USAF 2022 - Congratulations to the 2022 SSgt selectee

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Internet VFW > USAF 2022 - Congratulations to the 2022 SSgt selectee

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

any patches in here? Is WIC worth it? I just pinned on captain and am thinking of trying to in the next few years

# ¿ Dec 7, 2022 03:17

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 23:55

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

LtCol J. Krusinski posted:

What�s your airframe, or are you in a non rated field like Intel or Cyber?

im a cyber boi

# ¿ Dec 7, 2022 21:32

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

LtCol J. Krusinski posted:

Unless you are wanting that sweet CW read-on, which is cool, but you are still gonna make less with any USAF path.

It�s an undeniably cooler track than I�m making it out to be. In fact, given the choice I�d take WIC, but I�m a HUGE AirPower nerd, and loved operational level assignments over staff jobs every day of the week.

What do you already know about WIC, Patches, and your future goals? I can probably better help you knowing that.

Well for starters im a ANG guy and I work in private sector already. I asked the Active Duty thread this question

Knives Amilli posted:

So im a reservist. ATM im on active duty orders. They end in March. Im also getting my differential pay from my tech job. Im at a bit of a crossroads going forward however...

1. Scenario A: In March I go back to my 6 figure civilian job. Before anyone asks, Its a job requiring a clearance so word on the street is, layoffs will be minimal.

Pros of going back are:
-pay was good and i havent been getting any bonuses while on orders. Im a jr. engineer so i have a lot more money to make.
-once the smoke clears with the recession, i can be in a better position to do an internal transfer to something i like more

Cons of going back are
-job was very software engineer heavy and its not my cuppa tea
-my performance review wasnt good. wasnt bad per se but not good either so that will hang over me

2. Scenario B: I become a full time Active Guard Reserve (AGR) member. Basically its a active duty slot in a reserve unit (so you get paid like a active duty person).

Pros of being a AGR:
-recession proof, and you have to kill someone to be fired
-Im pretty good at the uniform work, its more fulfilling for me
-great health benefits, pad my retirement

Cons of Being a AGR:
-Will take a HUGE pay cut. Something like a minimum of 12k less in yearly salary
-Will be stuck in high cost of living area (as state to state transfers are not easy to come by), which i preferably dont want

3. Scenario C: Get deployed for 6 months on Active Duty orders again next september

Pros of getting deployed again:
-pretty sure id be getting my active duty salary and differential pay again
-THe unit id deploy with is one id highly consider joining in the future, build that relationship up
-get more field experience

Cons of getting deployed again:
-Probably burn my bridge with my civilian employer, theyd have only had me back for 6 months
-Cant take the AGR gig and deploy so would miss out on that
-Will be living out of a hotel for 6 months

Which one would yall do?

And one of the biggest reasons Im considering AGR is, I wanna get a patch and Drilll Status guardsmen cant really go to WIC unless they have a SHITTON of ops experience.

1.What I know about WIC is that its a hard school and marriage killer.

2. Patches are supposed to be THE SME for your ops community and weapon platform is all about helping Sq. scale out your capabilities and keeping the squadron tactically proficient by teaching and putting a huge emphasis on the PBED process to accomplish these tasks. Im too junior to have worked with any of the Patches in GP but most of them have kinda been raging dickholes who while smart and capable can also at times be pretentious and condescending.

3. My future goals are kinda nebulous but I feel being a patch helps me get in a position where things like command are a better option. But i also love teaching and want to give more value to Sq in a authorative SME role

# ¿ Dec 7, 2022 22:29

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

Godholio posted:

Until I bounced for higher pay/lower cost of living/to get out of the southwestern US earlier this year, I was a contractor in the WS. I worked with the C2ISR and every fighter squadron daily, and participated in Integration. By "participated" I mean planning, executing, and being the C2 lead for a couple of the early INT missions. We didn't see cyber or space (or MAF, most of the time) until INT, when they were roped in.

I know how the patch will alter a flyer's career trajectory. For cyber, I have no idea.

Tier 1 time is typically in the squadron. This is what everyone thinks of. Tier 2, you're usually either at a group or wing, back to the WS to get your black border patch, an AOC or similar, etc. Tier 3, think Joint Staff, an AOC staff (vs T2, where you're the ops guy), MAJCOM or NAF. AFMAN 11-415 breaks down how manning works for WOs, and gives the assignment priorities. ANG is a spin on this that I'm not too familiar with...I can only think of one guy I know who went to WS as a guardsman, and that was less than two years ago so he's been in one seat since graduation.

At every level, you're in the middle of whatever's going on. Whether officially or not, patches get the chance to weigh in on major decisions. They're usually represented on the staffs that write long-term programmatic plans (ie AWACS being replaced by Wedgetail), they're the bulk of operational planners, and they're well-represented at the decision-maker level. And they very much have their own little club, giving extra weight to opinions that come from someone wearing that patch. They write the papers (WS papers, white papers, operational assessments, etc) that drive future requirements and tactics development.

To me, there are two things that make up a good weapons officer: the ability to plan and apply their craft well, and the ability to teach. The best patches are the ones who bring knowledge back and share it with the unit; the rest of them come back and do paperwork and send emails and go TDY all the time. Teach, teach, TEACH until the flag goes up, then plan the gently caress out of our response.

This is big, and a good way to put it. When poo poo kicks off, the patches are the ones who sit around the table and develop the courses of action to be presented uphill. I got to meet a bunch of the people who, as captains and majors, planned out what became the US military response to several big news items that were discussed in here at the time. Tier 1s and Tier 2s, called in from multiple bases, given the intel update, and told to get to work. And up until that point, teaching. If you go through the course, you will see poo poo at WIC that brings everything together in a way you never will in any other exercise. It's one of the very few truly eye-opening things I experienced in the AF. Red Flag is amateur hour.

"Humble, Approachable, and Credible"...from what I've seen they've gotten much better at this. My first few weapons officers were complete assholes. The first one remains the biggest rear end in a top hat I've known in the AF, and I've been in or on the periphery for almost 20 years. But about 10 years ago I started seeing names getting selected for WIC that made me think, "Oh poo poo, are they fixing it?" It's not perfect, but I'd say the successes outweigh the assholes, at least in the CGO/FGO flyer world.

It's not easy, but they're not there to wash you out. Figure out what the game is, and attack it. In my squadron, the big keys were to be able to brief effectively, recognize execution failures and peel the onion back to the REAL learning point (it's almost never "just a mistake/error"), brief THAT effectively, and a big one that probably got as many WUGs hooked out as anything else: the ability to take criticism and feedback, recognizing that it's an attempt to make you better, not to attack you. Don't take it personally, don't get mad.

My opinion on Weapons Officers has changed drastically from when I was a lieutenant. I've seen what they ACTUALLY do (vs the first few, who were more interested in pinning you down in offices or hallways to demonstrate their superiority), and I've seen what they can bring to a unit when they actually take their motto seriously.

back from a long TDY and saw the reply post, thanks for the info guys. I stand a pretty good chance of being hired as a AGR for my sq (which is the first step to being patch, cant be a DSG, though the job isnt Chief of DOK) and im taking all of this info into account should i be selected.

# ¿ Dec 28, 2022 01:38

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

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.

# ¿ Feb 4, 2023 08:11

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

The BAH of WA State couple with me being a 14 year O-3 made leaving my Civilian job (making 130k) to go on AGR tour alot more tolerable. With roughly 32k of my income now untaxed I think i bring home more money in uniform even.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2023 19:29

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

just a kazoo posted:

If I have a boring sales job that affords me a modest and happy life, should I try to shake my urge to join the af or space force to get government benefits and a bit more adventure in my life? I have a bs and experience in cyber security, so I think I could make it as an officer?

I tell anyone unless youre literally on your last dime, dont join the military for just one or two reasons. Join because you see the entire lifestyle as a net positive. Ive seen many people join with the hope of "getting college paid for" or "seeing the world" and wind up miserable because those goals dont manifest and theyre left with the bullshit that comes with signing your life away.

Now with that said, going cyber isnt the most adventurous career field. Most "cyber" officers in the Air Force are project managers/department heads. Knowledge and interest in Cyber Security best translates to either DCO or DODIN Ops which mission sets further breakdown into various operational units in the Air Force . Keep in mind that wanting to do either of these jobs and getting to do either of these jobs depends heavily on whether you want to go Active Duty, Guard, or Reserve.

https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/Article/577499/the-joint-force-commanders-guide-to-cyberspace-operations/

^^^Explains it better than I can.

If youre really interested in it, shoot me a PM.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2023 05:25

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

hannibal posted:

You�ll all just get transferred to the new Cyber Force anyway.

i personally dont think we will ever see one. i think the various branches/agencies wont budge on it due to the additional manning that having Cyber assets brings.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2023 19:42

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

I left private sector for AGR last March and its one of the better decisions ive made. we work four tens (more like four 8s) and have shifted to 0-2-4 drill schedule so only working 8 weekends a year instead of 12. Other than the thrash of prepping the squadron and creating training for Drill, its been a very chill job.

Shalhavet, you once gave me advice on 1B4 and I appreciate it. Good to see youre still around. Im a Cyber O now and its been working out pretty well.

# ¿ Dec 19, 2023 20:15

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

just got off the AFA symposium all call. Allvin is saying WOs are only for cyber and that they will be very hesitant to expand the program to other career fields.

Which reads to me as: "we need to attract SPERGY NERDS to program AI for advanced targeting and battlefield management and migration to cloud services.... and we know our best pilots would never commission again if they could go Warrant"

# ¿ Feb 13, 2024 01:37

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 23:55

Knives Amilli: Sep 26, 2014

question: one of my commanders and I were talking about the possible changes with cyber, and we talked about whether the stan/eval program will stay or go. My initial thought was if Air Force cyber will report directly to USCC, then what do we need Stan/Eval for as it is a ACC directed program.

He replied that stan/eval is a necessary evil in order to have a designated weapon system and receive Air Force program funding. Is this true? Also how does Stan eval work for platforms that don�t fall under ACC? Does say AMC have to direct Stan/eval for hercs?

# ¿ Feb 16, 2024 05:05

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