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Be delegating responsibility to the squadrons. There is no reason for waivers or approvals to require an O-6 approval. Let Commanders be commanders, give them the power to run things the way they see fit, tell them the only reason to bother the O-6 is if they need something, and get rid of all the pointless meetings (most of which can be accomplished with an email).

Let’s not forget.. when the Bobs say AMC is overmanned, it’s because they lowered the crew ratios..

Why does the healthcare discussion always revolve around public vs private funding of the same bill instead of figuring out how to lower the bill? There is a missing root cause analysis discussion. All we hear are the simple 30s sound bites that conform to the party line.

I feel ya. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd rather smoke a "joint" while holding the rank of "Mr." than deal with any of the bullshit above haha.

Fuck yeah...that’s about the only thing that will matter to anyone when they’re having a beer on their porch at age 69, unless they were a careerist douche, then they’re drinking zima on their porch alone, lamenting “their” staff job they never got. There are lots of bros who probably should have been given a DFC, etc., but what went down was glossed over as “just doing their job.” The good, and even the bad, memories are all that matter in the end, not what job was held, school attended, or even airframe flown. Here’s to wiping shitbags off the face of this earth!

A story from the U-28 within AFSOC. The U-28 flies more combat hours annually than every other AFSOC MWS combined. This was brought up for bullet writing on OPR/PRF and the Bob said that those hours are “different” and “don’t count as much” as a CV-22 guy. Also, the U-28 community hasn’t been around long enough to get a purebred Sq/CC (about to change) and above. As such, it’s natural for the single engine doctor plane with some sensors on it to be pushed to the side in favor of AC/MC-130 or CV-22 people. Additionally, not a single DFC has been rewarded to a U-28 aircrew member. There are many, many missions where Draco crews have done outstanding work to save friendlies on the ground and some fantastic work in the counter VEO fight, but no DFC. Reason? “They’re just doing their job”. This includes the most meritorious military sortie of the entire year in the entire Air Force (https://www.afsoc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2020763/u-28a-draco-crew-receives-2018-mackay-trophy/). During that same time, over 2 dozen AC-130 crew members were awarded DFC’s (https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/05/14/distinguished-flying-crosses-awarded-to-23-ac-130-crew-members/). Those guys absolutely deserved to be recognized for their awesome job on the referenced missions. However, it’s just an interesting comparison. I think a big part of the lack of Draco recognition comes from classification of certain missions, but it’s still unfortunate. U-28 people get school and other jobs, but there is definitely a outsider feel to the community. I don’t have a quantifiable comparison, unfortunately. However, the mission satisfaction and impact you get to have against some really bad people is amazing.

Thought this video was interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evhrk5tY-Yo&feature=youtu.be

Nah, just need another SII and safety video.

Gotta give that DP to the next 1-below. Don't worry, he's got it. AF never gets it wrong. PS - Retirement fucking rules.

Anecdotally at least, it doesn't sound like a round off error to me. I can't stand people who cosplayed pilot for political gain (aka McBlinky), but I have no problem with people speaking the quiet parts out loud if it means we tackle the effetry. Fact is I have half a dozen anecdotes of shitbag females pulling similar stunts as was highlighted in the video (and I include join spouse chicanery in that ledger), commissioned officers included. Lotsa weasels in his Majesty's service. VA disability payment racket is another white elephant in the room, and that goes regardless of gender. My shitbag deceased uncle was one of them, 100% payments for life since getting mental health DQ at Benning during Vietnam draft. Didn't lift a finger for the rest of his life. Completely able bodied. I digress. Again, not saying it's everybody, but just like if you have to shake it more than once -- you know you're playing with it; when running out of fingers counting these weasels, well...a round-off error that is not.

JFC that pisses me off. Reminds me of my last PT test where there were 15 people and somehow 13 of them were on profiles. The only two healthy enough to test were me and another pilot. Shocking.

Couple month trip to the sandbox and some tax free income or 18 years of responsibility for another person and all the hardships that come with children. Unsat on SA/Decision making. Please, get prego and stay home if that’s how you make decisions, I don’t want you anywhere near me in a combat zone.

LOL, comments are turn off for the youtube video, but the comments on the article are great. One poster instantly jumps to the "she was pregnant because she was raped," card. You know, because the only way girls in the military get pregnant is through rape... Total hit job, and she's not wrong. She's right that it's just a small portion of people, but it's not just women. A Chief friend is deployed right now and, just in the last week, has had 7 people fall out of their deployments. One girl has already been extended almost 3 months as the 4th replacement just fell off for one reason or another. We had a NCO that has been in for nearly 20 years and has NEVER deployed. She finally gets told she has to deploy and turns into a total train wreck because, "she can't be away from her kids that long." Guess who didn't deploy due to a sudden onset of migraines about a month before deployment... I'm continually amazed at the number of unplanned pregnancies and new found ailments that miraculously pop up just prior to a deployment. Edit: Just chatted with my Chief buddy. He said one of his sections only has 19 people and in that section alone (just in the last week), 5 people fell out of their deployment.

The MAF has always had boner for T-Tail airlifters in leadership positions. The running joke at the KC-135 FTU was if you’re the #1 tanker guy in the wing, you were #15 guy in the wing behind all the C-17 drivers. Getting rid of Phoenix programs would be a positive in the MAF.

Nah, the flexibility to leave if I want is worth more than $20k a year, even in the current jobs environment. That should tell the AF something about its climate. (Yeah, I know it won’t actually.)

"We send our worst pilots to helicopter training..." Helicopter pilots...

Line pilots still do the staff work, even if they aren’t on staff... Sent from my iPad using Baseops Network mobile app

Everybody loves to beat up the VA but nobody talks about all the people clogging up VA services with 100% PTSD or other bogus stuff because they saw a bodybag from 200 yards away after never having left the base during their entire 'Nam or Afghanistan tour.

Having worked MAJCOM staff, while it’s not as sexy as flying, fighting and winning, there is absolutely a need for rated expertise. There is a glut of retired AF aviators running divisions, who fill GS billets, but their currency is often decades old. Being able to participate, lead, and work on MAJCOM/HAF level projects is eye opening and expands your professional aperture. While some despise the idea of manning a desk, we need to be there, as we know what’s best for our fellows flyers.

First step to fixing staff issues is to eliminate the Group staff. Single most useless organization I’ve seen. They exist to be middle men. I’ve actually been counting, and my last 7 interactions with them have produced exactly zero. Outside of the directorates, the number of execs they’re pulling from ops units to do nothing but forward emails and work on a rack and stack is a joke.

Think big picture Joint level. It saddens me to see Force Support O5 working FMS cases or non-pilots reciting buzzwords about weapon systems to Joint planners and Foreign partners. Our international allies look to us for expert advice, do you really want non-pilots spew bullshit to these allies? We need experienced and knowledgeable rated guys at the Joint level!

I’m pretty sure this was covered in a mid-80s documentary. Here’s the applicable part:

That place is a shithole, who gives a shit who controls that wretched place. Let's GTFO now.

I’ll just leave this here.

For real though. Between this thread, the thread about whether or not your MWS affects your career opportunities, and the amount of fighter aircraft falling out of the sky, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. What will it take for RPAs to be taken seriously? Why were they bound by MTCR regulations so coalition partners couldn't have access to American products? I certainly do not know know. If someone could lift the glass ceiling off RPAs that would be great.

Just got my annual bonus installment...you know, for all the bad parts about this job, the money ain't too bad. Gonna keep it in checking until this PCS is over, then probably dump a fair amount into an ETF. Part of me is hoping for another stock market crash before I pull the trigger.

More backer to the basics. We’re gonna be so safe.

Even with things like the DCGS, that is an Enterprise architecture that is equivalent to a group of wing. In combat they would ideally be nestled under the same operational control and the combatant commander's air component commander owns and directs both of them. With the U-28 it's tricky because SOCOM is its own combatant command and AFSOC has their own DGS as well. However they could be organized under the air component of a JTF also. I guess what I would forward going forward is removing NAFs or NAF functions that soley exist to fulfill an administrative role and in the rare case they exist they should exist to provide an Air Force GO to a combatant commander who needs that because his Air Forces are large enough to warrant it.

This. Phoenix is an absolute waste of talent management. If you are an expert in your craft (and you don’t need to go to the WIC to be so), you can probably figure out how to run the mobility machine without flying “other” missions.

I agree some people milk the system, that’s inevitable. But I’ve known a few dudes who were 90-100% that looked able bodied. However, they’re all getting hip and knee replacements in the next few years, as well as spinal surgery to replace buldged disks and to fuse vertebrae. YMMV. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

i think humor in 2020 is just suggesting someone watch a three hour documentary about some horrible material reality

I know but just your immediate actions in response to vindictive and corrupt persecution Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What bullshit - guy is a man of means, go buy another and tell them to kiss his ass Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s what I’m thinking as well...if even that. Since Corona derailed my getting out plans, I’m looking at a PCS that is agreeable to the family and me. Since I’ll get the ADSC anyway, toying with taking the 3 year option. Just wanted to see if anybody had SA so I make the best possible decision. Other than the obligatory don’t take the devils money.

They fixed the glitch.

Shack. Aircrew (not just pilots) are the war fighters of the AF. Could you immagine an Army staff with 0 infantry, armor or artillery expereince. A lot of people disdain staff but in all honesty some people really love and thrive in it. For the first time in your military career you get to think big picture/strategic and you can help shape some very large plans across an Enterprise. Definitely not for everyone but for the people that are beat to death from being line IPs year in and out, it offers a welcome change of pace with a new an enhanced skill set. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But when has reducing the number of oppurtunities in a career field ever helped that career field thrive. We need to keep doors open not close them. The pilot retention crisis isnt about people wanting staff, not wanting staff, not wanting RPAs, wanting more UPT jobs, whatever.... The key thread to all of this is that it's really about people wanting a wide array of oppurtunities and a slight a bit of control to vector themselves to where their own interest lie.

The staffs have been gutted for several years now, which hid the outward pain of the pilot shortage initially. My bet is the overage on FGOs makes up for the bathtub of senior Captains/instructors exacerbated by sequestration cuts and the great RIF of '14. Pair that with a low bonus take rate among the FGOs, and now you've got majors that can punch if they get an assignment they don't want, which in theory should help them stay flying the line. So the AF keeps an FGO instructor which helps the experience problem at the line/operational units, but the staffs get short falled again, maybe with even deeper cuts. Also with that, we've pretty much divested Navs on AD, which means the pilot force had to pick up the rated staff positions that used to be filled with Navs. I think the AF is finally realizing it's in a graveyard spiral regarding pilot retention, but the operational pressure to keep pulling back on the stick (ie not let up on operational tempo and taskings) keeps tightening that spiral.

Leftist media hit job.

26 currently so no. Just made sure to be polite to everyone within my unit and responded to anything and everything they sent me as fast as possible. Had a ton of luck obviously but cannot emphasize enough how much being polite can help.

No shit, as a 38 guy who went through during the dark ages, I can only roll my eyes at AFPC’s incompetence at long range planning. If the Air Force were a business it would be bankrupt.

Why do you think you’ll get passed over with a DP? Seems like you should be set.

Agreed. I found this one applicable as well. Sadly, my city just lost a fine, young officer to a senseless shooting. I can't believe that he didn't have a small hesitation due to the climate wrt cops right now...sadly it got him killed.

I was 80% sure it was going to be one of those Rick rolls you cant exit out of...just like the war in Afghanistan.

A good start would be getting rid of the 24 hours new....err...entertainment media. I'm all for the press, but the mainstream 24 hour media sensationalizing every little thing that happens, is where molehills are made into mountains.