400K USD Bonus for AF Truck Drivers???

[JJ_BPK]

Outrageous...

With the current state of warfare:

1)they fly a truck to the AO
2)someone ID's the target
3)someone OK's the target
4)someone loads the weapon system
5)someone in Nevada watches the show on the satellite
6)someone pulls the "trigger"
7)someone in the 5-sided outhouse signs the awards

Retention bonus pay for Air Force pilots could swell above $400,000, Jeff Daniels

Fighter pilot retention bonuses could soar to record heights of $400,000 or more, if the U.S. Air Force has its way.

"Currently, we have a need to retain fighter pilots that we have," said Ann Stefanek, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Air Force. "Whenever the economy is better, there are job opportunities that pilots can take advantage of."

According to the Air Force, the pilot shortage is expected to worsen and result in a shortfall of more than 700 pilots by the end of September. Without any action, the Air Force estimates it will be more than 1,000 fighter pilots short by 2022.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/19/air-f...er-pilots.html

[JJ_BPK]

Maybe SF should get a cut??

I have seen it quoted several times that an SF 18D costs more to train the an AF truck driver...

How much does it cost to train a Green Beret?

It's quantifiable. Something like $500,000 in each case, more for the medics, plus $100,000 or so annually after joining their unit. These are estimates, and no, it isn't state secrets or "classified" information. The military budget is subject to public scrutiny.

1. Money (you can train 10 regular medics for one SOF medic)
2. Time (infantry training < 6 months, 18D training > 3 years)

[cback0220]

It may be expensive to train an 18D, but nowhere near what it costs to train and maintain currency for a fighter pilot. Think of the operating cost for even the cheapest fighter plane. It takes 100's of hours to maintain currency. That makes currency alone millions per year. Training just 500 hours in jets, even at a low estimate of a 22K per hour(F-16) and hour that is over 22 million in training. 400K to retain a pilot with just 500 hours is a bargain. At 1000 or 1500 hours it is pennies.

Sure fighter pilots are just "bus drivers" right now. Someday we may need them overhead protecting us from other jets...

[35NCO]

If they are so desperate for Pilots/people, how come any recruiting station I have ever been in the AF recruiter is NEVER there. They do not even return calls from what I have witnessed. I have heard amazing stories of how difficult it is to even find a AF recruiter, then even harder to get them to return a call or process paperwork. I ask the Army, Navy and Marine recruiters if the AF is ever there, the answer is typically no. Just an office with the lights off, or a we will be right back sign, but never return.

Just does not seem right to me if they are so desperate for people.

[scooter]

Originally Posted by cback0220

Someday we may need them overhead protecting us from other jets...

I think people forget this sometimes. The US has had air supremacy in all recent conflicts, and most people can't imagine a world where it is not a given. Any war with China or Russia could get really, really interesting and will feature some level of air to ground stuff against our guys. The US has focused on low intensity stuff for so long it has partially forgotten that you have to fight to keep your relative advantage over others. Our enemies have gone a....long..... Way towards closing the gap.

[PSM]

The AF guys are getting less and less flight time and many have been assigned to drone driving. Plus the airlines are having a hard time filling their cockpit seats. I can see the airlines, sort of, matching this for drivers. They'd mix a signing bonus with higher wages over a longer career.

The Army is probably having a similar problem. My wife volunteers at a BLM site and a couple of weeks ago she had two AD Blackhawk pilots putting in volunteer time with her. They were here at Huachuca transitioning to flying drones. For pilot, this is an insult I would think.

Pat

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by PSM

The AF guys are getting less and less flight time and many have been assigned to drone driving. Plus the airlines are having a hard time filling their cockpit seats. I can see the airlines, sort of, matching this for drivers. They'd mix a signing bonus with higher wages over a longer career.

The Army is probably having a similar problem. My wife volunteers at a BLM site and a couple of weeks ago she had two AD Blackhawk pilots putting in volunteer time with her. They were here at Huachuca transitioning to flying drones. For pilot, this is an insult I would think.

Pat

Pat,

BLM,, some acronyms need definition within context..



My major gripe is the US tax payer has been paying to train commercial airline pilots for 80 years. They fly for the AF for one enlistment, them jump to the airlines.

If they are so valuable (they probably are), then they should commit to minimum of 10 or 15 yrs.. The US needs an ROI (return on investment) that has has parity.

Brain Fart: Why doesn't the airline industry pay a 2M USD finders fee each time they hire an AF truck driver.. Just like a lot of HR head-hunter businesses charge as a fee??

[Basenshukai]

Originally Posted by PSM

The AF guys are getting less and less flight time and many have been assigned to drone driving. Plus the airlines are having a hard time filling their cockpit seats. I can see the airlines, sort of, matching this for drivers. They'd mix a signing bonus with higher wages over a longer career.

The Army is probably having a similar problem. My wife volunteers at a BLM site and a couple of weeks ago she had two AD Blackhawk pilots putting in volunteer time with her. They were here at Huachuca transitioning to flying drones. For pilot, this is an insult I would think.

Pat

Is it possible that drone pilots do not deploy overseas as much as the rest?

[doctom54]

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

Pat,

BLM,, some acronyms need definition within context..



My major gripe is the US tax payer has been paying to train commercial airline pilots for 80 years. They fly for the AF for one enlistment, them jump to the airlines.

If they are so valuable (they probably are), then they should commit to minimum of 10 or 15 yrs.. The US needs an ROI (return on investment) that has has parity.

Brain Fart: Why doesn't the airline industry pay a 2M USD finders fee each time they hire an AF truck driver.. Just like a lot of HR head-hunter businesses charge as a fee??

A number of the pilots who leave active duty continue in the Air Guard and AF Reserve.
The USAF is structured so that the Air Guard and AF Reserve are critical to most missions.

[PSM]

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

Pat,

BLM,, some acronyms need definition within context..

She be down with the cause, bro! Gotta keep that land managed. It's for it's own good.

My major gripe is the US tax payer has been paying to train commercial airline pilots for 80 years. They fly for the AF for one enlistment, them jump to the airlines.

If they are so valuable (they probably are), then they should commit to minimum of 10 or 15 yrs.. The US needs an ROI (return on investment) that has has parity.

As doctom54 mentions below, many, if not most, continue to fly in the Guard or Reserves.

Pat

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Basenshukai

Is it possible that drone pilots do not deploy overseas as much as the rest?

I think the AF drone drivers deploy to Las Vegas. I'm not sure how or where the Army deploys their pilots.

Pat

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Brush Okie

Having worked with Army Drones a very small amount at least some of them deploy overseas. They launch and recover their drones on their own. The ones I was around were interesting in the fact their recovery system was very much like an aircraft carrier.

I think that I'm wrong about the Black Hawk pilots transitioning to drones. That was my wife's thoughts since she has mostly seen Predator and Reaper (MQ-1 and MQ-9) drones flying around here. But we also have RC and MC-12s here. I'd bet that they were transitioning to them and not the drones.

Pat

[Tree Potato]

FWIW, the retention problem with aircrews is as much about the disintegration of squadrons as it is about money. The AF has turned squadrons from being tight knit groups of people focused on executing the mission into business units that have to spend as much energy on support activities and queep as time spent honing the skills of war. Talented people see through this and vote with their feet.

The new CSAF appears to understand this and has stated he plans to reinvigorate squadrons as the core of the AF, partly by decreasing additional duties and shifting support workload off the war fighters and back into regenerated commander support staffs (who were sacrificed in numerous personnel cuts). Money may help keep a few aviators who are on the fence, but those who have mentally thrown in the towel are gone or soon to be gone regardless of cash incentive, because they're pissed off at "the system" giving lip service to the mission.