I agree with your assesment of the results. However, nobody has "earned the right" to turn it down. It is an AF policy and the other services have different policies. They are simply changing the policy the same as every other policy in the AF....for the worst.

 

The actual change to the policy, while it sucks for the member is not that suprising. Considering we are "at war" it is a predictable policy change. What is still hard for me to figure out is the AF agressively Force Shaping at a time of war while the increase in 7 day opts was occuring. And now, they suddenly realize they need to hold on to these people. The logic is ridiculous.

 

The other services have not had this sort of option. In fact the navy seems to have the opposite philosophy.

I know a navy reserve O-5 who who was already IRR who put in for retirement (22+ years). Within a week he had orders to Iraq.

AD Navy tends to do the same thing with JO's who drop their letter. They spend their last 10 months of "shore duty" in the sand box.

Maybe this encourages retention

 

Ah, guy...we are sucking it up. We can't just "leave" when we want to. If you're a prior service guy you should know this. If you haven't served then you have about as much credibility as I would telling you how to fly the Dash-8 for a 121 operator.

 

When I agree to provide X years of service for the training I have received, and those X years expire, I have "earned the right" to turn down my next assignment. Changing rules in the middle of the game is inexcusable.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but the contract we sign stipulates that the government can change the rules of the contract at any time without additional "compensation." I saw the small print referenced a couple years ago.

This is how the army can force a guy with only a month to go before they can punch out to do a 15 month deployment. Hurray for stop loss stop move. ETS orders? Retirement orders? Sorry, your battalion is going to war, we need you, and you are still in. "Orders revoked, you can leave in a year and a half and you're not getting any additional pay or a bonus. Don't get shot before then."

 

I will concede that the military is legally within its bounds to change the terms of the deal at will. But I don't have to like it or support it.

What they're doing to those Army guys by keeping them in against their will is atrocious. It may be legal, but it's dealing in bad faith.

I don't want to hear anyone in the chain of command saying we have an "all volunteer" military. We don't.

 

spiff, my sentiments exactly. how can the political leaders say its an all volunteer force when i can be forced to stay after my mutually agreed upon commitment expires? sure, they can change the rules if they want. and yes, we'll all go do whatever if ordered to. but, if your adsc is expired, and you are forced to continue, you have the right to ***** at will......especially when they say you're a volunteer.

 

Welcome to stop-loss, boys. I got SL'd as an enlisted troop for an additional 16 months when everything was said and done. I made the argument for the AVF as well. But, like was mentioned earlier, they have the right to extend us for as much longer as may be necessary. Although, outright changing the policy and not allowing for a cutoff for your 7 day opt out is total BS. I would write my congressman and the Senate Armed Services Committee.

All in all, sucks to be us for the next little while. Our schedule is no better but at least we are allowing people out when their time is up. We are hemorrhaging IP's and high-time pilots left and right. We have either really senior pilots or really young pilots with less than 1k hours doing the job. It isn't uncommon, especially in the utility field to have less than 1500 hours between the two in the front. Don't get me started on the Attack world....its much worse.

Don't really know what to tell you except hang in there and I feel for you. It has to end sometime.

CD

 

The CMSgt's quote below has me in stitches- isn't drawing fire the last thing you want to do- Evade it, destroy it, have airpower delivered on it- sure- didn't Patton say something about making the other SOB die for His country.....?


"I stand ready to ruck up, move out, and draw fire as directed"

But then, I never did get the right cover sheet on my TPS....

Back to the important point- they don't get it. They never have- the pendulum swings, there is no null. As the economy dives for a while the military would seem great- except for the current duty locations... I shudder to think what it would take for them to go 2 track like the brits at least in the USAF and at least for the rated officers... We'll see who the offer up for the next SECAF and CC.