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I have to laugh man because you spelled King James' name wrong while calling someone else ignorant 😁 The fact that we're debating stuff like, "Is feminism bad?" and, "Is racism a problem in this country?" shows me just how much work there is left to be done. I keep things real simple definitionally. To me, feminism is treating people equally regardless of their gender and racism is treating people differently because of their race. I am for the first one and against the second one; pretty god damned simple. I realize there are entire PhD-granting academic fields and reams of literature further discussing and defining and parsing out these topics in great detail (i.e. I'm not "willfully ignorant" like whoever "Labron James" is), but for the purposes of daily life and talking to folks of all stripes, I think the simple definitions work just fine. It's also pretty clear to me that despite most people personally professing to treat women and women equally and people of all races the same, that the proof is in the pudding. If you're unsure or skeptical of whether women and/or people of other races are treated differently than you and you are a white man, I'd encourage you to ask around. Not to say that people can't or don't have different opinions; clearly many of y'all do.

For those who have been wondering about the 112 FS in Toledo, I got in contact with the POC for this year's board. As of right now, the board is on hold. They will be deploying at some point and are making every effort to hold interviews before then.

Except it isn't that simple. At all. Most people already believe exactly what you just said. But that's clearly not good enough, which is why we're forced to have this endless creep towards full wokeness. If it was as simple as treating everyone with respect and basic dignity we wouldn't have people suggesting slavery reparations, or that we should suspend due process to #believeallwomen, or that we abolish the police.

BLM would be taken seriously if they would disavow the lies. Take Michael Brown, the gentle giant, for instance. Most BLM proponents still believe Hands Up/Don't Shoot, and choose to not believe the forensics. Forensics prove that every element of the initial story was a lie; that his hands were up, he was running away, etc. Not to mention his friend went on live TV and lied, then lied to the FBI and never got prosecuted. The other issue is that if you look at FBI crime statistics, you'll see that there's a group that's responsible for a disproportionate amount of violent crime compared to other groups. When you commit violent crimes, police respond differently than if you didn't commit a violent crime. That will, in turn, result in more police shootings. Sorry, the whole movement is BS.

I really like StrongLifts. It’s a little easier on my old ass. Was way too hard on the body when I was younger and I’ve been paying for it the last 6-9 yrs. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Concur, it is a key player in the decision tree matrix when unit conversions are discussed at the National Guard Bureau level. If using capabilities on an very specific Orange vs Orange contrasting argument there is much validity to your statement. Back in 1997-2000 during my first staff weenie tour as a Maintenance Officer there were 13 variants of the C-130 within the inventory it was a nightmare of sustainability. Having been the Tactical Airlift Branch Chief at the Air National Guard Readiness Center - ANGRC (2013-15) there were/are a myriad of reasons to keep the legacy models moving forward. First and foremost the full scale wartime effort requirements to meet a 1.5 or 2 front posture (always fluid/changing environment based upon current and future threats) calling upon the Reserve Component = RC (the term used for Guard/Reserve combination) is mandatory with nearly 500 tails on the books depending on your count that day. It has decreased due to several unit conversions to UAV, C-17 and other platforms/mission set requirements. Other headliner reasons include the aforementioned political aspect no doubt and the always looming issue of strategic budget impact. You cannot meet the Quadrennial Defense Review dictated by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by simply converting all or most units with limited funding or simply closing them down (And then the politics become truly ferocious). Everything gets divided by each service at the 50,000 foot level as it finally makes its way down to each and every MWS and the capability it provides at the 500 foot level. As one simple example, the Army has airlift requirements to meet its wartime objectives when they push full scale or tilt and that calls for much more than the Active Duty can provide, hence the Reserve Components existence is mandatory. All services have an “Authorized Strength” Limit and are bumped up accordingly as the SECDEF approves dependent upon the contingency requirements. We also have active duty folks (Subject Matter Experts - SME’s) working with us on staff within the NGB/ANGRC HQs to assist unit integration/conversion/mission statements, etc. and my fellow Strategic Airlift Branch Chief was active duty and retired (lucky old bastard left me with it all - great friend even as a Nav,) so I had to take over both branches. Not only 20 C-130 units, 20 Tanker Units, 5 C-17 Units, and OSA. O-6 got pushed to Deputy A3 and they threw me in his spot overseeing all Airlift and AE Ops with a Total Operating Authority (TOA) of over $11B not million. That drove me up to the 30,000 foot mark for almost a year before an actual O-6 showed up when I left for Homeland defense. Job was mine, but I chose not to struggle thru PME during my staff horror. Not that I really had the time being on call 24/7. Staying O-5 helped me land the Homeland Defense spot on the beach I had been eyeballing 2 years prior. Apologies as I digressed. *Zero reason to keep the C-141 around due to the superior performance of the C-17 and that was broadcasted by Big Blue back in the day. Once again, a very true observation 1 on 1. What the active duty failed to realize was despite its increased capabilities/cargo load, etc. they could not be in as many places at once with far less aircraft, hence the ever increasing aircraft procurements over a prolonged period. Other politics were involved, but bottom line is the footprint of nearly 300 C-141s cannot be filled by substantially less aircraft no matter how capable. Initial order was 120, then up to 160, 180 and finally 223 C-17s. Still more then 60 shy of C-141s but far better than what they thought they could do with far less. Very costly, but necessary to maintain a substantial foot print and how many times have you seen USAF aircraft procurement increase that rapidly from initial request other than UAVs, but that is new technology to be honest. Big blue even approved “Core 63”, an upgraded 75% all glass version designated as the C-141C model as they needed to extend the viability of an older aircraft (63 of them in the Guard/Reserve) while waiting for fresh off the assembly line C-17s to fill the huge gaping hole of airlift. This was my baby as the Program Manager during my first staff tour as a MX Officer and I eventually flew it as well after pilot training. Pacer Crag (KC-135 Cockpit/Avionics Upgrade) was the other debacle but don’t blame yours truly as I was 2nd in charge laughing at my boss pulling his hair out more than me. Trust me, I wish we could swap out aircraft at a rapid rate giving our warfighters far better capabilities they deserve without a limited annual budget, procurement rate and bureaucracy involved.

There's lots of stupid skills we take for granted like knowing how to give a good briefing. I've been to several acquisitions courses, and briefing/giving a presentation has always been a DLO. Lots of smart engineers (civilians) in those classes, but man, nobody taught them how to get in front of a group and talk. That's not too say I haven't met engineers that can't brief, but its something a lot of people struggle with. And you can get college credit for SOS and ACSC... So it counts just as much as the sweet TUI or U of Phoenix masters degree so many AF pilots got. Plus I wonder how many people getting the aero matters from Riddle used SOS to get credits toward their degree? I get the academic rigor feels (is) a lot lower than my engineering undergrad and engineering masters and grad certificate, but it still counts for something. Probably more useful for those middle management jobs you mentioned. Won't make my resume, but if it's an online application with all the space I want (like usajobs or airline apps), it'll be on there. Lots we take for granted because it's expected from us early on. Especially in the middle manager realm. It's just about selling what you bring to the table for a potential employer.

Get LinkedIn premium for a year (free for veterans, probably current mil, too) and do LinkedIn Learning. Earn your PMP, Green Belt, A+ and several other credentials for the cost of the test. Look at jobs and see what skills they want and find a certification that proves you have those skills. You’re probably more capable than most civilian applicants but good luck proving it with your resume. AF has an e-learning app on the portal with many of the same topics but LI Premium has better delivery.

We are so woke

Neat. More strawman arguments. I don't think a single person in this thread has made such simplified arguments, but your inability to interpret nuance explains your comically shallow responses. I'd like to push back against calling FLEA a troll. He's engaging in a good faith debate, and what he's saying is subscribed to by many people in academia, politics, and they media. If he believes it, I think he's dead wrong, but not disingenuous.

Congrats man. I doubt you wont get an email invite especially if you said it went really well on the phone.

The Eagle community has had way more washouts from ENNJPT grads than traditional SUPT grads. I always tell our guys to take the first slot they get offered but if they have a choice, go somewhere other than ENNJPT. Careful what you wish for fellas.

Fair Game - Good ribbing: Actually you kind of said it correctly for many Guard/Reserve units. You were quoted “that’s why we CAN have nice things”. Reserve components historically have received the hand me down airframes. I.E. - All active duty C-130J models vs only 2 or so in the Guard at most are the legacy H models. Active normally gets the nice things first so you were correct - just poking. However, when we get the previously worn clothes - we clean them up and make them nicer than they have been for decades. Longevity Pride is what I call it and we rarely get new toys... Timing is everything and we got it. Good jab, good jab.

T-1 then palace chase to T-1 reservist until a major calls.

I have experienced the opposite, especially during the last administration. Correct me if I'm wrong but the kneeling during the national anthem wasn't against any NFL rules until the following year. I agree on your other points.

The difference of course being that kaepernick signed a contract with his employer thereby agreeing to follow rules listed in things like the game operations manual and the players handbook. Then he violated those rules, went on a self-aggrandizing campaign against his employer, and drove a wedge into his team's cohesiveness.. all while his performance tanked and he blamed it on everyone except himself. It's just such a mystery why current teams won't touch him with a 10 foot pole. So yeah.. almost the same thing

Red Hat in a Democratic sanctuary = probably not smart. This whole thing kind of stirs up the Rodney King time if anyone was around or in CA which I was during college. But BLM has a much stronger force behind this. Former African American Chief of police killed; African American police Captain shot performing his duty assisting a call during a looting shot dead along with several other incidents - BLM doesn’t discuss such matters as it’s not part of their narrative. Collateral damage perhaps? Either way, just think - Gun control, take away the right to protect yourself. If it had succeeded before this and it may very well in the future then where might some folks be now when the cry out to defund the police is pressed. Let that sink in as the masses would become sheep to the slaughter. A police report is just that - an account of the aftermath. Presence helps but they cannot be on your lawn for you. Only community (if you will) lightly abused during the Rodney King timeframe were the Koreans. This is why they were “lightly abused” = Welcome to Korea Town storefronts avidly protecting their property with firepower putting down the menace to society no matter what race. Have guns, will travel and word got out quickly - don’t go there. Could get ugly as most Americans have armed themselves based on criminal behavior and fear of a tyrannical government these past decades. Now, we can only hope WROL does not prevail and the blowback would be catastrophic. Side note: As far as immigration is concerned. Father was 1st generation Japanese to step foot in America the proper way and became a naturalized citizen giving up his Japanese citizenship as he saw the opportunity and was amazed by the Great USA. In his early teens he worked in a bullet factory during WWII. Took bombing shrapnel from Billy Mitchell’s friends as he would say. During his training as a physician in Japan, he gave up everything as the first born to his younger brother and left for the U.S. to finish his residency. After decades practicing in the U.S. he returned to his home country to share his knowledge like many current great country citizens have. Not all do and that is why many countries remain below standard as an observation and cultural differences play a huge part. In fact, he started work with the US Military in Japan at the largest private hospital which was one of the first to have an MRI when it was first introduced. It was so successful that he was sought after by the State Department or whoever and vetted by the Secret Service and became President George Herbert Walker Bush’s Neurosurgeon when he traveled in the Far East. (I was adopted; therefore, too stupid to be a doctor so I became a USAF maintenance officer, staff weenie and then a pilot.) Became a staff weenie as a pilot too and now retired flying rubber dog crap out of Hong Kong and better for it because of my fathers tenacity and ferocity. Bottom Line: My father took a lot of crap as part of the Greatest Generation on the wrong side. Racism galore and well founded based on the era, but see how others have risen - get a clue. He sought perfection at all times and earned every success. Thru intestinal fortitude and down right grit he became a major contributor to American society and more successful than most. Americans of all color or whatever are great and he did it right, there is no excuse. Effort and discipline X 1000, unfortunately becoming a rarity in some cases. I always had a good home, good food and a great father that guided me and made me work for everything I had and truly blessed. Even that base model puke yellow 1981 Monte Carlo in 1987. Should have bought a Toyota Corolla. Truly miss gentleman like my father. Our future generations need to be greater once again.

The other reason that intelligent people will go along with the woke narrative is out of fear of retribution. Look at what just happened to Drew Brees for simply saying that he doesn't agree with disrespecting the flag. If you don't parrot the orthodox line 100%, you risk being cast out, and unless you have future hall of fame franchise QB level job security, you might lose your livelihood too. This risk aversion governs a lot of people's actions, especially those who don't follow politics that closely. They see other people getting in trouble and think to themselves "oh I'd better not do that." This is how you get businesses issuing non-committal pandering woke statements and senators kneeling in kente cloth.

A better app gets better quality toons...

California is so stupid