I wanted to fly as much as possible too - but in the end - you were commissioned as an officer in the USAF; not *just* a pilot. If all you wanted to do was fly - you should have gone the route of Army WO imo. I knew what I was signing up for, and I did my best on my out of cockpit tours, but I always looked for a way back into the cockpit again too; but you make it sound like the USAF lied to you or something when you joined.
Please Air Force, let us do what we signed up for, what we've trained for, and what we've worked our asses off for - it will increase our combat capability, retention and morale.
So you signed up thinking that the ONLY thing you would ever do was fly?
The Australians have that Spec. Aircrew track that propfails2FX mentioned. I think it is a great thing and something that I probably would have pursued if it had been an option. Props - you mention the USN experimented with the flying track idea. They were allowing WOs to fly again in the P-3 community I thought I remembered. Did this go away so soon? I agree btw that MANY pilots I knew would have preferred this track to the more traditional career oriented track, but this was no secret.
Grumble - I've all those same things in Commanding Officers and even just lowly Department Heads and MANY of them had staff tours, or tours with the GRUNTS
, and are just as good a tactician or instructor as those FEW who are lucky enough to never have a tour out of the cockpit. You can strive for that - but it is in the VAST minority. You know the boxes that have to be checked to attain command and the Navy is even easier than other services to always spend time in the cockpit because you can be-bop around Oceana or Lemoore on those dreaded staff tours and STILL fly.
USMCFLYR