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Didn't realize Iran was employing balloons.

Whoa, whoa... what the fuck, friend?

Taiwanese U-2 pilot Johnny Shen died last Thursday, age 92 He was a U-2 pilot with The Black Cat Squadron on Taiwan from 1968 to 1973. He was admitted to the CAF Academy in January 1952, then trained in the PT-17 and the T-6. After his graduation in December 1955, he was assigned to the 4th Tactical Fighter Group in Chiayi. He was first sent to Tainan to be trained on the T-33, then returning to Chiayi to fly the F-84 in 1956. Later he converted to the F-100. He left the 35th Sq in 1973 and became the vice military attache in Vietnam. After the loss of Vietnam, he returned to Taiwan to served on several desk jobs. He retired from the CAF as a Colonel in 1977 and joined China Airlines, where he flew the Boeing 707, 727, 767, and 747, and Airbus A-300. He transferred to EVA Airlines in 1992. Then he returned served in Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration until 1998. After retirement, he emigrated to Canada and lived in Vancouver. These guys flew some really risky missions. Him him...

Woke up early for some reason so grabbed some coffee and turned on the TV...Police in full riot gear busting up the UCLA encampment...must see TV...Tear Gas, pepper balls, stun grenades and batons on skulls...I am cheering like it is a big college game!

Any FedEX guys know when the iPad (10) lanyards are getting ordered? I’d like one.

Well....we've responded to you for many years. 🥃

No, it's a recognition that we aren't going to have a test, so we have to have an age. If we have a test, a lot of the guys who really want to stay past 65 would have been kicked out by 55. No one wants to open that can of worms. Air guardian has an interesting perspective from his particular operation. But the passenger airliners do not go to outfields once every few years, you simply don't need someone with 30 or 40 years of experience to safely operate. That doesn't mean they can't safely operate, but this argument that you need decades of experience to do this job is just laughable. It's a cookie cutter operation even at some of the "challenging" airfields. Yeah, I don't want to send a 23-year-old brand new Captain off to Guatemala on his own, but no one was arguing for that. In the passenger carriers the biggest threat is a compound emergency that requires very quick decision making. Considering most 65-year-olds have never even had an engine failure, longevity does not contribute to that. A focus on training, and mental quickness is what will separate pilots after about 10 years of experience. Like tac airlifter pointed out, slowing down and asking for clarification alleviates the majority of passenger carrier mishaps. You don't need 30 years of experience to do that. If we really want to start down the cognitive testing route, the 60 plus crowd is not going to like it when they start showing the cognitive decline curve on a chart on CNN every time there's a mishap. At a certain point the people in the back of the plane are going to ask why their pilot is lower on the curve. Yes, initially there will be a threshold set based on the average 65-year-old, but that threshold will be a lower score than the average 55-year-old or 40-year-old or 35-year-old. Once you start quantifying something that costs billions of dollars when it goes wrong, people will ask "why are we settling for less than the best?" No one cares when a few rich people die in a business jet, which is why everybody 65 and older can continue to fly in that career. This is a "problem" that does not need to be solved.

Re-sharing these gems:

Gen Austin Miller made the call, although Biden & Blinken put him in a box: they imposed a troop cap which made staffing BAF along with the embassy/HKIA impossible. Then Blinken said we cannot withdraw from the embassy due to optics, ergo BAF must close. And because they were unimaginative and underestimated the enemy, they assumed GIRoA could hold out until 2022. Miller pushed back but ultimately saluted and executed. He should have resigned instead. McKenzie, the COCOM/CC, took command from Miller (meaning the COCOM absorbed what had been its own 4 star command, you can imagine how butter smooth that COMREL change was) in July of 21 I believe, after BAF was handed over and when the assault on the outskirts of Kabul began in earnest. He failed to take any bold action although several of us were sending very clear recommendations and security warnings. By early August it was an insane situation: the Taliban was moving openly in large formations massing artillery and supplies as close as Maiden Shar and all ANA checkpoints on Highway 1 had fallen. Camp Commando had fallen. We were going Winchester and not slowing them down; our own FIRES process was complicated by surrendering ANA personnel and enemy use of their (our) equipment /uniforms. The AAF ran out of munitions and ceased flight operations. I landed in HKIA after one sortie and stated clearly: we must initiate the NEO now. The front office for the 2 star in Kabul (senior US Officer in country) told me “not possible, the Turks won’t allow it.” The Turks were running HKIA at the time. 3 days later the Turks were burning all their papers and excess equipment as they ran to their own aircraft to escape the fall. A lot to digest from the experience. My biggest surprise has been that absolutely no one higher wants to hear about it. There was no AAR, no hot wash, no internal mil attempt to investigate and figure out where it broke down. Just sweep it all under the rug, too embarrassing. The AF history guys did a quick report, although it was mainly focused on the 2.5 week mobility surge and they didn’t even know my unit existed. My AAR is now in their secret addendum, but the document is shortsighted by exclusively focusing on the evacuation rather than how the hell we allowed July-Aug to ever occur. Without any accountability and with the same idiots in charge, we should unfortunately expect another epic strategic humiliation.

Huge props to the folks at University of Florida. No doubt channeling @M2 when they published this masterpiece.

The inability of the USAF to fix issues of "specialization" in career fields without feeling the need to create yet another rank structure is simply failed leadership.

Honestly it was a ballsy move by Iran, if they had killed any US with the TBM strikes on IZ I think things would look different right now. The mood was lethal. When we had zero casualties (granted many folks had TBI) the decision was made to stand down. It could have easily gone the other way. Fun side note: since they destroyed our hangar with TBMs I used the event to clean up 5 years of property book shenanigans. Seriously, it was very beneficial. For anyone reading this: if your stuff ever gets destroyed by the enemy, seize the opportunity to do your unit a solid.

I completely understand the distaste for trump, but holy shit, if one votes a second time for this disaster admin, they’re brain dead.

Today, May 3rd in perhaps one of the tone def actions taken by the Biden administration (and that is saying something), the U.S. Department of Education announced an investigation of Emory University over...."Anti-Muslim discrimination." Seriously, if you voted for this clown, punch yourself in the gonads, repeatedly. Weeks of campus protests calling for genocide and the destruction of Israel...this is the response.

AI Pilot leaves Air Force for Southwest Airlines

Good. The only airline flying I do is sitting in the back. But I work with enough of the 65+ crowd on a daily basis to know that I don't want them flying me or my family around. Age-related cognitive decline is real. And those who deny it the most are typically the ones most affected by it. Which is not to say you can't be 65+ and still be capable. But for every 10 guys who think they're "running circles around all those young whipper-snappers," 9 of them are full of shit.

Simple, arrest them all as they are breaking laws. But, that’s not happening because academia at large is comprised of the most retarded, weak, and worthless people our society has to offer.

"Ghost guns" are another fabricated and irrational scare tactic term akin to "assault rifles" for those who are hoplophobic. Serial numbers don't stop the illegal use of a firearm any more than a VIN stops someone from stealing a car. The right to keep and bear arms is an alienable one, not "granted" by any government. And, as we all can attest to, anything the government gets its nose into is more likely to get fucked up that fixed!!

In this case you are quoting a literal Russian Psyop outlet. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It goes way beyond Plastic. A society without soaps… most medications… superior lubricants to machine parts… fertilizers growing 8 billion people in food. The sheer stupidity of somebody that thinks human existence can exist at this scale without petroleum is just unaware of anything petroleum is used as a precursor or provides the bulk chemical make up of. They just think a barrel of oil = gasoline = bad stuff for global warming. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Man, this idiot doesn’t know crap!

*Promote ahead of peers*

The difference on the board between R's and D's is that the R's are willing to call out and name their retards. The D's defend their retards and/or don't recognize that they're retarted. That's the difference on this board. It plays out on a larger scale as well.

any party that tells me a man can identify as a woman and *magical LGBTQTIA+ dust* IS a woman...is extreme. and retarded.

Well, as everyone probably knows by now, the U-2 is being divested. The entire thing has been a public affairs disaster on how to release the information. Still, there is very little going out, and I'll avoid crossing any lines. Needless to say, the capabilities the U-2 has and that are ready for prime-time are pretty significant. Oh well... someone thinks the money is better spent elsewhere. The last interviewee was hired in January. Could there be an extension in the U-2's future? I think so... for reasons I won't discuss. Unlikely, yes. But you just never know. Hail Dragons...

Dude, it’s so bad. Areas I used to go for a pleasant run in, on layovers just a few short years ago, have turned into absolute unrecognizable cesspools. It has done wonders for my mile time, however, as I’m running for my fuckin life.

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Meh, the 401k is going to be taxed at a 96.9% rate by the time I retire. Might as well spend more money now on shit that is way more useful and life enriching - not stressing over not quite making a max. Dying with millions in the bank isn’t my jam…but leaving 5 airplanes and an undisclosed amount of guns and knives to my kids is!

That bio is a word salad of bullshit. When I read this kind of crap, I always picture that bar scene in Good Will Hunting where he’s mocking the Harvard idiots. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

A few years ago just as COVID was kicking off my buddy ordered 100K rounds of .223. A truck delivered it to his house on two pallets. I've been waiting for the ATF to pay him a visit ever since.

He is there because WEF, Blackrock and Vanguard want him in that chair.

Bottom line, those MudHen drivers went to bed with a smile on their face, knowing they did a great job. Plus they garnered the admiration and Thanks of another nation. They will be honored in the future. Nice Job!

Stolen

Okay, I've been there, done that although it was a while ago in 1994. Got hosed by what passed for DEI back in the day but that's another story. So, got hosed as the A-10 Division Chief of Stan/Eval for the Wing and my AF career is pretty much over. Not much I can do to fix that. "Should I stay or should I go now..." was an appropriate song lyric and I chose to go. However, I wasn't prepared to go with no airline apps but airlines weren't hiring, no Guard/Reserve contacts, nothing. So, I had to get those done before I cut the income lifeline and I ended up sticking around for about a year and a half before I separated from Active Duty and left with a $52K separation bonus. Got a GS-13 job as an IP at Barksdale but I was looking at the job as a place holder until I could get hired at an airline. I did get promoted to Major. After 2 years, I got hired by American so I switched to the traditional Reservist role. Somewhere in there I hung up the G-suit and got a staff job at 10AF. Got promoted to Lt. Col. I retired with 28 years total service although I wanted to retire earlier but 9/11, a faux bankruptcy, age 65 retirement, and a real bankruptcy made me not want to give up that lifeline until I had to. I'm currently paying back the $52K. As much as getting passed over was a huge insult, I think I'm better off for it. I wasn't worried about the next promotion, I wasn't worried about the next school, and I wasn't worried about the next job. I flew T-38s and A-10s for 21 years. I got into a more lucrative career and approaching my airline retirement, I have financial stability I'd never thought I'd see. That $52K that I'm paying back was basically a 30 year interest free loan for a house now approaching $1M in value. The military retirement also includes medical which helps. So, you have skills that are marketable and there are companies out there that value them. Even after getting hosed for promotion, I did do Air War College, I did an Electronic Warfare School and a few other odds and ends. Making yourself more valuable is always a good idea and don't burn bridges that you might need to cross back over. Your life isn't over but it is going down a different path than planned. Best of luck to you!

I can’t think of anything more weak than a president who has to use the baby steps into Air Force one, has to be pumped up with uppers to deliver speeches, and who only makes the decisions/takes questions that are approved by his handlers.

The only logical conclusion that one can come to is the agents were looking for a fight. If you think a dude is a gun runner, do you attack him in the place that he would have the most guns? A six year old could see the obvious absurdity. Or do you go get him in a place where at the absolute most he has a pistol hidden? I am not against qualified immunity, but maybe it does need some reform when a police state can violate every shred of common sense and seemingly intentionally escalate a situation to the point that any reasonable person would consider their lives in danger and take self defense actions. If I hear someone trying to kick my door in late at night and yelling 'Police', I'm not going to believe them and I'm going to defend my home. If I hear someone nicely knocking on my door, look outside, see multiple cop cars with their lights on and police in uniform, I will know that I'm not being attacked by a violent gang and I'll put my gun away before I open the door. These ATF agents and the leadership that approved the raid need to be held accountable. They killed a US citizen in his home when he almost certainly thought he was under attack by a band of lawless criminals, which isn't actually that far from the truth.

I am guessing you've never been in a gunfight or you are a world class combat tested shooter. It is one thing to drive nails at the range, quite another once the adrenaline starts to flow...trust me. Countless studies have proven the impact of stress on accuracy in real gunfights. The data on police shootings is very consistent, annual hit-rate averages in large departments such as New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas, for example, have typically ranged from 22% to 52% over the decades. A more recent study in Dallas examined 149 real-life OISs recorded over a 15-year period by Dallas (TX) PD. In nearly half of these encounters, officers firing at a single suspect delivered “complete inaccuracy.” That is, they missed the target entirely. At 120 BPM – You begin lose fine motor skills. You are unable to dial a phone or aim a weapon. At this level, gross motor skills are generally unaffected. At 150 BPM – You begin to lose your complex motor skills. Hand-eye coordination and timing deteriorate. Practiced techniques that do not require fine motor skills are still generally available. A 180 BPM and above – At this level you begin to lose rational thought processes. Though trained gross motor skills are not drastically affected. In the 134 cases where researchers were able to calculate the hit rate, “incredibly” it was merely 35%. Another study examined fire rate, as stress increased so did the first rate, by a factor of two. Combining these too factors together, it is usually better to have more rounds. We can also discuss actual stopping power of the .45 versus the 9MM. While the .45 is a larger projectile it is moving at a slower velocity and has less penetration than the 9MM. Hollow-point 9MM rounds typically penetrate deeper and interestingly expand to almost the same size as the .45. I am not hating on the .45, I own several but from personal experience I would rather have more rounds. It really is. The size, portability and maneuverability beat anything else I've tried when using as a vehicle weapon. I was lucky to do a lot of training with the "lads" and did the driving and shooting course...I felt like a complete stooge the first couple runs. The charger allows me to easily control the weapon pulling it from behind the drivers seat, across the front of my body without the muzzle banging into the steering wheel or getting hung up int he headliner. A few of my collection (anyone want a Glock 30, WAY to small for my hand), for size comparison, as you can see folded up it is very small and the stock folds out in one fluid motion, making transition very easy.

Awards/medals are embarrassing compared to the days of old. Even bronze stars and to some extent, DFCs, are handed out for simple baseline-doing-your-job. Everyone gets a trophy for just breathing and doing average shit. Ridiculous.

Multiple visits shows the unit you are interested. We never hired anyone that we hadn’t seen stop by a few times. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

My favorite output from that was the crater directly where the hangar with gym in a box was with a quote “I told you to stop dropping the weights!”

Depends on what she looks like.

I'd say alot of things TSA does are counter to intelligence.

I was discussing this the other day, after seeing what the USN pulled off almost overnight. AF buy a slew of the same darn Beechcraft and get on it NOW. All those turboprops can be delivered in 3-4 years. Guys need real flying and learning in the real world and all the things one learns by doing that. T-6 onward to King Air onward to "Heavy Whatever" is WORLDS better than T-6 to F it, we do it live. Kudos to the USN boys. AF...take notes and execute on a T-1 replacement.

Your Air Force dreams are dead statistically. You have three priorities now: Rack up hours for your airline application (fill the app out now and keep it updated every month). Start learning about the airline application process. Make damn sure you don't get promoted on the second look. You are forever a second class officer now. Some escape the gravity of a late promotion, most do not. Going to PIT should be a great way to not get promoted. Failing a PT test will guarantee it 😅 Prepare yourself mentally, financially, and logistically for a life outside of the AF. Where do you want to live? Do you know how civilian investing works? Are you ready to live lean for a while until your next career starts paying well? If you don't want to be an airline pilot, then you need to start networking aggressively. Spend the next year finding people who work in the field you're interested in and learn everything you can from them. We have people here who can speak to that world, I only know the airlines. As for airline hiring, I think we are possibly in a phase where the people hired today will be furloughed in a year or two. Maybe. Doesn't matter. Being furloughed means no airline apps to maintain and most importantly, no flying currency to worry about while you work outside of the industry. When hiring restarts, you get called back, no questions asked. Your airline will pay for your training and re-currency, which will put you in a spot to change airlines if you desire. This is part of the reason why you always take the first airline job you're offered. Good luck, and feel free to ask questions.