Pilot Shortage Deepens, USAF is SCREWED.

[Seriously]

52 minutes ago, ClearedHot said:

The GAO is out with a new report sounding the alarm of the Fighter Pilot shortage across DoD.  Fully 1/4 of all Fighter Pilot billets are now empty.  There were some interesting gems in the report like how the Navy tried to normalize some of the shortages by EXTENDING deployments.  Also, over the past four years over 1/3 of the USAF's Fighter Pilots have elected to leave the service.

 

The 06 year group doesn't even have enough guys to fill all the cc billets.

[MDDieselPilot]

59 minutes ago, ClearedHot said:

The GAO is out with a new report sounding the alarm of the Fighter Pilot shortage across DoD.  Fully 1/4 of all Fighter Pilot billets are now empty.  There were some interesting gems in the report like how the Navy tried to normalize some of the shortages by EXTENDING deployments.  Also, over the past four years over 1/3 of the USAF's Fighter Pilots have elected to leave the service.

 

Yea, that caught my eye as well.

For example, the Navy told GAO that extending fighter pilots’ deployments helped them reduce that 2017 first tour pilot gap from 136 pilots, or 26 percent, to 75 pilots, or 15 percent.

Sounds about right for a short term fix that becomes a long term problem.

Edited April 12, 2018 by MDDieselPilot

[Snooter]

2 hours ago, Seriously said:

The 06 year group doesn't even have enough guys to fill all the cc billets.

Ygbsm...

[ColoradoAviator]

The GAO is out with a new report sounding the alarm of the Fighter Pilot shortage across DoD.

Link? My Google-Fu is weak today.

[MDDieselPilot]

6 minutes ago, ColoradoAviator said:

 

 

Link? My Google-Fu is weak today.

 

https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-18-113

The 69-page report is linked at the top of the page.

Edited April 12, 2018 by MDDieselPilot

[SCRIMP]

Ygbsm...

The only two weapons school graduates in the 06 year group in the helo community are/have palace chased.

[Champ Kind]

The 06 year group doesn't even have enough guys to fill all the cc billets.

2006 commissioning year group? Filling squadron cc billets?

[Gunnermcjack]

"GAO recommends that the Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps reevaluate fighter pilot squadron requirements. DOD concurred with the recommendations"

Can't meet the mins? Lower the bar! Reduction in authorized billets coming to a squadron near you! 

[RTB]

10 hours ago, ClearedHot said:

Also, over the past four years over 1/3 of the USAF's Fighter Pilots have elected to leave the service.

Did you read that to mean 1/3 of those eligible to separate or retire actually did, or 1/3 of the total fighter pilot population left?   I could't find the data on that...

[nsplayr]

4 hours ago, Champ Kind said:

2006 commissioning year group? Filling squadron cc billets?

The guys with "the right stuff" have been ID'd for a while, so it makes sense to me that the brass can look at the field and see there ain't enough shiny pennies around to fill all the seats.

[Trogdor]

34 minutes ago, nsplayr said:

The guys with "the right stuff" have been ID'd for a while, so it makes sense to me that the brass can look at the field and see there ain't enough shiny pennies around to fill all the seats.

As an 06 guy...In my community (with some data points across other airframes), the guys with "the right stuff" are at school or off doing AF level staff stuff now.  The next level and below are doing MAJCOM staff or filling deployed CC/DO billets.  I think MAJCOM did a good job picking the people with "the right stuff," for the most part.  Although, I think there are some surprises that will be interesting when they are in charge.  Outside of the shiny penny group... I know two... literally two 06 year group aircrew that are sticking around.  Everyone else I know has left already, dropped paperwork, 7 day opted, or plan to 7 day opt on the next deployment/PCS (I wonder how the bonus taker stats will relate to those that have left without ever being offered a bonus????). 

I kind of feel bad for "the right stuff" peeps.  They aren't going to have any peers to help them out when they get back to the squads, groups, or wings.  You know, the ones with the first hand knowledge of deployed tactical ops or working the staff grind.  But, experienced IP's/EP's will just be replaced with less experienced IP's/EP's... with those lesser experienced peeps being pulled for "other" type jobs and deployments due to the vacuum above.  The status quo will change by the time they return in two-four years.  

Overall, I think things are changing for the good and heading in the right direction, but I think there is going to be some choppy waters for the next few years as the AF figures this out.  

[ClearedHot]

1 hour ago, RTB said:

Did you read that to mean 1/3 of those eligible to separate or retire actually did, or 1/3 of the total fighter pilot population left?   I could't find the data on that...

The report worded it to say 1/3 of the entire population.  Further 65% of eligibles have declined the bonus.

[17D_guy]

6 hours ago, Gunnermcjack said:

"GAO recommends that the Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps reevaluate fighter pilot squadron requirements. DOD concurred with the recommendations"

Can't meet the mins? Lower the bar! Reduction in authorized billets coming to a squadron near you! 

For this the report mentioned the admin duties and other work that's been given to pilots, not your actual job.  The one page is rather daming, not sure if the rest of the 69 is worth the look.

Let me know when SECAF starts holding some former 3 & 4-stars accountable...

[RTB]

Interesting tid bit from the GAO report:

"Air Force officials added that during that period, Air Force fighter pilot gaps were generally limited to non-operational positions, such as staff assignments at Air Force headquarters or combatant commands. However, our analysis found that the Air Force has been unable to fully staff operational positions since fiscal year 2014."

 

 

[pawnman]

8 hours ago, RTB said:

Interesting tid bit from the GAO report:

"Air Force officials added that during that period, Air Force fighter pilot gaps were generally limited to non-operational positions, such as staff assignments at Air Force headquarters or combatant commands. However, our analysis found that the Air Force has been unable to fully staff operational positions since fiscal year 2014."

 

 

I guess it depends how you define "operational positions".  For example, our FTU couldn't get in on the civilian hiring wave because the FTU isn't an "operational squadron".  

 

[pawnman]

15 hours ago, Champ Kind said:

2006 commissioning year group? Filling squadron cc billets?

Seems like they'd be ripe in about 2 years, no?

[Champ Kind]

Seems like they'd be ripe in about 2 years, no?

BPZers, maybe. But even then that seems a year or two early to actually assume command. That’s been my experience in the MAF at least. But, I’m also hearing that the leadership bench is pretty shallow, so this shouldn’t surprise me.

[pawnman]

52 minutes ago, Champ Kind said:

 

BPZers, maybe. But even then that seems a year or two early to actually assume command. That’s been my experience in the MAF at least. But, I’m also hearing that the leadership bench is pretty shallow, so this shouldn’t surprise me.

 

Are fighter SQ/CCs not all 2 BPZ like in the B-1?  Is ours more competitive because there are only 3 ops, 1 FTU, and 2 OSS slots available?

[Guardian]

What goes around comes around. TAMI 21. No remorse for what the AF did to itself and continues to do.

[Bode]

Are fighter SQ/CCs not all 2 BPZ like in the B-1?  Is ours more competitive because there are only 3 ops, 1 FTU, and 2 OSS slots available?

I can say where I am one of two T6 commanders is a 2-below. The other is a 1-below. Old OSS CC was on time but I think the new one is a 1-below.

[VMFA187]

On ‎4‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 7:04 AM, ClearedHot said:

The GAO is out with a new report sounding the alarm of the Fighter Pilot shortage across DoD.  Fully 1/4 of all Fighter Pilot billets are now empty.  There were some interesting gems in the report like how the Navy tried to normalize some of the shortages by EXTENDING deployments.  Also, over the past four years over 1/3 of the USAF's Fighter Pilots have elected to leave the service.

 

In the Marine Corps Hornet community there are single and two-seat squadrons. Our East Coast Hornets and now all going to composite single and two seat squadrons. This is not occurring because of a better way to manage flight time on the few flyable airframes, but simple because there are not enough company grade officers to fill all of the ground billets so WSOs are now going to squadrons where there will likely be no jets for them to maintain currency simply to do ground duties. 

 

Picked up my DD-214 this morning. 

[Guardian]

So not pilots doing additional duties instead of pilots is the way I read it. Winning for some.

[ClearedHot]

56 minutes ago, VMFA187 said:

Picked up my DD-214 this morning. 

Congrats and thank you for your service.  Semper Fi.

[Guardian]

Congrats and thank you for your service.  Semper Fi.

I second. Thanks for raising your hand. Best of luck in the future.

[Fuzz]

20 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

....so WSOs are now going to squadrons where there will likely be no jets for them to maintain currency simply to do ground duties. 

 

Picked up my DD-214 this morning. 

I really want to know what idiot comes up with this idea and then what admiral signed off on this. 

Also congrats and best of luck.