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Concur. Now can we get back to when that Japanese kid down the street is going to pay me my owed reparations for Pearl Harbor? I’ve suffered long enough...

Read Bacevich before but do not actively follow and have read several MLK speeches/letters, not claiming in anyway to be an authority on either men or their work but don't see the problem (perhaps I'm assuming you think I was being passive/aggressive/asshole-ish) in posting it as an example of the next great frontier likely to come from the radicalized left. Not saying Bacevich is the vanguard of that but he is adding his voice to a chorus I don't think he fully appreciates what they are really singing... His wiki is worth a read and I know who he is, not a career academic who never did anything other than pontificate about the theoretical, never sacrificed anything and petulantly judgmental of others who have fought, lost and sacrificed for others. I respect him but disagree with him. Thoughts on the argument(s) laid out in the piece? In reference to MLK's original point on the trifecta of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism being sins the USA is uniquely guilty of and to be expunged if we are to fulfill our destiny? That these are interconnected cultural pathological tendencies that are we suffer unduly more than others from? Quite simply no,. He is confusing national policies with the millions of choices of individuals on what they wish to do with their wealth, doesn't like the fact that most people are not interested in spending an inordinate amount of money on others and chooses to chide them for it in a sly manner by impugning their nation/culture/country is uniquely worse than others, despite about a metric shit of ton of reality to the contrary. Lecturing others on why they should spend their money on others and deny themselves the fruits of their labor, beyond a reasonable point, is ridiculous. It is not his or King's place to berate Americans that they have a responsibility beyond what their personal conscience dictates. If Bacevich were lecturing all other citizens of the developed and rich world, he might have a leg to stand on in this point, but he doesn't so until I see him publish a world wide call to global charity outreach for all, I and other free Americans will do what we think is right and what is legally required with our money. He confuses historical cultural problems that others now long dead created as the sin of the living now and berates them because they live their lives in recognition of the consequences now of those damn mistakes. Certain communities of people have higher rates of anti-social behavior not because they are biologically predisposed to it but because people long dead now made choices that set them up in a worse starting position when we all start the game of life. I believe we can deliver additional resources to those communities in ways that are not punitive to others and generate the least amount of resentment. Decrying Americans as especially racist because they see with eyes the problems our society has and sometimes make reasonable choices based on that, sometimes they could make better choices than they do and rarely they make wrong choices based on that is unfairly high bar. Again, if he applies this judgement to the other developed and wealthy countries, we can have a discussion but singling us out as uniquely bad is wrong, unacceptable and misses on many levels. Militarism, NOT an American sin and if you like the Liberal International Order, he had better come to peace with the fact that the world is not exactly a safe place. Lots of bad people have military power and are willing to use it in ways we and other nations that ascribe to a liberal enlightenment set of values would not. Say what you will, but we are likely the most benign global hegemonic power to date. It's not that we're so bad, it's that the world is so violent. Thankfully it is getting less so compared to previous decades and we can certainly improve the way we and the other usual suspects deter aggression, secure the global commons, promote trade and communication, etc... but it is necessary if we want to be the ones who set up the game, enforce basic rules and try to keep it fair. From what I've seen of the other contenders for our position, the world better grow a brain and help us keep it together, I doubt very seriously they would like it if the other guy takes the helm. That's it, that's all I got. Bracevich and King have a point, just not an argument to judge ourselves so harshly as they opine. America is good, Western Civilization is awesome, the alternatives to free markets and individual freedom/choice are awful.

That's not due to healthcare costs, its due to personal choice. I'll be for universal healthcare when everyone has to take a fitness test and do a body comp test.

If you fly a jet to the boneyard you should get to keep something from the aircraft.

No thanks. I don’t care to wait for access to medical care. Both countries have people coming to the US (as does every other country) to get health care because the US sets the medical health care standard. It’s that good. And it’s available. It may not be cheap but I’m okay with that. I work hard so that I’ll have access. I’m not in favor of others using the product of my labor for their own shortcomings and desires instead of maintaining their own health. No where are we told we are going to have a fair life. In fact you being where you are in life increases in equality of outcome not decreases it. And that’s a good thing.

APKWS is where it’s at.

Ya I got the MASSIF, I really like it. It cuts the wind pretty well. Coldest I’ve worn it is probably 20 degrees F. Did a good job. It also does pretty well on those border line days where you might want a jacket but maybe not. I haven’t worn it in awhile but I think it has zippers that go from the arm pit down a ways to let it breath. Massif also makes a lighter weight jacket that basically is just a shell. It’s good for rain (minus a hood though) or those days it’s not chilly but there is a chilly breeze. edit to add, I really liked it in Cannon, which can be similar environment to Texas depending where you are. Also was great in Afghan in the winter when the nights were chilly but it warmed up in the day.

I have both. The Massif is fairly hefty, I don't wear that one too much unless I'm going to be outside for a while and it's pretty cold/windy. I'm in between a L/L and a M/L on that one but sized up for layering underneath it. Sizing chart they have is pretty accurate. The ECWCS is a decent jacket for a USGI item. It's pretty thin but does a decent job blocking wind. Breathes better than the waterproof ECWCS jacket and was what I wore for most of the past winter in northern VA. Packs down fairly small so it's easy to keep in a bag.

Technically not a flying video, but probably the best walk around of the Hog you'll find on U-Tube!

Yes AFSOC is getting 3x A-29‘s for CAA training and will be stationed at Hurlburt. ACC is getting 3x AT-6’s for JTAC training and OT&E and will be stationed at Moody. The LA and AO requirements are substantially different.

Too bad, because from my vantage point as a contractor at a SPO, he's done some great things in this world. Would love to see him stay in the position longer. Dude's 41 years old. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/1467795/dr-will-roper/

They already sent out interview results a few weeks back

I feel like my beef is more in his lack of initiative to take any responsibility for the situation. I haven't read the SIB yet however I think blaming a squadron commander for prioritizing operations is a bit short winded. Unless the Sq/CC was delibertly cooking the books on his training I fail to see how a community that prides it's culture in doing whatever it takes to get the mission done is solely responsible for this tragedy.

That thought process is still happening; the bros did a good job of weeding it out at the interviews. Any U-2 pilot worth a sh1t is a proud UCD-wearing recce professional, not somebody looking to use it as a stepping stone.

Oh man, this reminds of some ridiculous shit wrt medals. I once got an MSM as a Capt because our (loaned to us from the staff) OG was passed over for O-6 the first time. He found out through his "bro network" that part of the reason was because he didn't have an MSM, because apparently every O-5 should have X-medals (WTF?!). So anywho...viola, a few months later, nearly the entire squadron gets an MSM, because "he doesn't want that happening to us in the future." Funny enough the next WG/CC (loaned to us from active duty) shows up and freaks out because I'm now a Major with 2 MSMs and no AF commendation medal. Guess who got to write his own AFCM...SO DIRTY! Silly me, I thought medals were meant to be for people who stood out and did good shit, not just another checkbox for promotions. The bull shit we worry about...

Sure, I'll speak the quiet part: It's an insidious, but ultimately purposeful greening of the force, combined with inherited legacy fleet age issues. Planets align as they're destined to, and you get the swiss cheese thing and people die. Big blue has a number they're willing to tolerate while gaslighting you with bullshit SIIs; they're just not gonna tell ya what that number is. So check six, and internalize what you signed up for when you agreed to this shit. No right or wrong answer as far as quitting, but folks better understand what the they got themselves into.

Why does the healthcare discussion always revolve around public vs private funding of the same bill instead of figuring out how to lower the bill? There is a missing root cause analysis discussion. All we hear are the simple 30s sound bites that conform to the party line.