Leaderboard

"Suitable". Hmm. Pepperidge Farm remembers... https://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/10/25/inspector-general-report-widespread-hazards-military-housing.html https://www.airforcetimes.com/articles/al-udeid-the-ghttps://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/02/26/hundreds-attend-service-veteran-who-warned-burn-pit-hazards.htmlood-the-bad-and-the-very-ugly https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/02/26/hundreds-attend-service-veteran-who-warned-burn-pit-hazards.html Glad the Air Force recently showed interest in the places we sleep on the road...

Oooorrrr...you could incorporate maintenance back into OGs and have it be a legit leadership position and still fly.

When I was a logistics 2Lt, I led a flight of over 200 people. I dealt with unbelievable discipline issues, a multi-million dollar budget, and complex daily issues regarding the mission of my flight. Had I remained in that silo, instead of switching to pilot, I would have been extremely well prepared to lead large complex organizations. I also would have been woefully ignorant of how to integrate and employ airpower at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels and do the mission our service exists to do. We are not the Army, where the weapons system is people.

Like I said...that sucks. And those commanders suck. So I might as well come out of the closet: I'm not a pilot or even an operator. I'm an MSG guy (CE) who cares about where the AF is headed. These forums seem to have pretty good gouge on what the nuts and bolts of the rated force is thinking. When people ask me how I like my job, it's mixed. I like the technical nerdery, but I always wish I was working more directly with operations. It's kind of like working at Microsoft...unclogging toilets. It's cool to say I work at Microsoft, but... I'm not sure if I'll ever be a squadron commander...I got to be a deputy for a year overseas. Tried my best to bust my a$$ to make the mission happen, and also make sure our Airmen understood the impact they were having on the mission. It wasn't easy...the MSG has its own kind of salt...but I tried to do my best. Now I'm on Joint Staff working plan sourcing, as I said. If we were sitting down at a bar, what would you say to me that I can do to help?

I started my career as a MX officer before I went to UPT, and quite frankly learned more about leadership during that time I was in charge of 100-ish people than I did in the majority of the rest of my career as a flyer. The unfortunate truth is that leading a 30-aircraft LFE as a Mission or Package Commander is not the same type of leadership skill.

OK... why exactly is this robot so amazing? I fly the 737-800NG, and it already has a computer on board that will fly the jet, and even do an auto-land. Get rid of this robot, and you can keep the F/O's seat installed, and have a flight attendant join you for the trip. When you've got a robot that can make complex decisions, let me know. Until then, continue to crash as many Global Hawks as you like.

I have no doubt that this technology is great and advancing at an amazing pace. I agree that a "drop-in" system is significant, in that it could be much more quickly and cheaply entered into service. It's neat that it can takes commands but how does it do in non-normals? When will you board a passenger aircraft, look left and see this? I think it will be a LONG time, but then again, I was wrong once before. I'm not saying it's not coming, but here are what I see as greater obstacles to the pace at which this stuff is entered. 1. Emotion. Getting the flying public onboard with this is going to be an issue. Probably not a big deal for the younger generation however, not the same with the older generation. Hell, I'm technically a millennial and there is no way you would get me in a driverless uber or car anytime soon. Probably irrational, but I just don't trust it. I figure that buys this another decade or two. Then there are the afterthoughts of the German Wings incident when a single pilot was left to his own devices...maybe they'll install a "what are you doing Dave..." 2. Labor unions. Right now, contracts define who can fly a jet for their company. The Captain and First Officer are clearly defined and even referenced as him (must not have had AF sensitivity training). So the company is going to have to come to the union and ask for this "give." While we can argue how great some unions are, one thing is for sure...they love their dues money! This battle is probably THE ONE thing we could get EVERY pilot and pilot union behind! Imagine if every union pushed this to a strike and planes stopped flying. Airlines have become so big that, if just one of the big 3 didn't turn a wheel, it would cause harm to the economy. Now imagine if DAL/UAL/AAL/AK/JBLU/SWA/UPS/FDX all stopped flying at once! That would cause mass chaos and probably constitute a national emergency. 3. Work Rules. If you expect pilots to fly single pilot with HAL, then expect to pay out the ass for that remaining pilot. I would want the Captain AND First Officer pay rates combined and them some. Hours worked per day would need to come down dramatically (thus causing the need for more pilots). Right now we do trips where you takeoff with the dawn patrol to the west coast and land ~1000-1100. Then you go to the hotel for 12 hours, try to sleep during the day, then fly the redeye back to the east coast that night. No way you could still fly that rotation without another pilot. On some of our fleets, guys fly some incredibly long days, that cause even two man crew to call in fatigued. My gut tells me that many more do NOT call fatigued because they know they have another pilot to back them up. One pilot, even with the aid of HAL, couldn't do the entire trip. Now that I don't have another pilot to help with some of the administrative tasks, I'll need to report to work earlier...more pay! These are just a few of the many examples of lost efficiency that will go against any gains by going single pilot. 4. Automation. While great, is still far from perfect. I've had automatic uploads be completely out to lunch. CPDLC pushes not load properly. I've had the AP aggressively pitch over to 10-13 degrees nose low, in the weather, at the FAF...this was on a jet that had been on the line less than a month old. APs that decide when your 15 knots fast and 5 knots from overspeeding, decided that now is the time to ADD power. As a single seat guy, I walked into the airline gig thinking it was super easy, not sure why you needed two pilots, a few years flying here has changed my mind. While the job isn't necessarily hard for the experienced and properly trained aviator, I can't tell you how many time we've caught each others errors. Pilot error being one of the major causes of accidents...how many accidents were avoided because the other pilot trapped an error...unfortunately we'll never know. To those of you who've never flown in the airlines, I would bet you'd be surprised by the number, if there were a way to compile the data. 5. FAA Regulation. The bureaucratic nightmare that is the "snails pace" FAA is a major slow up in the process. Have you ever tried to get anything done quickly with these guys? Hell, even when they know it's right, it takes them forever and a day to get shit done. When the 737 fleet manager wanted to get a minor issue changed, he invited the FAA inspectors to a sim to prove his point. They agreed with the fleet manager and these guys were the dudes who had to sign it off...it still took years to get the change and even then it was more restrictive than what the fleet manager PROVED was good to go. 6. Politics. We have lots of pilots located within just a few major districts in the US (ORD/ATL/NYC/DFW/LAX/SEA). I suspect the labor unions would also be putting out ads spreading fear of "HAL" which would probably get more people to talk with their representatives. Not to mention more, good paying U.S. jobs lost. If this does start to work it's way in the commercial aviation, where do I see it going? I suspect it will be much like the plan that a RAND study laid out. Cargo carriers, initially flying from coastal cities to coastal cities across the ocean first. Then Cargo across the U.S. into sparsely populated areas. Once it's proven itself to a certain level of safety, only then will the FAA let it come to passenger carriers. This could easily take DECADES. As someone who has 30+ years left until mandatory retirement, this is on my radar scope, but it has a long way to go until I consider it "threat criteria" and ask for a split. However, it's always a good idea to realize the threat is there and have a game plan to deal with it.

Dude, you would be shocked at how false this speculation is. More and more OGs these days with fewer hours than the CGO IPs that they "lead". The typical exceptions have a patch on their arm, and a few others just maintain IP qual/proficiency just because they are good shit, bit they're going quickly the way of the dodo.

The statements I've quoted below, I believe, represent key differences between Democrat and Republican thinking. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_to_hide_argument I think Mueller is a great pick, but I disagree with the premise. A witch hunt against the political outsider is supposed to restore my faith in the government institutions? I have no doubt that if they could do it over, the party Republicans would reinstate the super delegates' ability to vote against their state (maybe throw in some coin flips) and rig the primaries like the Dems did so it could be Bush vs. Clinton, the ultimate showdown of the politically entitled.

Good discussion. I often hear some version of "the AF sucks at training tactical officers for leadership, we do it too late compared to the Army" or similarly worded observations. But you can be a technically proficient Army soldier as a 2LT, and OJT the details of soldiering while also leading 100 folks and learning that skillset; at least according to Army infantry folks I know. You can't do the same with an AF pilot; it takes years to grow a new pilot into a value added member of the SQ. That necessarily takes away early career opportunities to experience leading large organizations. Bottom line, spend an officers first 1-6 years leading people or honing airmenship (which involves tactical leadership). We can do one of those things, not both. In my opinion, this whole conversation speaks to the need for formally tracked AF officer aircrew paths. I think you should fly your full first operational tour then track either leadership (JQO, AF support functions, etc.) or tactical (which again, involves leadership of a different type). Some formal bifurcating of career trajectories would be a win-win for an individuals career aspirations and force management issues writ large. Too much time is spent by the system forcing people to do things they don't want, while willing volunteers for the same things become frustrated. We could solve that problem while deliberately growing folks into what they want and what the system needs. Great ideas at fixing these issues are out there and well know. The biggest obstacle is how to start. What authorities are required to initiate a change this large? Who are the stakeholders that need to be convinced, and can we speak intelligently to studies predicting the second and third order effects of said proposed change? What principals need to be philosophically aligned? What cabal of GOs will force this issue by socializing a consistent message at all internal & external levels? Those questions are the meat & potatoes of making any big change in a bureaucracy, and answers are totally lacking therefore change of this scope is not forthcoming.

The A-10 is back to 2035+; the 15C is the new kid on the "near term" chopping block. Point: Shit changes all the time and will change 69 times before you're even done with UPT. Go for the job you want as it exist today; do not alter your decisions/goals based on hypotheticals or possibilities of what the future MIGHT be, because nobody, especially the dipshits running the AF, has a clue what 1 yr from now looks like, let alone 10+ yrs from now.

Fast & Furious (with the Attorney General held in contempt of Congress for ignoring a document subpoena)/IRS targeting Tea Party/Benghazi/Clinton home-brew e-mail server that the POTUS knew about and used/etc, etc, et-bloody-c... And not one damn special counsel in 8 years. 120 days and being the majority party in both House and Senate, as well as the White House, and the GOP rolls over, even is rushing to the microphone to bellow "Watergate!" Leviathans don't diet...

Interesting point. You felt that event was adequately explained and the loss of life satisfactorily accounted for? That's a rhetorical question; I would not equate current events to Benghazi but I suppose that speaks to the increased polarization we're experiencing in our country.

What was the point of specifying in the JTR change that the fixed rate per diem was to allow travelers to find the "best value" if locations that provide it will result in "disciplinary action by the commander"?

Can it routinely and reliably catch human mistakes? That's what the other guy is really there for. One person is already capable of flying the airplane, turning knobs, and running the radios. I don't think this thing is somehow automatically better than having another set of eyes, ears, and most importantly, gray matter in the cockpit.

Nope, they'll just say the Justice department is biased because Trump runs it. The president looks bad and the people pushing this nothingburger are the same reason, in part, why Hillary lost, we are tired of the sky is falling.

SOS go home you're drunk and this is the promotion/PRF thread. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

In the AF, you are fit for command when you have demonstrated the ability to excel at Exec duties. I wished this was sarcasm...

Heard the airlines didn't send their CEO's and sent "reps" instead.

Are you freaking kidding me? If I get picked up above the zone I'm gonna be pissed. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I did the same thing as a Mx DO. The kids loved trying unsuccessfully to try and teach an officer to safety wire and turn wrenches. So when I told them I appreciate what they do, it seemed to mean more to them. Never saw the Sq/CC leave the office unless he was going to rub elbows with the Group. You may actually be my brother from another mother... I was adopted so it's possible... Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Guard-Prior Interview-Sep16 Selected-Oct16 FC1-Jan17 FC1 Approved-Feb17 NGB Approval and Training Dates-May 17 TFOT-July17 IFS-Sep17 UPT-Nov17 Edited February 27 by RunningMan

No no, WaPo had an anonymous source. Who ya gunna trust? I don't think this is about Trump anymore. I think it's very convenient for the opposition that's he's such a public persona disaster, because normally they have to completely invent things to be outraged about. But really this seems more like the desperate flailing of a party that has almost ZERO power at the federal, state, that local levels right now. And he may seem ridiculous on TV and Twitter, but so far his policies are not. This is how he got elected, folks. Act nuts, look nuts, sound nuts, but speak truths the other politicians won't speak. If he keeps hammering through on the action side of things (Gorsuch, dismantling EPA rules, undoing net neutrality, Obamacare repeal, immigration enforcement, etc), I don't think the people who fancy themselves "in charge" are going to be able to stop him. They failed quite spectacularly during the election, why should the same strategy work now? But if the investigation into Russian collusion yields nothing, he's going to be rubbing it in their faces very publicly in 2020 Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

That's insane. I found the best way to connect with my Marines when I was Airframes OIC, well second to taking one or two of them to the gym with me, was walking out to the flight line and asking what they were doing, then having them show me how to do it. That's a big difference between AF and Navy/USMC aviation - If it doesn't say we can't do it, then we can. We actually had a WSO Powerline OIC who got his turn qual to start the jets for Mx turns. The CO at the time actually wanted him to get a taxi qual so he could go do high power turns. He had this elaborate plan of setting up a course with cones out on the flight line and everything. Ultimately the WSO decided against it.

Honestly, I think automation's real near-term threat to airline jobs is not a reduction of the number of pilots needed per flight, but a simple reduction in demand for flights. We're (supposedly) five or ten years from a point where autonomous cars can drive point-to-point with no need for human oversight. What happens to the consumer demand for an airline ticket when that happens? I'd imagine a lot of people would be more OK with making a ten or twelve hour drive if they could sleep, drink, watch a movie, etc., during that drive. No security lines, bring all the liquids you want, pull over and grab a bite to eat, and you already have a vehicle at your destination. Obviously your NY to LA flights are probably safe, as is anything over water for obvious reasons, but I think driverless cars will effectively kill any airline routes shorter than an eight hour drive, and weaken the ones from eight to twelve hours.

I get it that airpower is more than just acronyms. But integrating airpower is also more than just airpower. Personal example: my job right now involves plan sourcing on a joint staff. Every single joint officer up here, regardless of service, understands that A-10s do CAS...the pointy end of the spear. Easy. The ground pounders make sure that they have JTACs as integral part of their units, and the JMD guys make sure there's the requisite number of 11F dudes on the JTF staff. The integrating I get to do is going back on all those TPFDDs and adding in the shaft to the spear...everything from maintenance, to logistics, to medical, to engineering. There are very few AF functional capabilities that stand alone. The AF as a whole (not just the operational side, as Beerman pointed out) does a pis-poor job of integrating our vertical stove-pipes such that our field grade officers, who are our face to the joint staffs (which actually fight wars, since services just organize, train, and equip, if I remember my ACSC correctly) understand how to do that.

Yes

The JTR still gives you this out: If…adequate Government quarters are available on the U.S. installation to which a Service member is assigned TDY, but the Service member chooses to use other lodging, the Service member is limited to the reimbursement cost of Government quarters on the assigned TDY installation (44 Comp. Gen. 626 (1965)). Table 2-14. on page 44 Other lodging chart.pdf

Can't do much with that weapon system without effectively leading and managing people...I'm pretty sure there are countless examples on this very forum of how the AF has failed to manage people. It doesn't do well to have billion dollar weapons systems sitting idle because all of our pilots have walked out the door because no one's doing leadership above the tactical level. I have no doubt every general in the AF can operate their weapon system effectively and I have no doubt they can tactically lead. It's the leadership of large and complex organizations that we're often missing. The problem is not lack of tactical leadership. But, we're not translating that tactical leadership into the large organization management skills that are required to run the AF. As a result, all of that tactical leadership is heading out the door. Quick side note, though...other services graduate to operational and strategic leadership much earlier than we do. As a result, we are behind when we sit on joint staffs. Joint staffs (specifically COCOMs) are what does the strategic and operational planning to fight the nation's wars. Those plans are what drives the demand for the combat power the AF provides. We need to make sure we're dialed into the bigger picture, while maintaining tactical expertise. It is garbage that some mission support O's are not dialed into the mission of our service...the questions you give above are pretty easy ones (although a non-pilot can't be a JFACC). I will say that the more successful ones who have risen to Sq/CC level and above that I've met are well aware of these things and don't lose an opportunity to connect their squadron mission with the wing and theater mission. I wouldn't expect them to know how to but an OCA package together, but knowing the acronym should be something they learned way back in per-commissioning, or at least ASBC/SOS.

Recently attended one - and had the exact opposite experience. It included some of the best one-on-one mentoring of my entire career, and has facilitated further discussion since then. Half-assing it sucks and I'm sorry to hear that not all are created equal. Like anything else, you get out what you put in - for the individual and the command, it seems. Chuck

This is a no kidding common sense solution to the reimbursement problem. Pay the member what they are owed, and make it a commander's issue to figure out if regs were broken without a good enough reason. It shouldn't be some Amn's authority to deny someone thousands of dollars because they didn't like the way they booked the room. If they really want the pound of flesh, the commander can give an article 15, and doc pay far less than what finance is trying to take away.

Do you contribute or just ask questions Scoobs, I mean caseyfl?

Same thing Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Really cuts down on the effectiveness of CRM, huh. The same CRM which has frequently been cited as a major contributor to aviation safety. Quote from APA.org: "While no one can assess how many lives have been saved or crashes averted as a result of CRM training, the impact has been significant. LOSA data demonstrate that 98 percent of all flights face one or more threats, with an average of four threats per flight. Errors have also been observed on 82 percent of all flights with an average of 2.8 per flight. Consistent with the outstanding safety record of commercial aviation, the great majority of errors are well managed and inconsequential, due in large measure to effective CRM practices by crews." Sent from my iPad using Baseops Network Forums

DARPA projects are all really inexpensive, economical solutions, I'm certain.

I think it was duck ;)

Sounds reasonable to me, Eric. I agree with you again, Eric. Although, I don't understand why you need to tell people this...I feel like some people have been going outside of the law and doing some very shady and unauthorized shit to make other people's lives miserable for basically no reason. ----Break, break... How is this communication not a positive thing, despite its shoe clerkiness. Use the system that's provided if you expect a vetted place to stay. If you choose not too, you are accepting risk. When it burns down and you get charred to a crispy crinkle, are you expecting them to pay out to your family even though you stayed in a place they consider non-conventional and not verified safe? Sometimes we bitch hard about a system that covers hundreds of thousands of people based on individual inconvenience. How should the system work? Stay where ever you want...get mugged, kidnapped, robbed, stabbed, shot, or raped and no big deal...we got you covered, just get that claim submitted and we'll pay out whatever. How is it supposed to work if it's not literally: there is a system to help you do it, you should use it, if you don't we'll still pay reasonably, you're taking some risks, they might have consequences...CC's, I expect you to deal with discrepancies appropriately. Finance A1C dip shlt acting on orders from NCO TSGt numb nuts...denying reimbursement up to the allowable rate at any time due to some perceived infraction rather than handing that perception over to the individual's CC (which should quickly be appropriately "filed") is where there is any issue. We need to simply start removing people, if lynching still isn't allowed. I'd be happy to see more emails like this...let the SQ/CC handle it, or more appropriately not...because they should be busy with real shit...like people getting told they got paid twice and having. Money taken from them when that is in fact complete bull shlt. I don't get the fuss, unless it's to bitch for the sake of bitching, in which case...carry on, Bendy Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I bet it will be like Benghazi. The opposition will not let it go.

The leviathan decided on November 9, 2016 that it would not go on a diet.

That applies to me. It is not a threat... at least not for the foreseeable future. If you're an airline pilot in your 40's, you've got nothing to worry about WRT this robot. As for the pilot shortage, I still do not believe it is here. United just hired a friend, and then a month later, changed their minds on his class date and rolled him 6 months. In fact, few if any new-hire classes until then. Shortage? The only shortage that exists is the one developing in the USAF.

3.4% BPZ. There's one pilot with a P and no IDE that made BPZ, good for him!

STOs/CROs probably do this, as do security forces and some elements in CE. Maintenance and LRS, I think, get good opportunities to lead sections/flights. However, when an Army/USMC captain is a company commander, he/she actually has UCMJ command authority. AF flight commanders (I'm sure there are exceptions) cannot issue Article 15s, etc. Being an actual commander on g-series orders is an order of magnitude different level than supervisory flight "commander." I think fliers/space dudes are at a huge disadvantage when they are suddenly thrust into Wing command. MXG officers get a pretty decent exposure to both supporting flying operations and the mission support side (through dealing with so many Airmen). MSG officers co-exist in a multi-function group of 6 different types of squadrons. Most fliers/space Os go from operations squadron commander of their primary type of squadron, to operations group commander of their primary type of group, to Wing commander of everything there is. And its all well and good to lead through your Group/CCs, until something comes out of left field that catches you off guard because you couldn't read the tea leaves because it's a whole other language (contracting, for example).

Am I the only one that noticed at 1:14 while setting the autobrakes it shoved the yoke forward? But hey it would prob b**** less about its wife than the actual FO.

Yeah, so a computer flew........another computer. Great. Real earth-shattering news....

The term "Fake news" is being misused now. "Fake news" is a teenager in a basement in Serbia writing headlines like "Clinton has Affair with Comey" and publishing it on iWashingtonPost.biz, a domain he just registered and designed to look exactly like the Washington Post site, then posting it on Facebook. Hopefully a legit news source retweets it. Or better yet, Sarah Palin. Millions of Facebook users blindly share it because the headline looks legit. Fake News is not an article written by the WashPo that uses anonymous sources that one day turn out to be wrong. That is just "wrong news" and legit journalists and editors by profession are supposed to stop the publishing of "wrong news." The Rolling Stone article on campus rape at UVA (i think) is one of the best modern examples of the failure of this system. Everyone knows all news sources have editorial bias that often appears in regular news reporting. Cable news has basically become 24 hour editorializing. But please' let's stop calling all news we disagree with "fake news".

An history of cryptorchidism (undescended testicle) is disqualifying for Flying Class I/IA, II, & III IAW line J51 of the Medical Standards Directory dated Nov 29, 2016. The reason why is due to a 2-8 times increased risk of developing testicular cancer. This is a DoD standard that applies to the Services IAW DoDI 6130.03. 1) You would need a waiver for appointment, enlistment, or induction into the military. 2) You would need a waiver for USAF aviation. I would prior to the MEPS physical get a urologist to give my balls a good going over and a clean bill of health. You want a statement from said doctor that you have no pain or other problems with your junk. There needs to be a statement of other risk factors such as personal history of testicular cancer, family history of testicular cancer, Caucasian race, or any environmental exposures that would increase risk of testicular cancer. Collect all records pertaining to your nut sack including the surgery to fix your hidden ball and take it to the MEPS. When the time comes do the same for the flight doc. No need for another Urologist visit prior to the flight doc visit though if done prior to MEPS. I think a waiver is likely but will be a pain in ass. But you won't mind cause the joy of flying is on the other side of the nut roll. The alternative is keep your mouth shut hoping you don't get caught and that your future flight docs catch the testicle cancer if it comes up later. BTW, testicular cancer is usually painless but 30% have painful unilateral mass in the cancer nut.

You mean every USAF base Class VI doesn't carry Weed? The USAF is fucked, gentlemen.

Like anything worthwhile it starts with a grassroots effort. It took us a year and a half just to get commercial Wi-Fi in our squadron. I'd think AETC would have more motivation than anyone to modernize. Hire a bunch of nerds from Apple and Google, put iPads in everyone's hands, develop apps...you could be filling out gradesheets and 781s on a TIMS app when you're taxiing in. Throw up a playback of the flight on an Apple TV in the debrief. Tons of ways to leverage technology to make us better. But no...we're going to keep paying millions of dollars for f*cking ePex! But I digress.

You are welcome to vote, but there is a $75.00 charge to do so.