Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP - The Bonus)

[stract]

https://access.afpc.af.mil/vbinDMZ/broker.exe?_program=DEMOGPUB.static_reports.sas&_service=pZ1pub1&_debug=0

Scroll to the bottom to the [RETENTION] section and select MDSACPSUMMARY.

It seems that only Hueys and F-35s are happy pilots these days and have a take rate that exceeds the non-take rate. Everyone else is hovering around a 20-30% take rate. And the FY15 numbers aren't better.

Edited August 22, 2014 by stract

[Breckey]

They actually had the RQ-170 as an acknowledged MWS....with a 0% take rate.

[stract]

and WTF is a U5?

[Bode]

How about they fact there is T37 FAIP listed. I'm confused.

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[Learjetter]

Sorting by base is interesting as well.

[stract]

and there's still someone coded as an MH-53 pilot even though those were all retired 5 years ago...

[guineapigfury]

and there's still someone coded as an MH-53 pilot even though those were all retired 5 years ago...

He was probably stuck in a nonflying job somewhere, so there was no reason to recat yet.

Edited August 23, 2014 by guineapigfury

[Breckey]

Could have also been a Rucker guy.

[Smokin]

Nothing to see here. The mass exodus is a complete rumor and will never happen. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[ColoradoAviator]

When is the deadline for eligibles to decide to take or not to take? Perhaps the majority of eligibles are still holding their cards close. Some of the heavy non-take rates are in the high 90s - yikes!

[tac airlifter]

When is the deadline for eligibles to decide to take or not to take? Perhaps the majority of eligibles are still holding their cards close. Some of the heavy non-take rates are in the high 90s - yikes!

My notification says 30 Sep is the deadline.

Edited August 23, 2014 by tac airlifter

[Nineline]

I'm not surprised to see the take rates so low. And I'm willing to bet that there won't be a significant improvement in the take rate during the next four weeks. In my previous squadron, dudes who were approved for VSP were treated like they won the lottery, while dudes who took the bonus were ridiculed because no one with a signed ARP agreement was approved to VSP.

And this year, unlike in years past, dudes who passed on the initial bonus are now offered nothing. Nada. Not one penny of the previously offered $125-225K. It's as if Big Blue is saying "I see that you had commitment issues during your two month eligibility window. Want to reconsider? Go fvck yourself."

2014 taught those approaching the end of their commitment that taking the bonus will bring you 5 additional years of misery, while not taking it will make you a top candidate for an early exit with a huge severance check. And now Big Blue either doesn't see a retention issue or understand why one exists?

I know there are some smart people on the HAF staff, which begs the question: why are we the only ones to see it for what it is?

-9-

Edited August 23, 2014 by Nineline

[Karl Hungus]

LOL at the handful of people to take the FY15 bonus a year early. There's a sucker born every minute.

[Ram]

LOL at the handful of people to take the FY15 bonus a year early. There's a sucker born every minute.

Well, re-read my comments a page or two ago about dudes whose ADSC expires EARLY in FY15. Before this year, guys with those circumstances who wanted to take the bonus and were eligible for 9 years of cash money got screwed out of ~$12K because AFPC would wait until halfway through the FY to offer the bonus.

My ENJJPT ADSC expires in December of this year, so I'll get my bonus well before I would have if I had to wait until summer of next year.

With a training ADSC that takes me to January of 2020, I'll gladly take the $225k for something I was planning on doing anyway.

I don't feel like a sucka, bro. But if you think I am, well...that's just your opinion, man...

[ViperStud]

Beat me to it Ram. Why wouldn't you take the $ if you're planning on staying anyway? I know some think the bonus may increase next year, but I wasn't willing to bet $12K on that one.

And you call yourself a fighter pilot? Have you never been to Vegas? $12K on that is the surest bet in the history of the ACP. You think a year from now when it's $35K/yr that it will be a "coincidence" that they offered early this year? You take our "leadership" at face value far too easily.

[Nineline]

With a training ADSC that takes me to January of 2020....

Just curious, what kinds of training ADSCs are 5+ years?

-9-

[ViperStud]

Source? That would look pretty shady. Either way, I've been in long enough to know how the game works and I won't be too pissed about receiving $225K for something I was planning on doing anyway. I've had a lot of bitches about the AF over the past 15 years but pay has never been one of them.

I get it, kind of. But with all the on/off of force retention programs and all, what exactly is your basis for "trusting" our leadership? I passed on the bonus for the guard so I'm biased, but I think it's a bit fishy that "all of a sudden" this option showed up. If anyone thinks, in a climate of extreme fiscal belt-tightening, that our leadership is going to hook up the bros at extra cost to the DoD and taxpayer, I have some ocean-front property near Luke AFB that I'd like to sell you sight unseen.

[Homestar]

Beat me to it Ram. Why wouldn't you take the $ if you're planning on staying anyway? I know some think the bonus may increase next year, but I wasn't willing to bet $12K on that one.

Because freedom to walk away from an assignment or deployment you don't want is worth $18k a year after taxes.

[Jaded]

Well, re-read my comments a page or two ago about dudes whose ADSC expires EARLY in FY15. Before this year, guys with those circumstances who wanted to take the bonus and were eligible for 9 years of cash money got screwed out of ~$12K because AFPC would wait until halfway through the FY to offer the bonus.

My ENJJPT ADSC expires in December of this year, so I'll get my bonus well before I would have if I had to wait until summer of next year.

With a training ADSC that takes me to January of 2020, I'll gladly take the $225k for something I was planning on doing anyway.

I don't feel like a sucka, bro. But if you think I am, well...that's just your opinion, man...

Usually I think Karl is way too negative, but I think I agree with him on this point. I think you were a sucker to take the bonus. I know you, and you are intelligent, competent, and in an organization that will waste your talents. You have colleagues at Standford Business School, with full time gigs in the guard and reserves, and starting what will someday be extremely cush jobs in the airlines. Because you are not a patch wearer, you will spend the next 10 years wallowing while doing things like:

-wing jobs (Yes sir, I'd love to be the chief of IGI!)

-getting passed over for O-6 because of your lack of staff experience (thanks 11F)

-a 365s as the OSS/CC to Djubouti (the Died... etc)

You will be 43 years old at 20 years in looking at the exact same decision about whether or not to fly for Delta with a pension check that will barely feed and house your family (assuming you don't get fired at 18 based on trumped up bullshit your WG/CC decides is unacceptable). You will fly less, see your family less, and be more vulnerable to deploy to shitty assignments. You had the potential to do anything you wanted, but chose not to for an extra $18k a year after taxes. The bonus, as I see it, is an awesome deal only for those who have no potential to succeed outside the military.

[Gravedigger]

Holy shit balls. Dudes are getting paid serious cash money to continue doing what they were going to do anyway and catching shit?

Here's my $3.50, take the money. Use some of it to take a trip to Thailand and have the time of your life, you'll have plenty left over. While there, rejoice in the fact that you've got one of the most coveted jobs in the world and that you got paid two Maseratis to keep doing it. Also know that this good deal will absolutely not last forever.

It's doubtful there will be another manned fighter, after or before the F-35. And wait until space and cyber guys realize how much money is on the outside and get sick of the Air Force's flight pay and retention bonuses for a job that will have people lining up at the doors without it.

Easy call, take the money.

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[ViperStud]

rejoice in the fact that you've got one of the most coveted jobs in the world and that you got paid two Maseratis to keep doing it. Also know that this good deal will absolutely not last forever.

Easy call, take the money.

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And this is why the AF offered it. One of the most coveted jobs - yet a job that I passed up almost 1/4 million $$ to do in the guard and control my future. A job that hundreds of others HAVE and pass up the cash to either keep their options or pursue the many other avenues that are there for a type-A dude who gets shit done. Congrats for playing into their hands, enjoy the 365 at 1.5 years left til hypothetical retirement.

I leave AD with pretty happy memories of my time served. Awesome jet, great bros and shit-hot travels. That being said, if your reason to stay in is even remotely influenced by financial status, you fvcked up by signing the bonus. We have way better options than committing to big blue for 9 years. If you don't see that you belong in security forces.

[ViperStud]

I will add - if you were committed to the AF anyway than thank you, I just hope you're one of the good guys. Dudes that want to stay in and fight the good fight - good on you. There are two types that sign the bonus - you, and the dudes without options.

[slackline]

I will add - if you were committed to the AF anyway than thank you, I just hope you're one of the good guys. Dudes that want to stay in and fight the good fight - good on you. There are two types that sign the bonus - you, and the dudes without options.

Wow, the world must be so easy when everything is black and white... Some of you really blow my mind!

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[Muscle2002]

The bonus, as I see it, is an awesome deal only for those who have no potential to succeed outside the military.

Motherfucker please. Not everything is binary. I agree the bonus, financially, is not the great enticement it once was, but if someone was already going to stay, then it is a great deal. I know there are lucrative opportunities out there, but if you already have an ADSC that takes you to 16-17 YIS, the data do not support the notion that one could leave then and make enough in 3-4 years to account for the difference of 3-4 years of O-5 pay and the military retirement. Nearly all folks in that situation would stay the extra 3-4 years to earn the retirement--might as well receive an extra $225K for doing what you were going to do already.

[Karl Hungus]

The bonus hasn't changed it's yearly payout in 15 years. How does $18k/yr in 1999 compare to $18k/yr in 2014?

As has been pointed out in this thread, the people taking the bonus are ones who were gonna stay til 20 anyway. Thus, the "retention" portion of Aviation Retention Pay is a joke. How many fence-sitters consider the bonus to be a major factor in deciding to stay? The numbers at that access.afpc website suggest not many.

Personally, trading some modicum of control over my life/career/etc isn't worth an $18k/yr boost that hasn't even matched inflation. That doesn't mean I'm not going to stay beyond my current commitment... I actually do like my job (for the most part) and the people I work with. If that continues then I really won't have a reason to leave, but I won't be signing my life over for the bonus in it's current form. $50k/yr after taxes and now you're talking... I could put up with some pretty shitty assignments, deployments, and associated bullshit for that. And we all know that will never happen.