Pima
10-Year Member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2007
- Messages
- 13,900
Thanks.
I am going to assume that they offer the bonus for the same reason the AF does, but curious of why Special Ops warrant bolt at a high rate.
I get the pilot bonus because airlines try to recruit military pilots due to their hrs in a jet. I am just wondering where the Special Ops members go? Is it burn out due to the intensity of their missions? Or is it that they are such a small, select group, even a minimal amount of them leaving has an impact regarding training and C status?
Just curious. Honestly, I get not offering the officers, because for the 1st 15 yrs of Bullet's career the pilot in the jet with him got a bonus, but he didn't. It was all about manning and they had enough WSO's aka CSO's now, that they didn't need to offer a bonus. 15 yrs later, they realized they didn't have enough of them and they offered them the bonus. Still to this day, they get only the later on bonus, compared to pilots getting 2.
~~~ No sour grapes or envy here, because from a business perspective it makes sense financially to only give them 1.
~~~ My only issue is I still think they offer it at the wrong time, and due to that fact I see it as fraud, waste and abuse.
Pilots must pay back 10 yrs after winging. UPT is 1 yr, so they really owe 11. Instead of giving 2 bonuses, of over 250K, give it at the 9 yr marker to the 16 yr. At that time they will be an O5, 1 more tour for retirement pay.
It would save a lot of money.
For WSOs, it is different because they only owe 6 yrs, not 10. Instead of the 15 yr marker for them to stay until 21. I think they should offer the bonus at the 12 yr marker for 6 yrs. This way they already are an O4 and even if they are passed over, they can still serve until 20. It keeps them until 18 and again, who leaves 2 yrs prior to retirement.
Bullet took the bonus, and he had to stick around for 5 months more because of that commitment. He was offered the bonus as an O5 select. He wasn't going to leave even if they didn't offer the bonus, because it was just 1 more tour. Basically they gave him a 6 figure check with no ROI. Okay, I am wrong, they gave him a 6 figure check for 5 more months, because the fact is he bolted as soon as he could...that is why he retired at 21, not 20.
Want a kicker? He was AFROTC commissioned, they don't go AD right off the bat, they usually have a 6-9 month delay for rated schools. Bullet's commission date was May, his ADAF date was Mar., his DOR was Oct. He could have retired in May with 20 yrs, but only really served 19 and 3 months AD if he didn't take the bonus. Same with our DS. DS commissioned in May, reported in October. 20 yrs from now he can leave in May.
That is why I say I think the way they offer bonuses is not fiscally sound.
JMPO, I know that there is a rationale behind their thought process, but I have to say all of our friends(pilots and WSOs) took the bonus at the 15 yr marker and not one of them were going to bolt. It was basically, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
I am going to assume that they offer the bonus for the same reason the AF does, but curious of why Special Ops warrant bolt at a high rate.
I get the pilot bonus because airlines try to recruit military pilots due to their hrs in a jet. I am just wondering where the Special Ops members go? Is it burn out due to the intensity of their missions? Or is it that they are such a small, select group, even a minimal amount of them leaving has an impact regarding training and C status?
Just curious. Honestly, I get not offering the officers, because for the 1st 15 yrs of Bullet's career the pilot in the jet with him got a bonus, but he didn't. It was all about manning and they had enough WSO's aka CSO's now, that they didn't need to offer a bonus. 15 yrs later, they realized they didn't have enough of them and they offered them the bonus. Still to this day, they get only the later on bonus, compared to pilots getting 2.
~~~ No sour grapes or envy here, because from a business perspective it makes sense financially to only give them 1.
~~~ My only issue is I still think they offer it at the wrong time, and due to that fact I see it as fraud, waste and abuse.
Pilots must pay back 10 yrs after winging. UPT is 1 yr, so they really owe 11. Instead of giving 2 bonuses, of over 250K, give it at the 9 yr marker to the 16 yr. At that time they will be an O5, 1 more tour for retirement pay.
It would save a lot of money.
For WSOs, it is different because they only owe 6 yrs, not 10. Instead of the 15 yr marker for them to stay until 21. I think they should offer the bonus at the 12 yr marker for 6 yrs. This way they already are an O4 and even if they are passed over, they can still serve until 20. It keeps them until 18 and again, who leaves 2 yrs prior to retirement.
Bullet took the bonus, and he had to stick around for 5 months more because of that commitment. He was offered the bonus as an O5 select. He wasn't going to leave even if they didn't offer the bonus, because it was just 1 more tour. Basically they gave him a 6 figure check with no ROI. Okay, I am wrong, they gave him a 6 figure check for 5 more months, because the fact is he bolted as soon as he could...that is why he retired at 21, not 20.
Want a kicker? He was AFROTC commissioned, they don't go AD right off the bat, they usually have a 6-9 month delay for rated schools. Bullet's commission date was May, his ADAF date was Mar., his DOR was Oct. He could have retired in May with 20 yrs, but only really served 19 and 3 months AD if he didn't take the bonus. Same with our DS. DS commissioned in May, reported in October. 20 yrs from now he can leave in May.
That is why I say I think the way they offer bonuses is not fiscally sound.
JMPO, I know that there is a rationale behind their thought process, but I have to say all of our friends(pilots and WSOs) took the bonus at the 15 yr marker and not one of them were going to bolt. It was basically, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
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