Originally Posted by Tanker-driver
Shack,
You are 100% entitled to your opinion, and the arguments you make are valid ones. Most of us did join the AF because we wanted to serve. However, I think you may be passing judgement without hearing the full story here. If service was completely, in and of itself, it's own reward, no one would join an all volunteer military. The truth of the matter is, if you want people to serve in this military, you have to offer something in return. For a lot of flyers, that something was the chance to FLY in the greatest Air Force in the world. At many units these days, actually going flying (i.e. a pilot's PRIMARY duty) has taken a back-burner to more "important" duties. Many of us are being told that flying even once a week is putting too much of a burden on our various offices. If it were senior Majors and LtCols being told these things, I might be able to understand better, but we are talking mid-level Captains here with maybe 4-5 years of flying experience. At my unit, it is a fight to get 250hrs a year. If I were treated like the professional I am expected to be, I would stay in this Air Force forever. Unfortunately, I am expected to rush through mediocre computer based training, complete simulator sessions with mere hours of notice, and glean everything I need to know about my airplane during the two to three sorties I am allowed to fly each month. The Air Force has made it clear to many of us that it no longer takes FLYING seriously. And here I thought that's what the Air Force was supposed to be good at. So, yes, I am considering taking the money that the Air Force is offering because in it's infinite wisdom, it has decided that it's personnel are not yet tasked enough. Oh and by the way, IF I do leave, I will do so proud to have served with ANYONE who has had the guts to step into a uniform. And if I were to meet you on a bar-stool somewhere, I'd happily buy you a beer and discuss the issue further.
TD
I couldn't have said it better myself. I agree 100%. I'm not going to lie. I joined the world's most kickass air force to fly the worlds most kickass aircraft. Plain and simple. The Air Force is not what I thought it'd be. Since I was 12 years old, I had been eating, sleeping and crap'n military aviation and quite frankly, the Air Force has disappointed me. I've really lost my motivation and have realized that this is just not the flying job I thought it'd be. The quality of airmanship of some is going down the tubes. I see it every time I fly with that person who hasn't been able to get out of the office all month and is trying to get his one takeoff, approach and landing in to stay "current". Current maybe. Safe, hell no. This is becoming more and more common. I've been almost killed too many times by people that are not proficient. Yet, we keep Q1'ing people on checkrides, letting stuff slide that shouldn't to avoid the embarrassment and paperwork.
In addition to that, we're upgrading a lot people too quickly these days. Leadership looks at upgrades in more of a career enhancement way than they do in an "are they ready to be an AC or IP?" way. 200+ hours every two month desert deployment and after 3 one of those (in a year) not having gone anywhere else, you're ready to be an aircraft commander in AMC. Go figure. I fear the day we lose some people from lack of experience and/or proficiency. It will happen. It's just a matter of time. Oh, but as long as you can write a good OPR or Quarterly Award or raise $150 for the squadron from the Federal Campaign program, you're golden.
