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I will be retiring next year, and had a few friends who got the early out back in 2015(ish?). Didn't even fully retire, just 40k taxed and early release. They mostly fell into decent jobs, but one got some pretty gnarly health issues afterwards. I don't have anything to complain about, got to stay in PACAF 15 years and Korea 12 of that, and I have enough contacts that I'll retire and just show up to a job across the street in civvies the next day. So sticking it out to 20+ wasn't really a sacrifice.
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Jan 28, 2023 06:41
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Sacrist65 posted:For the people who ETS'd. Do you ever regret not sticking it out, even though you would likely have been be retired by now? My friends and peers who stuck it out are in the window for retiring. The prior-enlisted are all retired, the rest are at 18+ years. I wonder how it would've gone (ie would I ever have gotten a good assignment) if I stayed, but I don't regret leaving for a second. Absolutely gently caress the Air Force and it's blatantly transparent lies.
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Jan 28, 2023 14:32
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wrong thread. Sorry.
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Jan 28, 2023 15:44
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Godholio posted:My friends and peers who stuck it out are in the window for retiring. The prior-enlisted are all retired, the rest are at 18+ years. I'm in this camp. All my peers are at 15-16 years in, but I spent 5 straight years on rotating 12s in units that were 90%+ normal day shift workers. I only spent 6 in, but I have absolutely no regrets getting out when I did. My last unit was absolutely shocked I didn't re-up for the bonus despite denying every leave request for 18 months due to being undermanned for the mission.
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Jan 28, 2023 15:50
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If I would have stayed I'd be hitting 20 this year and most likely the last 10 would have been sitting in the SSGT pool awaiting the number to drop. Don't regret getting away from active as quickly as possible but I was a dirty maintenance goon and those who know know what kind of misery lives within.
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Jan 28, 2023 15:58
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Last November would have put me with 7 years left. If I had a different job, I might have stuck it out. If I didn't have to rate on people, I might have stuck it out. If I got to choose where I lived, I might have stuck it out. I really couldn't see myself doing any more time at all and still feel the same
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Jan 29, 2023 05:35
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I'm 2.5 years away from retirement and honestly, retiring and getting out makes me nervous because I let myself become institutionalized. Turning into a contractor is going to be one hell of a life lesson for me.
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Jan 29, 2023 09:17
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Yeah, I keep referring to it as getting my real boy job. Though judging from the guys who've retired and gone into jobs here all that really changes is the pay and having to chose your clothes.
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Jan 29, 2023 10:45
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You know what owns? Civvies as the Uniform of the Day. My previous unit was like that, and I can't wait for that again as a civilian
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Jan 29, 2023 11:40
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I just don't know if 40k a year pension is worth this bullshit. 10 years ago that was a life changing amoun of money. Now it's less than the difference in what my spouse could make if we focus on her career. Edit- https://nypost.com/2023/01/28/us-air-force-gen-mike-minihan-predicts-china-war-in-2025/amp/ lol and this doesn't help in the risk reward calculus. Sacrist65 fucked around with this message at 13:40 on Jan 29, 2023 |
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Jan 29, 2023 13:34
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Sacrist65 posted:I just don't know if 40k a year pension is worth this bullshit. 10 years ago that was a life changing amoun of money. Now it's less than the difference in what my spouse could make if we focus on her career. Typical AF fear mongering for job security. Saw tons of it when I was in. Also no I don't regret getting out. I've been out for almost 2 years in May. My job starts at 9 am and is mostly remote. I haven't set an alarm clock for a single work thing since I've been out and it's glorious
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Jan 29, 2023 20:52
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I haven’t met too many people who regretted getting out wether through separation or retirement. Usually those were people who regretted it were completely unprepared. The vast majority (myself included after retiring a couple ears ago at 20 years and 2 months) are way way happier than when we were in. Is the pension that great? No, but the pension plus VA &/or cheap Tricare is a nice cushion to have on top of a paycheck. At the end of the day, you have to do what’s right for you and your family, not the needs of the Air Force when it comes time to make the leave or stay decision.
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Jan 29, 2023 21:27
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Jimmy Smuts posted:You know what owns? Civvies as the Uniform of the Day. My previous unit was like that, and I can't wait for that again as a civilian You know what else owns? Mandatory for military, civilians are highly encouraged to attend. Although, while I'm 'out,' I'm still a GS because I am too afraid to  from the government teat entirely. I'm still surrounded by self-important busybodies who agonize over poo poo like hanging indents, emails, slide stacks, etc. Only difference is now I have sort of a buffer? What could I get if I went to school full time to bang out a computer toucher de jour degree and couple it with 21 years of active employment history? lite_sleepr fucked around with this message at 04:48 on Jan 31, 2023 |
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Jan 31, 2023 04:45
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lite_sleepr posted:
It depends? Are you talking about as a military contractor or in the private sector? For IT, certifications and experience can be more important than a specific IT degree depending on what you're doing. If you want to stay within the military contractor route, an active secret or TS clearance is also expected depending on the position.
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Feb 1, 2023 14:39
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When I got out of AD, it was glorious and I didn't regret it for a second. There's something about staying in the military past 30 that really changes people, I think. Like if you get out when you're relatively young, the military is just yet another chapter of your life. Your brain has the neuroplasticity to adapt back to a different way of life. You've spent the majority of your life as a civilian, and so you're just returning to normal, right? But once you've stayed in past a certain point, it's like the point of no return. It's not just a chapter of your life, it IS your life. You carry it like a turtle carries its shell on its back. Like if you become a lawyer, you're a military guy-turned-lawyer, not just a lawyer who had a stint in the military. Idk, I just think if you ever want to mentally separate yourself from this stuff for the rest of your life, you have to get out by 30, 35 tops.
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Feb 2, 2023 06:07
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Rekinom posted:When I got out of AD, it was glorious and I didn't regret it for a second. Crab dad literally joined at 35 I think
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Feb 2, 2023 07:21
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I identify as a 42 year old with a destroyed shoulder and multiple hernia surgeries. I'm AirPowexual.
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Feb 2, 2023 08:50
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My mid-career Reserve time saved my sanity for sure. Spent 8yrs as 95% civilian before coming back AD.
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Feb 2, 2023 16:58
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djfooboo posted:before coming back AD.
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Feb 3, 2023 00:42
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Jimmy Smuts posted:RIP your sanity The good days still outweigh the bad days  I accept the clock is ticking though…
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Feb 3, 2023 01:13
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djfooboo posted:The good days still outweigh the bad days
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Feb 3, 2023 01:29
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nullscan posted:I identify as a 42 year old with a destroyed shoulder and multiple hernia surgeries. I'm AirPowexual. The VA has entered the chat best we can do is 20%
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Feb 3, 2023 01:47
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Jimmy Smuts posted:What rank/paygrade are ya? Life was alright until I somehow drunkenly stumbled into making E-7 & then PCS'd from a det to a big unit 18yr TIS O-3E Nurse. My nurse job on the outside was killing me. This one the AF gave me has bankers hrs most days.
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Feb 3, 2023 03:29
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I did my exact same job as a contractor and I got treated better when I was AD. Not to say I would go back but the civilian life can be a dickpunch sometimes
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Feb 3, 2023 03:45
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djfooboo posted:18yr TIS O-3E Nurse. My nurse job on the outside was killing me. This one the AF gave me has bankers hrs most days.
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Feb 4, 2023 00:14
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I’m an O-3E guard civil engineer at 14 years TIS, and I’d say this is the best way to do the Air Force, outside of a C-17 pilot. CGO’s don’t do a whole lot at drill, our AT is usually two weeks to go build something, and I’m good through 23-24 years TIS for promotions, where I’ll have to decide if I want to go for O-5 or bail. We get some cool TDY opportunities as well, like the 2 months I did at Bellows AB in Hawaii. Plus, I get to grow a beard and forget about the Air Force for a month or two at a time. I’ll definitely keep riding this train until 20 years at least.
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Feb 4, 2023 01:20
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Haha, what did you do in Bellows? Redesign the putt putt course?
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Feb 4, 2023 04:26
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im 14 years TIS, 3 years TAFMS, O-3, just fled my job at a FAANG to go AGR in the Guard. Been on title 10 orders for a year, traveled a lot, and got more fulfillment and improvement doing uniform work than supporting software development in the private sector. Plus being a O-3 with 13 years TIS in a high BAH area means leaving private sector was effectively a wash in a lot of ways. The ANG has its faults but if you want a place to enhance your skills (instead of focusing on productivity) and are in a Air force career field that encourages such, it can work in your favor.
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Feb 4, 2023 08:11
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nullscan posted:Haha, what did you do in Bellows? Redesign the putt putt course? Nothing that important. Just managed a few AT rotations building a bunk house for future guard units to sleep in. It was a joke of a project, but I got paid good money to live in one of those cabins on the beach for two months.
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Feb 4, 2023 21:30
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I was always envious of the like 3 comm guys assigned there for Exec comm. Such a cake assignment. The dang SPs even patrolled the beach on Segways!
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Feb 5, 2023 11:38
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Exec comm is one of those gigs that really should be selectively manned with the best of the best, but every single interaction I had with them boiled down to "We don't know how to <load a key/clear a port/install a program/etc>, so can someone from <insert shop> come out to the General's house and do it for us?" Which made for a nice change of pace, but for the sheer number of times I fixed some general's SIPR, they should have just pulled me into the exec comm team and given me a civilian clothing allowance.
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Feb 5, 2023 12:12
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Man, was nervous as hell for a hiring fair a local hospital had but somehow I got the offer for their "field engineer" IT position (basically doing the hands-on work that the help desk gives you). First interview as a civilian since getting out at 15 years but man it feels good to be starting my actual career in the field I love versus looking down 5 years of managing/EPR competition with other medical admin folks for E-7.
BadOptics fucked around with this message at 21:46 on Feb 10, 2023 |
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Feb 10, 2023 21:38
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I really hope narrative EPRs make writing EPRs easier...but from what I've seen so far with the new narrative awards, the same petty nitpicking by SNCOs is still going to occur. Things such as using ampersands rather than the approved "and", & focus on pointless metrics in a job field in which everyone in it knows that metrics don't mean poo poo about a person's character. SSgt Dumbass who clicks a button so that a system can spam out thousands of automated reports & then goes back to BSing all shift, on paper looks better than SSgt Genius, who has special advanced training & slaved away for weeks or months on a single thing that is far more involved.
Jimmy Smuts fucked around with this message at 00:06 on Feb 11, 2023 |
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Feb 10, 2023 23:56
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I'm the only airman in my chain. Supervisor is a retired soldier, and my senior rater is a Marine Colonel. On the one hand, this means I'll probably be able to write a real narrative for my EPR. On the other hand, when I finally return to a normal unit, I'll have zero experience with whatever nitpicky nonsense the Air Force wants, so the culture shock will hit extra hard.
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Feb 11, 2023 02:27
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Spearhead the Squadron Holiday Party and emcee a promotion/retirement/awards ceremony. You'll make SrA BTZ for sure!
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Feb 11, 2023 14:59
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Arc Light posted:I'm the only airman in my chain. Supervisor is a retired soldier, and my senior rater is a Marine Colonel. You'd need an AF Advisor to look it over, wouldn't you?
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Feb 11, 2023 20:29
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Still can't believe the "2009 Alt+X" trick to shorten the spacing between words is still taking up neurons in my brain.
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Feb 11, 2023 20:41
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Not sure if there's a better thread but I would appreciate if you USAF Goons give me a dose of reality on my relative's behalf here... I have a much younger, 17 year old cousin abroad, who has a relatively cushy life in the Philippines. He's not a US citizen, he has "good" grades at a solid private school, and is dead set on joining the US Air Force. He has one primary motivation: he has always wanted to fly jets, and his family cannot afford pilot school. The Philippines has really poo poo economic opportunity in general too, so I guess he sees the US military as his only viable out (altho he'd be eligible for an engineering program at a good philippine uni). I guess his plan is to enlist, go to a US college, and become a USAF officer, then become a pilot. I'm a civilian through-and-through, so I really have no understanding of military life, nor does anyone in my family. This kid is ready to sign papers as soon as he turns 18, in like... 6 months or so. I'm not going to talk him down or anything (unless you all think I should or something??), but I privately have my concerns given his primary reasoning, especially given the global political climate. Would any of you USAF goons be able to shed some light on this, so at least I can have an understanding of what he's about to take on? How realistic is this dream of his? Do you just enlist and if you work really really hard they teach you to fly the planes? This kid is coming from having maids, cooks, and drivers. He's not spent more than maybe 2 months in the US total. Again, I respect his decision but it's certainly going to be a major transition for him and I can't help but feel like his expectations don't match up with reality? Thank you all for the replies, please let me know if I'm being a concerned dumbass
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Feb 13, 2023 10:30
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It is certainly possible to enlist and then subsequently commission with a college degree. It is generally much easier to get a pilot slot via the US Air Force Academy (best odds) or ROTC and a normal university (second best odds)* than it is via Officer Training School. With that said, I'm enlisted, and I've seen a bunch of my enlisted friends and colleagues get their degrees and commission. The two of them who wanted to fly both got pilot slots, so while that is more difficult than going officer from the start, it's definitely possible. *The asterisk is because both of those options require US citizenship, as far as I know. Enlisting is indeed a fast track to citizenship. Back when I went through basic training, the instructors came in one day about five weeks into training and asked if we had any noncitizens who wanted to get their citizenship. They all went out to the personnel office and were sworn in as US citizens that same day. I don't know if it's still that easy. Something that your cousin should absolutely look into before he commits. If your cousin is dead set on doing this - the job he chooses will play a dramatic role in how much he enjoys his enlistment, and also in how likely he is to develop lifelong back and/or knee and/or mental health problems. Unfortunately for him, most of the less physically demanding jobs in the USAF require a US Secret security clearance, and that requires - you guessed it - US citizenship. What I'm getting at is, an office job checks the box for getting that citizenship just as well as turning a wrench on an airplane, and only one of those jobs will involve exposure to the elements and night shift. Even for whatever is left, there's a requirement to be a legal permanent resident with a green card (CAVEAT - historically, Filipinos were the exception to that rule. Due to the prior history of US administration of the Philippines, there was a standing waiver that allowed Filipinos to enlist in the US armed forces without any other connection to the US. I don't know if this is still valid). I know the goon consensus in GiP is generally along the lines of nooooo, don't enlist, but I've had a great life over the past fifteen years, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But for everyone like me, the people who succeeded at the game, there are those who walked out after a single enlistment to deal with a lifetime of physical and/or mental pain. (Pro tip: I joined to fix long range telecommunications nodes) So, if your cousin has any other reasonable path to US citizenship, he'd probably be better off going that route, and getting a degree at a US college and attending ROTC, if he really wants that pilot slot.
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Feb 13, 2023 12:52
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Is he aware being a pilot involves being fit as hell? I hate to say most people aren’t cut out for it unless they’ve been prepping. Also height requirements, although I can’t speak to those.
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Feb 13, 2023 19:20
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