I am not trying to be be an a hole, I realize the sacrifice that is made for a flying track in the military. However, it is hard for me to come back to the states after seeing peoples' arse shot up (sometimes literally) and listen to people moaning about career progression.

 

It seems folks are pining for something that never was. Or at least hasn't been the norm for the past 20-30 years. The solution, as has been said, is the guard and reserve. You're not going to change the AD culture with a few whiny letters or emails. You might be able to do it with your feet. But, I doubt that will work, either.

 

Where do we get such "men"...grow a pair and move on dude

 

Voting with my feet didn't change anything for the AF that's for sure....but sure improved my life......going to see a friend of ours in Chattanooga this week....I'll tell him you said "hi".

He would have made a great GO.

 

Let me clarify a little. I completely understand that I am an officer first and a pilot second. Until my ADSC runs its course I will hold up my end of the deal and execute whatever job I am given to the best of my ability. I am currently downrange, and certainly not complaining about that. (Even though I feel like I am watching a game from the sidelines sometimes - therein lies some of the frustration.)

My underlying point was simply frustration of not being able to align something that I really enjoy, something I am good at, something I am locked in to, with serving my country. Military flying interests me FAR more than just about anything on the civilian side, I will stay as long as they let me pursue something that I am interested in. I am not naive or stupid enough to think that the Air Force gives a flying ****** about me personally staying in or leaving AD. HA! I'm simply one of many cogs in the machine.

Furthermore, although I am willing to put my life on the line in the line of duty - I'm not going to spend a career doing something that I don't find engaging/challenging/interesting or if none of the former, at least fun. I value my time and effort too much for that. Different people have different strengths, talents etc... Some aspire for rank, some for money - all I want to do is fly tactical aircraft.

I think a WO in the Air Force is not a good idea. It is a generalization, but being a pilot is a HUGE recruitment tool for officers to apply to USAFA or other commissioning programs. Furthermore, I think it is appropriate and necessary for a commissioned officer to execute the combat arm of the Air Force. The level of responsibility required considering airframe cost and fratricide issues (not to mention the nuclear can of worms) necessitate this.

The amount of training and the sheer expense of that training makes it incredibly expensive to take someone who's just starting to become an expert in his or her career field and then pluck him or her for something else. My first job outside the cockpit was basically a maintenance flight commander to prep for an inspection (UCI). Was all the paperwork fun? No. Was I able to do it? Of course. Would others from other nonflying career fields be able to execute similarly - absolutely. Would they otherwise be able to execute in a combat MWS? Not without extensive and lengthy training.

The 1,000 pilot fighter pilot "shortage". There's not enough cockpits to go around, but a lot of jobs "require" 11F dudes. While this requirement may be true for some positions I think that often it is just a way of saying I want someone who did reasonably well in a difficult and lengthy formal training. This is faulty logic I think and unfairly limits these positions. It was a recommendation of a RAND study I read (Fighter Draw Down Dynamics) to give these jobs to contractors or re-evaluate this requirement. Guess how many positions the CAF eliminated? 2.

What would I do? Simple:

1) No more nonvol UPT trained guys to UAV's. There's a pipeline that costs around 10% that does the exact same job. There are plenty of motivated volunteers for these positions. Give the incentive back to be an ALO so people volunteer - say one year tour with operational follow on. Or two if you can't make that happen.

2) It was brought up before, but allow a career track for the aviator to stay flying, bounce back between operational units and AETC etc... Cap it at O-4, O-5 - whatever. (Oh and don't kick them out at 16 years!)

At the congressional level there is a huge fighter gap - we need fighter aircraft now to keep a proficient CAF. If this nation can't afford more fifth gen aircraft, let's start buying some Block 60's vipers and new eagles that we are selling Korea. Leverage EA instead of stealth if necessary. These programs are bankrupting the military. Why are we getting rid of the A-10 by the way? I think there are insurgents out here that have seen that it is a (slow) but helluva relevant airframe.

3) No more ENJJPT - make UPT more equitable.

An Air Force that may look OK on paper can be horribly weak and hollow without the test of true combat. I would submit that we haven't had a challenge since maybe the opening days of Desert Storm back in the '90's. That expertise is LONG gone. We need experience in our CAF, just as we need experience on the mobility side. Let those who want to pursue command tracks do so. Jack of all trades master of none is excellent for a GO - it is a heinous and costly idea for a CGO!

Side note - +1 for Gen Welsh being an extraordinary GO.

 

You can make that at least 40 years. I joined in 1970, and it was well-known that a full career would probably include one or more non-flying assignments. That didn't deter any young guys: "Who cares? That's way in the future. I want an F-4 and I want it now!"

 

The ENJJPT of today isn't the ENJJPT of 5 years ago. Everyone still flies T-38s, but you're just likely to end up in an tanker/transport aircraft as you are at any SUPT base.

 

They aren't. They get some incentives due to "the needs" much like flight pay or hazard duty pay. They stay in their career field. Your example of the JAG, although not what he was told, he is at least still doing work within his career field. Ie, things a Lawyer would do. For a pilot, not the case. Don't get me wrong, I did sign on the dotted line, I served as they saw fit. And I get they can put me where they want to use me. I just find it difficult that putting an aviator anywhere else but aviation(considering the time and money put into the trained product) when they have units that can't keep their combat rating due to lack of bodies. But once someone meets his or her initial commitment, no one can fault them to take an active part in their future.


I'm not against the selective track thing. Just because a pilot is still flying doesn't mean there aren't additional duties associated to get the experience you are looking for. This is very common in the Air Force. Not saying it is right or wrong, but why would you have all of the additional training and have a 10 yr commitment and then have half of it not be in the career field. Are there that many jobs that an 0-3 should do that an 0-4 couldn't if they need the experience?

It was a knee jerk reaction due to the huge void in required personnel. They are still stealing from current pilots and UPT grads. Not only do you get to go there, but the bridge is burned behind you, never to return. This is why I say serve your commitment and then see what works for you. That is why the guard worked for me. Flew the entire time, able to be in fight supervision, and still deploy to make a difference.

 

And there is a difference between being a LINE officer and a STAFF CORPS officer.

I wish I had known more about the Guard and Reserves as a young pup

USMCFLYR

 

Right now military aviation is as overmanned as it has ever been, civilian aviation is still waiting the mythical pilot shortage, and most Flag and General officers are as political as any time in history plus they are overeducated dreamers. So they can demand from Pilots both Undergraduate and Masters Degrees from selective institutions, JPME, tours spent doing staff and volunteer work, and being part of numerous professional societies. Exactly like applying to FEDEX except Albie can't help you.

In my career I saw 3 distinct hiring waves. All were different in many ways but all were preceded by early outs both vol and nonvol, BRAC events, and demands for pilots to pass loyalty checks by taking non-flying tours.

2 years ago I heard a very senior officer talk about how his service had broken the code on pilot retention. I signed up for the FE written the next day.

The fight to stay in a cockpit is alive and well whether in or out of the Military. You just have to pick the ground you fight on.