Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP - The Bonus)

[Duck]

Quite a few of my friends in the ANG side have just outright quit or transitioned to non-flying positions inside the unit and outside.


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[Vetter]

3rd year NB FO.  Worked 88 days this year and flew 559 hours.  I grossed $169k.  Good luck Air Force!

[alohacessna]

16 hours ago, Vprdrvr69 said:

I'm shocked. Guess GC and his cronies have it all figured out. I can't thank dipshits like him enough. As a 2nd year UAL guy now, I pick up a 3% pay raise in Jan, which on average months, nets me 150% what I made as a AD Major. In Feb I get a nice 4.4% raise again (thanks DAL bubbas). Then, in mid-Feb I'll receive a profit sharing check that exceeds GC's entire monthly pay, whatever his rank actually is. Shortly thereafter I hit year 3 and pick up another 23% pay hike. 

On top of it all, I average over half of the month off and currently live three miles from Lake Tahoe. My family finally has a home and is happy. Even my fu(&;ng dog is a happy camper. Life isn't perfect but it's pretty damn good and exponentially better than it ever could've been on AD. I do USAFR shit on the side because I want to and don't let it detract from my life. It doesn't pay and also doesn't interfere while still letting me do something worthwhile. There is no comparison between where I was and where I am.

I didn't post to brag. I posted to help those facing such a grand decision and turning point in their lives. Take the leap. Life is good. If you don't, mama blue will be there to coddle you and GC will be there to continue ass probing you with big black veiny!

Zoum you are welcome for that extra raise! The AF can't even come close to competing with the airlines on a monetary level. I had no idea separating that I would be making as much money as I have been. I flew a greenslip (think overtime)  the other day to fly a 3.5 hr flight from LAX to ATL then Deadhead home. Total time gone from home less than 12 hrs, it paid 25 hrs. On second year pay including retirement contributions, profit sharing and base pay that trip was worth $4500. 

This year was mostly at second year pay for me. I grossed $150K base pay, with another $22K of retirement contributions. I expect that my profit sharing for this year paid out in February will be worth around $30K...Not bad for for second year pay and it only gets better each year. You can bet from a financial position leaving AD was a no brainer. The rest of the QOL stuff is again no comparison with AD. 

[Magellan]

Maybe if General Chang and his cronies realized the people they are treating like dirt have a skill set that earns them as much as a VP of Human Resources for a major company on the open market and that they can't just change dollar amounts to solve the problem.

https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/vice-president-human-resources-salary-SRCH_KO0,30.htm

If the AF tried to compete by seeking to compensate with job satisfaction and Quality/Control of Life they could manage these problems in a few years.

Until that paradigm shift happens no amount of congress approved money to pay pilots will fix the impending crisis.

[Guest]

Obviously not going to happen but I'd like to see the CSAF offer the 35k/yr on a year-to-year basis until Congress authorizes a higher dollar amount. At 35k w/no contract, I'd stay in past my UPT commitment. Signing up for another 5 or 9 years of getting bent over by AFPC takes a higher figure.


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[Duck]

Obviously not going to happen but I'd like to see the CSAF offer the 35k/yr on a year-to-year basis until Congress authorizes a higher dollar amount. At 35k w/no contract, I'd stay in past my UPT commitment. Signing up for another 5 or 9 years of getting bent over by AFPC takes a higher figure.


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But how would they be able to non-vol you to a 365?


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[Guest]

But how would they be able to non-vol you to a 365?


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They wouldn't. Of course our CSAF has also promised to get rid of additional duties. Of course, that's not working out so well. At McChord the burden for SABC was supposed to pass from the OSS to the MDG. MDG says they can't support at this time, and now the responsibility to provide trained SABC instructors falls on the individual Airlift sqs.


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[Duck]

So they would have to rely on shoving "service before self" down people's throats...


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[pawnman]

4 hours ago, Duck said:

So they would have to rely on shoving "service before self" down people's throats...


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Well, that's never failed before.

[brabus]

MDG says they can't support at this time, and now the responsibility to provide trained SABC instructors falls on the individual Airlift sqs. 

MDG can't support one of their core functions, so some ops guy should do it...where the fuck are Wing Commanders who actually have balls and crush this kind of bullshit?  Wait, doing actually leading may jeopardize their "upward mobility," so never mind, nothing to see here.

[Spartacus]

19 minutes ago, brabus said:

 

 

MDG can't support one of their core functions, so some ops guy should do it...where the fuck are Wing Commanders who actually have balls and crush this kind of bullshit?  Wait, doing actually leading may jeopardize their "upward mobility," so never mind, nothing to see here.

At my base I got an email the Thursday before Thanksgiving saying that the MDG would be closed the next day (Friday) and then min manned the following 3 work days before Thanksgiving so that MDG personnel could be with their families. Never mind flight ops were happening on all of those days. Unbelievable.

I was at DSU the first fly day after Thanksgiving and it was satisfying watching the MDG/CC awkwardly tell everyone that the same thing wouldn't be happening over Christmas and that he would make sure that the med clinic would be open on all fly days for now on. Pretty sure our WG/CC chewed him a good one. 

I think we all have stories like this to share, and I think we're all fed up with it. Stuff like this needs to be fixed to improve QOL, but it never will be. Hence, one of the reasons for the mass exodus. 

[Fuzz]

1 hour ago, brabus said:

 

 

MDG can't support one of their core functions, so some ops guy should do it...where the fuck are Wing Commanders who actually have balls and crush this kind of bullshit?  Wait, doing actually leading may jeopardize their "upward mobility," so never mind, nothing to see here.

I'm going to say this WG/CC is good and "gets it". He regularly polls the line flyers when he does wing certifications for new crew quals and has actually fixed problems when told about them. For instance DTS worked on about 6.9% of our computers and was making filing vouchers a pain in the ass. He found out about it and put the comm squadron to work fixing it. They identified the problem and while it still happens becuase their weekly patches override the fixes but at least now it's just a quick call to fix it. Anecdotal I know but also our med group is pretty undermanned so this may be thier "somethings gotta give".

[brabus]

The MDG saying they're too undermanned to provide MEDICAL training so other groups should pick up their slack is akin to MX being too undermanned, so finance troops should help launch jets, or ops is undermanned on SARMs, so the med group should supply airmen to augment them, etc. There are only two acceptable end states here, the wing cc tells the MDG/CC fix it, or the requirement for SABC training is deleted. There is not a single valid COA that leads to some ops, mx, etc. dude being "the SABC guy."

Edited January 2, 2017 by brabus

[Gazmo]

Our leaders have become spineless. Noone wants to go against the grain in fear of ruining their careers. I have no interest in commanding in an Air Force that shuns commanders for doing their jobs.

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[di1630]

I just checked the history of the last time ACIP went up......1999. My $840 now was worth $1,217 back then.

However my base pay is better. Still, you'd think they'd target aviators a bit better. It's the little items neglected that add up.


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[Duck]

There is such a huge split between the Rated and Non-rated Officer Career fields. You get your first real good picture of that while at SOS. I went there already feeling jaded at the system, ops tempo and leadership in the Ops world. Even back then before the airlines were hiring, I knew few pilots who were planning on staying in. Imagine my surprise when I found out that a ton of Officers in the AF couldn't be happier. Working 9-5 (sometimes), deploying maybe once in their career (The Deid BPC) and making almost six figures. These dudes were happy. Their biggest problems were what they needed to do to make the next Wing Quarterlies... When they told me what their job consisted of, a report, updating some slides now and then, EPRs, etc. I realized that we were in two completely different military organizations and they would never quite get it.

Before anyone jumps off a cliff, I know some other non-rated career fields have it tougher.


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[nsplayr]

33 minutes ago, di1630 said:

I just checked the history of the last time ACIP went up......1999. My $840 now was worth $1,217 back then.

However my base pay is better. Still, you'd think they'd target aviators a bit better. It's the little items neglected that add up.


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Almost every payment or budget item in the government should be pegged to chained CPI to account for inflation. So often programs or departments or specific payments erode over time simply due to bureaucratic and legislative inaction and gridlock.

Even when the intent is not to cut, cuts take place because dollar amounts don't matter much, purchasing power is what matters. 

If legislators want to cut budgets, great, but make them vote for cuts rather than allowing them to slowly and silently enact cuts by just failing to allow payments to keep up with inflation. 

[Dogs-N-Guns]

41 minutes ago, di1630 said:

I just checked the history of the last time ACIP went up......1999. My $840 now was worth $1,217 back then.

However my base pay is better. Still, you'd think they'd target aviators a bit better. It's the little items neglected that add up.


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It's actually worse than that. ACIP for the "over 6" and below hasn't changed since 1990. In 1999 the "Over 14" category was added. That means the $650 for the "over 6" category in 1990 should be $1200 in 2016. 

https://www.dfas.mil/dam/jcr:1cce686c-5296-4756-8496-5c92debbb566/MilPayTable1990.pdf

[Karl Hungus]

2 hours ago, Gazmo said:

Our leaders have become spineless. Noone wants to go against the grain in fear of ruining their careers. I have no interest in commanding in an Air Force that shuns commanders for doing their jobs.

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Judging by how many bright and shiny "HPO" IDE-selects (you know, the future CCs the AF so desperately needs to fix this mess) are 7-day opting out of IDE... you're not the only one who isn't motivated by command.  

[daynightindicator]

Words from our (bomber) functional today...

11X bonus raised to 35K as already stated.

No 12B bonus (12F not addressed) despite large manning shortfalls.

Work underway for 11F AD recalls. Policy may drop as soon as 4 mo from now.

All future T-38s to fighters, non-recs to bombers

T-1 FAIPs and some directs will fill bombers

MAF to accept fewer total UPT grads overall based on perception of ~100% mobility manning

No mention of stoploss.

Palace Chase:
Less than 6 mo ADSC - likely to be approved
6-12 - rare
More than 12 - very unlikely

random leadership comment:

"AFRC/ANG will be broken in 3-5 years"


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[Gazmo]

Words from our (bomber) functional today...

11X bonus raised to 35K as already stated.

No 12B bonus (12F not addressed) despite large manning shortfalls.

Work underway for 11F AD recalls. Policy may drop as soon as 4 mo from now.

All future T-38s to fighters, non-recs to bombers

T-1 FAIPs and some directs will fill bombers

MAF to accept fewer total UPT grads overall based on perception of ~100% mobility manning

No mention of stoploss.

Palace Chase:

Less than 6 mo ADSC - likely to be approved

6-12 - rare

More than 12 - very unlikely

random leadership comment:

"AFRC/ANG will be broken in 3-5 years"

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MAF 100% manned? Bawahahahahahaha!

11F recalls? Nice. More airline vacancies for us ARC guys.

AFRC/ANG broken in 3-5 years.... that I agree with.

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[RTB]

1 hour ago, daynightindicator said:

Work underway for 11F AD recalls. Policy may drop as soon as 4 mo from now.

 

What exactly is an 11F AD recall?

[SurelySerious]

What exactly is an 11F AD recall?

Sounds like recall to active duty on a (hopefully?) voluntary basis.

[Gazmo]

Sounds like recall to active duty on a (hopefully?) voluntary basis.

Voluntary? These dudes got out for a reason. I highly doubt Joe Ex-11F wants to leave his cush job with Delta to voluntarily come back to this happy horse poop.

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[SurelySerious]

Voluntary? These dudes got out for a reason. I highly doubt Joe Ex-11F wants to leave his cush job with Delta to voluntarily come back to this happy horse poop.

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It's been known to happen. YMMV.