When our DS was a 200, they actually cut a couple of 400's about 45 days prior to commissioning. The cadets had the grades/stats, it was nothing more than manpower issues for ADAF. They decided they had too many commissioning.
Basically, they were told fly be free, our parting gift is you don't owe us any money for your education! Yes, one of the few was a scholarship cadet....4 yrs of tuition paid.
This occurred back in 10. Even AFA grads that busted UPT were not washed back, some were not given even the option to change career fields. They were just told thank you, have a nice life.
I am not sure why people are shocked at the 21% cut. They are cutting 203K flight hours. They have cancelled Airshows. Closing down some radar stations, etc. No TDy's unless it is for critical mission purposes. Cancelling PME.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20130408/NEWS/304080035
WASHINGTON — The Air Force will begin grounding combat air squadrons Tuesday in response to forced spending cuts that have eliminated more than 44,000 flying hours through September, according to internal documents obtained by Air Force Times.
The Air Force’s budget for flying hours was reduced by $591 million for the remainder of fiscal 2013, making it impossible to keep all squadrons ready for combat, according to an April 5 memo signed by Maj. Gen. Charles Lyon, director of operations for Air Combat Command. The across-the board spending cuts, called sequestration, took effect March 1 when Congress failed to agree on a deficit-reduction plan.
Seventeen combat-coded squadrons will stand down effective Tuesday or upon their return from deployments, according to the documents. The Air Force will distribute 241,496 flying hours that are funded to squadrons that will be kept combat ready or at a reduced readiness level called “basic mission capable” for part or all of the remaining months in fiscal 2013, the documents said.
When you put this into the big picture, you can start to realize how hard it is for the AF to determine where to cut and how deep. SFT is part of their budget. Read the entire link. They go airframe by airframe, squadron by squadron. It is shocking to see the cuts. F22, F16, B1, F15E. all of them are taking a huge hit. They are going to remain current via sims.
They have to save money. Reading that link makes it very clear, this summer is going to be intense in the flying world. G forbid NKorea does any action at all besides the rhetoric they are doing.now, and sequestration is going to be a huge issue.
Going back on topic, I think this is why these cadets are rightfully concerned. They have spent 2 yrs in the system, and they understand the impact of sequestration, they get that on the totem pole of priority for ADAF they are at the bottom of the pole regarding the AF's mission needs.
As for me...guys keep venting, you are human, and after 20 yrs of being married to an AF officer, the one thing I know is your friends and family that are not military don't get it. Your friends in classes, will think, so what you don't go this yr...you will go next yr., but they don't get there are certain stages that must be met and this is a big issue.
We all get it here.
That being said, I will say one thing; Sooner or later you have to move off of the subject. I think that is what some were trying to say. It just didn't come across that way.
You can vent, but it only allows a small amount of satisfaction. An hr or two later you are back at that frustration level.
Trust me, friends eventually get worn out hearing the same thing over and over again. Do yourself a favor. Divert your mind. If you want to go rated, and have yet to take the AFOQT, study for it, with the intention you are going to SFT. If not with the intention you will go OCS. If you have taken it, ask the folks if they will help you pay for an hour of flying. It will reinvigorate you to why you want this world.
If you are going non-rated, there are posters here in that world. Nick4060 is Intel, graduated last yr. Start an Intel, SP, Cyber, etc thread. Talk about the future.
The AF knows this is a special yr. Trust them, they will make adjustments for this yr.
FWIW, just my opinion. I wouldn't be shocked if posters like cralor (5 yr program) are not offered a slot compared to the non-tech 4 yr. They have stated becoming an AS 500 will not impact them since their commissioning yr group is not 15, but 16. It is the easiest cut without doing damage to commissionings, hence manpower needs for 15.
