Leaderboard

They also take our cyber awareness CBT...through our networks.

I just want to point out that at least one airman has resorted to paying a commercial media outlet to get clarity on the FY14 Force Management Program. This makes me really sad.

Gents- I have serious doubts HAF and AFPC will be able to play catch-up, next week for the TERA deadline of 1 Apr. Once again, it's not that amendments are being made, behind the scenes, it's still the blatant lack of comms, from AFPC in particular. I'm convinced now AFPC is a blind bureaucracy, operating in a vacuum, separate from the rest of Big Blue. I've called TFSC at least 10 times, trying to pull a reasonable level of data about my TERA package and I've gotten blatant apathy and flat out incompetent lack of information from these folks. I'm blown away that an organization, like AFPC, thinks its OK to leave it's service members, in the dark. Communication, even at basic level, revealing reasonable expectations would cover a multitude of sins. HAF/A1 & AFPC-If you're listening, you can't leave your service members, in the dark, with only the Air Force Times and Forums to make sense of the rest of their lives, it breeds contempt. I don't expect perfection, I expect communication and I'm tired of waiting in the dark. With every moment that passes, I can't wait to take my skills elsewhere, where I won't be treated like I'm sitting at the kiddie table.

I loved it when he told the story of making an AC go tell a loadmaster to put his flight suit top on. He was so upset that an Aircraft Commander would allow such an atrocity. Nevermind you that it was summer in OKAS. He seemed ok 1 on 1, but definitely the kind of ball-less weenie that tends to go places in the AF today.

I paid the 99cents for the one day subscription to AF times. Per the AF times review of congressional budget documents for Force Management. "Air force expects to pay $81.6 million to 560 officers taking TERA, or 15 yr retirements. Another 1,137 officers will receive $108.8 million in voluntary separation payments this year. The Air Force has not budgeted for officer TERA or VSP in 2015, suggesting the service does not expect to offer these programs again next year to officers." Hopefully this means we will get an answer before the next fiscal year.

*Altus Barbosa Feel free to settle with mediocrity but I won't. You bet I've called TFSC, many times, trying to find answers to specific questions about my records in order to build reasonable expectations-yes I expected them to do their job and yes I completely ignore the robot message that tells me not to call, every time. I've even made an effort to share what little information I 've gathered (gasp) with others on this forum. I'm sorry you feel like the poor souls that answer the phones are being mistreated by me. My subordinates expect better than mediocrity from me and I expect the same out of others that are processing the next step in my life. You are correct the TFSC doesn't know much and therein lies the problem-they should. I was patient a month ago, I'm no longer patient. Do you really think if the masses are silent, the process will get any better? Here's hoping for better news next week.

Fulda Gap in the era of Power Point.... Russians will be having Crepes in Paris before we get the damn slides for the counter attack AMB revised for the 7th time. The XO says we didn't use the Brigade standard format.

I'd be wary of believing that 5k people applied that were ineligible and were trying to "sneak one by." It's possible that 5k people became ineligible after AFPC changed it's requirements.

We must not allow a CBT gap!

AFNET still intermittently fraggs out email, sharepoint and/or PEX here at CVS and most people got migrated over a month ago...I'm sure it'll be totally smooth over there at AFPC and that the impact on force shaping actions will be minimal! /sarcasm I'm pretty sure AFNET is the beta version of Skynet. I for one welcome our new robot overloards.

1. SAPR 2. Disco belts 3. Professional Relations CBT 4. GTC CBT 5. LOAC CBT

Sorry, there can only be one of me.

I attended the Hoover Gala last month in LA. You are absolutely correct. http://hooverhallofhonor.com/hall-of-honor/ And you can include Col Bud Anderson. Great American.

Hire a passed over Major who doesn't give a shit and will tell you what he and everybody else thinks straight to your face.

Bob Hoover, the polar opposite of Yeager. Here is Ole Yeller... :beer:

So, how does that set of gambling machines at Ramstein's KMCC keep operating if gambling is illegal on base?

Both of these. Sadly, it would be a real breath of fresh air if senior leadership actually focused on the mission for a change. We have so many distractions (uniform regs, CBTs, PME, advanced education, budget cuts, fund raisers, CFC, MICT, CUI, UEI, etc.) that most days are spent on everything except the mission. I could retire if I had a dollar for every day I asked, "what the fuck are we doing here?" Focus your Group on the mission. Stop telling everyone they're warriors. Stop telling everyone how they are the most important people in the military. This breeds a sense of entitlement that leads to discipline problems, laziness, and severe attitude issues. We wonder why there are insubordination issues and sexual assault problems in the military. It's because we've given an entire generation of people the impression that they can do whatever they want because they are special warriors. Instead, try to instill a sense of responsibility and respect. Explain to people that they are accountable for their actions and they are replaceable if they aren't willing to move the Group towards completing the mission.

Sometimes leadership means simply having the courage not to change everything for the sake of change.

It is often easy, sometimes too easy, to highlight the negative. For some reason, highlighting the positive is seemingly less important. After all, that’s the way it’s supposed to be, right? I sometimes fret these types of things reach out and touch the wrong people. I really hope that does not happen here. I can attest personally that this is not representative of my experience with my home station Squadron Commander (I am not in the squadron that email came from, so I can’t/don’t speak from any personal experience on that squadron). When faced with a similar situation (operating in a 6 month on, 6 month off tempo leaves everyone in the situation), I knocked on the Squadron Commander’s door and asked to sit down and talk to him about what was on my mind. Part of the reason for this is my personality, but in larger part it is because he is approachable and I knew he wanted to know. I understand the responsibilities that both these squadrons have. The MC-12 is a unique challenge as a squadron command; I know of no other squadron that is a school house that directly feeds downrange squadrons (one is now “ops”, but that’s not that important here). Filling deployment billets is the sole purpose of those squadrons and for years now it has done an acceptable job, even when the “good idea fairy” has suggested additional challenge. There is a legitimate test presented to both meeting the squadron’s responsibility and taking care of your people. Often, something must be sacrificed… I believe in service before self. I swore my oath just like you. I am prepared for sacrifice, as I was not naive about what I was signing up for. There were many ways I was naive, but that was not one of them. Holding this belief is different than offering unconditional, arbitrary sacrifice of massive proportion when a little time and effort can prevent it. Taking care of your people often means going out of your way to prevent unnecessary sacrifice, or even trading one sacrifice for another of less significance. It takes a great deal of energy to apply this across an entire squadron, but if that isn’t something one is willing to do, then they should let someone else have the opportunity and step aside. That is the only right thing to do. If a squadron command is nothing but a stepping stone, morale will be the big loser. I shared my story in hope there was some way to meet both commitments, the one I made to my family and the one I made to my squadron. I had no interest in shirking either. There was little leeway, but both the Squadron Commander and the (at the time) Director of Operations both stood in front of the white board in his office, for at least an hour, drawing arrows, changing dates, and bouncing ideas off each other. They came up with what they believed was the best plan they could and shared it with me. I have five specific thoughts: 1. That was far more than I would have ever expected from them (why I don’t know), 2. I am very grateful that they found an opportunity for me to accomplish all of my goals, not just one (certainly not just the Air Force’s…a possibility I was prepared for), 3. I am very grateful to the person that accepted (begrudgingly) a sacrifice of less significance (something he will be repaid for someday), 4. I want to be a Squadron Commander just like that, and 5. I can’t wait to meet my new little baby boy/girl when I get home (with travel plans in hand, it looks like I’ll be waiting for him/her). There is a lot wrong, but not all of it. Bendy

And will now vote Democrat in the next elections in America...

Just as I would never trivialize the sacrifices or challenges our airmen faced in Vietnam or WWII, I would expect our officers to not trivialize the sacrifices and challenges our military has faced since 9/11 in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our Air Force crews have not experienced anywhere near the losses we did in previous wars, but our military has suffered sufficient losses to not be marginalized by reminiscing of better times when fighter pilots felt more appreciated. We shouldn't hope for the times when air to air combat and incredible losses resulting from ground to air fires define our Air Force's worth, contribution and legacy. We should be proud of the asymmetrical advantage we provide our nation as we engage this enemy during this time. And we should be very careful about marginalizing our military's most recent combat experiences to our joint partners. Our Air Force exists today, with significant investment of taxpayer dollars, so we don't have to experience the challenges and losses that we experienced in WWII and Vietnam. It is foolish to wish for "real air combat" and losses to fix our problems and define our worth. My Dad flew Huey gunships during two tours in Vietnam and my grandfather flew B-17s in Europe. There was plenty of admin bullshit and useless bureaucracy then. Robin Olds rebelled against the same. Don't view the past through rose colored glasses and think we are so much worse than we were in the good old days when aircraft were shot down, ground forced needed Beyer air support and morale was high. Especially when it pisses off those who sacrifice, kill and serve.

Or 'tard waiver

I can't argue with C-21. I spent a lot of money on my ATP, very happy with what I did as it completely met my needs/constraints. That said, APT is a box to check. So far as I can tell, it's an idiotic box to check. Therefore doing it with the least amount of money spent is utterly and completely the smartest choice. Find the cheapest place that you know you'll pass.

Why would you call TFSC 10 times? I'm not sure what you think they would know about your case specifically. It's pretty clear that the people answering the phones are call-center type folks who operate as a first line of defense before you get forwarded to the actual office of responsibility. Was this seriously not obvious to you? Jesus people. The answering machine that picks up at TFSC tells you upfront to sit tight until 1 Apr. Yeah, this is a pretty shitty way for them to do things but people need to stop acting like they've been wronged by the guys in the trenches at TFSC and AFPC. Those guys are probably doing the best they can with the guidance and authority they have been provided. Stop busting their balls and shitting on them every time you want specifics on your case when you've been told over, and over and over since the beginning that these guys don't have any specifics. AFPC as an organization? Yeah, it's a clusterfk and it has royally f'd this thing up for everyboday. But the people on the phone are just doing their jobs and probably getting paid $14/hr to do it. Personally I think alot of the blame should go to the 5k people who tried to apply and sneak one by when they weren't eligible. It's true a small number of folks got screwed over by the poor guidance at the beginning but not 5k people. The bulk of the ineligibles were just throwing up a prayer hoping they could sneak out, clogging up the system for those of us who are ACTUALLY eligible per the guidance. Probably a bunch of SFS and MX guys to be honest. I'll bet there were less than 200-300 pilots who applied, though we may never know. I'm anxiously awaiting my own TERA approval too but cut the grunts some slack here. Take 10000 pieces of paper and lay them out on the floor in front of you and tell me how quickly you could get through them to make critical life decisions for each of them if you had 50 people working with you, let alone the 15-20 guys they ACTUALLY have working in the R&S branch at AFPC.