View Full Version : I Can't Believe it
I've seen several times on AFN commercials. The Air Force is now giving flight pay and combat pay to indivuals that fly those remote controlled airplanes. I don't have a link .... just keep seeing it on a commercial. Can you believe it?
If I play battleship enough times can I get sea pay?
ARTYPIG
04-28-10, 03:46 AM
You gotta be kidding me!! I also heard that those RPV's flown from the US that there are trying to claim PTSD. I don't understand that on either.
Ed Palmer
04-28-10, 05:40 AM
News > Air Force officials approve incentive pay for officer, enlisted RPA aircrews
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/090609-F-0000M-777.JPG
Air Force officials have approved an incentive pay for officer and enlisted Airmen who commit themselves to flying or operating sensors on remotely piloted aircraft like the MQ-9 Reaper shown here. (U.S. Air Force photo/Paul Ridgeway)
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Air Force officials approve incentive pay for officer, enlisted RPA aircrews
Posted 2/24/2010 Updated 2/24/2010 Email story Print story
by Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
2/24/2010 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials here have approved an incentive pay for officer and enlisted Airmen who commit themselves to flying or operating sensors on remotely piloted aircraft.
The incentive pay is equivalent to the current aviation incentive pay programs and is available to Airmen in the officer 18X RPA pilot or the new enlisted 1UOX1 RPA sensor operator career fields.
The incentives scale with an Airman's time within the career fields.
"Air Force leaders want the RPA career fields to operate the way other aviation career fields do," said Lt. Col. David DuHadway, the rated force policy chief at the Pentagon. "As a service, we recognize the need for people with these skill sets, and this represents a significant step forward in building a career field of RPA professionals."
There are slightly more than 400 Airmen currently in the RPA career fields. Air Force leaders expect that number to rise to more than 1,000 as the need for more combat air patrols increases in the U.S. Air Forces Central area of responsibility over the next few years.
"The pay is an incentive to attract and retain Airmen who dedicate themselves to operating RPAs," Colonel DuHadway said.
Until recently, RPAs were the only airframes where an enlisted member of the crew wasn't receiving an incentive pay specifically paid for their aviation duties. Although the pilots receive specialized flight training, the sensor operators perform duties similar to those of other career enlisted aviators.
"We're paying them for their expertise," explained Chief Master Sgt. Victor Allen, the career field manager for all career enlisted aviators. "The sensor operator position was often an additional duty for imagery analysis Airmen. But commanders want people who are devoted to staying in the career field.
"Offering the incentive pay will help us build the force we need to meet the demands of the mission," Chief Allen added.
For more information about joining the RPA career fields, contact CEA.Recruiting@Pentagon.af.mil.
Zulu 36
04-28-10, 08:03 AM
If I play battleship enough times can I get sea pay?
No, but you can get sea sick if you want. :sick:
SGTBrentG
04-28-10, 09:27 AM
I wonder if they can be awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross........
The Air Force is a bunch of ass clowns.
Old Marine
04-28-10, 09:51 AM
Just shows that the Air Force may not be the Biggest, Baddest, Meanest, and get fu---d with all the time, but when it comes to the way they live and get paid, they are way ahead of the other branches.
I can understand paying them equally to pilots who sit in the planes. They're doing just as much work and have just as much skill. But combat pay is ridiculous. They are not in danger. Pay them for their skill, fine, but not for combat.
As for PTSD, well...I can understand having a hard time dealing with knowing you just pulled the trigger on a bomb dropped that kills 20 people. I'm no shrink, so I don't know if that would be termed as PTSD or something else. They're not in danger of being killed, but they are killing others and surely that will have some effects.
polizei
04-28-10, 10:57 AM
Yes...but even at that Hanzo, it's still completely different IMO. I completely agree with the pay for skill, not for combat section, just doesn't make sense...
I'm just failing to see how dropping a bomb and killing people from a chair in an air conditioned office has any relation to being a fighter pilot or bomber and doing the same thing, except obviously the killing of people. I understand how it could effect them, but no where near the same, right?
Yes...but even at that Hanzo, it's still completely different IMO. I completely agree with the pay for skill, not for combat section, just doesn't make sense...
I'm just failing to see how dropping a bomb and killing people from a chair in an air conditioned office has any relation to being a fighter pilot or bomber and doing the same thing, except obviously the killing of people. I understand how it could effect them, but no where near the same, right?
Oh, absolutely not. Let me clarify, I don't think anything they do entitles them to combat pay. I was simply noting the comment about some of them claiming PTSD. Whether its PTSD, guilt, whatever you want to call it, I can see them having it, but I don't think that means you get combat pay.
Pay them for their skill, do not pay them for combat (they're not in combat) and I'll leave it up to a doctor to evaluate them for an psychological effects that there might be and the VA can take it from there.
"The mail service has been excellent out here, and in my opinion this is all that the Air Force has accomplished during the war."
- Chesty Puller in a letter to his wife while in Korea
LCPLPOULIN
04-29-10, 12:01 AM
zoom zoom zoom,really tho thats out there
Sounds about as dangerous as playing a video game. Far and away not the same as a pilot getting in the seat and flying.
yellowwing
04-29-10, 07:00 AM
Sounds about as dangerous as playing a video game. Far and away not the same as a pilot getting in the seat and flying.
Do they get a Combat Ribbon if their avatar drone gets shot at?
montana
04-29-10, 09:19 AM
next kids playing vidio games will be claming PTSD....
Swampyankee
04-29-10, 10:34 AM
Reminds me of the con job the VN draft dodgers tried to start in the mid 70's. They were claiming stress because they ran away, that's about when Carter granted them amnesty.
kenrobg30
04-29-10, 10:47 AM
next kids playing vidio games will be claming PTSD....
I don't pay much attention to what the Air Force does, except for the job they do, in support of the troops, on the ground. I think they do a pretty good job. What they get paid for just gives me headaches. I've always wondered how, or if, the Pentagon thinks at all. I believe, the people who operate remote combat vehicles, have to be trained away from looking at their targets as living beings. If it isn't human, Why worry about it? They;re just scoring points, the same as they did , playing Video Games as Kids. Our kids today, are being trained, to look at life, that same way today. Real life, not a video screen. Your kids, and mine, are being trained to kill right now, and you are buying the "Games" for them. Makes you feel warm and cozy doesn't it? S/F!!! Ken
Integrity57
04-29-10, 10:47 AM
I can believe Sgt. Quinn, the Air Force A schoolers in P-Cola got extra pay because the barracks weren't up to the AF's standards and supposedly they got paid for having to be around Sailors and Marines and they were told not to socialize with us.
ameriken
04-29-10, 10:48 AM
If your wrist gets carpal tunnel syndrome from using the joystick, do you get a Purple Heart?
polizei
04-29-10, 10:58 AM
Ha, this thread is full of win. Keep it going! :D
jetdawgg
04-29-10, 10:58 AM
http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/AceCombat6-12.jpg
FistFu68
04-29-10, 12:40 PM
:evilgrin: Must admit though sitting behind a Giant Monitor and Squeezing off a Hellfire into a Car full of Taliban,or other Fucing Raghead Terrorist gotta Be a Pretty Dam good feeling they are really reaching out and Touching Somebody.Thats the Ultimate Sniper Rifle for now ;) :iwo:
Big Jim
04-29-10, 01:02 PM
Yeah but geezus....look at the history of the Air Force compared to Marines.....I remember I had to go to Shaikh Isa Air Base while in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield and while the Marine side had a simple tent city...absolutely NO amenities....the Air Force side built themselves an actual chow hall and had a giant red and white striped tent dedicated to watching movies, playing pool and drinking beer!!! They had small air-conditioners in each and every tent too...!!!
It was just wrong how much comforts of home they had while not 5 miles away the Marines were living in the frikkin sand..!!! That crap is NEVER fair.....!!
Even when I was down there they would NOT let us in to eat at their chow hall because the Air Force Major was upset that we would dirty up his chow hall....we told our Sergeant Major and he blew a gasket...!! I guess that Air Force Major got relieved or something because as many times as I went down there from forward of Al Jabail, I never ever seen him again....
frikkin AIR FORCE.....I tell ya......:mad::thumbdown
awbrown1462
04-29-10, 01:13 PM
round eyes on Kadena
Swampyankee
04-29-10, 01:32 PM
We ate in the AF chow hall during our deploynebt to Cuba, the next best military meal I ate was in the CG, if you can call either one of those military.:)
Big Jim
04-29-10, 01:38 PM
We ate in the AF chow hall during our deploynebt to Cuba, the next best military meal I ate was in the CG, if you can call either one of those military.:)
Oh I know...!! Coming back from Desert Storm we stopped at Mildenhall Air Base in England....and yes it was like a frikkin restaurant!! Grant you....it was good food....but hell....what does the frikkin Air Force actually do so they rate all these amenities....? Do they accomplish as much as WE do...? HELL NO THEY DON'T..!! Just pizzes me off that Marines have done without for so long and continue to do it.....while the frikkin Air Force gets pampered to NO end..!!
Swampyankee
04-29-10, 07:18 PM
Oh I know...!! Coming back from Desert Storm we stopped at Mildenhall Air Base in England....and yes it was like a frikkin restaurant!! Grant you....it was good food....but hell....what does the frikkin Air Force actually do so they rate all these amenities....? Do they accomplish as much as WE do...? HELL NO THEY DON'T..!! Just pizzes me off that Marines have done without for so long and continue to do it.....while the frikkin Air Force gets pampered to NO end..!!
Aye, but isn't it the hardships that make us what we are? If we were pampered like the AF wouldn't we be like the AF?
Hehehe, open squad bays and open heads, and nothing to clean them with. Field day til midnight.
FistFu68
04-29-10, 08:15 PM
:evilgrin: LMAO-Big Jim the real reason Your Marine butt was over there wasn't for the Messhall,You wanted too Chow down on sum of that Fine Air Force trim...You were REC**TING the A.O...Semper~Pie~ :p :iwo:
Big Jim
04-29-10, 08:16 PM
Aye, but isn't it the hardships that make us what we are? If we were pampered like the AF wouldn't we be like the AF?
Hehehe, open squad bays and open heads, and nothing to clean them with. Field day til midnight.
Oh this is all realized....but that STILL doesn't make it right.....I believe ALL branches of the military should have it to at least SOME degree of how hard we have it....don't you....?? People should NEVER come to the military and have it as easy as the Air Force...either that or take away the military title from the Air Force....which sounds even better to me...!!
Big Jim
04-29-10, 08:17 PM
LMAO-Big Jim the real reason Your Marine butt was over there wasn't for the Messhall,You wanted too Chow down on sum of that Fine Air Force trim...You were REC**TING the A.O...Semper~Pie~
HAHAHAHA...YOU KNOW IT JACK MY BROTHER....TRYING TO GET SOME OF THAT FINE ASS CHOW AND LOOK AT SOME GOOD OLD FASHIONED AMERICAN ROUND EYE ASS...!!!!
:marine: :thumbup:
TinDragon
04-30-10, 07:25 AM
I can believe Sgt. Quinn, the Air Force A schoolers in P-Cola got extra pay because the barracks weren't up to the AF's standards and supposedly they got paid for having to be around Sailors and Marines and they were told not to socialize with us.
Heard the same thing from some AF folks on Corry Station when I was there, although I heard it was just for Marines, not the Navy.
Out here in Oki, my buddy tried driving on to Kadena with three other Marines and was actually told that he wasn't allowed to come on base with all four in the car. Something about four Marines being too dangerous or something ridiculous like that. It sounds stupid but the way my buddy was saying it it sounds like the Airman was being serious.
DocGreek
04-30-10, 07:31 AM
:D......HA! HA! HA! HA!.....typical "AIR FARCE!!!".....:p
sparkie
04-30-10, 07:34 AM
4 Marines in a car,,,almost a squad. Major threat to any air base. I see their point.
Zulu 36
04-30-10, 07:49 AM
I can believe Sgt. Quinn, the Air Force A schoolers in P-Cola got extra pay because the barracks weren't up to the AF's standards and supposedly they got paid for having to be around Sailors and Marines and they were told not to socialize with us.
The AF does get extra pay for being subjected to inadequate quarters when not on a combat deployment. They don't get extra pay for being around Marines and Sailors. They would like to, but they don't.
When I went to Desert Storm, my unit flew from Germany with a AF guy who was from the Security Police Squadron we were joining. He did nothing but b*tch about the tents they had to live in. We were expecting GP Mediums or something. Our attitude was, "Oh, well."
Nope. Nice Temper tents with attached heating and cooling units. Even though we were an Air Guard unit, we trained as realistically as possible, in the field in pup tents, old WWII barracks with no A/C and OLD boilers for heat (actually they are surprisingly comfortable), etc. We even camped in sub-zero weather and went to the ranges in those conditions.
As a Jarhead, I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven with those Temper tents. They were just fine for the five months we spent there. I have no complaints. But the active duty AF did nothing but whine and cry. I really got sick of it.
Swampyankee
04-30-10, 03:59 PM
It sounds like what they call "camps" here in Maine. A summer home with all the comforts of any other house. Many people have asked me if my house is a camp or if I live here year round.
Shelter halves, now that's a camp. Sounds like the Boy Scouts have it rougher than the AF.
Ed Palmer
04-30-10, 06:01 PM
now you CAN eat at the Air force mess halls <br />
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Retiree On Base Dining: Thanks to the Air Force’s Food Transformation Initiative (FTI), retirees at six bases will soon be able to use military...