring it on

Interesting Read:

https://www.armytimes.com/article/20140519/CAREERS/305190027/AF-secretary-18-700-more-airmen-cuts-before-s-over

[Jaded]

Here's hoping that 11Fs get their chance (though the current bonus take rate makes it unlikely.)

[StealthDriver]

  On 10/8/2014 at 3:50 AM, Jaded said:

Here's hoping that 11Fs get their chance (though the current bonus take rate makes it unlikely.)

I hope they do as well for you man. The current Active Duty AF reminds me of the story of "that Dad" that threw gifts and money at his son in an attempt to cover up his own real issues and lack of care...but still can't understand why his kid grew up to despise him.

AD could triple the bonus and I would just laugh and shake my nugget. Just like that kid in the above example. Old "Dad" just doesn't get it man...and he never will until it is too late.

My prediction is that the 2005, 2006, and 2007 year-groups will be a HUGE issue for Active Duty. As of right now, in Big Air Force's mind they know they can simply deny dudes requests for PC and VSP or not even allow it at all. What they fail to realize is that when dudes get their mind set on a goal, (in this case it is to get the heck out of this burning jet), that thought and drive doesn't go away. Family members begin to make plans and before you know it, dinner table conversations with the wife start and dudes start seeing light at the end of the tunnel. We've all been there. Now couple that with Airlines and the fact that guys are starting to realize that they are extremely marketable even outside of the Commercial Aviation environment.

These three year groups are going to cause big issues (in my very small opinion) because the clock is ticking. Their service commitments are quickly approaching and those dinner table conversations have long since left the station. So, for now, Active Duty could deny all requests for PC and VSP...but they can't stop the ticking clock that is going to hit hardest starting in 2016 when dudes service commitments start to expire. Also, when dudes find themselves within 2years of commitment remaining and AD attempts to PCS those guys to some "great deal" staff gig and they just simply say "no thanks"....because dudes aren't scarred of the 365 threat any more...because we all know that if any of us knuckle heads stay in, a 365 is still the same threat.

SQ/CC's/OG's/and WG/CC's are just now starting to realize this in their own respective units, but in true active Duty fashion, the Left hand isn't talking to the Right (right being upper echelons outside the Wing level.) Unfortunately, this isn't a problem that can be fixed...it's a mentality and leadership problem that has caused exponential and long term irreversible consequences. Leadership is just now seeing the results of the path it has been chosen for its people.

"Storms a-brewin" and for the first time in a very long time, the son gets to say "Checkmate" to the Dad.

[deaddebate]

I wouldn't worry about Air Force manpower too much. There's always Stop Loss programs.

;-)

[otsap]

  On 10/8/2014 at 5:01 AM, StealthDriver said:

My prediction is that the 2005, 2006, and 2007 year-groups will be a HUGE issue for Active Duty.

I agree with your prediction. This year is the Maj board for the 2005 year group. Is there data available on the number of Do Not Promote letters written to the promotion board? That would be quite tell-tale. Forgoing a promotion to get out a year earlier sounds like a good option if getting out is the decision you've already made.

[sqwatch]

  On 10/8/2014 at 5:01 AM, StealthDriver said:

"Storms a-brewin" and for the first time in a very long time, the son gets to say "Checkmate" to the Dad.

I have no idea wtf this means.

Edited October 8, 2014 by sqwatch

[StealthDriver]

  On 10/8/2014 at 2:07 PM, sqwatch said:

I have no idea wtf this means.

Sqwatch,

Sorry to confuse you. I finished the above post with the analogy that I started with.

Cave man style explanation:

Dad=Big Air Force (Active Duty)

Son=us, the individual

Checkmate="I've got options now that doesn't include you." (Reserve/Guard/Airlines/Private Sector job hiring boom). And no amount of money's keeping the majority in. This is what happens when you abuse and ignore what your force needs and simply beat them down.

Again...this is just my small opinion. I'm probably way off the mark ;)

[tunes]

anyone still waiting on the scroll? There have been 3 that I know of since May but mine still has not gone...my ISR said he put me on some special VSP scroll that was supposed to be done in september but apparently still hasnt.

[StealthDriver]

Tunes, my friend waited on his scroll approval until a month from his DOS. He was worried but was told there was a backlog. I wouldn't stress too much man. It will come through. When is your DOS?

[tunes]

  On 10/8/2014 at 8:23 PM, StealthDriver said:

Tunes, my friend waited on his scroll approval until a month from his DOS. He was worried but was told there was a backlog. I wouldn't stress too much man. It will come through. When is your DOS?

yeah about that, it was 29 sep....

Edited October 8, 2014 by tunes

[FLY6584]

What is a scroll?

[panchbarnes]

List of names that needs to be reviewed and approved by the congress. (I think)

[Azimuth]

Somehow it doesn't surprise me that this happened.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20141009/BENEFITS06/310090066/Air-Force-revokes-medical-coverage-1-000-separating-airmen?sf32200062=1

[HU&W]

  On 10/9/2014 at 7:02 PM, Azimuth said:

Somehow it doesn't surprise me that this happened.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20141009/BENEFITS06/310090066/Air-Force-revokes-medical-coverage-1-000-separating-airmen?sf32200062=1

  Quote

Now, the major said, “my status is in limbo.” He wants to be a self-employed freelancer, and when he made his post-Air Force plans, he was counting on the six months of continued medical coverage to help bridge that gap between military medical care and Obamacare. He said that with his six-figure Air Force salary in his recent past, he wouldn’t be able to afford Obamacare premiums during the open enrollment period. But after six months on his current $25,000 freelancing income, he would be eligible for subsidies that would allow him to afford Obamacare coverage.

[Dubs]

  On 10/9/2014 at 7:02 PM, Azimuth said:

Somehow it doesn't surprise me that this happened.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20141009/BENEFITS06/310090066/Air-Force-revokes-medical-coverage-1-000-separating-airmen?sf32200062=1

Yeah I just saw that on JQP's facebook page. Awesome. Really awesome. I'm a week and a half away from separating and I'd been told over and over again that I would be covered under TAMP and have base access for 2 years and blah, blah, blah... I should've known the USAF would get that last good jab in before it was all said and done. They always do...

Edited October 10, 2014 by Dubs

[StealthDriver]

Side note question: any of you dudes know how long, per the reg, that you have to wait to apply to PC again if you are disapproved....aaaannnd, what do they base that clock time on? (PC paperwork submittal date, or date disapproved?.)

Just curious.

Edited October 10, 2014 by StealthDriver

[deaddebate]

  On 10/10/2014 at 2:28 PM, StealthDriver said:

Side note question: any of you dudes know how long, per the reg, that you have to wait to apply to PC again if you are disapproved....aaaannnd, what do they base that clock time on? (PC paperwork submittal date, or date disapproved?.)

Just curious.

AFI 36-3205, paragraph 1.3. Usually 120 days from date notified of denial. Edited October 10, 2014 by deaddebate