So, I need to vent and ask for your help
The election is done, whatever it is what it is. They have promised huge budget cuts for the DOD. We are already so lean that I take off with shit broken on my jet all the time b/c we don't have the money to fix it. We get rationed paper, and I don't spend time in the books studying threats and how to react to them because I have to do admin work that we used to employ young airmen to do, but have cut them (b/c you know, having someone on food stamps is much better than having extra people in the AF that can help with that stuff).
I know we are going to get another big RIF (reduction in force aka layoffs). I think the RIF is fukking bullsht. I signed up 10 years ago knowing I would be asked to do hard things. I knew I could very well be sent on a suicide mission. We joke about it, but listen the old guys (who can now talk about it), and sitting down to look at the plans for a 1 way trip is no joke. I figured if I worked my a$$ off, didn't mess up, volunteered to do stuff (I asked to deploy to Iraq-and I have only positive performance reports) I could continue to serve. Now I truly don't know if I will have a job in 6 months to a year. I really don't. 10 years ago with all the unknowns I would have never guesses that would be one of them. I passed up an almost $300,000 a year job b/c of my commitment to the USAF, I think they should hold up their commitment to me. I couldn’t quit and take that job, “quiting” the AF means you go to jail for being a felon. All I ask is that if I do my job well, don't fck up, then I can keep my job, and I would be ok with the chance of dying for that trade off.
While the president isn’t going to run for reelection, the senate and house will. I could get into trouble just posting this, we are not allowed to speak up (hence why we are always the first to get money cut, we can’t fight it or quit, either I go to work until the kick me out or I go to jail). I need you to write/call/email/whatever your congressman and senator when these budget cuts come up. I know some DOD contractors make some extra money, but the cuts they are looking at will put many people just like me (and maybe me) out on the street.
The election is done, whatever it is what it is. They have promised huge budget cuts for the DOD. We are already so lean that I take off with shit broken on my jet all the time b/c we don't have the money to fix it. We get rationed paper, and I don't spend time in the books studying threats and how to react to them because I have to do admin work that we used to employ young airmen to do, but have cut them (b/c you know, having someone on food stamps is much better than having extra people in the AF that can help with that stuff).
I know we are going to get another big RIF (reduction in force aka layoffs). I think the RIF is fukking bullsht. I signed up 10 years ago knowing I would be asked to do hard things. I knew I could very well be sent on a suicide mission. We joke about it, but listen the old guys (who can now talk about it), and sitting down to look at the plans for a 1 way trip is no joke. I figured if I worked my a$$ off, didn't mess up, volunteered to do stuff (I asked to deploy to Iraq-and I have only positive performance reports) I could continue to serve. Now I truly don't know if I will have a job in 6 months to a year. I really don't. 10 years ago with all the unknowns I would have never guesses that would be one of them. I passed up an almost $300,000 a year job b/c of my commitment to the USAF, I think they should hold up their commitment to me. I couldn’t quit and take that job, “quiting” the AF means you go to jail for being a felon. All I ask is that if I do my job well, don't fck up, then I can keep my job, and I would be ok with the chance of dying for that trade off.
While the president isn’t going to run for reelection, the senate and house will. I could get into trouble just posting this, we are not allowed to speak up (hence why we are always the first to get money cut, we can’t fight it or quit, either I go to work until the kick me out or I go to jail). I need you to write/call/email/whatever your congressman and senator when these budget cuts come up. I know some DOD contractors make some extra money, but the cuts they are looking at will put many people just like me (and maybe me) out on the street.
