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It would be pretty easy for them. This is the party that called Larry Elder the "black face of white supremacy" while supporting one of the most privileged white dudes in California for governor.

Don't look now, but you just described every fvcking airline pilot I've ever worked with. Talk about schemers, grey collar workers is the demographic bullseye of that remark my friend. 😄

The fun part of a Nikki Haley campaign will be watching all the gymnastics from the “you have to vote for a woman of color” crowd who treated that as the only qualification that mattered. Suddenly they’ll be supporting old white guy because “well yeah… but not that one, she doesn’t count.” Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Nikki Haley will announce candidacy tomorrow. 100 I would vote for her.

Dude, please don’t take this as a personal attack because that’s not intended, but your type of attitude is exactly the type of problem that weighs the Air Force down. If you don’t want to be micromanaged and be able to exercise your prerogatives at your level, you have more than enough to move out now. You have all the CYA you need with that memo. That’s direct from the highest rank in the Air Force giving very clear intent. Some Bob in the middle has an issue with that doesn’t rate beating the 4-Star. If they’re toxic and threaten/obfuscate, go to the next level and/or IG. Hell, go direct to Mini.

You've inspired me, I'm going to attempt to start a grassroots campaign of queep conscientious objectors. 1st order of business: no one submit for OPRs or awards. When the queep lords as why we'll tell them we were in the vault studying. The movement will spread to the sister squadrons, then throughout the airframe and the majcom until flyers Air Force wide refuse to waste time on queep you crazy son of a bitch this might just work

A. I'm not in AMC so I have zero CYA B. Most crewdogs I know including myself don't have the time or energy to start a chain of command food fight over the interpretation of this vague nonsense. Your comment literally acknowledges my chief complaint about the memo. It's too broad and middle management is going to maintain the status quo like they always do. One captain lighting his career on fire by going VFR direct to the IG or the f-ing majcom cc is not going to change shit. I will repeat for a third time. If Mini can be overly specific about clips, vred, and 135 drone delivery, why can't he be specific about things that would actually make a difference?

I think he’s doing a good enough job of that on his own. I predict the lid gets blown off of the Bidens soon. I think the classified docs, the insane amounts of money, his health, Hunter, the drugs, the laptop, the Chinese, the Penn Biden Center, etc are all connected. I truly believe the smoking gun will be found in the classified docs. I don’t think the powers in DC or in the media can keep it hidden for much longer. Hopefully, people’s eyes are finally opened to what the elites are up to and we get the massive reset we need in this country.

I guess I am out of touch with some of the posters on here. People who are on the lower income spectrum find every single excuse in the book to not go to work. The system allows them to do that, and they take advantage of it. That's why you stand in line forever waiting on your table and the hostess comes up with an excuse. Its not like in our world, there is absolutely no accountability, and the worst thing that can happen if you don't show up is that you are looking for another job. Covid is highlighting this, now they can just stay home and get paid. I think some of you need to open up your eyes to how the rest of society works, especially in the lower income brackets. They are not showing up to work when they are sick.

This has not at all been my experience. Shit, I have even had what I thought was unimpeachably clear regs on my side AND local leadership (up to WG/CC) support and STILL got stymied by some f-ing bean counter in between the 4-star and local O-6 level. YMMV I guess, but I have seen zero evidence that a vague memo from on high stating “take calculated risks” and “innovate the process” will help you one iota if you are a squadron, group, or wing level bro trying to do exactly that and run into the blob and some reason why you can’t do what you are trying to do. I applaud AMC/CC’s intent on pushing innovation and motivation and even coming at things a bit like the Tasmanian devil. Occasionally that’s needed. Occasionally. My biggest quibble is wishcasting a major war with China in a specific year. That is WAY outside his lane and I’m sure the subject of some feedback he’s received. Senior officers are inherently also diplomats and his memo wasn’t exactly diplomatic. Deterrence through strength is priority #1. You win 100% of wars you don’t have to fight because your opponents and competitors back down before becoming true enemies. The “fire a clip…head shots only” is just extra hilarious because you have to hit center of mass in order to even qual down at the range 😅 Yeeting the pallet of drones from a KC-135 gets my stamp of approval, but mostly because I’m a drone guy and my best friend is a tanker pilot and I’d love to Team America against a horde of random bad guys like we joked about back in high school 🇺🇸 Not sure it can happen by end of Q1 2023 but hey, go for it and I’ll volunteer to help if they’re taking randos from the peanut gallery.

The money and effort we spend supporting Ukraine will effectively terminate the ability of our second greatest foe to threaten European security at a less than nuclear scale for the next twenty years or so. I think we should spend commensurate with how much we value that goal. I don't know, man, I'm just a guy who flies planes, not a senior staffer on the Appropriations committee. I guess my point is, the people who moan and complain about all the money we're spending on Ukraine are either willful or ignorant puppets of Russian information shaping efforts. If someone from your political party had a magic deal where, for 2% of Federal spending a year, they could reunite Europe behind a pro-US banner, crush one of our biggest enemies, generate new markets for US energy exports, and protect 45 million people from subjugation, oppression, and extermination, would you say that is a good deal?

If they could find a tailor, they'd be a force

Again, I am biased because I've known him for so long. IMHO he truly believes we are going to fight China (as do I), and when you look at the models, wargames, intel briefs, numbers...it is going to be UGLY. Under current circumstances the losses will be terrible on both sides and will cost us greatly in lives and treasure. Allowing the conversation about single pilot tanker ops was a move to set the conditions for change. I don't care if the union thinks it is a bad idea (it is), the situation is so dire we need to discuss every option, reexamine every tactic and find ways to flip the calculus back on the Chinese. Brother I hear what you are saying about admin and queep. A couple years retired and in reflection I am GLAD to be retired, I miss the squadron, the flying, and mostly I miss the people, but I always default to be overwhelmingly happy to be away from the queep and the caustic leaders we turn into GOs. That being said, as a component commander Mini is pushing the limits where he can (and a bit outside those lines). As the training and equip boss, CSAF sets the tone and makes the rules on queep and I've seen CQ do NOTHING other than continue the status quo (or make it worse...ie Advanced Degrees). I am willing to give Mini the benefit of the doubt and see where it goes. Did you read his memo? "COMMANDER’S INTENT. Go faster. Drive readiness, integration, and agility for ourselves and the Joint Force to deter, and if required, defeat China. This is the first of 8 monthly directives from me. You need to know I alone own the pen on these orders. My expectations are high, and these orders are not up for negotiation. Follow them. I will be tough, fair, and loving in my approach to secure victory. RISK. Run deliberately, not recklessly. You will be governed by the principle of calculated training risk, which you shall interpret to mean the avoidance of death, serious injury, and Class A damage to attain higher readiness, integration, and agility. If the Tactic, Technique, and Procedure you are developing increases AMC’s ability to fight and win inside the first island chain… move out. If you are comfortable in your approach to training, then you are not taking enough risk." Disagree, I would argue it is his DUTY to communicate his concerns, orders and intent to the forces he leads. As for attaching a specific date, the intel community and some think tanks have been signaling that for the past 12 months. There is a collision of specific events in 2025 (Chinese capes, Chinese population, Chinese economy, U.S. Presidential election and a few others), that have a lot of people believing there is a mark on the calendar. This "date" is driving a lot of decision making and if you step back you will see it...Sole Source Wedgetail to replace E-3, Bridge Tanker, Navy ship maintenance timelines, Navy Attack sub procurement and shipyard turn times. I pray to god I am wrong and we don't fight China, but if I am right I am thankful there are people like Mini willing to risk career and inspire change, outside the box thinking and find new ways to win what will be a terrible fight.

At about 0625 Saudi(2125CST) time is when 03 went down. We didn't know it yet we just knew they overdue. Didn't find the wreckage untill March. I'll be toasting

Lol, lots of truth here.

Someone really wants him gone before 2024.

Suffice to say, most companies paying hourly do not compensate you if you call in sick. Lots of people living pay check to pay check--simply cannot do this. To categorize an entire population of people as lazy or flakes I think is a mischaracterization of what is actually happening in our labor force.

I can't be the only one here who's been frowned upon for calling in sick on a non-flying day because some exercise ORI bullshit needed completed or other worthless task to green up a slide before a staff meeting the following day. That's in the military where we get unlimited capability to take quarters/sick leave. Imagine your attendance being a factor for weighing layoffs in a corporate life boat drill.

Am I the fool? They are the ones living highly on free medical care, social safety nets, 2 years unemployment benefits at 75% salary even if you leave your job voluntarily..... and we are the ones paying nearly 20% of our annual budget each year on defense and national security architecture to ensure their security while they lift their noses snobbishly at us and demean our culture, values and ideals. Not sure about you man but I didn't join the service to go spread the good message of "European" identity all over earth, and praise their values and ideals. I did it to show the good will and generosity of Americans.... within reason. Secondly..... Two WORLD wars. Key word there being WORLD. We tend to frame WW1 and WW2 as being primarily European affairs. They were not. In WW2 50% of the casualties in that war happened on the Asian continent. JAPAN attacked the US, not Germany. 8/10 of the largest world military powers are in the Pacific trade hemisphere. Only 2/10 are West European. Over 50% of the world's GDP is generated by just 5 Pacific region countries. 2/3 of every R&D dollar spent on new technology is spent in either Asia or North America. Am I missing the point here or are you? You are clinging to decades old ideology that generals who fought and won WW2 ingrained into our service--dogmas that are generations old without willingness to pivot or realize that the global playing field is changing, the rules are being rewrote, and the geographic center of Global Power is now as far away from Europe as you can get. Yes, Europe used to be the center of global power and dominance--largely because of colonialism. That was a 200 year hiccup in 5000 years of written history that said 80% of Global Wealth was in the hands of just two societies--India, and China--since agriculture began. If anything, WW2 and the prolonged Cold War was an indicator of their global relevance dyeing out.

So, the poors need to get back to work ‘cause you’re, what? Upset there aren’t enough checkers at Target?

If you don’t value European security, you’re a fool. Reference two world wars starting there. Also reference some of our best allies & trading partners being there. You’re also a fool if you don’t believe Europe is very much under the US banner already. Just because Hans told you he doesn’t like American imperialism, it doesn’t mean Herr Scholz isn’t down with a US led Western world. It makes his job easier in many, many ways.

Lets get some beer and prove it. But can it RUN on beer!

Maybe he works in the teacher's unions lol.

Here's what I'm worried about. Back in 2016 my first question to the GOP was why are there so many candidates in the primary? Jeb was the first on my hit list. Is the GOP now a dynasty? What is he doing on there? Second one was Trump, because all I knew him from was from the tv show where he ended up saying "You're Fired" to some contestant and he was a liberal New Yorker. I thought that was absurd. And so did all of my conservative buddies. I knew a neuro surgeon or one of the two senators running would get the nomination. No worries. Then the GOP started coming unhinged. Carson couldn't string together two sentences. Cruz turned hostile (in the context of presidential debates) and Rubio devolved into personal attacks. Jeb kinda fell into the "well, that was my dad and grandad that did that, not me" trap. So when Trump won, all of my fellow conservatives who just hours ago agreed that Trump was an idiot who should not be representing us suddenly put a cape on him and he was god's gift. I'm worried that is about to happen again. Including the 12 GOP primary candidates nonsense.

Can the M-1 do this https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=546114157471898

The new ordnance item contained in this latest Aid Package = The 'Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB)/long-range, all-aspect, precision-attack, ground-launched weapon developed by Saab in partnership with Boeing to address the emerging needs of armed forces.' U.S. readies $2 bln-plus Ukraine aid package with longer-range weapons -sources | Reuters

We’ve sent million of dollars worth of air defense systems ranging from PAC3 to Geperd to MANPADS like Stinger. “Oh no we won’t give them Vipers” seems like a statement of ignorance considering their military model doesn’t attempt to achieve Air Superiority through air platforms. Haven’t done anything to give them Air Dominance… tell that to Russian Fullback, Hokum, and Frogfoot drivers. I’m sure the reason we are seeing the Russians resort to massed drone and cruise missile bombardment or lobbing pods full of rockets at high angle Blind has nothing to do with the danger of exposing their manned platforms to the battlefield. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Plenty of AMC crews reported airbursts and "tracking projectiles" during my OEF/OIF/Alphabet soup days. (2010 to the end) 🙂

CBS news now reporting the FBI DID search the Penn Biden Center in November of 2022. Funny, that never made the news before the election, the White House mislead everyone and it is just now coming to light...

Flying fighter jets is a hell of a drug.

I recently received an 80% rating. Filed BDD claim in May, retired in September, award received in late December. I worked with a VSO and contrary to some experiences on this thread mine was excellent. We went through my records, he offered his recommendations which I mostly agreed with but did not claim everything. For example he saw a mandatory mental health screening and without details he listed that in his draft, but I'd never been seen for an actual issue so didn't feel right about including it and pulled it from the app (oddly enough my comprehensive exam doc added added a follow on mental health appointment but I didn't receive any rating for it). Ultimately I had one 50% rating, another 20%, and several 10%s that worked out to 80%. There were also several 0%s but that remain in my file. In the end I was a little surprised but there wasn't any gaming of the system and I used only what was in my records and offered honest explanations during my appointments. One note... they denied my claim for dependents which I'm having to re-file for and should be fixed shortly. Should have included marriage & birth certificates in my app it seems. TLDR: Long process but ultimately what appears to be a fair rating based on VA's guidelines and my records, albeit a little higher than I expected. ZB

Glad they're trying to make things right, but I do have a question for your buddy. Military and gov't leadership hasn't changed, and the vaccine requirement was only rescinded after multiple years of consternation and a gradual shift in public opinion/medical data. But who's to say a bad variant doesn't pop up and then the military reinstates the mandate? If your buddy was ready to separate over this, and now he's back in, isn't he just exposing himself to the possibility of the same thing happening again? Personally I see the issue differently, but if I was so dead set on not getting vaccinated that I was ready to separate, a simple "whoopsie we're sorry" from the DOD would not be enough to keep me around.

I worked as a crew chief under FS commanders and AMXS commanders. FS days were much better if only for the simple fact that you're only getting fucked by one group of leadership versus under the AMXS you got fucked twice over.

Congressman Dan Crenshaw just did an interview on his podcast with a SEAL who has been fighting in Ukraine. Interesting stuff. Title of the podcast is "The Truth about Dan Swift, the Navy SEAL Killed in Ukraine."

I thought fighters pulled 5g on the turn to base ha The link to the book I posted above is legit gunship history. It's got the details, we damn near lost two gunships that night. I've known the author since 79, we pretty much started flying together. He did 100s of interviews and had access to official records. Took years to write it. It's a good read. I'll try to do the cliffs. 02 was launched on by manpads and an 8 while engaging a target. Pods and chaff didn't break lock. Pilot performed last second break. Took some shrapnel from the 8. Evading the 8 is when the over g happened. They were tracked by a 6 after that. Headed south at low altitude. On 03, while flying north, we were tracked and locked onto by a 6 behind us. So they let us fly over them before they engaged.driving us north. Pods, chaff and threat breaks broke lock. A few seconds later an 8 was tracking us, we evaded that which drove us into a barrage of AAA. By then we had run out of altitude so the EWO vectored us around threats as best he could. We headed south below 100ft with the throttles pushed all the way up. Our tactics back then were to be completely blacked out and all emitters off so no radar altimeter. The sand dunes looked like clouds, kinda eerie. I had a pair of PVS-5s and the IR was looking forward as best he could, the IR sensor was placed at the forward left wheel well back then. Continuous chatter between Pilot, me and the IR about terrain. Even after that the guys running the war were still sending gunships up into Iraq on SCUD hunts. Funny you mention that. After take off, on the way to the FCF, Bill pointed out that the plane took half the trim to fly straight than it did before. We joked that the plane must have been bent before and PL almost bent it back straight.