I know it's different but Marine grunts are lucky if they don't have 3 seven month deployments in one four year enlistment. I know a lot of guys that did four... Speaking of $htty retention...

So, they are trying to cherry pick Rated Reservists from what the powers that be no doubt perceive as not so great an airline QOL back to active duty..... An idea that is 2 years too late for many as the lines are picking back up/recalling/hiring.

Everyone that accepts such a return probably sends some poor pilot to the non-flying deployed AOR jobs, rather than getting a 2-3 year break home w/ the family not flying on the staff tour. It's bad enough to not fly on a staff job, I imagine. Talk about feeding the machine.

My conditions: Whomever I replace in the staff job gets to stay in their airframe and fly. (one of those king for a day type answers, I know)...

Give the 30 days of leave per year that Congress says we have. Stop doing more w/ less by stealing money, time and perceived lifestyle by getting 5-10% extra days out of me in a year. If you take my leave, repay at 2:1 in days or $.

Of course there will be your favorite proficiency keeper involved parked on the nearest ramp suiting your aviating needs. Golf club pods too, for those so inclined, while I'm being wing king for a day, might as well go for the gusto)....

I'm not sure how to make anything else politically correct enough to mess around with- The do more with less leadership will draw up a new pot of money and make this look like a great deal for all involved, or at least those that dreamt it up and made the survey. Probably right after looking around a 1/2 empty cube farm and handing his best staffer deployment orders or finding out the new replacement got rerouted to the AOR again.

Think about the scene in "Armageddon" where the roughnecks are negotiating w/ the NASA folks over compensation.... That would do!

I got that email also. I would have posted the message on here, but it would have probably gotten me into mucho trouble.

I remember telling my dad that I would not be surprised if I was given the opportunity to come back on Active Duty. I just didn't think it would happen so soon. Yikes!!!

I'm supposed to be getting out next year, around Oct hopefully. I applied for VSP, but got turned down. Can't even begin to tell you how happy I'm gonna be if they now stop-loss me.

As far as QOL, the fighter community and the airlift community are two different animals. AEF...what the hell is that? I'm "in a bucket", but somehow we have to deploy for 4 months out of every 8. Geez, doesn't quite fit the ol AEF construct somehow.

All I know is being told to wear PT gear 24/7, to wash my hands when I walk in the chow hall and flying a 1963 model C-130 has lost it's appeal and most of my buds are bailing as well. Same as usual tho...the bosses think everyone is happy and everyone wants to be a general.

GNH

You're not at the Deid are ya?? "Morale is high...I repeat...morale is high"

Actually, I'm sitting on my couch in Fayettenam.

When we go out the door, we go to Ali. Actually from the couple of times I've dropped into the Deid it's a much better place to be. I'm sure being able to get off base and some of the other conveniences there are a little nicer. You there now? If so fly safe!

Later,

GNH

I spent 12 years active duty. In 8 years of active duty flying I was TDY 5yrs 5days overseas. I spent most of my time in the desert. I finally got wise and went Guard. When my Guard unit got BRAC'd I went Reserve. Big picture, resevre = better trips when I want to go, I get to still fly the plane I love, serve my country and still be home with my wife most nights. OH and btw I get to pilot brand 737-700 for AirTran to boot. Being short on pilots for the Air Force has been a problem since the force reduction in the early 90's. I just can't believe they are paying people to get out with TDY rates as high as they are. Yeah that do more with less attitude is crap. I would like to beat the heck out of the number cruncher who invented that phrase

I got the same email. They said not to forward it, because it has a link and a log number, but didn't say not to make fun of it in a forum.

Funny, as I was just paid a chunk of taxpayer change to bail at the 12 year point w/ VSP this year. Now they want me to tell Rand Corp what it would take for me to do a 3 year staff tour as a rated chop to let somebody else either deploy forward or season and not have to go to a staff job where they might not know what they are doing. Hmm.

I think it's time for the staff pukes to do more w/ less. I'll pass. Hmmm, maybe if they give a nice 15 year retirement package starting right away after the tour in my case... On second thought... Nope.

I'm at 14.5 years AD, never planned that. Wanted my 10 and out but when the time came, shortly after 9/11, things didn't look so hot in the job market. So I took the 5 year bonus. It had nothing to do with patriotism, I did my time. It was purely financial. My current job, is good. If I stay, I'll have 3yrs 5 mos until 20 for the AD retirement but I'm still thinking about punching next year for the QOL issues. The suck tour is coming up, I did two deployments in my 2 year DH tour.......granted, not an IA...not yet but I'd rather live the good life, less money for a start and collect my money at 60. My seniority may mean no reserves though so AD might be my only opition if I want any sort of retirement out of the military. I'm going to get something for all these years, just wish it were a reserve retirement now.

Moose,

You got out at the 12 year point on VSP huh? I passed that point in Jan and of course the didn't let me out. Unfortunately at this point the new program is in effect and it says NO 11M career folks, so I guess I'm screwed.

Oh well, one more year...as long as stop loss doens't kick in!

GNH