2018 Active Duty UFT Board

[Blindpelican]

So I am guessing that everyone that found out today that a notification message was sent to their Wing/CC of selection and not the actual full list? There was a non-flying Wing Staff or two near the DC area that cancelled work today because of wind (not joking). If anyone by chance has access to the list and could help a bro/broette out that are geographically separated from their Wing, which is geographically separated from their Group, which is geographically separated from their squadron, which is geographically separated from their Det, which is separated from from their CSS and usually wait 5-69 days for anything to be passed down? Asking for a friend...

[Mortdude]

Commander at my base told his Lt 112 were selected for rated out of 200 applicants.  Not sure what kind of Pilot/CSO/RPA/ABM spread but seems like a pretty good year for us AD guys.  I didn't apply this year, but will be chasing the 2019 board...Grats to all the selects!

[Hopeful_guy]

Commander at my base told his Lt 112 were selected for rated out of 200 applicants.  Not sure what kind of Pilot/CSO/RPA/ABM spread but seems like a pretty good year for us AD guys.  I didn't apply this year, but will be chasing the 2019 board...Grats to all the selects!

Looks like those original numbers kind of came close.

[Hefe]

Congratulations to all that have been selected.  I can only imagine the feeling!  I was not selected for the AD board this year.  Here is my situation:

Current rated officer; ABM with 2x deployments to OIR, FTU instructor, over 1,300 hours in my airframe

1x ETP for Age, 1x ETP for commissioned service

91 PCSM, AFOQT scores of 95 for pilot, 98 for ABM, and 94 for CSO

Pilot license and Master's Complete, 4.0 GPA

Strats: #1 / X from my squadron, #1 / X from my wing, LOR from WG/CC

I'll say again, I did not get selected.  From what it sounds like, ABMs are not being released to cross train to pilot at all.  Obviously I am beside myself right now, hence the 5am post.

I am not going to use this forum to blast big blue or the people that make decisions regarding ABM manning, but I know for sure that dozens of well-deserving, hard working ABMs applied for UPT and were never truly given a shot.  What a slap in the face.

Send me a PM if you got picked up for ABM instead of Pilot, CSO, or RPA.  I have a few words of advice for you.  

 

[Tesla]

Hefe, what is ABM? A Marine Hornet WSO you've got me beat in literally every category you've listed there.

[Hopeful CSO to Pilot]

Air Battle Manager. 

Also, still in disbelief that my commander didn’t tell me either way. I’d rather know than have to wait until the 8th. At this point, all of my family and friends know that he has the results but didn’t want to tell me. Do commanders not realize what this means to people? Any commanders that see this feel free to weigh in on why. For now, I’ll remain dissappointed in my leadership. 

Edited March 3, 2018 by Hopefull CSO to Pilot

[CSEWO]

I was not selected. 89 PCSM, 88 Pilot AFOQT, 2 ETPs for age & TAFSCD. Rated EWO (can't bring myself to call myself a CSO) with 9 deployments, #2 wing strat and I have my private pilot complete. 

I guess the Air Force's pilot shortage isn't that bad if they are non-selecting qualified (albeit older) applicants.

Oh well, congratulations to all those selected, I'll just be content flying my own plane! 

Edited March 3, 2018 by CSEWO
Clarification

[IMUA]

@Pred69 i know you’ve moved on from the UFT boards, any chance u can shed some insight into the process for our non-selects?

Why are we turning away dudes who already speak aviation with solid scores?

[JoshuaTheCSO]

I'll share my opinion. The Air Force does not have a shortage of pilot applicants. It has a problem with retaining trained pilots, and rated aviators in general. Instructors in their field are not only valuable for that rated position, but have fewer years left as pilot instructors. They would also be ineligible for weapons school by the time they are qualified, and likely won't be commanders. So by accepting a medium to senior instructor you are really detracting from two rated fields. Those people should, in AFs eyes, go on to great careers in their current fields.

[Merlin]

4 hours ago, Hefe said:

Congratulations to all that have been selected.  I can only imagine the feeling!  I was not selected for the AD board this year.  Here is my situation:

Current rated officer; ABM with 2x deployments to OIR, FTU instructor, over 1,300 hours in my airframe

1x ETP for Age, 1x ETP for commissioned service

91 PCSM, AFOQT scores of 95 for pilot, 98 for ABM, and 94 for CSO

Pilot license and Master's Complete, 4.0 GPA

Strats: #1 / X from my squadron, #1 / X from my wing, LOR from WG/CC

I'll say again, I did not get selected.  From what it sounds like, ABMs are not being released to cross train to pilot at all.  Obviously I am beside myself right now, hence the 5am post.

I am not going to use this forum to blast big blue or the people that make decisions regarding ABM manning, but I know for sure that dozens of well-deserving, hard working ABMs applied for UPT and were never truly given a shot.  What a slap in the face.

Send me a PM if you got picked up for ABM instead of Pilot, CSO, or RPA.  I have a few words of advice for you.  

 

I understand the frustration.  This was my 4th AD board not including getting the shaft from USAFA (GPA wasnt great so they sent me to be an engineer, makes sense). I know of at least 4 other strike wso bros that got picked up not including myself.  Last year it was the exact opposite, and I remember only 1-2 being picked up from the 12F career field.  It seems the pendulum is swinging back and the AF still doesn't know the manning issues they face.  We are just as critically manned in the 12 series careers as yall are in the 13.

   

[Hopeful CSO to Pilot]

I don’t understand not wanting to release a 12 series due to manning. If someone doesn’t have the foresight to realize you’d have an aviator for 10 more years rather than just a couple more until their ADSC is up and they either go guard or get out altogether and try to go airlines on their own dime at that point, then they deserve the shortage. 

[IMUA]

4 hours ago, JoshuaTheCSO said:

I'll share my opinion. The Air Force does not have a shortage of pilot applicants. It has a problem with retaining trained pilots, and rated aviators in general. Instructors in their field are not only valuable for that rated position, but have fewer years left as pilot instructors. They would also be ineligible for weapons school by the time they are qualified, and likely won't be commanders. So by accepting a medium to senior instructor you are really detracting from two rated fields. Those people should, in AFs eyes, go on to great careers in their current fields.

i’ll kind of buy that. There are tons of possible applicants for rated yet Big blue handcuffs itself with dated requirements and in particular idiotic medical standards that they believe are necessary. There are tons if people who could do the rated job but can’t because of trivial hiccups. They do it to themselves.

And i personally dont care about the AF eyes...i’m a big believer in finding something you love doing and you’ll never work another day in your life. If that comes at Big blues expensense so be it. I also believe if you align your workforce according to the above the organization will succeed.

[Dutch566]

I know this doesn't make any non-selects situation and better, but at least you know the results. My Commander and his staff were out of the office because of crazy weather in the northeast. I get to burn another weekend contantly thinking about the results. 

It is definitely crazy to hear that good dudes with great scores not getting selected. That's not going to make my weekend any shorter! Especially with an average PCSM and coming from a non-rated AFSC. 

[Mortdude]

3 hours ago, Dutch566 said:

I know this doesn't make any non-selects situation and better, but at least you know the results. My Commander and his staff were out of the office because of crazy weather in the northeast. I get to burn another weekend contantly thinking about the results. 

It is definitely crazy to hear that good dudes with great scores not getting selected. That's not going to make my weekend any shorter! Especially with an average PCSM and coming from a non-rated AFSC. 

My current Commander is a F15 WSO and he said he believes you’re less likely to get selected from rated communities due to their critical Manning and longer training time. Non rated dudes can have a “replacement” trained in a much shorter time than the 3+ years it takes to get a MQd WSO etc. 

[Hopeful CSO to Pilot]

I hope i find out tomorrow either way. Waiting until the 8th is almost criminal... 

[Fryeguy6]

43 minutes ago, Hopeful CSO to Pilot said:

I hope i find out tomorrow either way. Waiting until the 8th is almost criminal... 

Same...put in a package for RPA. I was expecting to find out Wednesday last week....Friday at worst and then nothing. I've been constantly unable to give family and friends and answer since "mid february" so now I'm just hoping I find out before everyone else does on Thursday.

[Hopeful_guy]

There has been some talk (at least at my wing) of waiting to tell members until officially releasing on the 7th. This is part of the new 7 day Commanders Advanced Assignment notice.

[UPTDreamer]

Our wing execs say they haven’t received the psdm yet.. and are “looking into it”.  Very frustrating... 

[Capt Ahab]

So your MPF is who it would be routed to.

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1421496/advance-assignment-notification-enhancement-prompts-commander-airmen-career-dis/

[UPTDreamer]

45 minutes ago, Capt Ahab said:

So your MPF is who it would be routed to.

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1421496/advance-assignment-notification-enhancement-prompts-commander-airmen-career-dis/

When it mentions “Unit” commanders i assume that’s base commander? Because my squadron commander said he has received nothing hence why he reached out to the wing execs. 

[Capt Ahab]

I would assume either placed in the AF215 would have access.

This sentence is interesting, “Official assignment notification occurs on day eight when the Airman receives the notification email, logs into virtual MPF and acknowledges receipt. “

So your commander is only doing you a solid by telling you early?

[UPTDreamer]

10 minutes ago, Capt Ahab said:

I would assume either placed in the AF215 would have access.

This sentence is interesting, “Official assignment notification occurs on day eight when the Airman receives the notification email, logs into virtual MPF and acknowledges receipt. “

So your commander is only doing you a solid by telling you early?

I understand that. I just don’t think he would be misleading and say he hasn’t received anything if he really did? Maybe the wing commander just hasn’t released it for some reason. I appreciate the insight though. Calms me down lol 

[Dutch566]

Has anyone heard anything? My Sq/CC hasn't had anything come through to him. He reached out to the Gr and Wg, no joy their either. He then called our local MPF (we are a tenant unit, separated from our Gp and Wg), and nothing there. Beginning to psych myself out and think that, even after receiving confirmation from the board POCs, my package has fallen through the cracks...

[Dutch566]

Finally got word from the commander. Picked up for CSO. Not my first choice, but at least got word before the official release and an extra few days to make a decision. Good luck to everyone else that's still waiting!

[Hammer87]

2 hours ago, Dutch566 said:

Finally got word from the commander. Picked up for CSO. Not my first choice, but at least got word before the official release and an extra few days to make a decision. Good luck to everyone else that's still waiting!

Hey Dutch, think about what your goal is. If its to fly a bada$$ machine and get stick time, the CSO to WSO route is great. I get as much stick time as i want (mission permitting) and fly all the time. Granted there's no guarantee you'll make WSO but something to consider.