Aviation Bonus FY17
#21
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2015
Position: 777FO
Posts: 66
Not really. TX-1s barely exist. TX-2/3/4s are available, but first-come/first-served. B-courses are all but impossible for rated retreads (bomber or heavy to fighter). Finally, emailing a resume to the squadron commander isn't enough to get hired. Most applicants never show up to hang out with/meet the squadron (rush).
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.
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.
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,244
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.
#23
B-Course=intial qualification. UPT grad to F-15, F-16, C-17, etc.
TX-1= long transition course. Could be a non-current (more than 5 years) out of cockpit guy coming back, or someone changing fighters (A-10 to F-16, etc).
TX-2= Short course. Flew F-16 but did 2 year staff or 1 year ALO, now going back to course....
3/4 are modified short courses. Some rides can be waived or proficiency advanced.
Its been 10 years since I was an FTU IP so I may be fuzzy on some details...but short answer is B course and TX-1 are long, expensive courses that take 3-6 months on average. There are fewer of these than the easier, shorter, TX-2/3/4 programs.
If you are current--it doesn't cost the force much to get your requalified. Been out of the jet a while--its tougher for the unit and the cost and time are higher.
TX-1= long transition course. Could be a non-current (more than 5 years) out of cockpit guy coming back, or someone changing fighters (A-10 to F-16, etc).
TX-2= Short course. Flew F-16 but did 2 year staff or 1 year ALO, now going back to course....
3/4 are modified short courses. Some rides can be waived or proficiency advanced.
Its been 10 years since I was an FTU IP so I may be fuzzy on some details...but short answer is B course and TX-1 are long, expensive courses that take 3-6 months on average. There are fewer of these than the easier, shorter, TX-2/3/4 programs.
If you are current--it doesn't cost the force much to get your requalified. Been out of the jet a while--its tougher for the unit and the cost and time are higher.
#24
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2015
Position: 777FO
Posts: 66
B-Course=intial qualification. UPT grad to F-15, F-16, C-17, etc.
TX-1= long transition course. Could be a non-current (more than 5 years) out of cockpit guy coming back, or someone changing fighters (A-10 to F-16, etc).
TX-2= Short course. Flew F-16 but did 2 year staff or 1 year ALO, now going back to course....
3/4 are modified short courses. Some rides can be waived or proficiency advanced.
Its been 10 years since I was an FTU IP so I may be fuzzy on some details...but short answer is B course and TX-1 are long, expensive courses that take 3-6 months on average. There are fewer of these than the easier, shorter, TX-2/3/4 programs.
If you are current--it doesn't cost the force much to get your requalified. Been out of the jet a while--its tougher for the unit and the cost and time are higher.
TX-1= long transition course. Could be a non-current (more than 5 years) out of cockpit guy coming back, or someone changing fighters (A-10 to F-16, etc).
TX-2= Short course. Flew F-16 but did 2 year staff or 1 year ALO, now going back to course....
3/4 are modified short courses. Some rides can be waived or proficiency advanced.
Its been 10 years since I was an FTU IP so I may be fuzzy on some details...but short answer is B course and TX-1 are long, expensive courses that take 3-6 months on average. There are fewer of these than the easier, shorter, TX-2/3/4 programs.
If you are current--it doesn't cost the force much to get your requalified. Been out of the jet a while--its tougher for the unit and the cost and time are higher.
...filler...
#25
Exactly. No one in their right mind tells anyone their true intentions for this very reason. You're a career guy, right up until you drop your letter and quit. Lot of current/post DH guys coming up the pipe for command screen that shouldn't be, because peers superior to them quit. They wouldn't be there if ranked appropriately to their quitting counterparts. Not to sat they're aren't a lot of really good dudes that deserve it and will out perform their own leadership. Only takes one turd to ruin a punch bowl though.
The O-4 board was a travesty and that's all that needs to be said, really. I'd only add that was the exception and not the rule and it has been addressed, moving forward. That doesn't make it any easier for those that were 2 x FOS'd, I also get that and understand why folks would look at that and jump. There were plenty of those JOs in the squadron (FRS) I fly in, so I saw it firsthand.
The hard part about Naval Aviation and the minimum service length post wings is the timing associated with dropping your letter and getting out coupled with zones for O-4. They don't mesh well. That said if you're passed over for O-4 on the active side and affiliate with the reserves to a flying unit(board selected) and your reserve CO writes your FITREP correctly, regardless of EP/MP, you WILL promote. I have sat on those boards and watched it happen.
To your point about post DH folks screening for command that shouldn't: The board can only look at the record as its briefed in the tank. If the record on an eligible has a 12 month #1EP from his/her DH tour, they will probably screen over someone with a 7-8 month ticket. You might not like the guy/girl and they might not be who you'd want in command if those other folks had stayed, but guess what, the board only has the records in front of them to look at and the FITREPS written by COs. I don't necessarily agree with how that system works in terms of timing/FITREP length but its the system we have.
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2013
Position: FO
Posts: 627
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