Reserve to AD
02-12-2009 | 09:12 PM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 13,843
Likes: 1
From: FAA 'Flight Check'
Whoa, I actually got the account to answer this guys question if you must know.
I'm sure there are more happy pilots in Florida than where I live, but just a poll around the tanker community will back me up. Generally if you are at an AMC base the guard gets the trips, we get the 'Died. If you aren't at the Died, you are doing menial paperwork... all friggen day. My buddy went to AC upgrade and had 1 non deployed TDY in over 2 years. I have been luckier than him, but not by much. At home station we fly once every 2 months or so. Most of our beans are done in the sim. It's just a fact.
If someone had told me before I joined this was the case I wouldn't have signed up, especially if I knew about the Guard. I promise I'm not alone in this sentiment. I acknowedge that not all of us feel this way, but at least from where I'm from its a healthy majority. I wish I was livin the dream too, but it just doesn't happen for a lot of us, and this guy should at least know there is more to the AD than recruiting commercials make it out.
Didn't mean to offend just giving my $.02
I'm sure there are more happy pilots in Florida than where I live, but just a poll around the tanker community will back me up. Generally if you are at an AMC base the guard gets the trips, we get the 'Died. If you aren't at the Died, you are doing menial paperwork... all friggen day. My buddy went to AC upgrade and had 1 non deployed TDY in over 2 years. I have been luckier than him, but not by much. At home station we fly once every 2 months or so. Most of our beans are done in the sim. It's just a fact.
If someone had told me before I joined this was the case I wouldn't have signed up, especially if I knew about the Guard. I promise I'm not alone in this sentiment. I acknowedge that not all of us feel this way, but at least from where I'm from its a healthy majority. I wish I was livin the dream too, but it just doesn't happen for a lot of us, and this guy should at least know there is more to the AD than recruiting commercials make it out.
Didn't mean to offend just giving my $.02
So....if you want to say such things about your tanker community in your redy room at your base - I can't argue with you; but I do think that oit is unfair for you to tell this person that is the AD force even in the rest of the AF and certainly AD in the military as a general rule.
USMCFLYR
02-13-2009 | 08:12 AM
#12
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Joined: Feb 2009
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The tanker being what it is, we don't really have a "ready room" per se.
It's not like everyone walks around crying all day, we have as much fun as we can, but it's more "office space" than anything else.
But pretty much everyone is waiting for the day they start allowing "palace chase" and/or VSP again. They stopped it because it absolutely decimated our ranks when it was open if that tells you anything. If you didn't have a package in it was only because you hadn't found a unit yet, for the most part. Of all the line IP's that were elegible here, only 2 didn't VSP. And 1 of those was because they held up his package and he couldn't.
I can't speak to the USMC or Navy, only my little corner. I've heard that the Navy side isn't quite as disfunctional as the AF, but that's just from the very few Navy pilots I've talked with. As usual, the fighter side of the AF may be taken better care of, but it's not all "Moralecon High" out here in AD.
It's not like everyone walks around crying all day, we have as much fun as we can, but it's more "office space" than anything else.
But pretty much everyone is waiting for the day they start allowing "palace chase" and/or VSP again. They stopped it because it absolutely decimated our ranks when it was open if that tells you anything. If you didn't have a package in it was only because you hadn't found a unit yet, for the most part. Of all the line IP's that were elegible here, only 2 didn't VSP. And 1 of those was because they held up his package and he couldn't.
I can't speak to the USMC or Navy, only my little corner. I've heard that the Navy side isn't quite as disfunctional as the AF, but that's just from the very few Navy pilots I've talked with. As usual, the fighter side of the AF may be taken better care of, but it's not all "Moralecon High" out here in AD.
02-13-2009 | 03:33 PM
#13
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 818
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From: FDX 767 FO
I have always wondered but never been able to confirm this....
When the USN/USMC units are forward deployed they basically live the same way during peacetime or war time. Deployed time is roughly the same. A boat is a boat wherever it sails. Marines are used to doing more with way less and living in the dirt. They are crazy like that. OPTEMPO may change but the level of suck is about equivalent, IMO.
The forward deployed AF crew during peacetime pretty much has a standard FOB with all the typical AF type facilities. TAD/TDY length is short. During war time the FOB is wherever the conflict is located and is really substandard when compared to the peace time facilities/locations. TDY/TAD times are usually much longer. With these changes the level of suck increases dramatically.
Thoughts?
When the USN/USMC units are forward deployed they basically live the same way during peacetime or war time. Deployed time is roughly the same. A boat is a boat wherever it sails. Marines are used to doing more with way less and living in the dirt. They are crazy like that. OPTEMPO may change but the level of suck is about equivalent, IMO.
The forward deployed AF crew during peacetime pretty much has a standard FOB with all the typical AF type facilities. TAD/TDY length is short. During war time the FOB is wherever the conflict is located and is really substandard when compared to the peace time facilities/locations. TDY/TAD times are usually much longer. With these changes the level of suck increases dramatically.
Thoughts?
02-13-2009 | 08:28 PM
#14
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,248
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From: 767A (Ret)
Don't believe recruiters
Reminds me of an old joke --- A kid asks the AF recruiter: "Why should I pick the Air Force?" He replies: "Well, in the Army, you live in a leaky tent and get shot at. In the Navy, you live in a smelly boat and get shot at. In the Marines, you live in the mud and get shot at. In the Air Force, you live in a nice room and watch the officers fly off to get shot at." 
02-14-2009 | 11:50 AM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 191
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I have always wondered but never been able to confirm this....
When the USN/USMC units are forward deployed they basically live the same way during peacetime or war time. Deployed time is roughly the same. A boat is a boat wherever it sails. Marines are used to doing more with way less and living in the dirt. They are crazy like that. OPTEMPO may change but the level of suck is about equivalent, IMO.
The forward deployed AF crew during peacetime pretty much has a standard FOB with all the typical AF type facilities. TAD/TDY length is short. During war time the FOB is wherever the conflict is located and is really substandard when compared to the peace time facilities/locations. TDY/TAD times are usually much longer. With these changes the level of suck increases dramatically.
Thoughts?
When the USN/USMC units are forward deployed they basically live the same way during peacetime or war time. Deployed time is roughly the same. A boat is a boat wherever it sails. Marines are used to doing more with way less and living in the dirt. They are crazy like that. OPTEMPO may change but the level of suck is about equivalent, IMO.
The forward deployed AF crew during peacetime pretty much has a standard FOB with all the typical AF type facilities. TAD/TDY length is short. During war time the FOB is wherever the conflict is located and is really substandard when compared to the peace time facilities/locations. TDY/TAD times are usually much longer. With these changes the level of suck increases dramatically.
Thoughts?
02-14-2009 | 03:46 PM
#16
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 818
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From: FDX 767 FO
You would be surprised at the number of Navy guys on Individual Augmentation (IA) doing some odd stuff. From on of my yeoman (E-4 admin guy) manning a turret on a Humvee on patrol to a pilot in charge of (supervising only) an IED jamming and defusing unit. After asking around about this kind of involvement the response I received (Flag level) was "we (the USN) need to show involvment in this conflict to keep the money flowing (i.e. budget intact)."
02-14-2009 | 04:11 PM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,196
Likes: 51
From: Legacy FO
I have always wondered but never been able to confirm this....
When the USN/USMC units are forward deployed they basically live the same way during peacetime or war time. Deployed time is roughly the same. A boat is a boat wherever it sails. Marines are used to doing more with way less and living in the dirt. They are crazy like that. OPTEMPO may change but the level of suck is about equivalent, IMO.
The forward deployed AF crew during peacetime pretty much has a standard FOB with all the typical AF type facilities. TAD/TDY length is short. During war time the FOB is wherever the conflict is located and is really substandard when compared to the peace time facilities/locations. TDY/TAD times are usually much longer. With these changes the level of suck increases dramatically.
Thoughts?
When the USN/USMC units are forward deployed they basically live the same way during peacetime or war time. Deployed time is roughly the same. A boat is a boat wherever it sails. Marines are used to doing more with way less and living in the dirt. They are crazy like that. OPTEMPO may change but the level of suck is about equivalent, IMO.
The forward deployed AF crew during peacetime pretty much has a standard FOB with all the typical AF type facilities. TAD/TDY length is short. During war time the FOB is wherever the conflict is located and is really substandard when compared to the peace time facilities/locations. TDY/TAD times are usually much longer. With these changes the level of suck increases dramatically.
Thoughts?
TAD/TDY numbers are irrelevant for the USAF. It all depends on what job you have and what AEF you support. For those in a high demand, low density aircraft, you just continously deploy. But, once you get home, you get your 4 days off and then go back TDY to fly some stupid mission around the world. In my unit, our enlisted folks routinely got 300 days TDY each year (some deployed, some TDYs). No typo.
I had a briefing somewhere that said the USAF had more people deployed in the middle east doing augmentee jobs. True? I don't know, that's what they briefed. I can tell you, since joining in 1997, the USAF has changed tremendously. Basically, you either deploy or you don't have a job.
-Fatty
02-14-2009 | 04:41 PM
#19
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 694
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From: Walmart Greeter
I had a briefing somewhere that said the USAF had more people deployed in the middle east doing augmentee jobs. True? I don't know, that's what they briefed. I can tell you, since joining in 1997, the USAF has changed tremendously. Basically, you either deploy or you don't have a job.
-Fatty
-Fatty
One key component to this for all services is this: As the COCOMS plus up their JMD's to support the ongoing effort, many of these IA/GSA/GWOT billets are actually just billets on these staffs that haven't been funded yet. Bottom line: COCOM asks for bodies, services give up said bodies with little to no pushback and the COCOMS get thier folks. Some of the billets are actually doing some good work but some(staffs) are doing nothing.
02-14-2009 | 06:01 PM
#20
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 818
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From: FDX 767 FO
Sorry...couldn't resist
Concur...I have seen/heard the same. You are either real busy or real bored. On of my E's finished his BS while in Baghdad "on a staff." <--Separate E from the one I referenced above.
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