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Good time to go get a few face tattoos lol.

My comment was obviously in jest. Unfortunately I've worked with many Washington Staffers both on the hill and in the big house. I thought the ones one the hill were bad until I met a few supporting the NCS and CoS' office. Obviously all those Ivy Leaguers need a little something to keep them going as they tell us how to act while they rule the world. The part that gets me, it was reported today the Secret Service has approximately 500 suspects and they are closing the case after having interviewed how many of them...take a guess?

...and if you fail? Wonder if they make these guys do OPRs? That could be fun...I'm here, I show up on time, most days. old guys showing up for their PT test.

I think most people are calm about this, most realize they're likely not going to be picking up a rifle. However, even if it is a gig sitting in AOC at Ramstein, sipping Hefeweizen, I still don't want to go. I've given enough of my life on activations that were a complete waste of time/money. Now if you tell me it's a nice backwater assignment to a small, Mediterranean coastal town, that I can bring the lady... Then I could be coaxed into being OK with being called out of retirement. LOL jk, I'd still pass if able. Life is finally damn good right now, with plenty of time to do the shit I really want to do. If I wanted to go to Europe and drink their beer, I'd go on a vacation.

I know your frustration, overmanned FPs while trying to learn the mission and flying once in a blue moon is frustrating. Hang in there, everything in the Air Force ebbs and flows. I too was in an overmanned FP squadron flying 2.69 hours a month… then two years later I got 400+ hours a year. However, your comments about “pretending to be tactical” are concerning. You must have shitty IP/FGO leadership if you do not understand the value of the herk in the next fight. PM me and I would be happy to discuss more on a different forum if you would like.

I know you're trolling, but the bolded line is perfectly timed! Well done. LOL.

You’re literally commenting on a thread named after the President’s drug addicted son. If you want to make the site better, by all means do so.

Well... if you turn off PCS' to EUCOM, you need to send Reserves to EUCOM. Someone's gotta do the work! Duh!

I finally fucking retire and our leaderships sheer incompetence and lack of leadership might be pulling be back in....mother fuckers! I'm all for doing my duty because our nation is at war and we need people to fight. But being recalled because our leadership has fucked away morale/retention so bad that they can't fill required billets, would really piss me off (my old squadron alone, has two guys volunteering to fill these spots). If I wasn't returned to my flying unit in a flying billet (retired 1JUL), then don't expect a troop that is your typical guy who is chasing the next assignment/award/etc... In all actuality, I'm not too worried about this. I think this is just a play to open up funding to get more MPA orders for ARC people go fill spots in EUCOM (or wherever else...). Funny enough, I saw this link posted on another forum. I'm certainly not condoning this, and I'll do what's asked of me, because that's what I agreed to do by staying affiliated and in the IRR. But this got me to thinking, what do they do with people who are out and doing drugs? Admittedly, I haven't looked into this at all, but these cats say that if you don't actually report, you're not subject to the UCMJ. If you do report, you're immediately subject to the UCMJ. Resist the IRR

Concur, make a difference, have fulfillment and purpose. You can always make a ton of $ later if that is your goal. You get one life, make it count and leave a positive impact. Having been on the outside for a bit now there is a transferable skill most in the military learn regardless of AFSC, LEADERSHIP. Industry is HUNGRY for leaders and veterans tend to have the type of leadership qualities that separate them from their peers. Most of us view our time in the military as a period where we learned a skill and to follow a chain of command. While that is true the U.S. military at least attempts to train people to execute based on commander's intent. For USAF people here we know one of our basic tenants of airpower is centralized control, decentralized execution. Yes I know we often do a terrible job of sticking to this, but at a basic level we are trained to think, assess, and adjust to accomplish a mission based solely on commander's intent. We are also used to being on a team and the ability to lead and serve on a team sets you apart from the herd. I can't tell you how many projects I've worked where other members of the so called team had information they didn't want to share until they were certain they would get credit. Whether you fly a Raptor, drive a tank or are a TOW missile operator, you have skills you don't yet fully realize and you stand a much greater chance of success on the outside. IMHO one of the main issues on the enlisted side is how liberalism has shaped the image of service. If you are bored take a few minutes to Google LA Times and NY Times articles on JRTOC programs...you will find interesting quotes like "they target us"...."we are a juicy target"..."our kids are pushed into military service"..."a Trojan horse targeting students in low-income minority schools with high dropout rates." Liberal thought leaders and institutions have shaped a negative narrative about military service and used that wedge to drastically reduce if not completely eliminate JROTC programs in most liberal states. Currently JROTC is in just 10% of schools nation wide, in dense liberal population centers that number drops to far below 10% (New England 5% - California 6%). Conversely, upwards of 65% of public schools in Louisiana Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina have JTROC. Not surprisingly 41% of all military recruits come from the south, 45% of all recruits come from a high school with a JRTOC program. In other threads folks have debated the good and bad of JRTOC programs. DoD recently put in a large effort to address many of the problems other have noted. While the programs say they are not about recruiting there is obviously a pathway to military service for those that participate. That being said, numerous studies have shown that students who participate in JROTC programs have better attendance, grades, and graduation rates relative to students who were in general academic programs.

I'm not sure there's a point in joining during the post-war periods. Obviously if you don't have other options, sure, but I started at the Academy in 03 when military appreciation was sky-high and the budget was booming. By the time I got out in '17 the silliness was outweighing the serve-your-nation pretty significantly. I was thoroughly unimpressed with the O-6+ cadre who seemed to think mentorship was telling you how awesome it was for them as CGOs and how they didn't understand why my generation doesn't want to stay in (without ever seeming to realize pre-9/11 O-club antics were long dead by the time we commissioned). Then of course the obligatory lecture on how you were a bad officer and bad person if you needed more than 3 drinks to have a good time, from the dude with a bottle of scotch in his desk. Unserious leaders in unserious times makes for a pretty frustrating experience. And if things get serious and scary, there will be limitless opportunities to join a freshly funded and focused military with a renewed appreciation for killing enemies and breaking things. So maybe do something else until then. I'm pretty content in my airline job that the military rolled me into, but someone starting off now would get to the airlines with less time and frustration if they just went to one of the pilot factory schools, and they'd have a better seniority number and higher income to pay off the loans. That wasn't an option in '03-'13. In retrospect, being told that all men are rapists and only women lack the capacity to consent to sex after having a beer was a walk in the park compared to the nonsense now. I had fun, but I don't miss it

Sounds like a stateside squadron that isn’t connecting the tactical training piece to the fight for you. Still trying to figure out new normal post Afghanistan.

The German chicks are hip to older dudes with face tattoos as well. Maybe this wont be so bad after all.. lol. I think they're still trying to get me for that 365 lol.

Oh boy, does he blow up that forum with all his anti-Biden, anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia stuff as well? Dude is non-stop on our DAL internal forum.

Dammit Biff, I just nearly choked to death on a piece of steak.

Anyone have current updates for F-16, F-15c, or F-35 on the guard/reserve side? Thanks to all who give updates and feedback in this thread! 1. Ops Tempo/Deployment 2. Lifestyle/ Family Stability 3. Community morale 4. Advancements & Future of the airframe 5. Preferred squadrons/locations

Holy shit! I had no idea they renamed Rucker. Lol. Renaming things . Hooray for justice!

I always wondered what would happen if they mobilized the people who Big Blue separated due to the fit test/force shaping polgrom! I could see the AF making you do a fit test the first day you stepped back on a base after being out for several years!

Ask them to print out their TDY history. They are exaggerating greatly. Or the scheduler was banging their wife. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Caller ID is your friend! 😎

Why would Russia decide to unilaterally invade? Just a land grab?

What a stupid fucking tweet, acting like there’s some conspiracy that McCain and Graham were over there in 2017 representing the US and defense aid to Ukraine. Do people not remember that Russia unilaterally invaded Ukraine through Crimea and several eastern provinces all the way back in 2014? This country is turning into a looney bin more and more every day. An unending parade of woke and social justice garbage from the left and sound bite conspiracy theories from the right. Awesome.

Taking my private student for his first time early in the week, and my instrument student Saturday. They are gonna have their minds blown 🙂

the same people who said trump was going to start WW3 are willingly leading us to WW3...

Indeed, and mark my word, in another decade we’ll be bombarded with the attempted normalization of pedophilia. They’ll even use the same playbook…”I was born this way, so how can it be wrong?” “I feel like a child on the inside, so why can’t I be with one?” “Who are you to get in the way of my happiness?” “Love is love” If you had told any one of us 10 years ago that dudes would be competing in NCAA women’s competitions, we would’ve said you’re crazy.

It's all perspective. Most of us here are either in or past our mil experience, and it's always easy to poke holes after you've seen behind the curtain and understand all the mis-steps and mistakes that you did see until you were inside. In the end though, I think recruiting for the military will always be difficult. It should be. "If it were easy, everyone would do it" and we don't want everyone. In the same right, the US military has routinely produced men and women with strong character and solid teamwork skills. It has to do with volunteering to do for other what they won't or can't do for themselves. That take nobility. It always will. What is concerning is this line, which is ABSOLUTELY true. The quality of the members of the military will continue to be of noble character simply because it requires volunteering. The effectiveness of the force, however, can only get betrayed by it's political leaders...as happened in AFG and is still happening with the social woke experimentation bullshit. If someone is joining solely for the benefits, yeah, they're gunna be sorely disappointed that it's not as benefit rich as working for Apple, Google, or Starbucks. Frankly, it shouldn't be. Baristas and coders are in the business of service and providing a product for the prime purpose of getting paid to do so. Soldiers, sailors and airmen are in the business of visiting death and destruction on our nation's enemies. Hardly a comparison there. As to who someone becomes after serving even one four year stint, the results are undeniable. Sure, not all job skills transfer. But self confidence, decision making skills, and the ability to work in a team always do. At the heart of all this is that people need significance in their professional lives for them to care about what they do and who they are becoming. I've definitely seen that need in people I work with in my civilian job. Men and women want to know their work has made a difference. Military operators rarely come out the other end of their service with that problem. What we do matters and THAT is what will ultimately keep younger generation continuing to volunteer. There will always be bad leaders, politicians messing things up, and GO's that are completely worthless. That's what makes the good leaders stand out so much. The work will continue to be awesome and unique in ways that you simply can't get outside the military. I've been completely honest with my kids. They're not at decision time yet, but my 14 year old son has already expressed interest in the cool things about the military, and even expressed that he'd love to fly the A-10. I'm all about it, but I refuse to push him either way. The best any of us can do is be honest and transparent. The job will sell itself to those who we need. It always has, and always will. Hopefully, our political leaders will unass themselves, continue to fight for benefit improvement, and work for their people, instead of expecting their people to work for them.

I’ve steered several friends toward the Ranger Regiment , NSW, the Marines, and AF Special Warfare. They all were worried about transferable skills and I told them if they could handle one of the aforementioned jobs, they’ll be able to get some job on the outside because they’ll be able to make things happen with a winning attitude. What really drove the point home to me was when I went to a recent reunion with a bunch of bros I played college football with. They all were so interested in my stories and a bunch (including 3 former and 1 current NFL player) said they wish they would’ve done that. Do cool shit with your life and don’t rush to being a fucking square.

The damage that is being done by the current and prior administrations and is going to have very long lasting effects. The "is the sacrifice worth it?" question is being answered by those currently in the military and will be taught to their children. Some will say "yes" but far too many will say "no" or even "hell no." Both my sons asked me about the military and my recommendation was other options are out there unless you really have a burning desire to do something military related.

Great questions. The answer is no. Every GO sold out, repeated the same supportive tripe in public while privately voicing concern at our trajectory, yet continued up the chain of rank and pay. Imagine if we had leaders who said this: “I resign from active service. I love our country but cannot continue in good conscience to lead our men and women into danger with no clear objective or purpose. Indecisive political policies are irresponsible, and I resign in hopes the ensuing attention will cause this matter to be taken seriously and resolved with urgency.” GOs reading this, and I know they are, will doubtlessly guffaw at the simplistic scenario I present above. However, they lacked the courage to take bold action. Everyone with combat experience knows we don’t have bold/courageous General Officers. We have highly intellectual GOs who can stay up 20 hours a day, run miles each morning and work their staff to death analyzing a multitude of variables… but they aren’t bold and can’t win.. So to the GOs readIng this in fury at my condemnation- I’m certain you think I am ignorant of how futile and ostracizing my proposed COA would be. You’d be embarrassed in front of your peers. It would be awkward and socially uncomfortable. But had you played that card, you’d be a hero today. Instead, congrats on the retired rank but you’re forever attached to the ignominy of how those wars ended. FWIW I practice what I preach and burned every bridge on my way out over an issue to help my young squadron members. It was uncomfortable going from #1 to the trash can, my peers and supervisors despised me at the end and I didn’t have a retirement ceremony over this issue. However, I played every card and logged a major win for the young captains 6 weeks before retiring.

100%. On an individual job level the Air Force is amazing. Best flying and best camaraderie to be had anywhere. But on an organizational level it's a shitshow.. wrapped in a dumpster fire.. inside a clown show.. all ultimately governed by our broken political system. You know something is deeply fucked organizationally when they decide to cancel bonuses and pause PCSs and the first place people are finding it out is the front page of CNN.

In 2010 my son was excited to join the military and do badass stuff I was doing. By 2023 he is not joining, and instead on a pre-Med scholarship. None of his friends are joining. It's a tragic loss for our nation; he's a state champion athlete and top 2% scholar with no qualifying issues, whose dad was pushing him towards joining. But it's a shit deal to join after we wrecked a generation in IZ/AFG for nothing. Our humiliating exit from wars which defined his youth was decisive. He thinks the government will send you to die and never let you win. He's not wrong.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a member of the C-130J community who doesn’t like the mission.

A group of us saw Sound of Freedom last night. I thought we'd be the only ones there, and everyone else would be watching Indiana Jones. Our theater was absolutely packed. It was the first movie I'd seen in the theater since Maverick. I was completely unfamiliar with Tim Ballard, the true story the movie was based on, and the obstacles to making the movie. Absolutely fantastic. The story, the message, the awareness it intends to spread. It was refreshing to see a successful move that was made outside the typical Hollywood entertainment manufacturing process. The only caution I would warn of would be that it may inspire some to go on a mission to seek and destroy actual evil in the real world.

Now that the door is opening for involuntary activation, ratcheting up the numbers will be easy. I agree with this, though. If we're cheer leading a proxy war that benefits us, let's put our money where our mouth is and see how willing we, as a population, are to risk our people in direct conflict over Ukraine. It's the right thing to do. Within the last week: This, Increasing amounts of military aid, F-16s, cluster munitions, etc. Take a look at the trends here. We're committed to a path of continuous escalation. If Ukraine was capable of defeating Russia, it'd have happened. We can give them all the help in the world, but they still have a finite amount if fighting men. We will never know the real losses being incurred, but in attrition warfare where rates are more or less the same on both sides, Russia comes out ahead unless NATO member countries send their men. Ukraine is being backstopped by us, but Russia is being backstopped by China. If we're calling up Reservists just to sit on the sidelines for Atlantic Resolve, what does it say about our ability to fight a potential second conflict? Let's say Russia is defeated and pulls back. What's next? Do we redraw the old borders after hundreds of billions of $ and countless lives have been lost? If NATO and Ukraine declare victory, do they continue to allow Russia to exist in a weakened state only to pose a threat later? No, our leadership is going for broke on this one. No one financing this war gives a shit about Ukraine. This is about Western economic dominance against the expanding threat of BRICS Plus. One of the big players has to be completely knocked out and Ukraine is a great excuse.

Yeah I’m expecting S40 on Monday morning, but we’ll see. My wife and I did just buy some folding bikes that we’re going to have a family member who’s driving in drop off for us at our camp site. Should make the trek to and from the S40 more palatable and also be able get to and from the SOS Bros tent once the busses and trams stop running.

I sure hope so. I deserve the extra money that another star would provide. I will say this: for all of you complainers out there: seriously? You are complaining Uncle Sam took away your pittance $50K/yr to sign your life away for the next 12 years? Get over yourselves you premadonna punks! Get out of my Air Force and go make your money elsewhere. We don’t need you, and we don’t want you. But please, for the love of Pete, stop complaining about missing out on table scraps. It’s so unbecoming of an officer.

Please. Your ignorance about what goes into being at this level is abhorrent.

If you’re truly not happy in AMC and can’t find another venue inside your community for job satisfaction then come on over to MC-Js, if you’re looking for more tactical flying we definitely have it.

our government WANTS this conflict to last longer. so do some of the posters on this site. blackrock said it best...."war is really fucking good for business"