FY18 Aviation Bonus Survey

[dirtyfoot]

Earlier this week, I attended a briefing hosted by the Combined Arms Center Command Chief Warrant Officer.

While CW5 Kunz displayed geniune interest in the problems we've been experiencing at the tactical level, A certain Command Chief Warrant soon began to interject, interrupt, and downplay the message that senior CW3's and CW4's were trying to communicate not only about the erroneous bonus but the cohort and branch at large. In essence, this is the problem. The cohort has suffered through a series of senior leaders who have failed to advocate and address the very valid issues that Army Aviation Warrant Officers are experiencing. When Command Chief Warrant Officers fail to not only detect but also address problems, when they repeatedly fail to advocate for those who do the heavy lifting, they fail in their duties as senior advisors and relegate themselves to obscurity and irrelevance.

At the end of the day, what aviators are asking for isn't more money, but more sense in how we do business, the end result of which would be greater lethality and agility. To summarize in a not so eloquent way: we want to do our jobs and cut the superfluous bullshit.

 

Needless to say, I was quite happy to see the following:

 

On Behalf of the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence Commanding General and Chief Warrant Officer of the Branch, I invite you to participate in the FY18 Aviation Bonus Survey.

 

Aviation Branch needs your help to ensure the policies that impact our formations adequately address the challenges experienced by you, the Warrant Officer Aviator. The survey is not just about the bonus, there are questions about the OPTEMPO, Army Aviation career plan/options, and post-Army career plans...This survey is focused solely on Army Warrant Officer Aviators. Your professional, coherent, and deliberative responses will be aggregated and used in future personnel planning and recommendations at the Branch and Department of the Army levels. Thanks in advance for your participation.

 

https://www.armyaviationqualityassurance.com/se/400D16CD24DABEC1?%FY18AVNBonusSurvey%

[Creep0321]

Earlier this week, I attended a briefing hosted by the Combined Arms Center Command Chief Warrant Officer.

While CW5 Kunz displayed geniune interest in the problems we've been experiencing at the tactical level, A certain Command Chief Warrant soon began to interject, interrupt, and downplay the message that senior CW3's and CW4's were trying to communicate not only about the erroneous bonus but the cohort and branch at large. In essence, this is the problem. The cohort has suffered through a series of senior leaders who have failed to advocate and address the very valid issues that Army Aviation Warrant Officers are experiencing. When Command Chief Warrant Officers fail to not only detect but also address problems, when they repeatedly fail to advocate for those who do the heavy lifting, they fail in their duties as senior advisors and relegate themselves to obscurity and irrelevance.

At the end of the day, what aviators are asking for isn't more money, but more sense in how we do business, the end result of which would be greater lethality and agility. To summarize in a not so eloquent way: we want to do our jobs and cut the superfluous bullshit.

 

Needless to say, I was quite happy to see the following:

 

On Behalf of the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence Commanding General and Chief Warrant Officer of the Branch, I invite you to participate in the FY18 Aviation Bonus Survey.

 

Aviation Branch needs your help to ensure the policies that impact our formations adequately address the challenges experienced by you, the Warrant Officer Aviator. The survey is not just about the bonus, there are questions about the OPTEMPO, Army Aviation career plan/options, and post-Army career plans...This survey is focused solely on Army Warrant Officer Aviators. Your professional, coherent, and deliberative responses will be aggregated and used in future personnel planning and recommendations at the Branch and Department of the Army levels. Thanks in advance for your participation.

 

https://www.armyaviationqualityassurance.com/se/400D16CD24DABEC1?%FY18AVNBonusSurvey%

You dont happen to be in Germany do you?

[Dnr032]

Wow, probably a step in the right direction, but unfortunately the results will mostly likely be inaccurate. Who was the genius who created this survey in a non-protected format? I am a retired Guard guy and I was able to click on the link and go to the survey. No CAC login required, no authentication required, nothing..... and you just posted the link on a world-wide viewed website.

 

So how many Commissioned Officers, wives, girlfriends, civilians, etc will fill out the survey? Can you do the survey at work, then go home and do it again on a different IP address? No control will equal no real data.

[SBuzzkill]

"Stop complaining. Leadership is part of the job, you are a Warrant OFFICER after all."

 

Well, if you're wondering why I'm leaving. There it is. Toxic commands, LPDs, OERs, details, additional duties, APFT, 350-1 training, ARMS, change of command formations, change of command inventories, packing containers, 24hr staff duties, overseas rotations with little boost in pay, not being able to choose where I live, senior leaders out of touch with their troops, etc.

 

Yes I knew about this stuff coming in, and yes I do my job without too much complaining. But when looking at whether I want to go somewhere else and be paid to focus on flying or to stay in another 11 years chasing a retirement, well that choice is easy. We call it "serving" for a reason, so it shouldn't be such a surprise that when an opportunity to go somewhere else comes along people take it.

 

It's a 6 year commitment after getting winged, which I gladly paid back. The entire time I had to "fight" against the pressure to try and get promoted. To attend PME that didn't matter to me. To try and move up in the ranks. I don't understand why it's so difficult for leaders to wrap around their heads that not everyone wants to be a soldier for life. I'm ready to close this chapter and move on in my book.

[akscott60]

I voted with my REFRAD packet and subsequent airline job offers.