Leaderboard

Yes, yes...and then after the Wing all call/CGO development brief the Wing Commander could be barely contain himself...he drew a deep excited breath in as he looked around at his Squadron Commanders, smirked at the Group CC, high fived his execs, chest bumped the Vice, shrugged and said, "APRIL FOOLS!!" At first they laughed uncomfortably, and then the laughter grew and then...hush...they all gave each other that look that reads, "ohhh yea, I feel F'in SHARP in these ABUs today!" --- Of course I'm only kidding and do hope Gen Welsh is moving in this direction, but reading into what the Wing CC/bossman said, there could be a simple yes or no answer to these things...combat experience (yes or no)...IP time...(yes or no). More true is, Wing Executive Combat Experience SouthWasian Vacation or IP time earned while flying with a General (and another proficient IP to do all that pilot stuff). The other stuff...no change from previous boards. I'd say your Wing Executive Pilot Officer's number one push from the Wing CC still outweighs IP time. His/her previous two executive jobs prior to getting close to the wing commander were where he or she earned was given strats based on nothing deploying tough deployments/mission execution but being willing to work in an environment where the weapon system is never discussed and making crap solid edits to you and your buddies OPRs only advances his/her PRF further. Strats...#1 strats, generally go to the Execs...and these mean a lot to a board member...often less more than being a Leader/Pilot and taking care of people as a Flight Commander. It's as easy as this...the current organizational mindset is that at some point in your life you've got to ask yourself a question and then give a retire as a flying lt col/major/MSgt career answer. The Question: Are you an Officer or a Pilot? And for me, that's what's wrong with the Air Force--for me, that question is based on an organizational paradigm bred by folks who have worked in the halls of a five sided building for the last ten years hoping for a combat staff deployment to enhance their combat resume. Well, shoe clerks...I have news for you, we recognize that WE are the solution. We've learned to say NO, that question sucks...I'm a leader. The warrior mindset that the air force needs going forward has already been born. The scream of the twin towers crash were our mother's birthpains. We spent the last ten years of our Laconic youth surfing on an ocean of fuel over Baghdad Babylon and Alexandria Kandahar--a storm of steel riding in from the west on a tidal wave of fuel. We've called down lightning from the mouth's of eagles, and taken parts of men to Europe to be raised like Lazarus. These and other lessons--like the look of children who won't forget the loss of their father or forget their father's time away from home--have taught enough of us that before any containers get checked we need to go to the bathroom, puke up the koolaid, look ourselves in the mirror and realize you aren't an officer or a pilot, you're YOU and by God if you aren't a LEADER it's time to find another J.O.B. to do. We are leaders first--in or out of the flight suit; in or out of the cockpit; not caring who gets the credit for mission results and pushing forward because we won't fail the dude/chick on our wing...we've learned that LEADERSHIP...in the primal, substitution/sacrifice, servant, fall on a grenade to save your men sense of the word is who we are. And no matter how many different schemes the shoe clerks come up with or how many stones the pentagonal freemasons build into our career pyramids, the collective memory of a generation will be carried forward--much the same way it was for Leonidas Gen Welsh, so if he can do anything to turn the tide, all the better. But I know, much as he does, that the best is yet to come...just hold the gap, the immortal politicians are making a run at us now. You want to get promoted be a leader: be so good at your primary, secondary and additional job (whatever you do) that dudes under you and above you ask you the hard questions and verify information with you, only do things you WANT to do and then be extremely good at them, be such a good person to everyone you come in contact with that they want to be around you again because they know how good of an influence you are on them, most importantly SERVE others. After you get those fundamentals down, then go about the business of asking yourself the hard questions...do I care enough about the future of my country to put aside my hatred of what I am about to do in order to remain relevant in this climate. And yes, though it hurts me to say it...that might mean being an exec or doing a masters degree...do something to be given a DP. Finally, don't ever think you've earned it or are better than your bros...luck and timing make up about 69% of everything related to promotion. /rant

And 'Howdy!' to Texas!

More economic consequences for Colorado's stupidity and liberalism: http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/01/hiviz-shooting-systems-leaving-colorado-credits-state-gun-laws/ Good on 'em. Another company that I already buy and happy to continue supporting 'em. C'mon, Colt, say adios to Connecticut!

Back in Dec 2010 I really thought we were going to head over there and put nK's teeth to the curb and stomp on the back of their skull. Seemed to fizzle out as quickly as it escalated though.

Too bad they wouldn't hold the media to the same standards...

Looks like his first and only act was to make everyone call him a "pilot."

Makes total sense now. Also, "pilot" and nav are not the same thing for future reference...

True, but New York's gun laws are unconstitutional anyway. What part of "shall not be infringed" do they not understand?

Outlaw Platoon by Sean Parnell The story of an 10th Mountain Division infantry platoon and their 2006-07 Afghanistan deployment, written by their platoon leader. Excellent read.

And I think, with Hoss' explanation, this thread is done....

I'm no grey beard, but the last time I heard about any "back in the day" activities involving a broomstick, I was in Limnadia...