FY13 Aviation Continuation Pay for Pilots
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2011
Posts: 122

After not thinking twice about signing the ten year ADSC after UPT I am now 180 out approaching the ACCP. $1,200 or whatever it works out to a month is chump change compared to having options. But to each his own. For those committed to twenty, enjoy the money! From a friend of mine at Sheppard - he mentioned that everyone who signed it found themselves with a "good deal" 365 within the next 6-9 months. Coincidence?
Between seeing TAMI21 firsthand as a Lt in a fighter squadron, tons of dudes getting non-vol'd to non-flying gigs or worthless deployments (not talking about MC-12 or flying related stuff!) it seems signing is playing with fire.
EVERY 0-4 I personally know in my MWS punched to the guard at the end of their ADSC. I literally don't know one who's stayed.
It's really too bad too. I absolutely love my PRIMARY job as an 11F and I plan to stay as long as they'll let me fly fighters. Doesn't look like it'll be twenty years but I'll try.
Between seeing TAMI21 firsthand as a Lt in a fighter squadron, tons of dudes getting non-vol'd to non-flying gigs or worthless deployments (not talking about MC-12 or flying related stuff!) it seems signing is playing with fire.
EVERY 0-4 I personally know in my MWS punched to the guard at the end of their ADSC. I literally don't know one who's stayed.
It's really too bad too. I absolutely love my PRIMARY job as an 11F and I plan to stay as long as they'll let me fly fighters. Doesn't look like it'll be twenty years but I'll try.

#12

I don't think copay changes anyone's career decision on a month-to-month or year-to-year basis. That decision is a longer-term process.
But I think cumulative copay over the course of a career can influence someone's decision to "Stay Navy" or AF or whatever. The catch here is that the copay has to be fairly consistent....if it's subject to wild swings every time the economy or force structure hiccups then folks won't feel comfortable planning a career based on a certain income level and I think senior leadership knows this.
But I think cumulative copay over the course of a career can influence someone's decision to "Stay Navy" or AF or whatever. The catch here is that the copay has to be fairly consistent....if it's subject to wild swings every time the economy or force structure hiccups then folks won't feel comfortable planning a career based on a certain income level and I think senior leadership knows this.
#13

I think the real story is pilot retention, especially in the 11Fs. The man has to know that morale is at an all-time low and that they need to fix the system to keep folks around. When I retired a couple months ago I'd say at least half if not more of the 11Fs in my unit were considering getting out. They're just waiting for an interview and a job offer.
A good number (there are a few I haven't heard from) of my AD B-course IP's are either now in or about to be in the Guard/Reserve. Many of them we're at the 12-13 year point when they got out...and most of them had gone Ops-Ops-Luke-Ops!

On another note, one of the dudes that worked in that same shop had his time extended a little. When I left, there had been 8 (yes eight!) people 7 day opt his assignment.
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,040

Ha, reminds me of a story from my last deployment. Never knew there was so much hatred toward airline talk (of course I work in a squadron full of airline pilots). I spent a few weeks working a "staff style" job with mostly AD guys. One day I was talking with a guy about the airlines, when an irritated Lt Col type made some comment about my discussion. Quite confused, my response was, flying for the airlines is my full time job... 

I never understood leadership crapping on guys wanting to move on. This is still a volunteer force right?

Most guys I know had the same number in their head. If it was a retention tool, they would have adjusted it for inflation at some point in the last 20 years.
#15

I will never understand that either. A simple, thanks for your service and goodluck would suffice.
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,040

BDGRJMN may be able to elaborate further as I wasn't there, but I've heard the same story from more than a few guys.
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Posts: 629

Yes, correct...and I am living that dream. In fact, when I called the porch to discuss said dream they verbally noted to me that I had recently signed bonus. Win some, lose some. 6 years til paycheck for life is what I keep telling myself.
#18

That is just sad. You know they have to know who signed the bonus before they give you the non-flying 365 to Djibouti.
#19

Big Blue's solution: stop loss and 15 year UPT ADSCs.
Also, for those who use the AD check-of-the-month club membership as their sole justification for staying... best of luck. Stay because you love the job, you love to serve, you love the people, you love the BS, etc... but don't stay only because of the retirement, because it WILL be changing. It'll start small- increased TRICARE copays, delayed pension payouts for AD retirees until age 60, etc. But it will change. Hopefully we'll all be "grandfathered" in...
#20

I wasn't personally there, but know the story to be anecdotally true. I think in this particular case, this Sr leader's direct and straight to the point personality coupled with a genuine passion and love for the service and the dedication it takes to make it successful was misdirected.
This same Sr leader also told a room full of us on another occasion that he too at each point in his career considered 'getting out'. I tuned him out after hearing him say the word quit. Many of us who got out at our minimum service requirement of '10 yrs' know we didn't quit and each time I strap into a jet, albeit in a reserve capacity on a Friday night or even moreso when I board my plane to Afghanistan in September for 330 days BOG, will know I haven't quit. I agree a simple thank you and best of luck in this case is the more prudent way to address a JO who's making a life long decision for his own reasons, public or private.
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captain_drew
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12-05-2012 08:29 AM