FY 08 Aviation Continuation Pay

[MasterBates]

$25K for pilots. According to the BUPERS road show last week, it is kept stable @ $25K to avoid the exact problem the Marines have.

 

[red_ryder]

WOWZA...that's a lot of dough...

 

[Harrier Dude]

WOWZA...that's a lot of dough...

It all gets spent on hookers and blow, so it goes pretty fast.

 

[MasterBates]

Mine is going to be spent on Hookers, Blow, and Manatee Maintenance.

 

[HooverPilot]

I took the deal last year. Looks to be a good decision for me with the age 65 law just enacted...

 

[PATRON]

Even if the Democrats picked up the Presidency, they would not have time to affect the FY09 ACCP package. The NAVADMIN authorizing the bonus normally drops in the fall. Congress must first increase the maximum annual bonus amount in order for Pers-43 to offer anything more than $25,000 per year. With the current state of retention trailing south rapidly, it would not surprise me to see this happen.

Has anyone Noticed the OCM numbers on the NPC website? Retention rates have not been updated since June '07. Also, in the past, the bureau was quick to gloat on their excellent retention rates. There hasn't been much talk of this in the last year, crickets.

http://www.npc.navy.mil/Officer/Aviation/OCM/

JO's are bailing because 1 in 3 have been forced into an IA and the airlines are lowering their mins. All those guys that were pulled out of the fleet and shore tour for 365 in the desert are now at their MSR.

 

[webmaster]

Has anyone Noticed the OCM numbers on the NPC website? Retention rates have not been updated since June '07.

The recent bubba list is missing ALOT of names, quite a few I already knew about, friends getting out and going to do other things....

 

[MasterBates]

I noticed a lot gone from the HSL bubba list as well, last I checked it.

 

[chiplee]

Oh no brother, 3p4Life is a state of mind not my crew position. I've lurked on this site without contributing for some time, but the bonus thing just set me off. Back to the thread.

Look, every other service uses a set number across the board for a bonus. It's not dependant on platform or what year you accepted the bonus. It's the same every year. Not for Marines. Why should a guy who fly's a V-22 be paid any more for doing the same damn job as a guy who drives something else? Say what you want, I've heard all the same cliches, but this sort of program drives a wedge between communities. We are all a part of the same team and share the same risks and skill sets.

There is a perfect storm brewing right now across Marine Aviation, and you can either bury your head in the sand or you can speak up about it. The handwriting is on the wall. OSO's are having a harder time finding people that will sign up. OCS had to adjust it's allowable attrition rate this past summer. The Major's promotion board had to go 10 months below zone to find enough Captains. I don't have the most recent numbers, but of all the eligible helo pilots 180+took the bonus last year. A friend of mine in manpower said it was around 50 for fixed wing. To add to this, the airlines haven't even begun to crank up their hiring, but it's about to go critical mass. At my first interview last month, only 2 of the 12 were civilians. Don't believe me go to any fixed wing squadron and ask the FDO about how many recruiters have called lately. I am telling you it's out of control.

So again I say this bonus does nothing to address those problems. We are heading for a pilot shortage of biblical proportions and nobody is willing to admit it. Instead we hear the same old same old about how we should not do this for money, but rather do the noble thing and stay the course. Someone already brought up "dead grunts don't get a bonus." What!!!?? Do you guys work at HQMC? Are you really that blind? Put down your USAA Retired Officer Quarterly and pick up the clue phone. This bonus is going to cause problems, huge problems.

amen brother, I eas in 2.5 years and I'm gone if this doesn't change. I should have been a lawyer anyway. When talent stops going where the money is, money stops going where the talent is. I would leave on principle alone. I love how they're so afraid to send guys to the V-22 involuntarily that they jack up the bonus in that platform to motivate people to transition. WTF kind of logic is that? This is the Marine Corps, if you need bodies give the MoFo's orders to fly the damn thing. I'd do it, and so would anyone else if they were told to.

It's like they want the weight off their own shoulders and trust me, most of my bros are fed up with it. 12 out of 36 months at home, busting their ass to get quals and can't get back to the fleet to save their life because of IA's remaining on unit rolls.

I had an informal discussion with a booze allen hamilton head hunter who said with a TS(sci) they rarely start guys below $130K depending on other qualifications. Great company to work for too.

 

[Frumby]

If you take the Devils money you will live in his lair FOREVER!

Harriers being paid more then Hornets....It has the making of a good bar fight!

Semper Fly!

 

[Harrier Dude]

If you take the Devils money you will live in his lair FOREVER!

Harriers being paid more then Hornets....It has the making of a good bar fight!

Semper Fly!

When did this happen? I thought that they were both 20K.

I think that it should be paid by crew seats. 25K for Harriers and F-18C, 12.5K for Delta and Cobra guys, 6.25 for Prowler guys and everybody else.

You want to talk about "crew concept"? Let your bonus do the talking!

I'm glad I took it at 25K/year, but it sucks now that it's over. I am at least now "free of the lair". As if I would get out so close to retirement. Damn economics!