Aviation Bonus FY17
#12
What else gets taken down a notch when you decide to leave active duty from a career perspective? I'm not sure I'm following your line of thinking here. I was simply attempting to articulate (based on my experience) how/why a 'out the door' FITREP that may be declining or not an EP isn't a show stopper for promotion in the reserves or even command down the road.
The O-4 selection board issues are separate and distinct from dudes getting out in droves IMHO. I don't think you can put cause/effect with those two tied together. QOL is the #1 driver for folks getting out, at least the ones I speak to daily. That really has nothing to do with the folks that didn't make O-4 because the board process was jacked up. Sure it might leave a bad taste in folks' mouths(and it should) but I don't think its the driver.
I'm a SelRes CO at an FRS, I get what you're saying about talented folks leaving, I see it all the time and even have to turn great talent away from my organization because we're full, I get it. Those folks will find gainful employment in the reserves if they choose to, but the competition for those spots(flying) is pretty stiff right now. That will ebb and flow, as will this retention issue as it cycles back around; it always has and it will again.
The O-4 selection board issues are separate and distinct from dudes getting out in droves IMHO. I don't think you can put cause/effect with those two tied together. QOL is the #1 driver for folks getting out, at least the ones I speak to daily. That really has nothing to do with the folks that didn't make O-4 because the board process was jacked up. Sure it might leave a bad taste in folks' mouths(and it should) but I don't think its the driver.
I'm a SelRes CO at an FRS, I get what you're saying about talented folks leaving, I see it all the time and even have to turn great talent away from my organization because we're full, I get it. Those folks will find gainful employment in the reserves if they choose to, but the competition for those spots(flying) is pretty stiff right now. That will ebb and flow, as will this retention issue as it cycles back around; it always has and it will again.
Also, those O4 results did do quite a number to the JO community which you may not recognize, being much senior to those JOs and whatnot. While I agree that QOL issues are a big driver of the looming pilot retention problem in the Navy, I know a lot of guys who pretty much gave up on the Navy when the results of those boards came out. Why take the hard job, when you're probably going to get fired anyway.
And that brings me to the point of my first post. There are a lot of JOs taking themselves out of the running for promotion to O4 either because they made it known they were getting out, thereby bringing their fitreps down... or by taking the easier jobs or the jobs that set them up for the civilian world. If you don't think that that brings down the overall quality of the group that does get promoted, then I don't know what to tell you.
#14
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2015
Position: 777FO
Posts: 66
The Navy's been slowly letting Reserve units with hardware wither and die to the point where there aren't a lot of flying gigs left. Combine that with people wanting to get out and do airlines plus flying (Navy) reserves, and the spots are fairly competitive. As a Navy guy, I do feel an apprehension to jumping services just out of familiarity. Is that logical? No, not really.
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2014
Position: military rotary wing, dual seat
Posts: 135
Problem for you is, I don't see it happening for your airframe. Currently the AH-64 is under strength by greater than the 60 and 47 combined AND times 2. Seriously. Everyone else is sitting pretty right now and I'd be surprised if you guys got the offer.
#16
There is a great deal of new material/culture/terminology/regulations/etc... to learn.
#17
I believe it IS logical. As someone who helped start probably one of the most robust Inter-Service Transfer programs in military flying, I dealt with a lot Navy, Marine, and USCG pilots that made the jump.
There is a great deal of new material/culture/terminology/regulations/etc... to learn.
There is a great deal of new material/culture/terminology/regulations/etc... to learn.
The main and obvious one is, more flying spots in the AF side of the ARC.... oh yeah and that other little thing: no individual invol mob. Check. Mate.
#18
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2015
Position: LM Skunk Works Pilot
Posts: 98
It's kind of like starving to death because you're too lazy to get up and go to the fridge.
#19
ANG and AFR are looking for current and qualified guys in the specific airframe that they're flying. Any non-current guys from staff or people from other airframes are not being considered for flying jobs. If they're "short" on pilots it's self-induced.
It's kind of like starving to death because you're too lazy to get up and go to the fridge.
It's kind of like starving to death because you're too lazy to get up and go to the fridge.
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2016
Position: NBC
Posts: 781
Generally, units hire "good dudes," regardless of background or currency. The only real "walls" are needing a B-course or TX-1 and rank. Don't expect to retread if you're a senior major or a lieutenant colonel.
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