Pilot_135

Has anyone read the new force shaping mesage from AFPC? Am I reading it correctly that if your AFSC is in an "overage" that they will pay you almost as much to get out as if you took the 5 year bonus? I have to talk to MPF to get details but it sounds too good to be true! Any inside poop would be great!

HSLD

That sounds about right, during the RIF in the early 90's they paid guys to leave, until they figured that they let too many go & turned around and offered them the bonus to come back. I know of a guy who was close to 100K between the RIF "bonus" and the incentive to come back.

Glad to hear the good deals are still out there.

surreal1221

They let too many enlisted personnel go a couple years ago. They will find themselves in the same situation with the officer force shaping going on now.

I'd be happy to seperate now. . .so long as they give me enough to live off of for the next 10 months.

Tanker-driver

Just read the message last night. Six to twelve year Captains and Majors look to be the prime target. Looks like the payout woule be 60-100K+ depending on time in service. It does sound a bit too good to be true, and I'll be interested to have a look at the matrix when it comes out later today. Sure opens up a can of worms though. I've been *****ing about the Air Force for a couple of years now, so I guess I'll get to find out if I have the balls to put my money where my mouth is. Anybody know who's hiring 2000TT ex-military guys within the next 12 months?

Pilot_135

Tanker-driver, who are you, where are you based? - PM?

Same here. I can't help but think what I'm reading is too good to be true. I'm al just over 9 yrs and if I wait till the 10 year mark as my fep date, I'll be walking away with 117+K!!??!!(before taxes). I can even get out now, take a year off and be OK (not that I'd do that...)

The big "IF" is that matrix - I'm in a plus category by 11 people. I figure I've got a couple of weeks to apply before 11 other guys do it before me.

IT'S CRUNCH TIME!

surreal1221

Good luck gents!

shackone

I suppose this will not be a popular response, but if this is all you folks signed up for, then good riddance. Take your 30 pieces of silver and begone with you. I'm embarrassed to have been in the same air force as you.

LAfrequentflyer

I signed up to serve my country...Its not appropriate to question the motives of those who serve in a volunteer force. There are many americans out there that will never wear the uniform - they have that right because those of us that do wear it...

Thanks for your time.

-LAFF

Bigflya

Shackone,

Simmer down now. Let everyone make up there own mind. I have not read the Air Force's version of Force Shaping but the Navy one released last month offered two times the invol sep pay to guys to bail. There was a list of about 400 names that came out behind it eligible to sign-up for the pay. The catch was that you had to bid up to the 2x amount so one must "undercut" the other guy to get selected. If you had less than six years active duty then you are getting released with nada. Sounds like needs of the Navy if I've ever seen. Everyone selected must be off AD by 30Sep06. The good thing is that some guys who are taking the sep bonus are applying to the Navy Reserves to continue their retirement eligibility. Active duty military is firing and the reserves are hiring. It all has to go down to $$. An non-player 0-4 hangs on to an AD retirement and retires at 42 and begins drawing 50% plus tricare. A reservist is brought on through SelRes, IA, mobilization, etc to handle the same jobs and he gets retirement points and a little less pay since drills do not equal full AD pay. Also, the reservist will not draw retirement pay or medical until age 60 and most of the time at less than 50%. So the military saves 18 yrs of retirement pay and medical/PCS costs but gets the job done....maybe since reservists are by definition part-time unless mobilized. The AD guys are the ones who are most effected. If you do not think that the DOD has beancounters in DC crunching these numbers then your are in denial. The Navy Times, AF Times etc may be rags but they do shed light on the future that policy makers envision. Just read between the lines and put it together. I say get off AD because you will continue to take the strain of less support/bodies to get the work done and continue your retirement calculator in the reserves. Just do your best to support the AD guys realizing their plight. Good luck in your decision.

Riddler

Shackone,

This is my first post to this website, I'm a brand new member. I'm in the Air Force and I'm also considering the voluntary separation pay. But if anything, I'm embarrassed for you. Let's take a look at your logic...

[QUOTE=shackone]if this is all you folks signed up forQUOTE]

You claim that 10 or so years ago when we entered the Air Force, we joined for the sole purpose of taking a force shaping "bonus?"

Coincidentally, I'm pretty certain that you're NOT in the same Air Force as us. Today's Air Force is stretched thinner and deployed to multiple fronts fighting a global war.

Thanks for your service. Perhaps you should remember to thank those who serve today, whether or not they retire tomorrow, PALACE CHASE to the guard/reserves tomorrow, or even voluntarily separate tomorrow.

Riddler