Donald Trump signed an exec order to fix Pilot shortage in the Air Force

FloridaPilot said:
Preparing for war? Quite the possibility!
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No. Just trying to correct for the military's shortsighted, poor management. They somehow believed that their talent would stay even though better opportunities are available elsewhere. If you can get in phase with these knee-jerk responses, you can find some good deals. If you get out of phase, you will suffer for the AF's stupidity.
 
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Boy is that going to be popular. You think maybe someone thinking of signing up might think twice, being that they can get Shanghied down the road.
 
Shepherd said:
All military officers are fully aware that they can be recalled to active duty at any time, for any reason.
It's always been that way.
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Enlisted too- unless they changed things.

I’m an old fart now- so I get to sit back and hope we pay these folks to prepare for the worst, but not have to do anything.
 
Shepherd said:
All military officers are fully aware that they can be recalled to active duty at any time, for any reason.
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All Retired military officers can be recalled. They are not discharged upon departure, and go into the Retired Reserve.

Officers who leave active duty prior to retirement serve several years in the inactive reserve, then are discharged. I had a Reserve commission, served four years, and received a full discharge about five years after I left active duty. Might be different with a Regular commission.

IIRC, these "pilots" called back to active duty aren't going to go into the cockpit. They're going to assume some of the non-flying positions that the Air Force deems must be held by a rated person. Unless they're medical retirements, all of these folks are going to be in their mid-40s and probably Lt. Cols or higher. Could be those who are active pilots in the Guard or Reserve may end up flying again.

Ron Wanttaja
 
brian] said:
Enlisted too- unless they changed things.

I’m an old fart now- so I get to sit back and hope we pay these folks to prepare for the worst, but not have to do anything.
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OMG Do me..
Do you realize what that would do to my retirement check..Just do me for a day.. Giggling all the way to the bank.


I'll not hold my breath
 
I actually left active duty in early 1990 as one of the first trained AH-64 pilots....went to the Reserves and went back to flying Cobras...In October of that year everyone who had the AH-64 MOS started to be recalled to FT Rucker for training with the invasion of Kuwait,that had left active duty, in total there were about 35-40 of us and as the only commissioned officer as a Captain I was tasked with leadership of the pool...all W-3/4’s it was the good the bad and the ugly...no one showed up in uniforms and the High Rise BOQ Bar was the briefing room every night with our group...the Company Commander for the training company soon figure out that PT tests or cooperation with his organization was never going to happen...some of us were used but in the end most were sent home...the antics were stuff of legend for a few years of that group...all Vietnam vets (Other than me) some of my fondest memories...
 
brian] said:
Enlisted too- unless they changed things. .
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When I retired at 20 years in '88 (enlisted) I was inactive reserve for a period of years, maybe 2 or 4 years, don't recall, maybe 6. Anyway I think I am done as far as a recall, and doubt they'd want my tired old ass anyway.
 
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You guys act like the military is going to call you any min...similar to this:

 
SkyDog58 said:
I guess we'd all be better off if some on POA ran the pentagon.
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You say that. Honestly, they could do no worse afaic.

Now, this could either be construed as a compliment to the POA membership, or a terrible indictment of the leadership at the puzzle palace. One of the things I was surprised to learn was just how much the SES civilian types run that place, how rampant the dismissal/disrespect for field grade officers is, by many with no formal military service of their own mind you.

I'm all about the military subordination to civilian control at the national/policy level, but at the O5-O7 level? Yikes. Clownshow of power trippy, civilian DC-beltway "policy wonk/SME" posers, and political sycophants. More fodder for the exodus down here in the middle rank-and-file afaic. Watching them deplane tac mil transports is chuckle worthy for sure. Listening to them attempting to speak categorically about military programs under their oversight and control is even more cringe-worthy, if not outright witnessing of dereliction.
 
mscard88 said:
When I retired at 20 years in '88 (enlisted) I was inactive reserve for a period of years, maybe 2 or 4 years, don't recall, maybe 6. Anyway I think I am done as far as a recall, and doubt they'd want my tired old ass anyway.
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As I understood it, the pension was a retainer and the commitment was for 30 years total. I retired at 23 years so I was eligible for recall for an additional 7 years. I would imagine the guys that put in 30+ years have fulfilled their legal obligation.
 
I kept getting notifications to keep D.A. aware of my whereabouts until I hit 65. I don't suppose they'd want a fat 79 year old retiree, so I guess I'm safe. :rolleyes:
 
JimNtexas said:
Nobody is being reactivated to sit in a cockpit. The USAF wants bodys to sit in staff cubicles and do Powerpoints.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/10/04/if-youre-retired-pilot-air-force-wants-you-back.html
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Of course, but the click bait is strong among the pedestrians and laypersons. To be fair, the DOD is actively engaged in a misinformation campaign. They keep using the word pilot, so what is the pedestrian supposed to think? Very much like the so-called civilian pilot shortage.

As you and others have already highlighted, this is a shortage of staff officers, not people to fly airplanes. Much like the regionals have a shortage of people willing to work for "bonus-subsidized" sliding scale wages, but mainline has a surplus of applicants.
 
hindsight2020 said:
Of course, but the click bait is strong among the pedestrians and laypersons. To be fair, the DOD is actively engaged in a misinformation campaign. They keep using the word pilot, so what is the pedestrian supposed to think? Very much like the so-called civilian pilot shortage.
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Maybe the Air Force is different, but I don't anyone in the Navy who is collecting retirement that would willingly go back on AD to build ppt slides.

I guess that is why we say Navy stands for Never Again Volunteer Yourself.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Maybe the Air Force is different, but I don't anyone in the Navy who is collecting retirement that would willingly go back on AD to build ppt slides.

I guess that is why we say Navy stands for Never Again Volunteer Yourself.
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It isn't different. Around my circles nobody at airlines is remotely considering it. Matter of fact, they're actively lampooning it over at APC and FB. The issue is that some of the recently retired and separated folks are concerned this will turn into an invol, and plenty of sabre-rattling about sitting on their hands as conscripts and other misc rhetoric that isn't quite as favorable to the image of the so-called "all volunteer force".
 
In my case it was involuntary...although I was back out within a year...
 
wanttaja said:
According to AvWeb, the Air Force has no plans to recall retired pilots.

https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/USAF-Rejects-Retired-Pilot-Recall-229816-1.html

Ron Wanttaja
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Give it a minute. Note the article quoted Force a recall. That’s semantics. Having seen this several times in my AF career, what it means is that several programs will open up to extend mandatory retirement for certain grades, then when that doesn’t get enough takers, a voluntary return to active duty program, where you must have retired in the previous 12-24 months, and get a guaranteed 48 month recall. To sweeten the pot for RRAD (Retired Return to Active Duty), they historically guarantee a rated position, may be flying, may flying staff job and then allow the officer performance report to state “Not Required” to ease the paperwork burden. These RRAD programs generally don’t allow for promotion, but do credit additional years of service towards retirement.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Wow...B-52s on 24 hour alert? It's been that way for 50+ years.
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No, not since the Cold War ended Tim. Just look at google earth at Barksdale and Minot, Christmas tree empty as far as alert. There's even talk of having fighters w/ nukes going back on Victor alert in S. Korea and Europe.

Wonder if they'll renovate the alert building and Christmas tree at dispersal bases too?
 
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Would such a recall be arbitrary, in that anyone can be called up? Or would it be voluntary where you may volunteer to be recalled? What if you are recalled, but you have recently started your own business, or perhaps just got married and/or had a baby and it will be a hardship to be recalled?
 
deonb said:
Wait, so you're telling me they are in fact NOT recalling these pilots to go and fly those B52's...?


NUCLEAR BOMBERS POISED TO RETURN TO 24-HOUR ALERT AFTER TRUMP RECALLS RETIRED PILOTS

http://www.newsweek.com/nuclear-bom...ert-after-trump-recalls-retired-pilots-690403


(sarcasm)
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Even with the sarcasm tag, I’m just sharing what I experienced during my AF career. When we did this after the Gulf War I bathtub, and again after 9/11, even though the means for an involuntary recall existed, requirements were met through other, voluntary measures.

Don’t confuse recall authorization with a blanket involuntary return to service. Me specifically, I retired less than a year ago as an active flyer. Based on my waivers and disability, even if I was involuntarily recalled, I would not be physically qualified any longer, so I’m out of that equation.

As for what the media does, you should know well enough to not believe everything in the internet. Whether it’s Newsweek or just SGOTI like me.
 
mscard88 said:
No, not since the Cold War ended Tim. Just look at google earth at Barksdale and Minot, Christmas tree empty as far as alert.
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And the Christmas tree will stay empty, at least for now. This "preparation for 24 hour alert" so far has been about renovating a building in Barksdale to put in beds for crew members, as well as a rec room with a pool table, TV and shuffleboard.

“Our job is options,” Goldfein said. “We provide best military advice and options for the commander in chief and the secretary of defense. Should the STRATCOM commander require or the NORTHCOM commander require us to [be on] a higher state of readiness to defend the homeland, then we have to have a place to put those forces.”


Now cue the media...
 
I'm betting the whole B-52 story is a decoy for whatever the real plan is!
 
JOhnH said:
Would such a recall be arbitrary, in that anyone can be called up? Or would it be voluntary where you may volunteer to be recalled? What if you are recalled, but you have recently started your own business, or perhaps just got married and/or had a baby and it will be a hardship to be recalled?
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Didn't seem to make a difference for Jimmy Stewart in "Strategic Air Command".... :)

Ron Wanttaja
 
JOhnH said:
Would such a recall be arbitrary, in that anyone can be called up? Or would it be voluntary where you may volunteer to be recalled? What if you are recalled, but you have recently started your own business, or perhaps just got married and/or had a baby and it will be a hardship to be recalled?
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They are opening multiple avenues for volunteers. From what I hear, they are getting a good response.
 
Timbeck2 said:
It's my story and I'm sticking with it!
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When were you at CBM Tim? When I was there 77-81 we'd occasionally get B52s when Blytheville dispersed their bombers,and even the E4 on occasions. They'd all go to the tree and that area was secured tight.
 
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