I already served out my pilot training ADSC and right now, my only commitment is the 2 year PCS commitment. I attempted to get a 2 month waiver to Palace Front, and it was not approved. I'm a C-17 guy - overall, we have somewhat sufficient numbers, but it's mostly very very young guys and few guys with any real amount of experience.

I established my separation date in May 08, starting terminal leave in late Feb and starting CAL training in March.

Riddler

Riddler, did you have your separation date in writing before you got the interview with CAL?

My date is up in the air by about 4-6 months right now, its a moving window between April and September of 08, although I should have a solid date in another month or so.

Its my understanding that you need a solid availability date before you can get an interview, since they likely don't want to waste time interviewing a guy who then chooses to stay in, or interview a guy who isn't available for another year or more.

You do need an available date. April - September is a pretty big gap..??? Somebody yanking your chain?

Palace Freeze! That's a good one. Looks like you and I are in it for the long haul. (at least till the end of our UPT commit.)

Got freaked out once last night, but by some otherguys in the pattern at XNO taking off in the opposite direction and not telling anyone. Thank God for TCAS!

No, its a coincidence that my ADSC is coming up about the same time as 2P. My ADSC is 1 Sep 08, but if the O-4 selection message comes out next month and my name isn't on it, Title 10 trumps the ADSC and I might be able to have an EAS around May-Jun and be available in April with terminal leave. I'm hoping for the 2P, the golden handshake, and an availability date this spring.

If you can breath and don't have an Article 15 or some other skelaton in your closet you will make O-4.

What kind of skeletons are we talking about here?

A failed palace chase attempt?
An LOC for wearing white socks with your desert flight suit?
...
Or, and best yet, a mug shot and a writeup at your local SF squad for breaking red during a civilian static display?

Skeletons notwithstanding, anyone here get promoted to O-4 WITHOUT a master's degree?

Yup. AD O-4 promotion without a masters AND without SOS (residence or correspondence). I wasn't even a flight commander. Turned it down to separate and join the Guard. They promoted me to O-4 and O-5 and all I had to do was finish ACSC in correspondence.
Obviously you're mileage may vary depending on the needs of the AF and temp of the waters at the time.

Yeah, 2 years ago what Ug said held on the Marine Hornet side. Last year they cut back 20% on the Hornet pilots they selected, which coincidently corresponded to the shut down of 3 reserve and 1 AD Hornet squadron, and another Hornet squadron potentially on the chopping block.

Again, I'm really hoping for that golden handshake out the door, for me it will be roughly equivalent to 1 year of pay. Gut feeling is I'm going to get selected though, just so I can screwed over one more time.

Made O-4 in the Dec 05 board without a Masters (or BAC+, for that matter). I was marching along under Gen Jumper's famous policy of..."if we want you to have a Masters, we'll send you to get it (IDE...)". Yeah, I know Moseley undid that policy. I don't think Moseley could stand the deafening whine from all the dudes who had just turned in their last Embry-Ridiculous paper, only to wake up the next morning and read Jumper's letter to Airman saying they'd just wasted 2 years chasing a meaningless degree.