(Nope, not me, just found these on a C-141 blog.)
Posted on 11/28/2006 6:12:37 AM PST by pabianice
November 28, 2006: The U.S. Air Force is doing something really unusual, they are cutting back on the amenities that have long served to attract, and keep, the kind of skilled people they needed. It is feared that this move will have a serious negative effect on morale. However, the air force brass see this as the only alternative to something far worse; not enough new aircraft. Faced with huge costs for their new F-22 and F-35 warplanes, a Congress reluctant to be generous, and a war in Iraq and Afghanistan that is being largely fought by the army, the air force sees itself seriously short of cash in the next decade. The war in Iraq is taking money from the air force and diverting it to the army. Already underway is a downsizing that will eliminate 40,000 air force jobs over the next five years. But that will only save about $5 billion a year.
Cutting amenities is not something the air force even likes to talk about, but something official has to be said to explain the large number of fairly obvious changes coming. For decades, the air force has been the butt of jokes, for their more luxurious lifestyle, by sailors, soldiers and marines. Part of it was jealousy, and admiration for how the air force generals managed to get money for all those goodies out of Congress. Making fun of all those golf courses on air force bases was a particular favorite. Going into detail about the cutbacks would, simultaneously, make it known how extensive the amenities are, and elicit some bad publicity once people from the other services chimed in with snarky comments about how much better off the air force people are even after the cuts.
But the air force does have a real problem here, with the morale of their own troops. The 40,000 jobs being lost is causing some anxiety, as does the increased number of air force personnel being sent overseas to support operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. There are actually several thousand air force support troops, on the ground in Iraq, helping the army move supplies and maintain equipment. These guys and girls are actually in greater danger than the pilots flying the bombers overhead, but that's another story. Meanwhile, a lot of the cutbacks will come from consolidating functions (fewer gyms and dining halls on some bases), as well as cutting back hours and services at other facilities (libraries, rec centers and golf courses.) There might even be a few golf courses closed...
It was much the same in '89 when I retired. We worked a lot with other services in Korea and Southeast Asia and would routinely be working with troops one or two grades higher than we were. Also, the Army and Marine chow halls were dumps, but we envied the Navy's, at least the ones at the major bases.
Yardage and layout of AF golf courses around the world.
(Nope, not me, just found these on a C-141 blog.)
My brother was an air farce puke...he met my carrier at the dock once, and I took him on board for a tour...he said there was no way he could work on planes under those conditions......that is why the air farce is not the real military..
What is that, like, and E-4?
;)
I saw a lot of AF E-5's and E-6's retire early in my career. The average time in service to make E-6 was around 17 years.
An AF SMSgt is an E-8! Now DROP AND GIVE ME 20, Maggot!!!!
I hurt my back Golfing, the USAF has the best Physical Therapy around...
Coincidentally, I just got an email from my deployed Army Medic daughter who is two months into her second Iraq tour providing med coverage for convoys. She emailed me from an Air Force barracks in N Iraq where she was making a stop for the day. She was amazed at the 'upgrade'. Most impressive were the connected showers with people walking to and from in nice fluffy robes. So I suppose even in theater there is some noticeable perks to being Air Force.
LOL
I don't know how it is now, but I joined the Navy in the early 80's under the Advanced Electronics Program. I was an E-4 almost immediately, and passed the E-5 test with a score high enough to get promoted on my first try while I was still in 'C' school - less than two years, and I hadn't even stepped on a ship yet.
There were a number of us that aced that test at 'C' school, probably because that school was a year long advanced training course that only took E-4 students from the top two or three finishers in 'A' school. I found out a couple of years later from a buddy that it really made some of the E-5's and E-6's training with us furious, and they tried behind the scenes to get the training command to hold back or even cancel our promotions. They did manage a delay (kept us from going home for Christmas with our new rank), but we got the extra stripe before the next round of tests.
I think they were mad because they had used senority instead of grades to get assigned to that school, and we were showing them up in class. They were converted from from other ratings, and really had no business trying to be techs. Rocks, one and all.
What is the difference between God and a Naval Aviator?
God doesn't think he's a Naval Aviator.
Spy Navy.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Lance Fearless, God Of The Skies.
Good point. Wright-Patterson was home to a major command(Systems) with plenty of Generals running around. Once they put the AF in a blender last decade, I lost track of what/who was where.
The Navy had the reputation for having the best of everything when I was growing up on Air Force bases. During flight training in Texas, my old man regularly killed snakes around the trailer he and his bride lived in that sat on blocks out in the middle of nowhere. The cottage built for hobbits at Lakenheath RAFB sucked as well. Hickham is no picnic, and Nellis had senior officers living in duplexes not unlike Section 8 housing. We did get our very own salt-pellet water softener, however.
There is a great deal of variance from base to base. The enlisted folks, the people who are the backbone of any service, really do not enjoy housing and amenities that they would enjoy in the civilian world for similar levels of responsibility/compensation.
My view is the AF enjoyed quite a honeymoon after WWII up to Viet Nam. The '70s were a wasteland for Air Force facilities. Once Reagan took office, this changed, or at least it did for the Tactical Air Command. Everything got better.
The Army and the Marines deserve much better than they get on average, IMO.
For decades, the air force has been the butt of jokes, for their more luxurious lifestyle, by sailors, soldiers and marines.... Making fun of all those golf courses on air force bases was a particular favorite. Going into detail about the cutbacks would ... elicit some bad publicity once people from the other services chimed in with snarky comments about how much better off the air force people are even after the cuts.
I suggest the 'jokesters' take a trip to Great Lakes Naval Training Station.
Back in 98-99 I was involved in the construction of the new 'BEC' (Bachelor Enlisted Quarters) Project. It was nine buildings total, low rises from 5-9 stories. Those 'quarters' were nicer than most Bedrooms in private homes.
AS to Golf Courses, I can't recall one being on the base - BUT IIRC they had privileges over at the one in Glenview Naval Air Station. (now closed)
Let me guess. Air Force pilots can use the spell checker. Har!
Damn, ouch.
:)
I was just a lowly Missile Technician, anyway. :)
There was more than just the retention issue... It was also important to treat the AF enlisted well as they were the ones ensuring that your plane made it up and back safely. The AF relied on a highly technically trained enlisted force that would probably not accept being treated as the other services enlisteds' were. The AF also coveted ideas and nutured innovation out of it's enlisted force. Try getting that from someone that you feed MREs to and bunk 4 to a room in swealtering temperatures.
And yeah the promotions still lag behind the other services.
Retired SMSgt (2004)
The Navy has great pilots. However, this landing on a postage stamp cliche is a farce.
The Navy guys would do better to emphasize their role in force projection and being "on the scene" more quickly, in many circumstances.
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