crewdawg

Right, I agree with you. But just like anything in life, if there has been a precedent, then that's what you are going to base your decisions on. Just because things have changed, doesn't mean they have to like it, the do have to do their job though. They ARE "sucking it up" and doing their job...but they will be happy to leave when their time is up. They are just trying to salvage a marriage and actually see their kids grow up.

Couldn't have said it better myself. But look at the FY11 bonus thread...that thread just echos what I am hearing from my buddies on left on AD. Dudes are getting beat down with the never ending deployments, asinine OPR system (actual flying part of their job not counting for $hit!), shoe clerks, ridiculous PME (read: correspondence before in residence), leadership more concerned with uniform changes or wearing blues on Monday than getting the JOB done!

crewdawg

Copied from another forum. I believe this gentleman is on the same airframe as my bros. I don't care who you are, 90 on/90 off to the desert, with no end sight, is going to wear on even the strongest families.

Tanker-driver

Life sucks in AMC today. No doubt about that. 77 day deployments followed by UCI prep/ORI prep/NORI prep/SOS/a trip or two and maybe a checkride followed by another 77 days with some Chief checking your socks on the way to the chow hall. I can understand why our guys are getting burnt out. Sure, there are a lot that have it worse--always will be. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to make things better for our folks. So you have a choice. Stay, work within the system and make things better for all your bros. Or you can leave and be done with it. Some of us have the choice made for us. Here's my request: if you stay, don't be a careerist prick....make the tough calls that might not get you promoted but will make life better for all involved. When dudes choose to leave bacause they can't take any more, raise your glass and thank them for some of the best years of their lives.

FLY6584

Actually I dont know yet... I wouldn't mind living in California and would love to get back to the coast or near some mountains (Tahoe), but I've got a ton of family in the Northeast so Jersey wouldn't be so bad either.

FLY6584

Any other Macdill guys out there?

Appreciate the rest of the info guys. It's sad that having only been in 4 years I already see what everyone is talking about, but having not even come close to having to deal with the deployment cycles the rest of you all have had to deal with I have zero reason to complain so I'll just sit back and keep my mouth shut and be grateful for what I have.

I've got an idea this has been posted before, but for whoever hasn't seen it it's pretty funny...

YouTube - OPR review

Sputnik

That was sheer genius, I thank you. Hadn't seen it before

TankerToad07

I just PCS'ed from MacDill in September after spending my first assignment there as a -135 dude. I would imagine you would like a little bit of info about the unit/lifestyle/things to do so here it goes...

Unit- I would say that as far as a squadron goes it's very typical Air Force. Even though you're in sunny FL you still have to do your CBT's and deploy. The good old days of the guam/diego/curacao deployments are gone by the wayside and now we are full up at the Died like most everyone else, supporting our fair share of lines. Back home things are a little interesting. With the 63rd (reserves) moving in, as part of the total force integration that leadership is pushing, for a good portion of the year you are now playing in exercises on the weekends as active duty members because guess what? The reserves have their drill weekends once a month and guess when exercises are scheduled? If you are lucky enough to work in the scheduling shop you can have a little foresight on these weekends and schedule some strategic leave. The base is also very CENTCOM/SOCOM centric, and I had many serious conversations with people who did not even know that there were tankers on the base. This is good and bad, as the ops group kind of blends into the mix regarding base functions but you can't help but feel like the 3rd th wheel around base....
There are a good deal of local training sorties and significantly more trips than you might find at a super tanker base like Mcconnell. I have been almost everywhere the tanker can go east and west and flown leagues more in the TACC system than most people I know at other tanker bases.

Lifestyle- Best assignment in the air force regarding location in my opinion. The weather is beautiful, Tampa hasn't been directly hit by a hurricane in over 70 years and there is truly something for everyone. You are a true minority as a military member in town, as you are actually in a full sized city not defined by the base located in it. The local community supports the military better than anywhere I have ever seen, and this was echoed by most people I knew. If you went to a concert, event, restaurant or store and were not receiving a military discount you are paying too much! Every sporting event was a salute to the military to include "MacDillville" at the Rays games- free tickets to the row next to the dugout.

Overall I would say to do whatever it takes to get there. Everyone in the military is feeling the pain right now with deployments/TDY's etc. But at least when you come home, you get to spend your time in a location that millions of other people spend lots and lots of money to go to on vacation every year, and let me tell ya...it is very, very nice.