Originally Posted by Duke
They could send me back to another FS and I don't want that anymore. 10 years in the CAF is enough (reference the deployments to too many sandy locations and being shot at). If I could just get that (school, staff, RTU, then retire).....sign me up and stick the bonus up their butt.
Duke...I would advise speaking softly about sitting in that lawndart...it's pretty much on the top of the heap when it comes to assignments...my guess is that some of the heavy guys here wonder what you are talking about.
I have no idea what the assignment process is like these days. In my time, I was a firm believer in getting involved in shaping my assignments. I found MPC (or whatever its called these days) or the assignments guys at Langley to be pretty receptive to input. Forget the Form 90...a few well placed phone calls (and repeated call backs) can do wonders. I had a couple of good deal assignments (F-4s at Soesterberg, for example), and I was often asked who I knew. The answer was nobody...I just kept calling the guy who was working my assignment until I think he gave me what I wanted out of exasperation!!
So, get involved. The worst thing they can say is 'No'. Find out where the openings are in the area that you want and then work those specifically.
Overall, I agree 100% with Maltese...finish it out. Unless you are really fortunate, these days it's tough to get on with a 'major'...your only options now are CAL and SWA. In both, you will be junior for quite a while, gone a lot, and will find the pay cut to be amazing. Depending on your personality, you may find an airline cockpit to be somewhat of a letdown after being on the pointy end for some years. Betting beers on a landing is not quite the same as betting quarters on the range.
I realize this is a tough decision, so take a moment to weigh ALL of the consequences. You'll have to live with them. Back in the late 70s, my best friend from my F-4 days got out to pursue that 'better deal' on the outside. That 'better deal' didn't pan out, and several years later he was back, looking to get back in. I helped him get assigned to where I was...he came back somewhat bitter and disillusioned...and now four years behind in DOR. He was still a Capt while we all were Majors. He had been a top notch guy before, and he proved to still be...but his sense of bitterness never left him about having made that one really bad decision.