USAF holds a bird Colonel to the standard...

[JoeTomasone]

Kinda refreshing to see, actually.   Even more refreshing to see the Colonel "man-up" and back the decision.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/25/air-force-colonel-waistline/2017841/

[Eclipse]

Good on him for setting the example, but let's not make too big a deal of this.

He's got his 25 in, and probably was planning on retiring anyway, so didn't care much about making the measure.

[PHall]

Good on him for setting the example, but let's not make too big a deal of this.

He's got his 25 in, and probably was planning on retiring anyway, so didn't care much about making the measure.

Uh, no. You just don't get it...

People who jump through all the hoops needed to be a Wing Commander in the Air Force are not the one's who retire at 25 years.
He was on the General Officer path and depending on how many stars he ended up wearing probably would have served for another 8 to 10 years.
The difference in retirement pay of an O-6 over 24 years vs an O-8 over 30 years is over a thousand dollars a month.

[Eclipse]

Then perhaps he needed to jump through a few more hoops, because if he intended to stay, he
clearly has some work to do.

The article notes he's been struggling with PT for several years.  You think it's a coincidence he's getting termed right at 25?

After he hurt his shoulder, he likely gained some weight, got past the point it would be easy for someone in his mid-forties to lose that much,
and decided just to ride out to 25.

[SarDragon]

That's a bad retirement point. There's a longevity bump at 26, and then at 30.

Retirement for O-6 at 24 is $6020/month. O-7 at 30 gets $9168/month. That's a huge difference for being a couple of inches over on the waist measurement. O-6 at 26 gets $6522/month.

[Eclipse]

It certainly shows how silly / important these arbitrary number are.  Also the law of unintended consequences.

In this period of draw-down and RIF, we need those who stay to be top-notch, and it appears we've lost an otherwise
excellent leader, and someone who is clearly healthy, over an arbitrary number.

[Private Investigator]

If a Colonel is not promoted or promotable to BG when is he termed out? I believe in the Army if you do not put a "star" on you can not go beyond 26 years.

I wonder if anything else is in the story?

[A.Member]

It certainly shows how silly / important these arbitrary number are.  Also the law of unintended consequences.

In this period of draw-down and RIF, we need those who stay to be top-notch, and it appears we've lost an otherwise
excellent leader, and someone who is clearly healthy, over an arbitrary number.

^ Uh, no.   

[Eclipse]

^ Uh, no.

?

[Private Investigator]

Hindi ko naiintindihan?

[MSG Mac]

If a Colonel is not promoted or promotable to BG when is he termed out? I believe in the Army if you do not put a "star" on you can not go beyond 26 years.

I wonder if anything else is in the story?

A colonel is mandatorily retired after 30 years of "Commissioned " service, or 5 years in grade,

[bosshawk]

In an attempt to set the record straight, here goes.  Depending on what law you were commissioned under(at least in the Army), an O-6 "terms out"(whatever that means) when he reaches either the age of 55 or has 30 years of commissioned service.  There is no "force out" or mandatory retirement at 26.  That years of service happens to apply to Lt Cols, who have not reached the age of 53.  That said, an O-6 reaches the upper limits of his/her pay at 26 years of service.  I believe that you have to reach flag rank(general officer) in order to receive pay for the 30 jump. 

I retired with 30 years and one month and receive my retired pay based on the over 26 level, although I had more years of service.  If the pay scale has changed to allow a Colonel to receive base pay for over 30, the Army owes me some money.

Still a nice retirement and I am not complaining.

MSG Mac: I had about 7 years in grade as a Colonel, so am not sure about the five you quoted.

[Flying Pig]

Holy Cow Paul!!!!  Your buyin' lunch next time!

[bosshawk]

Go spin your rotor blades, Rob!!!!!!

[coudano]

I recently saw a high ranking individual with a waist of i dont know, like 6 million inches.
I applaud the integrity and excellence here, but it has to be applied to everyone, all the time.

Personally, it is my opinion that every airman should be able to pass a PT test any time (no-notice).
Just like a P test (meh).

Knowing that your next test is a way off (6 months to a year) it's just too easy for most people to slack in the mid term, and then cram in an unhealthy fashion, or just fail.

I also think you shouldn't crash a career over a single failure.  Stuff happens.  Just having a bad day happens...

Fail it once, you're on notice.  Fail it again, ok now you're done.
That goes for the Colonel base commander, or Airman (or chief) Schmuckatelli in the maintenance shop.

[lordmonar]

Good on him for setting the example, but let's not make too big a deal of this.

He's got his 25 in, and probably was planning on retiring anyway, so didn't care much about making the measure.

+1 I will be more impressed when the USAF starts kicking out 10 year Pilots.

[lordmonar]

That's a bad retirement point. There's a longevity bump at 26, and then at 30.

Retirement for O-6 at 24 is $6020/month. O-7 at 30 gets $9168/month. That's a huge difference for being a couple of inches over on the waist measurement. O-6 at 26 gets $6522/month.

He may not be retiring......he is just being removed from command.  He may still have ADSC....so he may be flying a desk in a do nothing job until he gets his 26 years.

[Eclipse]

^ The article said he "requested" retirement, so it's at least possible they were going to let him do that, just not be in command.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Honestly almost sounds like an internal AF PR stunt to "scare" folks into shape.

[SarDragon]

Here's what I copild find:

By law, Regular Officers promoted to lieutenant colonel (O-5) may serve for 28 active commissioned years, while those promoted to colonel (O-6) may stay for 30 active commissioned years-unless earlier retired by other provisions of law.
The mandatory retirement age for all general officers is 62 (this can be deferred to age 64 in some cases). Under the law (10 USC, Sec 635), an officer who has been promoted to O-7, but is not on the recommended list to O-8, must retire five years after promotion to O-7, or 30 years of active duty service, whichever is later.
An O-8 must retire five years after being promoted to O-8, or 35 years of service, whichever is greater (10 USC, Sec 636). The Secretary of the Service Concerned (ie, Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Air Force) or the President of the United States, can defer the above mandatory retirements, up until the time that the officer reaches the age of 62 (10 USC, Sec 637).

Longevity bumps:

O-6	20	22	24	26	30
O-7	20			26	30
O-8	20	22			30	34
O-9		22	24	26	30	34	38
O-10		22	24	26	30	34	38