Pilots leaving Air Force

[DA SWO]

This is a really weird thing i wasn't even aware of until recently.

We had an OT come over from the hospital getting some reps in working with our staff (simple trigger point and tissue work). When she got done she said, and I quote- "I treat 4 pilots they are kicking out of their pipelines down here. I saw 5 guys this morning with WAY worse injuries/problems and your career field treats it like no big deal. Their answer is immediately 'you're out' and your answer seems to be 'how can we keep you in '."

Pretty fascinating that it's a whole culture shift, something ingrained in entire populations.

Wow.
Wonder how much we could save by trying to keep pilots in.

 

[amlove21]

Wow.
Wonder how much we could save by trying to keep pilots in.

And you're telling me NONE of those medically DQd pilots would be passable- even good- logistics or maintenance or Intel officers?

Just a weird thing.

I have a couple opinions on officer leadership in the AF as a whole, but I've been very lucky with some outstanding leaders from my own tribe so I won't speak on the rank and file O's. Have had some interesting run ins.

 

[Topkick]

And you're telling me NONE of those medically DQd pilots would be passable- even good- logistics or maintenance or Intel officers?

Most are pretty smart and charismatic and could do just about anything they set out to do.

 

[AWP]

And you're telling me NONE of those medically DQd pilots would be passable- even good- logistics or maintenance or Intel officers?

Just a weird thing.

Some of the Air Battle Managers I'm around have chips on their shoulders (shocking, right?) over how the AF determines who goes to what careerfield within aviation and some of the examples are plain stupid. The AF could also, were it inclined, handle the ABMs like the Guard. Guard ABMs don't fly. The AD side has AWACS, JSTARS, ACS', AOC's, and the ADS missions to staff with ABMs and 1C5's (the enlisted side). If it would grow some non-flying ABMs and brought back another ACS (there used to be 5 Active ACS' and the rest are Guard) it could alleviate their OPTEMPO. Run it like the ALO program and take some of your best enlisted and commission them into this new field. I think the AF does a bad job of managing personnel in general and that's driven by 4-star leadership and SECAF management.

Sure, some of the medically DQ'ed pilots would punch, but I'm with you: they have to be qualified for other jobs and some would surely stay and contribute to the fight. Hell, can't fly but you're a pilot? UAV's dude, enjoy that a/c outside of Vegas.

Comm airmen...if you aren't at a NOSC then you aren't truly doing what you joined for. With each passing year the NOSC takes more and more centralized control, leaving the base comm squadrons to act as little more than equipment caretakers. (As you know) If you change bases, you have to call a help desk to have your email info changed in the GAL, the local squadron can't help you. Certain network accounts, accounts for equipment on your network? The NOSC. Group policies and security controls unique to your base? The NOSC. And who are most of the players at a NOSC? Contractors. AF Comm loses people, doesn't understand why, and then watches a one and done SrA/ SSgt gather every computer cert possible on the government's dime leave for a contractor job.

The AF has options, but I question if it seriously considers those options.

 

[Devildoc]

And you're telling me NONE of those medically DQd pilots would be passable- even good- logistics or maintenance or Intel officers?

Just a weird thing.

I have a couple opinions on officer leadership in the AF as a whole, but I've been very lucky with some outstanding leaders from my own tribe so I won't speak on the rank and file O's. Have had some interesting run ins.

My plug for how the Navy and Marines handle their fliers. Because of the relative smaller size of their community they take on a ton of collateral duties and other billets. It's easier for them to cycle in and out of the cockpit and it's not unusual to see them in other communities if they can't fly.

 

[DA SWO]

Some of the Air Battle Managers I'm around have chips on their shoulders (shocking, right?) over how the AF determines who goes to what careerfield within aviation and some of the examples are plain stupid. The AF could also, were it inclined, handle the ABMs like the Guard. Guard ABMs don't fly. The AD side has AWACS, JSTARS, ACS', AOC's, and the ADS missions to staff with ABMs and 1C5's (the enlisted side). If it would grow some non-flying ABMs and brought back another ACS (there used to be 5 Active ACS' and the rest are Guard) it could alleviate their OPTEMPO. Run it like the ALO program and take some of your best enlisted and commission them into this new field. I think the AF does a bad job of managing personnel in general and that's driven by 4-star leadership and SECAF management.

Sure, some of the medically DQ'ed pilots would punch, but I'm with you: they have to be qualified for other jobs and some would surely stay and contribute to the fight. Hell, can't fly but you're a pilot? UAV's dude, enjoy that a/c outside of Vegas.

Comm airmen...if you aren't at a NOSC then you aren't truly doing what you joined for. With each passing year the NOSC takes more and more centralized control, leaving the base comm squadrons to act as little more than equipment caretakers. (As you know) If you change bases, you have to call a help desk to have your email info changed in the GAL, the local squadron can't help you. Certain network accounts, accounts for equipment on your network? The NOSC. Group policies and security controls unique to your base? The NOSC. And who are most of the players at a NOSC? Contractors. AF Comm loses people, doesn't understand why, and then watches a one and done SrA/ SSgt gather every computer cert possible on the government's dime leave for a contractor job.

The AF has options, but I question if it seriously considers those options.

Guard ABM's fly JSTARS, all the E-8's are Georgia Air Guard.
AF Reserve has an AWACS Wing at Tinker.

Have to agree on the rest.

 

[AWP]

Guard ABM's fly JSTARS, all the E-8's are Georgia Air Guard.
AF Reserve has an AWACS Wing at Tinker.

Have to agree on the rest.

I'm talking about the ACS' though. My apologies for the lack of clarity.

We've had a few AD JSTARS folks rotate through. They can't say enough good things about their Guard counterparts and enough bad things about the program in general. They love the mission, platform, and people, but hate the politics. I think maybe one is going back to JSTARS when their ACS tour is up and the rest have plans to go to a Guard ACS or leave altogether.

 

[ThunderHorse]

Comm airmen...if you aren't at a NOSC then you aren't truly doing what you joined for. With each passing year the NOSC takes more and more centralized control, leaving the base comm squadrons to act as little more than equipment caretakers. (As you know) If you change bases, you have to call a help desk to have your email info changed in the GAL, the local squadron can't help you. Certain network accounts, accounts for equipment on your network? The NOSC. Group policies and security controls unique to your base? The NOSC. And who are most of the players at a NOSC? Contractors. AF Comm loses people, doesn't understand why, and then watches a one and done SrA/ SSgt gather every computer cert possible on the government's dime leave for a contractor job.

Not really needing to do with AF Pilots going to Airbase Couch. However, this is the exact same in the Army. We call it the NEC, and the NEC tends not to be staffed by green suiters.