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Be careful. There's a saying that goes, "dont get splinters." You get splinters by sitting on the bench. You sit on the bench when those in charge decide you're not playing well. What I mean is that the worthless masters degree is a yardstick. Commanders use it for more than noting who is checking boxes. There is a preponderance of thought on the futility of the masters degree on this site. I am in full agreement. But I also have mine, and its a worthless degree. I am here to tell you that you are sending a clear message to you superiors if you don't show forward movement of the ball - PME, masters, etc. You want to lead your people? You want to stay in the cockpit? The price of that is getting the bullshit done. Period. You wont change it. You can rage against it, but the AF WILL find some way to marginalize you, one way or the other. You're 100% right, the AF needs you more than you need it. But when the AF decides it doesn't need you, you'll be out on your ass. I have seen this shit in action, in AMC, PACAF and ACC. Everyone handles it remarkably similar. I know Weapons Officers who played the same hand - "Ive got the patch, they can't marginalize me." No masters, no PME - part of the 57th Wing, with the entire WIC, the T-Birds, etc, i.e., lots of good dudes. They got a P on their PRF and are at the bottom of the heap. They fucking deserved it. None of us is anything special. But you can make a case by showing that you're willing to move the ball forward. I continue to find it markedly hilarious that all of these good dudes I know, great grades in school, top sticks at UPT, first to 2FLUG, 4FLUG, IP, AC, MC, etc, all end up throwing in the towel when the AF "expects" them to better themselves and get a degree (or quel horror at least a BAC+), do PME, etc. They don't do it and they shoot themselves in the foot. They see their bros get upped because they chose to check the box, get passed by, discouraged and angry. They give up after kicking ass in so much for so long. It's almost sad. This shit ain't rocket surgery. Get it done at your own pace, but help the AF help you by showing that you're moving the ball forward. Too many dudes think they are entitled to a promotion. They are not. Promotion is about showing promise for leadership at the NEXT GRADE, not being rewarded for doing well in your current grade. You can show that by showing you're willing to grow the fuck up and do MORE than just fly. The long and short of it is this: commanders rank their dudes. Not having the little things makes it easier to separate and strat you. Commanders spend the most time on the middle of the pack, not the top or the bottom. So when dudes bitch and moan about being good sticks, good dudes and good bros but not getting the queep in order, they are missing the forest for the trees. It sucks. I don't agree with it, but it's tough to make a case against it. Getting promoted and moving up the chain to change things requires luck and timing. But it also requires that you run the marathon at sprint speeds. If you don't want to play the game, that's fine! But don't bitch about the outcomes if you choose to ignore the coaches advice and wind up on the bench. Chuck

So it'll be exactly like Libya.

So when we find the Iraqi WMDs in Syria, will that finally put the "No WMDs" issue to bed?

As long as they stay below 10k.

Ohhh...Boxer 22. I was there for that. I didn't directly participate in the SAR on-site, but my det would operate in our OV-10s about 40 miles southeast and act as a "traffic controller" feeding in-country aircraft in and collecting info when they left..Spads (A-1s) and Gunfighters (F-4s) from Danang, more F-4s from Phu Cat (Cobra ??) and Cam Ranh (Boxer), F-100s (Icon ??) from Tuy Hoa, and Marine A-4/F-4s from Chu Lai. An incredible couple of days!