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NS, it's interesting for me to go back and read your assessments of current events before we knew what we know now regrading the complete BS of the Russia collusion investigation. Turns out the "open investigation of Trump ties to Russia" was made up lies from Russia, paid for by the DNC, used as a source for the FISA wire taps, and have thus far produced nothing but embarrassment for the FBI. In light of the constant flow of information daily about just how corrupt this Russian collusion narrative really is, have you begun to revise your earlier assessment on the story?

Wanted to get advice on my chances with my scores and current situation. I'm currently a non-rated active duty O-3 in the Air Force trying to get picked up by a reserve heavy unit. I am 27 turning 28 in February, so age is getting close, but I am already over the 5-yr Total Federal Commissioned Services requirement and would need an Exception To Policy (ETP). I am only just now a month past my 5-yr date. I would also need to Palace Chase, if picked up in early 2018, and would be asking for 6 months off my current Active Duty Service Commitment. Undergraduate GPA: 3.35 Masters GPA: 3.38 (2/3 complete) AFOQT: P 97, N 99, AA 62, V 83, Q 42 PCSM: 89 w/63 hrs (93, 96, 98 in next three tiers) PPL Initial Flight Class I Approved My letters of recommendation are: my former squadron commander, my current supervisor, a friend/coworker (reserve C-17 pilot), and my father-in-law (retired reserve C-141 pilot). I have visited my ideal unit once and plan to visit again next month. I have strong connections to the area around the unit. Both my wife and I are from there and our families are mostly all still in the area. We are looking to settle down and I would be seeking a long term position with the unit and would likely pursue an ART position. As a result I am initially only applying to that unit. If I am not selected, I plan to blast my application to various units as I will be pushing the age limit.

We all work within the laws/rules that benefit ourselves the most, don't like it, change the law or make different life choices. People get butthurt for all different reasons, but that is their problem.

If you fully intend to bail before you even get off probation, I think you're not ready to switch. Guys do it, the companies can't stop you, but IMHO it's sketchy and makes it harder for those that follow you. Edit: I say they can't stop you but that's only true to an extent. Urban legend has stories of D firing guys that dropped long term mil right after indoc. You sign something before class saying you have no long term mil orders planned for 90 days or something.

How do the different majors look at/feel about mil leave IRT timing of indoc/training? Part of me is starting to think it'd be a loss to not get the foot in the door now, but on the other hand I'm not ready to be a part timer, at least for the foreseeable future. Meaning, I don't want to go fly the line for a year, then drop orders, preferably would do it far earlier than that. Is that a pipe dream? Depend on the company? The alternative is shitcan the idea, but then I'll likely be 40-something and wishing I'd done it earlier (get a line # that is).

Safety Report is out. Ask your local FSO to pull up the brief from AFSAS. Him Him

Since Turkey is really only interested in bombing the PKK, seems like overkill.

Sent

as I said, noble, but not sustainable. i don't think you can legitimately argue that our freedom was free. it came at a cost. when you obtain something through sacrifice, it is the very definition of having been "earned". how you think or feel about a law is of no consequence. laws do not govern thoughts or feelings. how you act or behave is of consequence. if you abide by a law you disagree with, you accept it. would you mind giving and example of a law you are deregulating?

so you're willing to give up some of your freedoms and liberties so others can enjoy all of theirs, but you don't expect or trust those same people with the smallest and most necessary tasks. imagine if WWII volunteers rejected draftees. imagine if parents never required children to earn the things they enjoy. what would that generation look like?

If we would just get back to the Constitutional method of declaring war, the arguments for needing a draft lose steam. Right now we are engaged in de facto WW3 against militant Islam, but Congress and the general public have yet to realize that fact. Under an almost 20 year old AUMF, we now have troops and/or have taken action in Libya, Somalia, Niger, Djibouti, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. I’m sure I missed a few, and there seems to be no end in sight. The War Powers resolution limits troop commitments to 60 days without further approval from Congress. The 2001 AUMF specifically addressed those responsible for 9/11 and ‘associated forces.’ We’ve gone way beyond that in the last 16 years. If we started making law makers actually vote to send our kids into harms way like they should, they would have more to answer to their constituents for. While drafting Congressmen’s kids into the military may have more effect, at least making them go on the record about military action makes them take a stand and show leadership. We shouldn’t be fighting without a clear mission, a clear finish line, and then a clear exit strategy. If you’ve ready history about our involvement in Afghanistan, it illustrates how we just keep creating monsters unintentionally with short sighted goals. It kills me to see us making the same mistakes every 10 years. I don’t want my kids to have to suffer for that in the next few decades.

In my perfect little world that won't ever exist, if you graduate high school and enlist in the military, you get college paid for, if you want to go back in after college, you go in as an Officer. If you don't want to join the military, but you still want college paid for, you do some sort of peace corps for America. You go be a part of civil service programs all across the country, just like the military you don't get a choice where you go, then you go to college. Either way, we pull Americans out of their sheltered little lives and expose them to the rest of this country, while simultaneously serving the country and it's diverse population and needs. What does this do? Maybe after working side by side with people of different ethnicities, skin colors, religious etc, people get more tolerant. Vice just staying in their town surrounded by the same ol same ol. More buy in, more tolerance (hopefully), more leaders and generations who feel like they did something for the US and they want to protect what they invested in.

Tammy Duckworth getting in front of cameras to having a “don’t lecture me!” Session was completely BS. Like if anybody sitting in Congress knows what this is doing by simply turning off The continuous cycle of force generation it’s you. You were a LtCol... you sat at the head of the table during battalion staff training calendar development. You know exactly what you voted for when you said “no, I’d rather we shit it down.” The same dipsticks that were months ago screaming about why we didn’t have more help into Puerto Rico are now fine with the guard losing two training days off the Calendar to make a political statement. Guess when the guard in particular trains... the weekend. Guess who we call on to fill sandbags, put up aid stations, and drive aid convoys when the first line is overwhelmed... the guard.

I’m not for conscription as I said in my first post I just wouldn’t take it off the table. There would be problems definitely in security, quality of effort, morale and discipline no doubt but IF a surge in manpower was required by military necessity and conscription was the only means to meet it so be it. Conscription may be antithetical to Liberty but the Constitution is not a suicide pact and it provides sanctioned prescriptions to preserve it and the nation should the need arise that in other situations would violate the rights of her citizens.

Hey all thanks for your replies and support. Just wanted to let you know I was picked up by a heavy unit. I think it was the interview that sealed the deal. To anyone in a similar situation just keep getting after it and your time will come. I talked to units that told me I need my PPL, I need to retake the AFOQT, I need to enlist first or I wouldn't qualify for this or that reason. Just keep sending out apps, visiting units, and interviewing to raise your chances.

So you stand against the law, but not enough to suffer discomfort (whatever consequence is currently tied that law) to see it repealed. Dr. King has some words of wisdom in that arena. Stating the specific law you're fighting against would make this a much more productive discussion as the root morality of that law should be the topic of debate. Clearly you think the law immoral (from your perspective) and wish it repealed, yet elected officials (past or present) disagree. Is that on the mark? P.S. In my opinion, your statement on "inalienable rights" and how we are born into those rights is the modern entitlement generation's interpretation of a concept our founding father's laid down...not the founding father's original interpretation. The father's meant it from a core of duty and responsibility, "millennials" (the attitude, not the birthdate) mean it as their birthright, not something to be earned and upheld. They want to fight FROM that right, not FOR it. Our modern interpretation of those "inalienable rights" is what will bring America to its knees because it breeds entitlement, not responsibility. P.P.S. I think the draft should only exist during times of crisis and absolute need (i.e. not now). Draftees would universally lower our fighting edge. I agree that if the whole nation feels the pain of the conflict and has to pay the price (WWII) the quality of the nation improves. What that price is forced on them (Vietnam), resentment takes deep root and nothing good comes from it.