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Meet The Longest Flying A-10 Pilot. 7000 Hours and Counting...


King39

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/28/2021 at 8:16 AM, CybrSlydr said:

32 years as a combat pilot but only an O5?  That's surprising.

 

Is his call sign "Maverick" by chance?  ROFL

 

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DCS Modules: A-10C II,  A/V-8B NA, Bf-109 K4, P-51D, P-47D, F/A-18C, F-14 A/B, F-16 CM, F-86F, JF-17, KA-50 Black Shark 2, UH-1H, Mosquito, AH-64D Longbow 

Terrains & Tech:  Caucasus, Persian Gulf, Normandy, Syria, Nevada, The Channel, Combined Arms, WWII Assets, Supercarrier

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On 9/29/2021 at 12:07 PM, CybrSlydr said:

Still, figured he'd have made full Bird by now even if that's the case.

Not necessarily.

In the Air Force, you don't get promoted by Time In Service (TIS) except for the first three enlisted and first two Officer grades which are automatic (pending qualifying EPR's and OERs).

When you get to O-5 to O-6 you have to meet several Professional Military Educational (PME) gates such as Air War College or something similar as well as some command time as an O-5. So, to make O-6, you essential "select" that track knowing that you will do a lot less flying and much more chair-bound duties such as Sq CC, Ops Group CC or Vice or Wing CC, etc or (god-forbid) time at the Pentagon.

Many, many aircrew would rather spend their time flying as opposed to, in my estimation, performing much less gratifying, non-operational duties of command. You can also have a much bigger direct-impact on mentoring and educating the next generation by simply staying operational as a Flight Lead and/or Ops Officer (who, in my estimation, are the REAL rubber-hits-the-road day-to-day leader of the squadron).

That is exactly how I directed my enlisted career by choosing to stay an operationally assigned squadron medic knowing that Master Sergeant was the furthest I could go in my 34 years (as a Master).

As opposed to seeking promotion to Senior or Chief and having to sell-my-soul to the Devil himself by moving to an assignment in a large medical hospital-type unit and dealing with insane Nurse "Leaders" and the like.

I don't regret that decision one little bit knowing that I spent my whole (medical) career deploying with my squadron-mates in a (very in-demand) Combat Rescue unit and having direct input on CSAR medical doctrine and TTP development.


Edited by King39
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1 hour ago, King39 said:

Not necessarily.

In the Air Force, you don't get promoted by Time In Service (TIS) except for the first three enlisted and first two Officer grades which are automatic (pending qualifying EPR's and OERs).

When you get to O-5 to O-6 you have to meet several Professional Military Educational (PME) gates such as Air War College or something similar as well as some command time as an O-5. So, to make O-6, you essential "select" that track knowing that you will do a lot less flying and much more chair-bound duties such as Sq CC, Ops Group CC or Vice or Wing CC, etc or (god-forbid) time at the Pentagon.

Many, many aircrew would rather spend their time flying as opposed to, in my estimation, performing much less gratifying, non-operational duties of command. You can also have a much bigger direct-impact on mentoring and educating the next generation by simply staying operational as a Flight Lead and/or Ops Officer (who, in my estimation, are the REAL rubber-hits-the-road day-to-day leader of the squadron).

That is exactly how I directed my enlisted career by choosing to stay an operationally assigned squadron medic knowing that Master Sergeant was the furthest I could go in my 34 years (as a Master).

As opposed to seeking promotion to Senior or Chief and having to sell-my-soul to the Devil himself by moving to an assignment in a large medical hospital-type unit and dealing with insane Nurse "Leaders" and the like.

I don't regret that decision one little bit knowing that I spent my whole (medical) career deploying with my squadron-mates in a (very in-demand) Combat Rescue unit and having direct input on CSAR medical doctrine and TTP development.

 

Appreciate the input on the career track - I was hon. discharged as a Specialist, so I never had to worry about any of that stuff.  😄

 

I knew you'd probably fly less in an O6 role, but didn't realize it'd be that much of a cut/compromise.


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30 minutes ago, CybrSlydr said:

Appreciate the input on the career track - I was hon. discharged as a Specialist, so I never had to worry about any of that stuff.  😄

 

I knew you'd probably fly less in an O6 role, but didn't realize it'd be that much of a cut/compromise.

 

Oh absolutely. The most common complaint I've heard from the (many) Commanders I've worked with is how much time they have to spend dealing with the daily flood of emails and meetings.

Leaves very little time for flying. Mostly, they are barely able to keep their hours up to stay on-status.

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