Pilot Shortage Deepens, USAF is SCREWED.

[Guardian]

To some degree this is our fault,

A very very small degree. I won’t be told that it’s my fault that there is a pilot shortage when I am looking after my family. I am not a personellist or a general. I don’t make the decisions that cause me to want to get out.

[Clark Griswold]

On 3/15/2018 at 4:22 PM, matmacwc said:

Back on topic:

https://warontherocks.com/2018/03/air-force-in-crisis-part-iii-dear-boss-its-all-about-the-culture/

Not a bad article but after reading this (and other articles like it) on the "problem" of the present day AF, I feel like every well intentioned reformer or reform advocate needs to realize that there are somethings that have happened not just in the AF but in society in general that are to be acknowledged and accepted to go forward productively.  There are some fights that are not worth it, not winnable, not even a fight where something can be won and a distraction from that which is attainable and worth time, resources and effort.

The "problem" of the present day AF is not a problem per se but a state of being that was arrived at after a particular (and on going) set of operations / conflicts, changes in society (some good - effort to include non-historically represented groups, some bad - egregious PC culture and emphasis on identity at the expense meritocracy and logic) and the corporatization of some aspects of the day to day administration of the AF.  

That said, there is plenty that could be reformed, changed and made to make an AF that is more mission focused, more challenging for its members and one that inspires an esprit de corps.  I think it would be a harder AF to be in than it is now (I'm ok with that) and I think that is probably where to start because that is something we can do now, no money needed, no new laws to be passed.  Just the will to do it and accept some of the potentially unpopular and uncomfortable results of dialing up the standards.

On the article...

1.  Dear Boss...

My two cents, some of the "Dear Boss" sentiment is valid, there has been a growing gulf between the Line and Leadership of the AF, loss of confidence in AF leadership when from an operator's perspective we (the USAF) do not seem particularly responsive to a changed operational environment and an apathetic approach to retention.  

My other two cents, some of the "Dear Boss" sentiment is grandstanding and sanctimonious, only the author of whichever iteration of the "Dear Boss" letter can see the mediocrity & corruption and because said individual is so principled, so dedicated, so pure that they just can't take it anymore and they have to leave.  Give me a break, at anytime in the existence of any established, conventional military force there have been cronies, REMFs, butt kissers, busy work and snipe hunts, etc... this is not to say those things are to be tolerated but they're like mosquitoes, you swat one and another arrives to meet the same fate, repeat the process or get eaten alive.  Deal with it, annoying things and people are part of life, try to fix them, get rid of them or avoid them but don't expect them to ever go away completely.

2. PC Culture

Partially accept some it.  Fighting all of it is unwise, not winnable and not even a good idea.  Most of it comes from above the DoD, Federal Government Policy for all Departments, Agencies and Bureaus and has to be implemented, unless it is specifically stated how X policy will be implemented, the AF (IMO) has prerogative to deliver X policy in a military applicable manner.

The AF can take the best parts of the efforts to build an inclusive society that offers equal opportunity for all, encouragement (not exceptions) for those not historically represented and adherence to universally applied standards without denigrating those in the majority and assuming original prejudice in their attitudes.  I saw this in a briefing from a GO on the day the transgender policy was changed for the DoD, he had one slide that clearly stated the policy, said we will treat all members in accordance with professional military standards and that was it.  I am not really that on board with the policy but when it was delivered in a non-condescending, short, professional manner it did not generate excessive resentment, I left the All-Call with no more or less cynicism than before.  Given the topic, that was probably as good as it was going to get.  An example of how to do Social Actions Policy.

3.  Warrior / Mission Culture

If we want a warrior culture, a mission culture then look at the tools we have available and use them.  

That will be tougher standards, more rigor and fewer opportunities to leave the cockpit / ops station you are in (if part of the LAF).  Be careful what you wish for, you may get it.  I am ok with dialing up the heat, not that I am an Air Rambo, but I know that if we want to rid the AF of shoe clerks and meaningless schools, programs and fluff, that is in reality the only way to do it.  Thinking that some Bro General is just going to come in, tell the Shoe Clerks to pound sand and that's it is naive thinking at its worst. 

Swords are forged in extreme heat then beat into shape, afterwards repeatedly scraped with a stone to make sharp, not a gentle process.  If we want this type of AF (we do), we need only more strongly discipline and train ourselves.

Not the most pleasant rant I've ever given on BO but my honest opinion.  Any military or military unit you want to be part of should be tough to be part of, that is where the pride comes from, doing something that is hard to do and not everyone can do.  

If the AF changes the vector to this, the rest will take care of itself.

Edited March 19, 2018 by Clark Griswold

[Azimuth]

5 hours ago, tac airlifter said:

You really think everyone over O-4 either sucks at flying or is a selfish careerist?  That’s an uninformed comment.

The people who usually didn't think they sucked at flying...did.

[matmacwc]

Get hit in the head with some books recently Clark?

[ColoradoAviator]

11 hours ago, flyusaf83 said:

Around the senior Capt or junior Maj level, you’re down to the the shiny pennies who would rather masturbate to their OPR strats than fly.

Thanks for this little gem!  It made my morning.

[Clark Griswold]

6 hours ago, matmacwc said:

Get hit in the head with some books recently Clark?

Just getting older and more opinionated...or rotting...

[Danger41]

10 hours ago, Azimuth said:

The people who usually didn't think they sucked at flying...did.

I think I’m pretty fucking good at flying. I guess I actually suck. And I’m a total loser and REMF dipshit because I’m a Major.

This has been enlightening.

[Hopefulflyer389]

2 hours ago, Danger41 said:

I think I’m pretty fucking good at flying. I guess I actually suck. And I’m a total loser and REMF dipshit because I’m a Major.

This has been enlightening.

Acceptance is the first step in recovery

[ClearedHot]

On 3/19/2018 at 11:10 AM, Danger41 said:

I think I’m pretty fucking good at flying. I guess I actually suck. And I’m a total loser and REMF dipshit because I’m a Major.

This has been enlightening.

How do you think I feel...I thought I was really good at flying and I made O-6 BPZ...I guess I am lucky I haven't crashed into a tree yet.

[busdriver]

How do you think I feel...I thought I was really good at flying and I made O-6 BPZ...I guess I am lucky I havn't crashed into a tree yet.

Got out just in time I guess.

[BashiChuni]

3 hours ago, Danger41 said:

I think I’m pretty fucking good at flying. I guess I actually suck. And I’m a total loser and REMF dipshit because I’m a Major (select)

This has been enlightening.

FIFY. 

[tac airlifter]

17 hours ago, Azimuth said:

The people who usually didn't think they sucked at flying...did.

 

[SCRIMP]

I did hear some good news regarding UPT-H being cancelled....so that is a big win for common sense.

[HeyWatchThis]

13 hours ago, SCRIMP said:

I did hear some good news regarding UPT-H being cancelled....so that is a big win for common sense.

I missed the ball on this one....what's UPT-H again?  

[SCRIMP]

I missed the ball on this one....what's UPT-H again?  

It was a terrible idea to stop helo pilots from going to T-6s. The original plan would have been to do IFS, get a commercial instrument (no low level, etc.) with a contract helicopter company and then go to straight to Kirtland. It would have been an extremely expensive option that would have resulted in a significant loss of experience and capability.

[Breckey]

47 minutes ago, SCRIMP said:

It was a terrible idea to stop helo pilots from going to T-6s. The original plan would have been to do IFS, get a commercial instrument (no low level, etc.) with a contract helicopter company and then go to straight to Kirtland. It would have been an extremely expensive option that would have resulted in a significant loss of experience and capability.

You forget that it would have added a whopping 40-50 pilots to the FW tracks.

[HeloDude]

Because this didn't happen before the early/mid 90s...

And the AF also didn't bring in quite a few Army RW pilots in the 90s that ended up doing just fine.

[RTB]

1 hour ago, HeloDude said:

Because this didn't happen before the early/mid 90s...

And the AF also didn't bring in quite a few Army RW pilots in the 90s that ended up doing just fine.

That’s what I was thinking too. I thought a pure helo UPT was the norm prior to about ‘95. 

[SCRIMP]

Because this didn't happen before the early/mid 90s...
And the AF also didn't bring in quite a few Army RW pilots in the 90s that ended up doing just fine.

So your logic is that because a fully qualified/seasoned Army RW Pilot can cross over means that a brand new nugget off the street can make the same transition?

[pilot]

I think the argument is that if the army can train dudes with no FW flight experience and make them effective helo guys, the Air Force can too, saving FW resources (especially with the shortage of T6 sorties right now) in that process. Why does a helo guy need fixed wing time if he will stay helos his whole career? What’s the added value? I’m just playing devils advocate. I think all mil pilots, including army guys, should start in airplanes, then go to helos. But plenty of people disagree and my opinion matters not. 

Edit: obviously the pipeline would have to be thought out and thorough, and I have no knowledge of what UPT-H was going to consist of, so can't comment there. 

Edited March 23, 2018 by FlyArmy

[Fuzz]

Because we are the exact inverse of the army, almost entirely FW with a small RW piece. It makes more sense to send everyone fixed wing and peel a handful of pilots off every year to go RW than stand up an entirely separate program with all the overhead cost.

[JustHangingOut]

1 minute ago, Fuzz said:

Because we are the exact inverse of the army, almost entirely FW with a small RW piece. It makes more sense to send everyone fixed wing and peel a handful of pilots off every year to go RW than stand up an entirely separate program with all the overhead cost.

The only way a RW only course for the AF would make sense would be to have a joint partnership and roll them into the same program with the army guys so they aren't reinventing the wheel and starting from scratch.  I'm not sure if it's even possible with the color of money, but it makes sense in m head.

[dream big]

On ‎3‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 7:40 AM, FlyingWolf said:

Meh, he is regurgitating what others are throwing out.

BREAK BREAK

There has been a marked improvement in leadership in all levels of my chain of command over the past couple years. I am hopeful that eventually we will be in a much better place, but the Air Force is now suffering the consequences of epically poor decision making/culture of previous commands. 

 

Meh, I'm glad some people feel that way.  However, in our neck of the woods in AMC, not so much the case.   Case in point: our "wingman day" is this coming Monday and our WING/CC has a full fun day of events planned for the wing, to include a #unity march (that's what he is actually calling it) to start the day, followed by an array of briefs from different "experts" on how not to kill yourself.  This day will also include a "fair" with different base support agencies, the same ones who take 6 months to process PCS orders or forget to turn off your HDP even after you remind them 15 times and then ask you to come in to their office at odd ball times to fill out paperwork for indebtedness.  All of this is going on while we have an unprecedented ops tempo with 3 different exercises, a deployment getting ready to go out the door, and several dudes coming in on weekends to catch up on work and hooking their checkrides because flying is obviously not a priority for "leadership."  This is when we aren't doing the six iterations of CBRNE or SABC refresher for our upcoming surges.

And they wonder why they have a retention problem?  Then they have the nerve to send out all these surveys asking why pilots are leaving yet waste everyone's time having them show up to a freaking "#unity march" like we are a bunch of college kids from Berkley.    A Major in our squadron said it best today: "I bet American Airlines doesn't have mandatory unity marches and briefings on how not to kill yourself"...

[Majestik Møøse]

11 hours ago, dream big said:

[AMC bullshit].

Are you at Travis? This sounds like Travis. File a complaint with the 18AF IG. Or just send this to JQP. Maybe your Sq/CC could say “unable, here’s a laundry list of real-world reasons” and cc the world.

[dream big]

1 hour ago, Majestik Møøse said:

Are you at Travis? This sounds like Travis. File a complaint with the 18AF IG. Or just send this to JQP. Maybe your Sq/CC could say “unable, here’s a laundry list of real-world reasons” and cc the world.

No, Dyess.  Problem is this resiliency push is coming from HQ AMC and higher.  They want people to make posters for the event.  Flying squadron DO said his poster will be #getthefbacktowork.  

Under the new wing leadership our Sq leadership has had to fight many battles..they have to pick and chose which ones are worth fighting.  I’m guessing a day wasted is not a battle worth fighting, but still worthy sport b*tching about!