General Discussion

https://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/careers/2015/08/28/force-future-report-ash-carter-review/32476549/ Discuss

Long time reader, first time poster. I'm a non-flyer and will be facing the force shaping board in July. Does anyone with experience with these types of things (firing mass amounts of young captains/Lts....smh) have any idea what factors the board will weigh most heavily when they decide whom to cut? I've done all the qeep (masters/SOS correspondence) and stratted well at the squadron, but there are only three of us in the group and the other two strat higher than me (lots of group/wing-level awards). Curious if I should see the writing on the wall and turn down this short tour assignment that just dropped in my inbox....

Anybody else have their Services Squadron merging with the Mission Support Squadron into "Force Support Squadron" "The new squadron will have five flights: Force Development, Manpower and Personnel, Airmen and Family Services, Sustainment Services and Community Services." Great, so now we can have the limited hours of the MSS combined with the daily e-mail spam of the Services squadron. It's the best of both worlds!

Has anyone here been to the above? Its a 3 day course in Austin, TX. My unit wants to send a few COs down to learn stuff unless someone here can tell us that it's a waste of time. Thanks.

Where can one find details about this?

I flew my form 8 and got everything but 2 patterns due to an EP. Landed, did the ground eval got commendable and they tell me they want me to complete the entire checkride again because i didn't get the patterns. Isn't that double jeopardy? I've already completed form 8 events on a form 8 check evaluated by an FE and last I checked an EP does not void a checkride. Shouldn't I just have to get the patterns? Anyone know the reg that deals with checkrides, not the vol 2.

Fill in the blanks: "In the [insert Military Branch], you're actually a ______ first, then a pilot second" and give me a reason why this is the case I've seen it on multiple posts here and there, decided I may want to try to coalesce these answers all together under one. For example, marketing tells me that going Warrant Officer Army Pilot all you'll do is fly helicopters. I find this a little too good to be true as with any leadership position there comes a bevy of staff duties to fulfill. Like making sure the fridge is stocked. For example: In the Marines, you're actually a rifleman first, a pilot second. Because "oo-rah kill". So let's hear it! Wha…

I had the honor of meeting GEN Shalikashvili back when he was the Chairman and I was a young captain. I was in Slovakia at the time on a military liaison team, and he and Madeline Albright rolled into town. We helped the embassy with the arrangements, so we were at the location where he was meeting the Slovak military leaders. He saw us from across the room, and made his whole entourage take a detour so he could walk over and meet the team. He was very friendly, and made time for us to take photos with him. Actually, we all got two pics each with him, as he made an excuse for the second picture with each individual but we realized he did that just in case the first p…

https://www.al.com/news/2019/05/former-delta-force-commander-dies-in-lawnmower-accident-at-alabama-home.html 🍺🍺 To the elite.

Former U.S. Air Force Pilot Arrested for Providing Defens...Former U.S. Air Force officer and pilot Gerald Eddie Brown, Jr., also known by the call sign “Runner,” 65, a U.S. citizen, was arrested today in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Brown was charged by criminal

Nickel in the Grass for a 7+ year Vietnam POW. RIP Brother. From vansairforce.net on 9 Jan 2014, Link: https://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=108462 One of the pioneers of RV [Van’s Aircraft, homebuilt experimental aircraft] formation standards and a founding member of the Blackjack Squadron, Wesley Schierman passed away this weekend. Wes, Marty, and Dick began flying their RV4s in close formation together in the late 80’s and expanded their group by developing a structured training program in the early 90’s that continues to this day. Over the years, nearly 50 fortunate aviators have been ‘patched’ to fly as Blackjacks. There are extraordi…

https://militarytimes.com/blogs/afteraction/2012/06/29/video-bernard-james-drafted-to-u-s-a-u-s-a-chants/ Shit Hot...

I love my job. I am only a C-130 loadmaster but I love my job. Every once in a while I see some really cool stuff. Here are some pics I took during todays Ft Smith conversion festivities over Arkansas.

I was reading an AFA magazine a couple months back and I saw a picture of a B-52 pilot attached to an Army unit acting as a forward air contoller. Is this a volunteer only assignment? What are other requirements?

https://www.simhq.com/_air/PDF/NGNG.pdf Used search; couldn't find anything posted earlier about this. Found out about this after watching the Dogfights series on the History Channel, thought some of you might find it interesting, especially wannabes like myself. Thank you, -Vice

that my tour in this mighty sexy, b1tch they call a LEAR has been extended until July 2007 (at ETAR) - total of 54 months. A little Wurstmarkt (Bad Durkeim) this weekend for some celebration... [ 11. September 2005, 05:41: Message edited by: C-21 Pilot ]

https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/mali-rebels-idUSL5E9CB4H420130111

This rocks! For those of you who don't know MG Gorenc, he is one of the nicest and most personable guys you will ever meet. I had the pleasure of working with him at SHAPE, and I am extremely glad to see he continues to do well. He is currently ACC Director of Air and Space Operations, and those of you working for 3AF will have one of the best as your new NAF commander! Cheers! M2

I can't believe nobody has posted that USAFE is now free from the reign of terror and CSIPs of Doc Foglesong! We're free! And there was much rejoicing in USAFE...

I can't find this posted before so here is the skinny. Veterans Day offers a reminder of the service and sacrifice of America’s military personnel. AOPA is honoring the service of active-duty military members by offering them a complimentary one-year membership in the association. AOPA announced the offer in May as part of an effort to reach out to members of the military and support their flying goals. The association offers resources for pilots of all stripes, whether they fly recreationally or for the military. If you know someone in the military who would enjoy an AOPA membership, please share the offer. https://www.discoveraopa.org/aopamilitaryaopapilotmagad…

Heard through the grapevine, bean counters want to take away our access to Jeppesen approach plates! Tell you what; the Jeppesen African charts sure beat FLIP, hands down! What gives?

https://www.baseops.net/jeppesen/ Just noticed that link on the main page... What's the deal with this, how is baseops involved? (the link on the main page points to a baseops site, not a jep site). Also noticed that milplanner link... Jep getting more friendly with the DoD?

I tried to find this on here already so get pissed if I ask this question twice. Someone told me that there was a way to get up to $5,000 for a one time certification. Basically, it is covered by the air force and includes things like getting a PPL, if you have a PPL then getting a commercial cert, getting a CDL, becoming a CPR instructor, whatever. The idea is for you to improve yourself and the AF covers it. It is not TA or the MGIB. Is this too good to be true or has someone done this? Thanks, Barney

Although this link is to a story about AF issues with innovation (I will not attempt to comment on its validity or the author since there are many experts here on both), this is something we talk about across the services. Is being a “free thinker” a personality liability? We all have personal biases and want the way in which makes our living to be the most relevant, but are we going to lose our military edge because we cannot look for answers that may not support theses biases? What are your thoughts? https://omnifeed.com/article/ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/12/03/a_pilot_speaks_the_usaf_is_harder_on_internal_ideas_than_it_is_on_evil_insurgents_ac_130#./a_pi…

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