Flight Engineer retraining

[BigBaze]

I am currently in the process of submitting my retraining package into the flight engineer career field. (1A1X1) Apparently it is a critically manned field because the people in it deploy a ton. It has been quite a hassle dealing with AFPC, trying to get answers about how many they select each month, and when they release the results of the board. I know the retraining board meets the 3rd week of every month. Any FE's out there how have been through the retraining experience and can send some advice my way? I am a first term SSgt with 4 years 7 months TIS, all firewall 5 EPR's, BTZ, yada yada, what are my chances getting this job, and does it help that i am in the maintenance world? (F15 jet engine troop)

[Shrike]

Originally Posted by BigBaze

I am currently in the process of submitting my retraining package into the flight engineer career field. (1A1X1) Apparently it is a critically manned field because the people in it deploy a ton. It has been quite a hassle dealing with AFPC, trying to get answers about how many they select each month, and when they release the results of the board. I know the retraining board meets the 3rd week of every month. Any FE's out there how have been through the retraining experience and can send some advice my way? I am a first term SSgt with 4 years 7 months TIS, all firewall 5 EPR's, BTZ, yada yada, what are my chances getting this job, and does it help that i am in the maintenance world? (F15 jet engine troop)

I'm not a 1A1X1, but can speak from a little bit of experience - you're re-training into a chronic critical career field, so you shouldn't have any problems. It just sometimes takes a while for MPF to get your class date. How long has it been since your paperwork was turned in to MPF?

[ringjamesa]

Heh Heh Heh. Shrike, your age is showing. With the new contact center, all retraining is done through V-MPF. All the real MPF does is your outprocessing for tech school. As to the question at hand, as long as you have completed all of the requirements for the 1A AFSC, (flight physical, PULHES, ASVAB, etc) you should be fine. I believe the manning is good enough for 2A6s for you to leave the AFSC. Keep in mind retraining is a long process and if you are turned down by the first board, you automatically meet the next one, and the next one before you are toast.

[Shrike]

Originally Posted by ringjamesa

Heh Heh Heh. Shrike, your age is showing. With the new contact center, all retraining is done through V-MPF. All the real MPF does is your outprocessing for tech school. As to the question at hand, as long as you have completed all of the requirements for the 1A AFSC, (flight physical, PULHES, ASVAB, etc) you should be fine. I believe the manning is good enough for 2A6s for you to leave the AFSC. Keep in mind retraining is a long process and if you are turned down by the first board, you automatically meet the next one, and the next one before you are toast.

Ah, yes, vMPF. I forgot about that. "Paperwork" - I'm so 20th Century.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that he's going into a chronicle critical field - that usually "greases the skids", so to speak.

[Measure Man]

I'll be honest...try as I might...I've never found any rhyme or reason to the whole retraining program in the AF.

My career field has been overmanned for several years...I've had several people apply for retraining into these so-called "chronic critical" AFSCs, only to get turned down...even under the CAREERS program which is supposed to be easier.

Then...they'll turn around a give someone of same rank and experience a "mandatory crosstrain or separate" threatening notice...and that guy didn't want to crosstrain. All the while we can't figure out why the first guy was disapproved.

It's all smoke and mirrors if you ask me...and personally, I don't think the process is set up to meet the needs of the Airmen and the AF...it is set up to meet the needs of the CFMs at the moment. It's very short term and it appears to be a crap shoot...of course there is no way to validate that because you never get a good explanation of the disapproval other than:

AFPC: Well, there must not have been any openings this month
FIELD: Well, what does "chronic critical" mean?
AFPC: It means this career field is always short-handed and has a hard time getting or keeping people
FIELD: Isn't this month part of "always?"
AFPC: Sir, there really isn't an explanation given...all I know is it was disapproved

[Shrike]

Originally Posted by Measure Man

I'll be honest...try as I might...I've never found any rhyme or reason to the whole retraining program in the AF.

My career field has been overmanned for several years...I've had several people apply for retraining into these so-called "chronic critical" AFSCs, only to get turned down...even under the CAREERS program which is supposed to be easier.

Then...they'll turn around a give someone of same rank and experience a "mandatory crosstrain or separate" threatening notice...and that guy didn't want to crosstrain. All the while we can't figure out why the first guy was disapproved.

It's all smoke and mirrors if you ask me...and personally, I don't think the process is set up to meet the needs of the Airmen and the AF...it is set up to meet the needs of the CFMs at the moment. It's very short term and it appears to be a crap shoot...of course there is no way to validate that because you never get a good explanation of the disapproval other than:

AFPC: Well, there must not have been any openings this month
FIELD: Well, what does "chronic critical" mean?
AFPC: It means this career field is always short-handed and has a hard time getting or keeping people
FIELD: Isn't this month part of "always?"
AFPC: Sir, there really isn't an explanation given...all I know is it was disapproved

I can agree with you for the most part. But in my experience with people re-training into CC fields - which, admittedly, is only four people - the process was quick and they were all accepted. What took the longest was getting a class start date.

As far as general re-training goes, though, a crap shoot is a good description.

[FINKD]

When I was in, my career field was forever undermanned and the only time you could retrain was at the end of your first enlistment. During my entire career, only 1 person was able to retrain out of the career field. We did have a number of people retrain into the field but the number that did never amounted enough to help us out. My last base before retiring, our career field AF-wide was at 80% and my shop was at 60%.

For those who want to retrain into a new field, keep trying even if you have to make tons of phone calls to MPFC to make it happen.

[BigBaze]

I submitted it through my squadron commander today and she approved it and sent it up to AFPC. i know it meets next months board and i should find out by the end of feb. Everything is done online through virtual MPF, you fax all your EPR's and medical documents in to them and they create an account for you, scan those documents and upload them to your account. It is extremely annoying when you try and talk to them and you have to keep on them to make sure they take care of business. It is so ridiculous, they want all these people to fill the slots and then they jerk you around when you apply..oh well..wish me luck

[Measure Man]

Originally Posted by BigBaze

I submitted it through my squadron commander today and she approved it and sent it up to AFPC. i know it meets next months board and i should find out by the end of feb. Everything is done online through virtual MPF, you fax all your EPR's and medical documents in to them and they create an account for you, scan those documents and upload them to your account. It is extremely annoying when you try and talk to them and you have to keep on them to make sure they take care of business. It is so ridiculous, they want all these people to fill the slots and then they jerk you around when you apply..oh well..wish me luck

Good luck with it.

[technomage1]

Originally Posted by BigBaze

I submitted it through my squadron commander today and she approved it and sent it up to AFPC. i know it meets next months board and i should find out by the end of feb. Everything is done online through virtual MPF, you fax all your EPR's and medical documents in to them and they create an account for you, scan those documents and upload them to your account. It is extremely annoying when you try and talk to them and you have to keep on them to make sure they take care of business. It is so ridiculous, they want all these people to fill the slots and then they jerk you around when you apply..oh well..wish me luck

Yeah, and then they screw around so much they have to pick a non-vol!

Good luck to you.