Damn Yankees!

To answer the ALO question...AMC has its version called AMLO's (air mobility liaison officers). Here's the definition provided by DoD:

air mobility liaison officer

(DOD) An officer specially trained to implement the theater air control system and to advise on control of airlift assets. They are highly qualified, rated airlift officers with airdrop airlift experience, and assigned duties supporting US Army units. Air mobility liaison officers provide expertise on the efficient use of air mobility assets. Also called AMLO.

Nope, no C17s as ALOs but I did get to spend 3 years as an AMLO and did get to Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army.

No one becomes an AF pilot because they want to go play on the ground with the Army. I was just trying to say it isn't the end of the world. But now that I've been wearing a flight suit again for a week....

As for retention bonus....my .02 says no way. They're still paying guys to get out early.

Savannah is a great town, FYI. Dont forget, if you didnt get a white jet or ALO job, there is always the threat of non-vol to AFSOC or predators...or, AFSOC PREDATORS. You could live and fly Preds out of lovely Clovis, NM. Your QOL would suck even more. When I was in AFSOC (11 yrs) I was never "off". Even between deployments you were packing bags for that secret mission or playing war on the range or playing Hurricane Evac on the LAN, blah blah blah...

I hope your $0.02 are correct...I'm out ASAP. I'll take a clean break, Palace Chase or VSP. RIF...come on down!!!

FYI, per AFPC regarding Force Shaping: "We expect to announce the FY08 programs in mid-August."

What's the big hold up?

For all "inexperienced" fighter guys out there, stop, take a deep breath, think HARD about the future of your AF flying career. TAMI-21 changes everything. If, at the end of your first fighter assignment, you still fall into the inexperienced category and are looking at some kind of predator tour with a non-flying follow-on, with a T-37 after that if you're lucky, with a staff tour, etc etc you need to think carefully. It seems the AF is looking for fixed wing volunteers for AFSOC. Would you rather spend the rest of your AF career in the cockpit of an MC/AC-130 or CV-22 or spinning your wheels in a futile attempt to get back to a fighter assignment? All the while flying predators? It's very possible to spend an entire AFSOC career in operational flying assignments - I've known lots of guys who've done it and if I hadn't got a school slot and/or Palace Chased, I could've done it as well. Check your ego at the door and make smart choices. Good luck.

You can do it in fighters too...it's called the guard.

Excellent point! One that I plan to continue doing myself. Though I know your comment is made in jest, in reality a young guy would face separation issues from AD. If a VSB or PC gets approved, great, otherwise it's an uphill battle to get out and then get a unit to hire you after one Viper/Eagle/Hog assignment followed by one or two predator/non-flying assignments.

The AF won't need to raise the bonus pay to keep you in. They'll pay the selected years and AFSCs to get out and stop lose the rest.