Leaderboard

Which is exactly why I'm skeptical this this will stick. Downsizing creates a greater emphasis on the small stuff in lieu of the big stuff. Talk to the old farts who saw what happened after Vietnam - Zero Defects, TQM, etc - or after the Gulf War, or read Gen Brady's / Jumper's guidance on this from just a few years ago. Then ask yourselves, what did my supervisors have to do... What was their requirement? And the answer is plain enough. Until this rests in an AFI, guidance to the boards will only effect things so much. The boards don't strat PRFs at home station. Period. The war on stupidity is just beginning fellas, this is merely a battle (seemingly) won... When implementation gets down to the squadron levels, rejoice. Until then, color me skeptical, no matter what the CSAF says, and despite his best intentions (which I agree with wholeheartedly). Don't get burned in your rush to set fire to your BAC+. Be the best operators and flight commanders, etc, you can be - lead your people, take care of them, guide them, and take care of yourself as well - leaders eat last - just don't go hungry. Chuck Edit - iPad typing

I just returned from Nellis. Was glad to see "Home of the Fighter Pilot" on the sign just past the main gate, in its rightful place!

Not sure if I agree with this but it is an idea... OP-ED: Let the Islamists Have Their Caliphate - Then Bomb Them The idea of a new caliphate may seem crazy but if I told you in 1918 that a severely wounded corporal of a defeated army whose highest educational attainment was being a drop out of an art college would in less than 20 years become the absolute ruler of the most powerful fascist state on earth, that would have seemed crazy too.

Recommend you read the JFTR. An AFI cannot trump or contradict the JFTR, and is therefore a poor reference. As long as you know what the JFTR says (in this case it says you only have to check ONCE), then it doesn't matter what some AFI says.

Maybe now we can finally get that "Home of the Fatty Pilot" sign at Travis.

The issue is not with lodging. Your non-A does not have to say 100 days. The issue, however, is with your finance shop. Per the JFTR you can stay the other 96 days off base and they cannot legally refuse to pay you. You're a guard guy presumably staying with one unit for many, many years. You know your unit better than any of us. Will it burn bridges to spend several grand extra out of the budget? Sometimes what's legal and what's right are different.

It's definitely up there now

How do people not understand this concept? Lazy leaders are the ones that look for easy discriminators. It's either that, or they are unable to own up to the responsibility of having to look a subordinate in the eyes and tell them why he ranked them where he ranked them, using "well you didn't get XYZ done" as an easy cop-out so they don't have to shoulder the burden of telling someone they weren't ranked as high as they expected.

Serious props to Welsh if this is true. Hopefully it goes beyond the DQHB... it needs to cease being tracked by the AF completely and eliminated on SURFs or else not much will change.

Good enough for me. Glad I stopped taking classes 4 years ago.

You just defined the American military instrument of power since the Vietnam War. Tough talk, air strikes, carrier strike groups and no boots on the ground - the Persian Gulf War and Iraq/Afghanistan excepted. In short, a form of air policing (http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/169/36386.html) - except we don't take it to the extreme required for it to be effective. This presidents rhetoric about America receding and the rest of the world stepping up to fill the gap and create lasting peace is terribly flawed and historically uninformed - talk about rose colored glasses. The world will NOT be more peaceful, but we cannot (peace costs $) continue to be the worlds police... Remember the red lines in Syria - these guys currently slaughtering thousands in the march to Baghdad were fighting Asad in Syria a year ago... Maybe the president was right to wait instead of aid and abet Islamist thugs just because Asad is a bad guy. The president is not all at fault. The morons on the right who are screaming for action and blaming the president (a political move to appear strong) are not doing anything to help Americas standing. Everyone needs to eat some fiber and read a fucking history book. Iraq as we know it is going to fall, likely to be separated into three areas between Shiites, Sunis and Kurds. Like much of the rest of the shitholes we've fought in, theses people are not willing to work together, have no national identity and rely on tribal and religious enclaves for safety and leadership. The fact that Americans can't identify the major players or the implications of actions/inaction doesn't make it our situation any easier. I'd start reading up on the rise of regionalism.... the unification of Germany, the Franco-Prussian War, and the lead up to WW1... Regional powers coalescing and coming into conflict on their peripheries... All signs are pointing in a similar direction re: the Middle East / Russia / China. And there is very little we can do about it. Chuck

True statement, but that will never happen unless the AF does an abrupt 180 (which I'll put a million bucks on will never happen). Clubs are still used to some extent overseas because it's close and easy to migrate over there when everyone's already too drunk to drive from work, but the level of use is still a far cry from the past I'm sure. But why the fuck would I go to one in the states where there's a ton of other establishments off base where I'm not paranoid about the SAPR gestapo, some shoe writing my name down for later consumption because they saw me do X, etc. Stop madness like that and the AF may see some revitalized use of the club. But when you castrate the "safety" of the club and make it somewhere where everyone has to closely monitor what they say and do, you drive people away. I'm not saying guys desire to do insane things, but even the slightest misspeak or perceived "bad" action these days could get you in a shitton of trouble. What ever happened to people just leaving if they didn't like something? Instead they just go running to mommy and call foul.

The author provides nothing but platitude-laden criticism mixed with a lack of expertise. His main "credential" is guest hosting several popular conservative radio programs. There are plenty of well-argued criticisms of Obama's handling of Iraq out there if that's what you're in search of, this just doesn't measure up if you ask me. Here's a short piece on Iraq from someone who I think is one of the best foreign correspondents out there. This much longer one is worth a read as well. So is the author's book. Master's degree in IR and more time on the ground in war zones than probably any of us FWIW, plus he's just a great writer. I for one completely agree with the analysis Filkins presents: Iraq is in chaos because it's neighbor is in the middle of a violent sectarian war that's 4 years old at this point, it's PM is an autocrat who's done nothing to include Sunni or Kurd minorities in the new Iraqi government, we completely (and unnecessarily) destroyed the Iraqi state institutions when we invaded, and we didn't follow-through and negotiate the ability to leave a residual force behind to help prevent exactly the mess we're in now. Plenty of blame to go around both parties, several American administrations and policy makers, the Iraqis themselves, and the wider Mess O'Potamia region.

Why can't the Air Force call Jon Taffer? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Close 'em down. You can hold official events at other venues. For that matter, get rid of all the AF bands too.

Maybe if the clubs had decent food and service, and were remotely fun to hang out at, then they wouldn't be in the red and the WG/CC wouldn't be trying to figure out how to keep it open.

Yes they will, and they'll hold you indefinitely after your DOS until the conclusion.

Here we go. Because he's not holding the picket lines with the rest of the AF haters, he's a butt-sniffing, ball-washing CCE. I'm sure he's heartbroken that he solidified your reasons for leaving. You must be relieved that some dude on an anonymous internet forum has validated your life altering decision for leaving the AF. My commanders never had any interest in making me their exec. Maybe it's because I lack certain queepy skill sets required of executive officers, maybe it's because I'm too ugly to use as the front man, maybe both. In fact, I'm a pretty average dude, with a career vector that shoots right through the middle of the bell curve, yet I still enjoy the club. It could be better (I long for the days of yore when the local talent was bussed through the front gate and to the front door of the O-club for us to fornicate upon), but the club is still a place where I can tie one on with the bros, have a beer with my boss, and call the shoes out for texting like a$sh0les. Unfortunately, with every pus$y that rebukes the club on trumped up charges like "the food is no good", "the service is lousy" or "I'm too cheap and antisocial to buy a messdress as I'd rather spend Friday nights locked in my masterbatorium", the club looses out on revenue and your bros miss out on your camaraderie. I'm still on the fence regarding staying in beyond my UPT ADCS that expires in a year, but if I get out, it won't be because of crappy food at the club and my dues will be paid through 31 Aug 15.