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Yup, they are still using them.

Yes, Obama's a shitbag. Just like 99% of all the other politicians we can't help but elect time and time again. He takes credit where none is due when it's convenient for him and deflects responsibility where he can. A month ago I heard Trump talking about how "tremendous" his new economy was, as if he turned a sinking ship around in a month despite the fact that nothing of any significance has changed and everybody on this board knows that even if changes were programmed, nothing in government gets done in one month. A few hundred point jump in the Dow Jones as a "thank god it's not Hillary" reaction is not an indicator of a healthy economy, which is about all you can attribute directly to Trump economy-wise thus far. Essentially, Trump was inadvertently praising "Obama's Economy". Nobody mentions the ridiculousness of it, because as disgusting as it is, it's the way politics works. And for the record, Obama doesn't deserve credit for the "tremendous" economy either...it runs in cycles and a president has limited power over it. Clinton got lucky to be in office for the .com boom so history generally sees him as good economically (this board is not a barometer of broad public opinion), but if he were instead around for the oil embargo there would have been no surpluses...it's mostly just luck. Yet they all claim credit when they can. Same as Obama taking credit for ending Iraq when he's in front of the right audience despite it not telling the whole story. I'm not talking in terms of what Presidents say: we all know it's horseshit. I'm talking about reality. Obama did not yank us out of Iraq purely on his own accord despite what Rush Limbaugh might want people to believe given the current state of the region and the convenience of putting that on a political rival. That's all I'm saying. With respect to the J.V. comment: Plenty of you will probably not appreciate this, but I just offer it as food for thought. It's partially speculation on my part but is supported by comments Obama made during his tenure. There's this sentiment that him refusing to use "radical Islamic terrorism" and other similar catchphrases was a sign that he was secretly a Muslim, or in bed with Islam, or just too politically correct to generalize about a religion. I don't think it's that simple (and again, he said as much many times). This is open to different interpretations, but many Muslims believe the Koran requires Muslims around the world (with some exceptions) to move to a Caliphate's territory, live within the state, and support it (to include fighting for it if necessary). The Koran also describes the circumstances leading to Judgement Day to include the establishment of a final Caliphate, it's expansion to Istanbul, and then it's ultimate collapse after meeting the armies of Rome. If you do enough mental gymnastics, you can make the case that IS is the final Caliphate, and the U.S. is a modern day "army of Rome" (read as a generic army of infidels from the western world). The mandate to travel and support the Caliphate only applies if the Caliphate is true and legitimate. An easy way for ISIS to establish it's legitimacy, at least among impressionable idiots looking for anything to believe in, is to propagandize the prophesy. ISIS wants us to get involved because, again with the mental gymnastics, they can point at our involvement and say, "See, there's the army of Rome from the prophesy...it's coming true, we're legitimate, and it's your duty to come support us." It won't convince many, but it takes a very small percentage of 1 billion to double your numbers. The President of the United States using language that insinuates we're at war with Islam helps with their recruitment. Everyone reading this will think, "bullshit", but we're not talking about convincing you. We're talking about convincing illiterate idiots with dead end lives and nothing to lose. Referring to ISIS as J.V. is an ill advised attempt to marginalize them because the more insignificant they seem and the less we care about what they're doing, the harder it is to leverage our opposition to them as a fulfillment of the prophesy. That means fewer recruits. It turned out to be a massive embarrassment for Obama, but I don't believe it truly reflected his impression of ISIS as nothing to be concerned about. I was "in the know" at the time and could see us making moves behind the scenes that do not square with a belief that ISIS was nothing to be concerned about, despite that being his public message for a short time. Of course you could say that whatever we were doing at the time was wholly insufficient and that would be true, but there was no political will or public support for the type of strategic operations that would have been necessary to slow ISIS's growth until the executions and Yazidi massacres made it to international television. Whether you agree with the stance or not, Obama opting not to use certain language was calculated, and not simply a symptom of him being a pussy. I would note that Trump's own national security advisor, Gen. McMaster, recommended he not use the verbiage. Because Mcmaster operates in reality, where Trump does what he thinks will get him the most retweets from the cast of Deliverance.

It's a weight issue so they can conserve the little gas they have... Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Here's how watching the "news" from our lovely mainstream sources like Fox and CNN goes for me: 1. Watch Fox because I'm on the right side of the political spectrum (in both senses of the word). 2. Get pissed off at how stupid Fox news is after roughly 10-15 minutes. 3. Switch to CNN so I can view the issues from the opposite side's perspective, which allows me to convince myself I'm a worldly thinker who approaches every issue from a neutral point of view. 4. Get pissed of at how stupid CNN is after roughly 5-10 minutes (I have a shorter fuse with CNN). 5. Angrily turn off the TV, curse politics, and decide to do something meaningful with my time (read: inebriation).

And two whole bombs...

The F-16...outlasting the F-4, F-15C, F-15E, F-18, F-22, and, probably, the F-35 since 1979...

Thank you for your perspective and service.

Single engine/single seat? I'd fly with two cell phones!

We don't know when they'll start dropping them out of the Boeing factory, let alone UPT.

More like Obama made an idiotic move by declaring a red line, but then when it was crossed, actually made the correct decision to reassess the situation and move forward in a logical manner not dominated by emotion or ego. In the time between the red line being "established", and confirmation that it had been crossed, the situation in Syria had fundamentally changed. ISIS surged and made huge gains in that time. To weaken the Assad regime with military strikes would have only served to bolster ISIS's advance, as Assad's government forces were their primary resistance at the time. Destroying the Assad regime would have left a power vacuum that ISIS would have been in the best position of all the militant groups to fill. The Obama administration could have never said as much, but Assad went from our chief enemy in Syria, to the lesser of two evils. As such, targeting him was a bad option, and allowing the Russians to help broker a WMD transfer was the best among a buffet of shit sandwiches. Yes, it was foolish to established a "red line". But all those in the partisan conservative camp that love to attack him over destroying U.S. credibility are short sighted, simple minded, and exploiting a political faux pas for political purposes while tacitly implying that they expected him to make a stupid move with respect to Syria just to keep his word. I'm no Obama fan, but I'm able to admit I was happy to have someone in the office mature enough to eat their pride in order to do what's appropriate despite the personal hit they may have to take. I have zero faith that we enjoy the same with the current administration. I hope active duty members are willing to sacrifice their lives for a Trump dick measuring contest, because 4-8yrs is plenty of time for foreign actors to affront his precious ego. Get the popcorn out if Assad has the balls to call Trumps "bluff" and use chemical weapons again. A personality such as Trumps would have no choice but to escalate the situation. Escalation means weakening Syrian government forces, which leaves 15 militant factions on equal footing to fill the power vacuum with none of them quite having the strength to truly accomplish it. Cue the quagmire. Hopefully the Joint Chiefs have heads on their shoulders and are able to hold onto Trumps reigns. I'm curious to see how this affects U.S. freedom of operations inside Syrian borders and airspace as up until now we were effectively the enemy of Assad's enemy and left alone to operate as necessary.

No, He's not. I'm mostly in Karl's camp but the bonus does keep a few people in: fence-sitters and path of least resistance types that might have had an ok opportunity on the outside. More importantly it keeps them (and the ones that would have stayed past initial commitment regardless) predictable for a period of time. Many would 7-day opt a shit deal without a bonus; the bonus eliminates that option by tagging them with an ADSC. I get it; it's cool to talk about how if everything were great in the AF no one would care about the bonus, but that's hyperbole. Our pay/rank system is antiquated. I'm worth more to the AF as an 11F than a similar-aged SkyCop, LRS officer or personellist. So are doctors, lawyers and other career fields that are incentivized. Once the wide-eyed 20-something ideals of slaughtering ISIS and fighting for your country grow old and you've got a family to love and provide for, financial stability and QOL start to trump kicking ass for most. Sure, some (a few) would be overcome with pride to work for our organization if it were really top-notch and they'd do it for pennies on the dollar. Most would not.

So you didn't take the bonus but have an opinion on my rationale for taking the bonus? And you think my opinion is crazy? Thanks for your service.

Growing up, my dad did over 20 as a Marine fighter pilot before getting hired by a major airline. "Missing" Christmas in the Airlines meant we celebrated on 22 Dec. "Missing" it in the USMC meant we put his presents in the spare bedroom until he got home 6-9 months later. I would take airline life over that any day. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I disagree, as I see it all the time. For some people choosing the AF carrot has become such a habit, they don't even realize it anymore. How many O-6s are still on their first wife? Of those, how many does the wife wear the rank just as much as the husband? Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Is this your first time using a Forum? You can reply to multiple people or multiple posts with one of your own.

All the pilots I know are talking about how to get airline jobs. They're either retiring, or separating, and while a few are going ANG or Reserve, there's a fair number that are getting out entirely. As for the "get back to winning and you won't need a bonus"...ask yourself what it is that the Air Force has done to make a job every kid wants to do and turn it into a job that people refuse to do for a $400K bonus on top of an already decent paycheck? THAT is where you'll solve the pilot retention problem. Not with money, because money will only buy so much happiness and there are plenty of good jobs on the outside for college educated, quick-thinking, cool under pressure candidates. Until the AF starts improving QOL, you're probably going to see the pilot shortage continue. It's not even about winning, in my estimation...it's about showing guys that leadership understands that aircraft and the guys who fly them are the backbone of the force, and we aren't actually equal with the guy checking ID cards at the gate.

I say that everyday when I'm given more and more crap to take care of. Except mine is "2019 I'm done." Making plans to move back home and put active duty behind me have done wonders for my stress level and general outlook on life. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And that is why I really bring my iPhone. We were issued "burner phones" by our Flight Equipment Marines on every sortie we launched on for this purpose.

Hollysood movie met the CAF down day diversity pillar, the 4th and invisible usaf pillar

I flew with one every sortie. Even over water .... it MIGHT stay dry enough to work again.

First of all... props for posting a picture in your actual profile pic. That is the first thing we ask for from wives and girlfriends (boyfriends if it's an Eagle driver). Second what everyone else said about UPT. After UPT, as a young married couple, things get better while he is not on TDY or deployment. Meet the other wives and form a support group. They will end up being part of your family. Expect him to be gone. Sometimes a lot in one year then not so much the next. I was away from home about 360 something days during my first 2 years after getting to my unit, then got tagged to an Exec job where I had TDYs and Deployments that I volunteered for cancelled by my Commander. I ended up being gone maybe 8-10 weeks total that year, but spent a lot of time at work taking care of an Early Promoted O-5 so he could go to school and make O-6 and higher. Got to be there for the conception and birth of all my kids but a couple of my friends have missed 1 birth (1 missed the conception too). Ultimately, after 10 years in the USAF, my family and I have decided we have had enough, but enjoyed the majority of the time we spent in. The moment I knew I was done was when I left on a deployment 2 weeks after my youngest daughter was born. When I got back months later my wife handed her to me and I could tell she didn't even know me. Now every time I leave on a trip, she asks if it's another "long one". It is a great opportunity, enjoy it, but don't let you or your husbands life be defined by it. Be open and honest and make decisions together what's best for your family even if it isn't what someone above him says is "bad for his career". Never let him leave home while you are fighting, one of our good friends' wife found out the hard way that you never know the day he doesn't come home until it's too late. Although more rare these days, it is the cold hard truth about flying. A lot of rambling from someone about to hang up the job, but hopefully it helps in someway. Feel free to ask any other questions and welcome to the forum. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Had to run by MPF one day and the door was closed for "training". However the door was unlocked so I decided I would just see what kind of "training" they were up to. Turns out they were all huddled around a laptop in the back watching some Hollywood movie. Then I realized why Non-rated retention was so freaking high. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

When he made the red line speech he may very well have meant it and been more than ready to destroy Assad if the line was crossed. A year later when it was, the situation was different. Yes, he should have never made an absolute statement if changes on the ground in Syria could cause him to go back on it, but once that mistake is made his willingness to eat his pride and move forward logically, at personal expense, is correct. And given current personalities in play it would be refreshing to know a person capable of that was at the helm. Leaving Assad in power in 2013 is not an acceptance of brutal dictators if they're able to keep the "peace" through violence. It's a calculus that a horrible, yet generally sane and rational dictator who occasionally gases his own people when he feels it necessary for his own survival is unfortunately better than a group of zealots that is literally attempting to burn all of civilization to the ground in order to usher in Armageddon and the end times. Yes it's a shitty decision to have to make, but in 2013 it was temporarily the best option available. Has that changed? Maybe. I don't have a fundamental problem with striking an airfield to slap the wrist of Assad over chemical weapons. What worries me is where it goes from here with a child in the White House if we don't get the response out of him that we want. With ISIS and the Russians in play the stakes are higher than just Syria's future. It's slightly off topic, but I will also note that Obama did not decide to pull out of Iraq. He executed the withdrawal plan established by his predecessor which the U.S. was legally bound to. Why is it that anyone wishing to attack Obama has amnesia with regard to this? Obama attempted to broker a revised SOFA in order to leave troops behind, but Malaki, a man which Bush installed against the recommendations of nearly everyone in his inner circle, refused to budge on provisions that remaining U.S. service-members be subject to Iraqi law and justice. Obama deemed that unacceptable, as I assume everyone here agrees he should have, and proceeded with Bush's withdrawal plan. If you want to make the argument that Obama could have made it happen if he had the will to do so, it's speculation, but fine. However, Obama did not just come into office and turn the light switch off on operations in Iraq. You'd better append Dubya's name in your examples above. Relating to your other example, its real easy to look back at something that never happened and reminisce about how great it would have been. The reality is that it probably would have been just as much a mess as we're dealing with now. If Schwarzkopf doesn't tell the Iraqis that they can fly their gunships at the treaty signing then the Shia uprisings in the south gain traction. At that point Iran throws their weight behind them in order to support their brethren and get rid of their arch enemy. At the sight of this, the Sunnis take up arms and you instantly have a civil war with the U.S. in the middle trying to regulate it. Sound familiar? Maybe we should have ripped the Band-Aid off back then, but to talk about it as if it would have been a cakewalk is naive. I would also venture to say that the population back home would have been much less tolerant of 5000 casualties after the expressed goal of liberating Kuwait was complete. In 2003, no matter how misguided, the population still had memories of 9/11 and the GWOT to justify our presence there. You didn't have that in 1991.

You see, a pimp's love is very different from that of a square...

CNN is confirming Russians at the base when the strike occurred, no mention of Russian causalities. By attacking the regime do you help ISIS or do you strike a ruthless dictatorship or both? Assad is evil but so is ISIS, AQ, Al-Nusra, etc... and the Kurds / FSA are not realistically strong enough to take the West Syria and hold it. A punitive strike is fine but ultimately we (the world that purportedly wants to stop the Syrian Civil War) have to have a strategy, a plan and commitment of the resources (forces, money, casualty acceptance, robust ROE, commitment, patience, etc.) to end this if we believe it is worth enough to our interests to act and pay the cost of action. If the world wants to end it, put together an overwhelming force for occupation, give the regime an ultimatum with an escape vector, asylum in Russia for the highest echelons of the regime with no ICC warrants if they cede power, sanctuary for the lower levels of the regime/military in ethnically/religiously homogenous zones with the coalition occupation force providing security. ISIS, AQ and Al-Nusra get no quarter and could pincer them between a very large conventional occupation force arriving from Turkey, Jordon & Mediterranean ports and Kurds/FSA in Eastern Syria; if they run to Iraq, we continue the drive from both sides and they lose. This would have to be a coalition in the 350k+ range to sweep them out and sit on Syria for years to come so I put about 0.69% that this will get assembled but that is what it would take, if no one gives an f that place will just continue to burn. The International Community should either admit it doesn't give a damn and just stop bemoaning the plight of the Syrian people or man up and do something, if we (the usual contributors) all agree go all in and not try to min run it, this could be done. The regime, the Russians, the Iranians could put up a fight as this coalition assembled and D day approached but methinks when the Mediterranean ports are blocked, there are is an Air armada circling waiting for the call and a 1000+ tanks, APCs and 350k soldiers in columns ready to fight a conventional war of annihilation, they will realize it is time to get with the program.

Trump gives no fucks about Obama's fake red line.

I love how this is code for "fuck you" around here.

Taking away the bonus for pilots wouldn't change a thing. The only people who take the bonus in its current form are those who were going to stay in anyway.

Would have been good SAR training if he dumped it in the Potamac and parachuted into S.E. DC or Anacostia. P.J.s going into hostile enviroment especially if they are Republicans. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using Baseops Network Forums mobile app

Can confirm pilot is safe

So.....when you all retire you can tell grand stories to your kids (and MOAA). ATIS (Dare I say: Fly Navy)

Further proof the shoe clerks think they run the Air Force - why does military clothing not sell rank for flight suits anymore? I went there today and they only have 1st and 2nd Lt rank, absolutely no Major or Lt Col and not even a spot on the shelf for it. They told me to order it on the exchange website, but you can't even get it there. I tried to go to alterations and they would only give me one set of take-offs because they have so many people asking for it. I guess I'll just start flying in ABUs since there's no problem finding all of the ranks for that uniform. Doesn't this f*cking service exist to fly airplanes? Then why the f*ck can I not get rank for my f*cking flight suits? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The technology looks cool, but I'm still waiting in long an answer for why we need a lot of the visual stuff. The F-35 is supposed to stand off from threats, deliver PGMs, shoot bvr....which of those functions needs to look through the floorboards vs can't be done with symbology on the mfd. I dare say the typical f-35 mission will require very little need to look outside the cockpit. If it needs to go overhead the threat, visually acquire the target or be at the merge, we can send in the legacy aircraft.