USAF voluntary officer recall (including retirees)
#951
On Reserve
Joined APC: May 2009
Posts: 19
Probably no one around still reading this forum topic, but for what it is worth, did anyone see the AOL News article by Sharon Weinberger, titled US Facing Lack of Pilots, Not Planes, in Afghanistan?
Basically, the topic of the article is the US Air Force is out of skilled pilots and qualified volunteers for the MC-12 program. It hasn't even been 10 months since the AF offered me only a staff position. The article goes on to say, pilots after 6 months return to their original assignment and the MC-12 squadron then loses not only the pilots but also their experience.
I wish the AF continued success in their manning of combat aircraft with these policies.
Larry
Basically, the topic of the article is the US Air Force is out of skilled pilots and qualified volunteers for the MC-12 program. It hasn't even been 10 months since the AF offered me only a staff position. The article goes on to say, pilots after 6 months return to their original assignment and the MC-12 squadron then loses not only the pilots but also their experience.
I wish the AF continued success in their manning of combat aircraft with these policies.
Larry
#952
Well here's the problem. There is no non-deployed base yet for the MC-12. So unless you are going to permanently deploy some poor bastard, you have to bring him home at some point and that means not flying the MC-12 anymore. They could change it to a remote assignment (year long) versus the current TDY (6 months), but they've chosen not to do that for whatever reason. That paradigm may change in the near future. As aircraft production continues, there is serious talk of finally being able to base MC-12s at a CONUS location, likely Beale if you believe press reports. That will help maintain specific MC-12 experience within that community as they would then have airplanes to fly when they came home. As for "the Air Force is out of skilled pilots and qualified volunteers..." that just ain't so. Not everyone who goes to fly the MC-12 may be a volunteer, but to say the AF doesn't have enough "skilled" or "qualified" pilots to fly it is a gross misstatement/misinterpretation of facts.
I know you wanted to fly, but believe it or not the AF isn't really that short on pilots in cockpits, especially operational ones. Those are mostly reasonably manned. I'm sure someone will come on here with a story about the low manning in their specific squadron and I'm sure there are many exceptions, but I'm talking about the big picture. Where the AF is wicked short is on pilots in non-flying billets that require a pilot (staff jobs, AOCs, etc). That's what makes the overall pilot manning low. It's tough to pull current, qualified pilots out of cockpits to put them on the staff when they could just try to get recall guys to go straight to the staff. Yeah, as in your case, they probably missed out on a few bodies who elected not to return after all when they saw the offer, but in the end they got all of the bodies they could accept anyway. The budget is unfortunately finite, regardless of actual needs.
I know you wanted to fly, but believe it or not the AF isn't really that short on pilots in cockpits, especially operational ones. Those are mostly reasonably manned. I'm sure someone will come on here with a story about the low manning in their specific squadron and I'm sure there are many exceptions, but I'm talking about the big picture. Where the AF is wicked short is on pilots in non-flying billets that require a pilot (staff jobs, AOCs, etc). That's what makes the overall pilot manning low. It's tough to pull current, qualified pilots out of cockpits to put them on the staff when they could just try to get recall guys to go straight to the staff. Yeah, as in your case, they probably missed out on a few bodies who elected not to return after all when they saw the offer, but in the end they got all of the bodies they could accept anyway. The budget is unfortunately finite, regardless of actual needs.
#953
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Position: A320 F/O
Posts: 16
MC-12 and Reserve Retired Recall
Speaking of the MC-12, anyone know if a signed Statement of Intent becomes a contract that would protect a recallee from being involuntarily assigned an MC-12 TDY. In other words, I signed a SOI for a specific base and airplane, if the Air Force tries to send me to MC-12 training/TDY do I have an out by citing my SOI? Could be an issue sooner than I thought...
#954
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2007
Position: Petting Zoo
Posts: 2,068
I have no real knowledge...but let me offer my insight anyway. Does your SOI prevent you from deploying? Not talking remote/365, I mean deploying period? I didn't think that's the way it worked. At any rate, if you don't have any such protection I can see no reason they couldn't deploy you in the MC12, it's "only" a 179--as are the majority of AEFs these days.
#955
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2007
Position: Petting Zoo
Posts: 2,068
What's the word on the recalled folks at the SERB? Eligible or not?
Seems bad to bring folks back in off retirement only to turn around and retire them again a year later. On the other hand, seems bad to bring folks in off retirement, then force folks who stayed [and want to continue] and forcefully retire them.
What's the news?
Seems bad to bring folks back in off retirement only to turn around and retire them again a year later. On the other hand, seems bad to bring folks in off retirement, then force folks who stayed [and want to continue] and forcefully retire them.
What's the news?
#956
What's the word on the recalled folks at the SERB? Eligible or not?
Seems bad to bring folks back in off retirement only to turn around and retire them again a year later. On the other hand, seems bad to bring folks in off retirement, then force folks who stayed [and want to continue] and forcefully retire them.
What's the news?
Seems bad to bring folks back in off retirement only to turn around and retire them again a year later. On the other hand, seems bad to bring folks in off retirement, then force folks who stayed [and want to continue] and forcefully retire them.
What's the news?
#957
Line Holder
Joined APC: Oct 2009
Posts: 25
"I have no real knowledge...but let me offer my insight anyway. Does your SOI prevent you from deploying? Not talking remote/365, I mean deploying period? I didn't think that's the way it worked. At any rate, if you don't have any such protection I can see no reason they couldn't deploy you in the MC12, it's "only" a 179--as are the majority of AEFs these days."
179 day TDYS are already scheduled for the retired rated recall guys I work with at Ramstein
179 day TDYS are already scheduled for the retired rated recall guys I work with at Ramstein
#958
Will they hire civilians that are furloughed from the airlines ?
15000 TT
3600 PIC
13500 M/E
9800 Jet
5 type ratings
PIC two different airlines
Former Check Airman
Curent 121 qualified
TIA
15000 TT
3600 PIC
13500 M/E
9800 Jet
5 type ratings
PIC two different airlines
Former Check Airman
Curent 121 qualified
TIA
#959
Speaking of the MC-12, anyone know if a signed Statement of Intent becomes a contract that would protect a recallee from being involuntarily assigned an MC-12 TDY. In other words, I signed a SOI for a specific base and airplane, if the Air Force tries to send me to MC-12 training/TDY do I have an out by citing my SOI? Could be an issue sooner than I thought...
This thread concerns a recall of rated personnel who have already been employed by the Air Force in the past. If you want to join the military, you will have to do it by a traditional means and meet all the standard requirements. Look through some of the other threads in this section for some good information.
#960
Obviously you are a highly qualified pilot and I bet you find something 121 or 135.
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