That is why after 16 1/2 years in the USAF I am calling it quits. The USAF used to take care of its people, now it don't give a damn and Mosehead is 90% the problem. I am hoping the USAFR is much better. My wife just got back from a SNCO conference in San Antonio, the CSM made them sign a family contract basically saying that family is the priority. If the family isn't ready for the solider to deploy, then the soldier isn't ready to deploy. He stated that if you aren't doing your best to make sure your family is taken care, or your chain of command isn't helping you, or if you are a joint spouse couple ( like my wife and I are) and the Army isn't helping, then he wants to know. He needs focused soldiers and family is where it starts. Whether it be the right assignment, getting military couples stationed together, or a chain of command being there for the deployed soldiers family.
See the USAF doesn't have that, they think just throwing around a few slogans and sayings about family make it all better. It gives everyone the illusion that they are doing something. But the reaility is that if you can't do for the USAF, then they will get rid of you. Thus why I am in the boat I am in now. For 2 1/2 I had been trying to get a stationed with my wife and kids. 2 1/2 freakin' years. In January the SMSgt down at AFPC told my OIC and my Command Chief that there was nothing he could do (total BS though as there was a slot opened in Dec 07 for my rank and skill level, I knew the guy who left it) and that I needed to pursue other avenues. So I joined the USAFR. (report to my new unit Jun 7th) The day I got my reserve posting, that asshole SMSgt calls up and says, "Hey bud I got you your assignment you wanted." I was like WTF? You told my entire chain of command that there was no way in hell it was going to happen and that I need to pursue other avenues. He had the unmitigated gall to say, "I have been working on this for you, for a year now." That is when I lost it. I said to him that he was not telling the truth and that he had not been working on crap for a year and I was privy to the conversation he had with my chain of command. Well he started tap dancing and I have contacted my Congressman to put a complaint against him. I have an email paper trail a mile long and when I am done, he will be reprimanded and retired, that is straight from my Congressman himself. My point, the USAF is a hollow shell of what it used to be. There is no leaders like Fogleman or Olds anymore, there are whiz kids and number crunchers in the center seat now. We downsize 40,000 in the middle of a war. We can't get parts, we can't get enough people to do maintenance, because we are so short handed. They rob Peter to pay Paul. They are back to back to back deploying people. At least the Army is giving you a good break in between. The USAF isn't. They are "wavering" people to get them back in country. By waivering is that, you are home for a month, month and a half then back to Iraq and Afghanistan.
I am sorry if I sound bitter but I am. I was born on a USAF base, I have lived, eat, breathed and s**t USAF my entire life. I have 4 different career fields in the USAF. All I know is USAF and it had to come down to this. Damn shame if you ask me.
On the good note though, I will be with my family again in about a month. For good. Military is temporary, family is forever.