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I’ll dress how I please and stand on my porch how I please. Shooting taxpayers/property owners is a great way to lose community support. That’s after letting rioters run rampant for 3 days. good news: heavy handed police tactics will make firearms ownership more prevalent and acceptable. I want everyone who can legally be armed to be armed.

Do the CMSgt of the AF comment's make anyone else feel uneasy? It's not the content of the message that worries me, although there are some points I disagree with, but its a military member openly commenting on what in many respects is a political issue and using the uniform as a vector for that message.

“I’m a white guy” - good for you? Systematic racism means that the system is inherently racist, it means that we have laws that are racist. Can you point me to a single law that allows discrimination based on skin color? I.e, being black. Racism isn’t a problem unique to white people or Americans. We should welcome peaceful protest and dialogue, from all sides. Rioters and looters deserve to be thrown in jail and I’m glad we have a President with the galls to address it and take action. -Not a white guy

For what reason? Maybe I had a different experience, but since retiring my attitude is: What's there to hate on bros about? Hell, I don't even really hate on Navy pilots anymore either, despite their known shortcomings as both men and aviators.

CMSAF sounds pretty racist.

I hate Guard and Reserve guys. All of them. Even my friends. I hate them. Day 1 of UPT, we were in the Laughlin auditorium, sitting there to get our foot prints taken in our Blues, and each of us asking the other what we wanted to fly. "I want to fly the F-15"... I want to fly the KC-10"... ... ... ... The one Reservist in our class: "I'm going to fly the F-4". Us: "What do you mean you're 'going to fly the F-4' "? Him: "I'm a Reservist". Us: "So? What does that mean?" (note: this was before the internet, where you could find out all about the Reserves without lifting a finger) Him: My unit is at Wright-Patt. We have F-4's there, and that's what I'll fly." Us: "Wait... what?... Hey!! You KNOW what you're going to fly already?? Maj XX, can I transfer to this Reserve thing, sir??!!!!" You guys all suck... and we hate you.

The problem is that we now call every time a black persons is killed by a White person = racism. I saw a shitty cop doing shitty work and someone needlessly died. I didn’t see a guy getting killed for his skin color. But I got called a racist online because I asked why trump was being blamed. Racism is an easy label to politicize therefore pushed by the media a lot. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Can’t even tell if this is sarcasm. I was accused of ruining someone’s night the other day because she was soooooo upset I dare foster a different viewpoint. Imagine if I was trying to start shit. America needs to toughen up. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

A few units I have applied to have asked for them. Pretty similar to the letter of interest mentioned before and the letter of intent example. Big thing is to explicitly say exactly what you are applying for: unit, location, airframe, board date (like Summer 2020). The units that put the most emphasis on these letters were the ones that had postings for CSOs or other airframes, so they must have had issues where folks didn't make it clear what they were applying for.

Mods... Perhaps it's time to break this discussion out into its own thread?

That's not the definition of racism. But yes, the second and third order effects of overwhelmingly-liberal policies are exactly to blame for the disparate outcomes between the races in America. Will they ever see that? Nope. Double down and just keep doing what doesn't work.

ADMIN NOTE: The video and discussion concerning the police shooting paintballs at people on their front porch has been moved to the 'WTF? (**NSFW**) thread...

I assume you aren't talking about the lady narrating the video wearing jeans and a grey top; you must be referring the teenager wearing a black Jersey that was shot. Yup, fucking vandal for sure. He should have known to watch YouTube and dress the opposite of rioters, whatever that is. Definitely deserved it. I’m sure now he’ll grow up respecting cops.

You keep saying ‘dressed a certain way.’ Aside from being irrelevant, it appears factually untrue from different angles. Evidence for your claim? As to common sense, if the police had any we might not be in this situation...

Quibbling. There is zero justification or legality for homeboy to roll down your street and shoot at you with ANYTHING for not obeying an order issued less than 15 seconds from being shouted out. I would have had the exact same reaction as the people filming.

Correct Huggy, steel toes are not approved for flight in the AF, and I think Navy required it only if you had ops on carrier flight decks. (It’s been a long long time since NAS Corpus Christi though!)

I just broke out a pair of new-old-stock Addisons that I've been hoarding for like 15 years so I can get out of the "warbird-pilot-athletic-shoes-and-flight-suit" club.

That's what it looks like^^^(If this is the video?): "Light 'em up!" Tanya Kerssen video: National Guard, Minneapolis Police Department porch shooting"

It mainly stems from the older management types that had been out of the military for quite a while, who still think the ANG/AFRES are flying clubs. One of them didn't believe me when I told him how many times I've deployed as a Guardsman. Hell, we still occasionally deal with this type of shit from AD folks, when we're deployed. In all fairness, the only reason I knew about the ANG was because I asked my high school guidance counselor what paid the best for college. He handed me a ANG pamphlet and said there is a Fighter Wing 1.5 hours north and they paid 100% tuition. Best thing that ever happened to me.

Now this is discourse. Thank you for your points and links. I completely think that this was a terrible event. I also think that racism is real and needs to be dealt with. I think that the riots are wrong and the protests done with action with them aren’t really protests. They are knowingly or unknowingly furthering others agenda which has nothing to do with racism. Doesn’t matter what my race is. But what I will say is I felt awful and can easily admit that’s one of the worst videos imaginable. Regardless of anyone’s actions to get to that point. It was flat out awful and there should be a process and they should face the justice system and held accountable for their actions. And that is the same thing I am espousing for individuals as a whole. Everyone is held accountable for their actions. Not to be able to blame them starting fires, burning down cities, killing and injuring innocents because society put them in a bad spot. I will read that post. Thanks for the comments and openness.

I'll admit my squirrel quip was in poor taste which why I liked diggler's post. I'll own what I wrote. I still thought it was funny, however... As to the, to me, pointless conversation about race: best I can do is treat people like I want to be treated. The ol' Golden Rule. Dang it, that's probably metallism or something, so I need to be re-educated. Meanwhile, if somebody is polite to me, I will respond the same or even initiate politeness. If someone is a douche to me, that is not a skin color, that is a character flaw. I don't take responsibility for anyone else's actions. I don't expect anyone to take responsibility for mine. Oh, and the cop that started this round of "you're a racist, you're a terrorist" has something like 17, I say again, 17, formal, documented complaints/investigations against him. I'm thinking that the Minneapolis PD leadership and/or union hold just a touch more responsibility for him still being a cop and able to do what he did (although I'd like to see the judicial system play out before anyone convicts him. Always more than one side to a story.) than I do.

I hesitated to use that article because it was from WaPo, but I decided to go with it based on the merits of the article itself, and its apparent presentation of all sides. 1st-My point on emotion is that I am not using it to make/deliver my position. That being said, I absolutely believe an emotional investment to this topic is needed. Emotional attachment does not negate a fact based argument. 2nd-Evidence provided. I apologize for not providing it upfront. I believe anyone who is a critical thinker should be able to, with .01 seconds be able to find countless articles backing up everything, so I admit to being guilty of not providing the evidence up front. 3rd-The tone of your posts, and even the use of the word “liberal” makes it an easy inference that you are applying that logic to anyone who disagrees with your position. No stretch by any means. 4th-I used the words “high moral ground” (sarcasm intended) because of statements you make like this. Your condescension is clear when you act holier than thou because of a simple error in attribution. I did not realize we were in a LD debate where scores mattered. Again, I’m not using emotion in anything I’ve posted. Your highly sarcastic statements, tendency to claim superiority (i.e. many comments like “that’s just weird”, “i have trouble wanting... if you can’t get the basics... correct”, “kinda weird way...”). Your statements do not enhance or improve your side, but imply superiority. Based on how you have replied to everything else, this paragraph will be dismissed out of hand, again, with a snide remark or sarcastic question. Please show me any personal attacks I have made outside of where I said you “appear to be incredibly agitated.” If that was taken as a personal attack, I apologize. Making a statement about my perception of how you appear to be agitated does not meet the standards of a personal attack unless that standard has changed... I’m glad you say you’ll give it a fair shake. That’s all anyone can hope for. Maybe you agree, maybe you don’t. As for what do I suggest, I think this is exactly what needs to happen. Civil discussion that highlights the issues, both sides. If we can discuss things without resorting to real personal attacks, neither argument/position should be dismissed out of hand. If we can discuss it, we can be aware of the potential pitfalls out there that we may not know about now. I did not claim there are no racist people at the top. I mentioned how the author of the article says that a system can be biased/racist without having intentionally racist people in control. I stand by that. An individual can be ignorant (not the negative connotation of ignorant) of what is happening, and think everything is okay. Take FLEA’s point about socio-economic situations. For argument’s sake, let’s say he is correct. If I’m not mistaken, your current position is that people should be able to extract them from their origins and make something of themselves regardless. Absolutely a valid point. Many have done exactly that. That does not negate the fact that it is substantially more difficult for someone in that situation to do it than, say, a middle-class white kid who played rec soccer, was in a class where they didn’t ever worry about gangs, etc. Remember, we’re pretending FLEA’s premise is accurate. Someone who was ignorant of the difficulties faced by minorities might not see that they are presented with drastically different life choices at every step of their life. Much harder to make good choices with maybe an addict mother, absent father, living in the projects. Go to school or join a gang to 1-provide protection from other gangs 2-get a sense of family they don’t get at home 3- earn money to support themselves or younger siblings because their parents didn’t make good life choices 4-many other things. That kid is much more likely to end up in the system than that white kid. Cops are much more likely to think that kid is guilty of doing something than the white kid. He’s much more likely to get stopped, then annoyed because it’s the 8th time he’s been stopped that month. Then he’s more than a little frustrated and gives more attitude than he should. Then he gets arrested. White kid, if he does get stopped at all, isn’t annoyed, listens to the officer, and then moves on his way. None of that excuses the black kid’s actions, but it should shed some light on why he feels that way. I’m not perfect, so I know I’d lose my temper eventually. Ignoring that life is more difficult for people of color doesn’t make it any less true. If you need evidence for that, ref my earlier post with a ton of studies demonstrating what I’m talking about plus a bunch of other scenarios. Having been in leadership positions, I know I have been ignorant of things going on beneath my level. Maybe I’m just the only one to ever have been guilty of that. I doubt it. Lastly, I typically hate these internet arguments. They are largely pointless, but I feel like we are now at that point where it is so important to have the discussion. Even if one person is swayed, and everyone else thinks I’m just a crazy person, I’ll be happy with that. I appreciate you engaging. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So glad you posted that. I remember it happening, but hadn’t seen it. That was awesome! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So AETC is teaching people how not to take stock of their world and succeed in-spite of it? To be a victim and blame others and society? That’s a big reason all of this exists. Everyone’s a victim Flea? You are your decision? You don’t have money? It’s because you didn’t work for it or save what you did get not because the man is keeping you down. Don’t sink to that cop out mentality. It’s flat wrong. No one will get ahead of their own woes thinking like that. Everyone’s life has unique struggles that we have to overcome. It’s what you do that makes you who you are not what you let happen to you. If I was to go off what you are saying, then you are saying no black person should ever get ahead because society is built that way. That’s super racist man. Really. Let’s hope that the Air Force isn’t teaching that.

I don't want to be the "another video guy," but this (short) double landing from 2018 has some entertainment value:

This never gets old.

In my experience, some of the worst haters of the ARC pilots are the management guys (pilots) who did all their time AD and were never in the Guard/Reserve.

Nothing to do with toughen up. America needs to do away with systemic racism. Period. Dot. Things about MLK not rioting are missing the point. Rioters are stupid, but the majority of people are peacefully protesting. White people love to dismiss the actions of racist bigots as not representative of the majority, but are quick to accuse an entire race of being guilty of something when it fits their narrative. I’m a white guy. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ShadyImaginativeGrison-mobile.mp4 Different angle for the Falcon recovery landing. The video of that landing cut out while I was watching on nasa.gov. Sweet shot. Talk about the proverbial “heaving postage stamp”. Holy crap.

....Diversity and Inclusion Task force!?!

Did I I just see a cop shoot at people standing on their porch? Tell me there’s more to this I’m not seeing...

Never mind. Found it. FLEA. Slackline. You wanted to kick someone out? This dude is 20 kinds of wrong and needs to be not only booted from his position but looked at for charges. The entire officer and enlisted force in the US Air Force should seek this dudes firing. This is a $hit example of who people should strive to be. Embarrassing. Has any chief of the AF ever said anything so stupid? https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/policy/defense/500589-top-air-force-enlisted-officer-speaks-out-on-racial-injustice-i-am-george%3famp