Aloha Air Pilot

Snacks,
For those of you going overseas to Ramstein, what is the service time committment, 3 years? Does your clock start upon arrival or after AOC school? I am still waiting to hear from the assignments folks, but I am looking for the assignment with max time possible, which I think is 4 years for the limited recall, yes?
Thanks,
Aloha Air Pilot

Snacks

When I accepted an accompanied tour, I signed on for a minimum of 3 years with the understanding that there is a fourth year available at my and my commander's discretion. If you take an unaccompanied tour, the committment is 2 years. I am sponsoring a returning retiree who has chosen this route. When I initially spoke to AFPC, I told them I was willing to serve an extended long tour (4 years) but that did not take this option. The 3 years is based on a standard overseas accompanied tour length. I believe that 3 years will be the longest initial committment they will be willing to give you, but who knows. If you insist that you want a 4 year tour, they may just give it to you.

My clock started on 2 Aug 090 which is the date I travelled to Hurlburt for the AOC school, so by the time I got to Ramstein, I only had 35 months remaining on my contract.

Hope this helps.

AHDRVR

Does anyone know if the LPRP orders meet the requirements to reduce your reserve retirement benefit age? I probably won't be able to hit my 20 for the active duty retirement, but it would be nice to be able to get the retirement at age 56 after doing the four years with the LPRP program.

Thanks for the info.

GBU-24

I don't think it does. You are on active duty, no different then when you were on in the past.

golfandfly

On the does anybody know theme....

Has anyone heard if the LRRP is going to be around next year (fiscal 2010)? Also, has anyone been awarded Scott AFB?

Snacks

I know the anouncement for the retired program said "through Dec 2009". I don't know if the other programs will continue past those dates. I do know that a lot of folks are taking advantage of what's being offered right now, and you know that the Air Force can pull the plug anytime they want to. You also know the old saying, "you'd better get it while the gettin's good!"

If you want back, don't take the chance...do it now.

golfandfly

Thanks Snacks. You've been real helpful, thanks for the info...

Kikuchiyo

I talked to the guy on the Air Staff that manages the recall yesterday. He said that the application window for all the recall programs will close on 31 Dec. There won't be any extension to that.

The target for number of bodies to bring back was 500. They got over 900 applications. Over 300 are "on orders" (meaning they have orders in hand, not that they've actually reported for duty). Over 300 more are being processed, and about 258 are no longer in the process for whatever reason (ineligible, medical, withdrew, declined, etc).

As to assignments, yes, some have gotten Scott. I don't have the number, but can post or PM it next week. The best way to work an assignment is to go find that open desk at some staff, talk to someone there, have them ask for you and put it on your cover letter. There's lots of unfilled staff jobs at every command, including the joint commands.

But if you want in, even if you're on the fence, apply by the end of the year. Given how long it's taking them to process applications, you'll have plenty of time to change your mind.

nfnsquared

Hmmm....When I talked to CJ several months ago, they were over 1600 short on filling staff jobs alone, not including cockpit slots. Based on this and the relative success of the program to date, my bet is that it gets extended or reopened.

Kikuchiyo

I agree with your reasoning, and your numbers. In fact, at the conference I was at, the main issue was how short we are in rated manning. And even with all the slides showing how the recall has helped, and how short we still are, the O-6 and his people from the air staff, and the O-6 from AFPC (CJ's boss) all said the recalls would close out in Dec. AFPC said that applications have slowed to a trickle, and since they expect to exceed their original goal of getting 500 flyers back, they don't see a reason to continue it.

That being said, might it come back sometime next year? Sure, but it's not being planned for at this time. I'll be back to meet these same Col's in the spring, and will readdress it then, if not beforehand. One thing that CJ didn't mention is that about 500 staff jobs AF-wide are being converted to GS positions over the next few yrs.

A couple other data points re: the recall & recallees from the conference. We all know that we're given a set of orders based on the 2- or 3-yr ADSC we incur for move or training (see comments above). What wasn't spelled out is how we go about requesting to extend to the 4 yr max (for retiree & LPRP). The request would go up your chain, and over to AF/A3O-AT for approval.

The 4-year max was imposed by rules governing end-strength manning of the AF. The Air Staff guys don't currently think that individuals will be allowed to extend beyond that, but they did caveat their answer with, "it's all subject to change 4 years from now."

Of the 244 pilots (not Navs or ABMs) who have orders "in hand" as of 4 Nov, 74 are going to staff jobs, 70 to ops flying, 47 to UAVs, 46 to flying training jobs, and 6 TBD. (They didn't explain how they could be on orders but be TBD.) I have the NAV & ABM numbers, too, if you want them.

Also, for those of you who went to a staff job and didn't get the Gulfstream to Ramstein (yes, there's one guy who did it, don't ask me how, I don't know), but still want to fly something, you might think about doing the MC-12. Those are now 6 month deployments during your regular AEF cycle anyway (plus 2 months of training). Yes, I checked with the program manager at ACC, and she said that retirees on valid aero orders with valid physical can go. You'd have to do all that annual refresher training beforehand. I'm not selling it, just mentioning it as an option.

I hope someone finds the above info useful or encouraging. If you want more details, or need help, feel free to PM me.