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I wanted to have some security cameras installed on my 2 story home for three reasons. First, it will give me something to tinker with. Second, the cameras have AI tracking of cars, faces, people, pets, and license plates. I will be able call out neighbors who think my lawn should be their dog's urinal. Third, I was going to invest in a robotic mower and the cameras would serve as a second layer of security. I received a few estimates for running the CAT6 and installing the cameras from business owners. One guy who gave me an estimate had a terrible camera and installation plan. A second guy was going to use cheap materials. The third estimate I received had a solid installation plan. However, the sales representative had some minor issues. He gave me an estimate for 17 hours of labor. I raised the bullshit flag so he revised it to 11. He tried to tell me that I will need to be trained on my cameras, which drove the 17 hour estimate. I told him, "How are you going to train me on cameras I hand selected myself and purchased? Cameras for which you don't even sell?" I won that debate. I remember him telling me I'll need a cloud key and they could run an HDMI cable for my system to one of my big screen tvs. I told him that my UNVR acts as a cloud key. It's 2025, you can bring up the live feeds for all your cameras through Ubiquiti's tv app. I am for certain I crushed his soul. At some point he mentions being a "retired Army colonel." I raised the bullshit flag again. I selected small business number who installed everything. They had great installers who installed everything in 11 hours. I haven't had any issues in over a year with their work. There was two minor issues like not leveling the doorbell camera and not wiping silicone off the base of two cameras. Ubiquiti comes out with a new camera 1.5 years later. I attempt to receive an estimate from the same small business to install my 6th camera. Apparently, my sales representative was fired. They told me he was wanted by the FBI and he was no Army colonel. The small business gives me a different "installer/sales representative" named Mike. Mike tried telling me it will take 5-7 hours to install one camera. I called him out on his estimate. Mike told me that he has been installing cameras for 20 years and he is a veteran too. Then he tried to use some lame excuses to pad his estimate by telling me the technicians have to go up and down a ladder and load cable. I torched Mike's ass. First, I told him that I have my own cable just like last time so what are you loading again? Second, my solar company installed a fully functional, 23 panel solar system on my 2 story roof in 6 hours with 3 technicians. Your 2 camera technicians are only going up to the first level eaves, which is half the distance that the solar technicians had to travel up a ladder. Third, it took 11 hours to install everything last time. Around 10 hours was spent on running CAT6 and installing 5 cameras, which equates to 2 hours per camera. I told him that he must be doing California, high school math because it's definitely not accurate. Mike tried to tell me that he likes to give higher estimates so customers feel like they're receiving a deal when they have to pay less. Needless to say, I hired a different small business. The owner told me it will take 2-3 hours maximum. Am I the retired flying asshole here?

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And? One other point; nothing says sincerity/seriousness like the face-to-face interaction. Rather reinforces the point of the new sheriff in town operates differently so get on board or get out. Also, generals work for SECDEF & POTUS. If those offices chose to call generals in, said generals respond with "yes, sir." Pretty standard, I'd say. A maybe conspiracy thing is that this meeting was a cover for another purpose regarding upcoming actions.

I suppose my view of this event comes from an interaction I had with a 4 Star. I was worker bee end on a conference we were producing with other Gens, etc. Boss leans in and asks my boss, "What decisions will we be making? (Rest is paraphrasing) If we're calling in a bunch of Gens, we better be making productive decisions otherwise it's just a big waste. One way speeches are pretty much that. Now if the crowd got to stand up and ask good, hard questions, that changes my opinion, unless said Qs are planted softballs. But for that to happen, the doors probably needed to close and the TV cameras turned off. And there goes that big beautiful production for the world to see. Lastly, in the whole world of policy changes, to include stuff like don't ask, don't tell, to, ok, now you can tell, or women in combat, etc., has there been a briefing like this to convey those policies? Nope, a letter is ginned up, signed, maybe a press conference, and sent out.

I simply thank my God that there is someone to be my moral and wisdom mentor posting here. Also: US Special Operations Command general retires As he's been there since 2022, simply a routine retirement. But still another one gone.

- It’s one TDY added to a list of many. Bottom line, why are you against a TDY added amongst a sea of executed/scheduled TDYs? It’s not whataboutism to state a fact that a large portion of the military adds TDYs throughout the year. If you want to argue about justification or perceived importance/utility of any TDY, then you are very inexperienced in the military/have no idea how the gov operates with regards to in-person vs. virtual application. Example: I’ve spent many TDYs watching GOs (also TDY) sit there and stare at their eyelids/the wall for days, while adding nothing to the situation and based on their reactions, taking nothing home with them. Welcome to the real world. (Experience I’m coming from: over 100 TDYs at tac/op/strat levels). - The boss is pushing a massive cultural shift, that has seen some resistance, and he’s sick of the resistance. Do you believe something of that high of priority to him does not warrant in-person interaction? Some comments above can be boiled down to, “this isn’t a big deal and therefore could have been an email/TEAMs call.” Do you believe from the boss’s perspective this “isn’t that big of a deal” and an email/TEAMs call is all he needs to do to get this train on the right track? People are bringing up “justification” of TDY, citing the topic as “not justifiable” for a TDY. They brought that up, it is not a red herring to discuss what they previously stated. - Some literally said it could have been a virtual discussion (email, TEAMs, YouTube, etc.) Is there a third option besides one of those or in-person? Because if there’s not (I can’t think of one), it can’t be a false dilemma because it is literally a dilemma (boss had to ask himself, “do I do this in person or virtual? Which one will be most effective for my directives/message?”) Ad hominem - I’ll take that one, my bad.

I think... we all think... the bag all call was a nice idea. [mumbled agreement among others] But... I'm not pointin' any fingers... they coulda been done better. So, how 'bout... no bags all call this time. But next time, we do the bags all call right and then we go full regalia.

I think they would already have the number of allocations going into the board no? Idk how else they’d be able to place people in the different jobs and draw the cut line. I agree though I’m sure they’ll try to rush the list before the holidays. Makes sense there could be some delay, especially with all the civilian support AFPC has. We shall see!

Ironically this response is a masterclass in fallacies. Whataboutism (“others waste money too”), false equivalence (comparing a mass GO recall for every senior leader to routine TDYs), red herring (ranting about DoD identity when the question was whether the TDY was justified), ad hominem (calling folks political hacks, retarded), and a false dilemma (“either in person or useless Teams call”). Nice work dudes!

You think so? I would think the board racks and stacks the packages (our fate already sealed) and AFPC determines the amount of allocations, A1 manpower legalities and AETC signing off on the list. All which takes time, but I don’t think would take the exact time of the shutdown (in total) to push back the results by that time. If they’re shooting for pre-thanksgiving, I think they would hit the ground running when the shutdown ends to meet this deadline to prevent doing as much work the month of December (holiday season). This is just me be positive and optimistic through my years in the Air Force and my experience of the last shutdown in 2018, I could be completely wrong but hope for our sake, we know sooner than later 😅

@Smokin As it should be. We were living in a super blue state at the time, so lots of coddling, zero accountability, “everyone’s a winner,” etc. going around.

I know you guys are going to love this. Say what you will, good or bad, we all have to admit his troll game (though usually inappropriate) is strong. https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-posts-bizarre-grim-reaper-themed-ai-music-video/

More parents than you would think will take your side. I sat kids on multiple occasions across multiple sports because of an attitude and only one time did I have a parent say anything about it (and the coward didn't come to me, they went to the club admin who backed me). I set clear expectations at the start and 95% of kids met them. The few that didn't found little support from their parents. I benched one kid and he walked away crying over towards his dad. His dad took one look at him and said something like "what'd you expect?" and the kid stopped crying because he realized he wasn't going to get anywhere. He didn't have an attitude with me the rest of the time I coached him. Also gave out exactly zero participation trophies or medals.

How massive of a change is it that he wants to increase lethality? Clamps down on fitness and appearance? Those aren’t massive culture changes. Those are getting back to the roots of what the military is. I’ve been screaming it for years, the military isn’t a business, it’s a military. I for one applaud the announcements.

210 RQS (AKANG) is still in conversion and *should* be the last(total force) unit flying Golfs.

Obama golfed? Guarantee he used the red tee box.

What else can you get from this little birdie? Maybe allocations? Or the commonality amongst packages that scored high?

Many years ago, when one of my kids was young, he did not display the attitude/effort we expected of him during T-ball. End of season participation trophy’s get handed out, my wife makes him give it to her and she throws it into the nearest trash can, telling him he didn’t earn it (and why). All the other pussy parents looked on in disbelief. My kid basically never again had a bad attitude or lack of effort, and this incident was 9 years ago. The little things matter - coddling your kids produces shit adults.

There are probably tens of millions a year spent on useless TDYs/PCSs. Cue every person who goes to in-person PME, every bullshit “TDY for the boys” (but they are fun as shit!), every guy who travels to unending conferences and meetings while not providing, nor consuming, anything of value to their job and other attendees. We have endured a significant identity/priorities crisis for years in the DoD, and unfucking that is critical enough to not just throw it on YouTube or a TEAMs call (where nobody will actually listen/receive anything - they’ll be “present” with their muted mic symbol). Complaining about one TDY out of tons each of these GOs are doing yearly is lazy, political hacking on display. Attack the argument/point SECDEF is driving home, but you can’t, because it’s the most logical direction one has given in my lifetime. So, you jump to a retarded Red Herring argument of “but mAh TdY CoStS!” Hilarious, and sad at the same time.

A little birdie from AFPC told me UFT board results processing is on pause due to the shutdown. I speculate we can expect the release of results to be delayed about as long as the shutdown lasts.

Where? Which dudes? Be specific. Did any of the people who are interacting with you now say that? I certainly didn't. O Face has never used the word "golf" on this forum Also are you equating a game of golf to a commander's call? Are those on the same level of national importance? You have an obnoxious habit of lumping together everything that's ever been said on Fox News as some sort of proxy for what the real individuals here are saying specifically. Why do you come here if not to directly interact with us? Is this just some outlet for you to howl at the moon? There are legitimately interesting conversations that happen on this forum, and on this topic, but all you can respond with is a whataboutism that none of the people talking to you at the moment actually said?

From the dudes that bitched about Obama's golfing costing tax payers money yet silent now. GG.

It wasn't Coach Huggy. And many of the soccer parents were truly not happy I wouldn't.

I know, I know, it's your username, if you weren't miserable about literally everything in the world, what else would you do? But it's pretty amazing to see people defending the *generals* against the first secdef in my lifetime that is telling them they have to live by the same standards they enforce.