Anyone AF Palace Chase?

[BonesF15]

Anyone gone through the process for palace chase recently?
I was told that folks are getting approved with up to 3 years of commitment remaining.
Any idea how long it takes to process?
Can you still palace chase if you already have separation paperwork in?
Any inside info would be helpfull, I get conflicting answers any time I ask MPC anything.
Bones

 

[maic]

My Palace Chase paperwork is about to be faxed to AFPC. My Wing Commander recommended disapproval and it sounds like AFPC will also disapprove my application as well. But I do know of a few people that have been approved with a long pilot training commitment. As for me, I have less than one year left.

About your question- I do believe you can Palace Chase with your sep papers in, but not 100% certain.

 

[bobs98tlr]

Please forgive me guys, but can you please explain the ins/outs of Palace Chase, ive never herd anything about his place/program. Thanks

Bobby

 

[AlbieF15]

Bobs...Palace chase allows one to trade an active duty committment for a committment in the Guard or Reserves, usually at a 2 for 1 swap (ie 2 years left on AD equals 4 years in the part time world.)


MAIC...apply anyway. Due to manning overages, AFPC has been approving most Palace Chase apps EVEN if local authority wanted to deny them. Of course you local wing king wants to keep you if he needs you for the mission...he is short IPs, flight leads, instructors etc etc. However, AFPC is responsible for "big picture" stuff, such as total number of active duty folks as allowed by congress/budget. When you manage a force fiscal year to fiscal year, sometimes the near term and short term goals conflict. When that happens, opportunties like this occassionally spring up. I remember periods in 91/92 and also 94/95 when guys where PAID to leave the AF. I can also remember other times when bonuses were paid and guys very junior got some great assignments due to temporary manning shortages. This just seems to be one of those windows where the force finds itself (temporarily) overmanned.

 

[CCDiscoB]

Anyone gone through the process for palace chase recently?

Not recently...but mine was approved, I think, because I had a Guard unit to go to. I haven't heard if they're approved without a unit to go to, seeing as how that unit has to fill in about half the application. How's your job search going?

 

[maic]

Albie,

My package will be faxed tomorrow but rumor has it that C-17 Palace Chase packages are doomed from here on out. Even if you have less than 1 year left on your ADSC and already have a reserve job lined up- like in my case. We'll see if the rumor is true or not.

But I agree with your post, I've heard of cases where the WG/CC has been trumped by AFPC because AFPC has the "worldly" view.

Thanks.

 

[t38dude]

We just had a T38 guy at Columbus AFB get his Palace Chase application approved. He's staying at Columbus and going to the reserves to basically do the same job he is doing now (of course as a part timer). I'm not sure if the WG CC recommended approval or not. But I do know the process worked fairly quickly for him. So I would say go ahead and put in your papers and make them officially say no. Good luck!

T-38 dude

P.S. I got a "stop loss" waiver back after 9-11 when most were saying no way as well.

Hey Albie, now if I can just get this guy a FedEx interview, he will be giving you a call

 

[flogged]

I applied for PC this past June under Force Shaping guidelines with 14 mos ADSC remaining. At the time all rated officer packages, once received by the Palace Chase shop at AFPC, were forwarded directly to the rated officer assignments branch for assessment. Don't know anything about the decision matrix there (ie looking at MDS specific manning, year groups, etc) but was told by the Chief in the palace chase branch that whatever the assingments recommendation was would be the basis of their approval/disapproval. Fortunately for me, the stars aligned and about 6 weeks later received word of approval for separation 8 months later.

Don't know if you can apply for PC with an established DOS. However, if you are going to complete your service obligation and want to transition to the reserve component without a break in service, you can always PALACE FRONT. This is simply a means for members to pick up with the reserves where they left off w/AD without missing a beat.

For anyone considering PC now, it may be worthwhile to call your assignments manager to get the current read for your specific MDS and year group.

 

[Sundevil]

Just got approved for Palace Chase a month ago. I am a ten year commitment guy with an ADSC that goes to 2011 believe it or not. I am a C-5 guy and we are overmanned right now which probably helped my cause. At my date of seperation next year I will have 6 years remaining. Yes it is a 2 to 1 commitment but the max commitment that can be incurred is 6. In my case this will result in a 6 year commitment to the reserves, the same as I would have had remaining on active duty. No one thought I would be approved, but this goes to show that it is worth a shot. You can't get approved if you don't apply.

 

[BonesF15]

Six years remaining is very impressive, I only have 6 months and the MPF made it sound like an act of congress was required to make it happen.

 

[flogged]

Bones,
Don't listen to A THING your MPF offers you. Mine at my base is so clueless and disinterested that I eventually got smart and accepted the only way to the real answer (not to mention any real information) was to take matters into my own hands.
If you haven't talked with or met Chief Susan Allick at the PC office at AFPC, make that your next consult. She's the one that handles all officer packages (so to speak). Additionally, as I suggested above, get in touch with your assignments guy and ask him what he knows.
I've been so frustrated with my base MPF that I just decided to cut them out of the process. Believe it or not, it's worked and I've back briefed them on what AFPC has decided on my behalf. Not how I invisioned it working, but the reality I came to embrace nonetheless and it's worked much more to my satisfaction. Good luck to you.

Flogged

 

[BonesF15]

Flogged,
That is all good info about AFPC.
I am lucky that my funtional is a friend of mine and he gave me the same name to contact.
It sounds like my best bet is to work through my bud and skip the local ineptitude.

 

[maic]

Bones,

Talked to AFPC today and they said you would have to withdraw your separation action to apply for the Palace Chase. AFPC said you can have only one separation action in the "system."

Good luck.

 

[FTE]

Does anyone have any experience with someone PC in order to go to UPT?

Considering,
FTE