Loach

In all seriousness, I thought exactly the same thing. Back in 2003, just before the invasion of Iraq, Army SGT Hasan Akbar of the 101st decided the invasion was wrong and rolled a couple of fragmentation grenades into a tent and then fired at others as they were fleeing killing and wounding several soldiers and one USAF officer. Similar thing at Ft. Hood in 2009 with Maj Nidal Hasan, who killed 13, I think. At least this guy (Aaron Bushnell), only took his own life.

I just want to add my .02 regarding the Ashley Bobbit part of the discussion. I'm in law enforcement (fed - Immigration) and like many others have gone on orders to get away from work (for a variety of reasons). As far as Bobbit and "resisting arrest", we'd have to know what the Capitol Police Use of Force rules are for deadly force. At my agency, there's no way we could have fired at her -- to put it in very generic terms that don't spill any details regarding our UoF policies, we can only use force that is equivalent to what's being used against us or another. If she wasn't armed, she wasn't a threat that needed to be dealt with using deadly force (i.e. firearms). The caveat is that they (Capital Police) may have different policies for protecting members of Congress. So, unless we know that, we're all speculating to some degree. I'll also throw in something else about law enforcement and immigration in general. During the Trump admin we were sending people to the SW Border for rotations to enforce US Law (Title 8 primarily). These were involuntary TDY's, and although many weren't excited about forced TDY's, at least we doing what we're trained to do (law enforcement). There are TDY's again under the current Admin, but these are simply to assist in processing aliens and then releasing them with a Notice to Appear (NTA) before EOIR at a later date. They're released into interior and almost none ever show for their court date. This is a deliberate decision by policy makers and ultimately the President himself. None of us can understand it. The border was quite secure until 18 months ago. Now it's wide open. A friend working at an airport for another immigration agency said he doesn't know why they bother processing pax or looking for bad guys. He said if anyone really wanted to harm us (like the 9/11 hijackers), it's easier for them to just go to Mexico and cross our southern border. At that point we wouldn't even have a record of their arrival and they'd have free reign within the country.

Let me throw this into the mix: in order to work in close proximity to our new “guests”, we are required to be fit tested for and wear N95 masks b/c many of our guests are carriers of Tuberculosis. If we all have cloth and paper masks already that protect us from COVID-19, why do we need N95s to protect us from TB? Shouldn’t my cloth mask be as effective at stopping TB bacterial droplets and aerosols as it is in stopping viral droplets and aerosols? Or is the whole cloth mask/Chinese made paper mask to slow or stop Covid a bunch of crap? I wore (and still wear) my mask when required but believe it is not doing me or any of us a whole lot of good, other than to make us “feel good”. Feelings are so important.

Agree that LFE's tend to be a shit show, unlike most exercises where there's no iron, so no need to be as concerned with planning or executing since there's no risk. One thing I've seen is that a lot of what AMC does at MG's falls outside the mobility spectrum -- almost as though AMC is trying to show their leaders off for future AOC Directors/JFACC's... Why not focus on the mobility/tanker mission and push the envelope there? Why not push for that in FLAG exercises more? Not sure why AMC needs to plan a PR mission when AMC doesn't even have the assets for the recovery, and certainly not the experience. Sure, it might be good training, but we've got organizations that do that already -- and if you've got the time to train in areas outside your area of expertise, does that mean there's nothing left to improve in your own field? Or are you so overfunded and underutilized that you need to find other things to do to keep yourself busy? Maybe we really didn't need 222 C-17's after all?

Officially it is not the rodeo... Unofficially, everyone knows what it is including the exercise people at HAF (AMC didn't get any of their exercise money, so you know what they must think of it). it's an AMC/MAF lovefest... AMC can drop bombs, AMC can plan CAF sorties, AMC can do PR, AMC can do comms, AMC can do AOC's, AMC can do it all! As a matter of fact, why do we need other MAJCOMS? AMC/CC said KC-46's will be carrying air to air weapons in the future and 17's will be able to drop munitions instead of delivering to a forward airbase, so why the need for B-21?. All we need is AMC apparently.

Anyone here have the pleasure of participating? IMHO it was more of a waste of time than the last one. I know AMC has an identity crisis - I'm sure we all know that. One can only hit the "I believe" button so many times...

It's been a while, but McGuire used to have an aeroclub., but it closed around 2001... I was just working on getting my PPL (I was a 135 Nav at the time) and looked into using the aeroclub, but instead chose a GA airport that was about 2 miles from my house. I remember there were 3 separate incidents at the McGuire aeroclub and soon after it closed. One of them involved a pilot who rented an airplane and ran out of fuel on a x-country (I heard he was a 141 nav. He was not injured when landing in a field, but obviously that didn't go over well). The second I don't remember, but involved CAP cadets using an aircraft. I think there may have been a minor injury or potential for injury in that one, and I don't remember anything about the third one. But, soon after the third incident the club was closed by the Wing/CC (Brig Gen Mentemeyer), although the planes were there for a while. It was unfortunate it closed, as it had some nice airplanes and seemed to be popular, but those three incidents all happened in a relative short timespan, so I guess the Wing/CC decided he'd seen enough... Eventually the hangar where it was located was torn down and became the parking lot for the new Family Support Center.

I'm a little late replying to the original poster, but as a reservist (ANG and AFR) who is now collecting an active duty ("Regular") retirement and wasn't an AGR, I can shed some light on the process. It takes 7305 total active duty points to qualify for an active duty retirement. As such, at some point many years ago, I made it a point to take every day of active duty whenever possible, including MPA, RPA, ADSW, and some AGR tours. All of that counted towards my 20 years (including 4 years of active duty in the Army) as well as my time in UNT. I went over 20 years of active duty while on a long-term MPA tour while assigned as an AFRC Traditional Reservist. The hard part was the sanctuary waivers as you're required to have one for each tour when you exceed 16 years (I know sanctuary doesn't kick-in until 18, but AFRC wants them when over 16 years). Also problematic was 1095, which required a waiver and makes it difficult to do tour over 3 years. There are ways to get around 1095, but it's difficult. Once I exceeded the 20 years and ended my MPA tour, I went to being a traditional reservist again, and had to stay a few months longer to meet the timeline to transfer my GI Bill to my kids (I missed that in 2013 b/c I was in a "No pay, no points" situation for a bogus medical reason). In any event, I applied for an active duty retirement through vPCGR (or whatever it's called now) and retired late in 2017. In addition to having about 20 years and 6 months of actual "active duty" points, I was credited with another 25 months of service for my guard and reserve time (and any correspondence courses). It's called "1405 time" and I believe it references the section of law or the CFR that allows those non-AD points to be computed into your active duty retirement. So, in the end of it, I did about 30 years of total service, with 20 years 10 months of actual active duty and had another 800ish points added to that total to come up with my multiplier based on a total as if I had served for 23 years and 6 months on active duty (~58.75% or something close to that of my high 3). I did lose some of my guard and reserve points for the years in which i did a lot of active duty (i.e. I was an AGR for 3 years, so couldn't use those 45 membership points earned during those three years in which i was an AGR for the full 365 days). Also, all active duty retirements are based on a full month of service, meaning, I lost about another 22 points, b/c my total was something like 23 years, 6 months and 22 days of service. Needed to do another 8 points (active or reserve points) to get credit for another month and a higher multiplier (not much -- 0.21%). Also, my "high 3" was based on my last 3 years in the reserves, and NOT the last 3 years I was on active duty. If that had been the case my high 3 would've been based on the pay for 2015, 2016 and 2017 as that's when i was on active duty. I remained a traditional reservist for almost 7 months in 2017 and didn't do much if any active duty then. I was told my high 3 would be based on when I actually performed AD, but instead, it was computed using the 9 months I was in the reserves in 2017 (of which 7 were NOT on active duty) and then all of 2016, 2015 and 5 months from 2014. The point to this is, even if you can't get the AD retirement right away, don't think they're going to go back and use your AD from 3 or 4 years ago to compute your retirement. One last thing: I'm a GS employee with a non-DoD agency and I'd bought back 13 years of active service when i got hired in 2008. Once I retired my agency contacted me to tell me they were going to refund my deposit, b/c you cannot use the time twice if you're collecting an active duty retirement. Just keep that in mind if you're an Technician or ART. Without a doubt the AD retirement is much better than buying back the time (in my case), particularly with TRICARE. I don't plan on staying too long at my federal job, and having health insurance is a HUGE benefit in allowing me to do what I want going forward (and you only get it with the Fed Gov't as a civilian if you take an "immediate annuity" which can significantly reduce your pension depending on your age). Hope that helps -- it was a confusing process and there's a lot of misinformation out there.

This is strictly for those who retired with a regular (i.e. "Active Duty") retirement, whether that be from 20 years of RegAF service, a combination of RegAF and AGR service, or even bums who cobble together an active duty retirement. If you didn't retire or you retired from the ARC with a "reserve retirement", you're not eligible. As far as the USERRA information, this is straight from the AFPC VRRAD website: . In my case, I'm a non-flying GS-13 working for the Gov't with a regular retirement. No matter what, I need to work b/c it's impossible to live in my area on $65K/year, but my GS job kind of blows... Returning to active duty will basically pay me about what I bring home now (retirement and GS-13 pay), but with better QoL, so I'm applying for this. In addition, if I keep my GS job (which I will), I can sell back Mil Leave days each year (15 of them) and if I use them in conjunction with a holiday (10 federal holidays), I'll actually wind up with 25 paid days or 5 weeks each year of GS-13 pay, so that actually will put me ahead of what I make now. And, as with the airlines, my seniority (and more importantly WGI's (step increases) will continue).

Greta on Fox just reported 12 deaths associated with the crash: 5 crew, 5 US Contractors and 2 Afghan civilians.

So, he's still lurking around... I went through nav school with him back in '96-'98. I knew I'd either run into him again somewhere or hear his name again..

Sounds like a good idea, but here a few things to consider... For one thing, current laws allow us to collect our Law Enforcement retirement at age 50, after completing 20 years of covered service. If one does 25 years, then the retirement can be collected at any age. If this were to apply to the military, there would be, in essence, no retirement benefit unless one completes 25 years of service, or at a minimum 20 years and can wait until age 50 to collect. So really, all it would do is make everyone serve 25 years for retirement, as there's really no incentive to get out before that. Should we leave (I'm a reservist who works as a fed leo full time) before our retirement, we can apply for a deferred retirement at either age 62 or our min retiremten age, however there are no health insurance benefits with this type of retirement (and the requirement to do the 5 years to vest). TSP also follows us. Should we transfer to a non-leo position, we lose those "covered years" (i.e. they revert to only being worth 1% instead of 1.7%), despite the fact we paid 1.3% of our base salary (non-covered positions only require 1% contributions from employees). Another thing is that with the 6c/12d retirement, there's a social security supplement for us to hold us over until we get to the age where we can collect social security (b/c of the mandatory retirement age). That's another item that would need to be addressed - would that apply to the military also? At 25 years, one can expect to collect 39% of their average high 3 salary under FERS LEO retirement. That's a huge difference from the current 60% a service member would receive for the same number of years. Who in their right mind would stay for that? Also, the military retirement fund isn't the problem -- it's mainly our healthcare. Also, I'm home every single night from my LEO job (although there is forced OT but we receive compensation for that either through LEAP or AUO depending on your agency). I can say no to being sent overseas - I do have to go on a stateside tdys if required, but they're few and far between. I work my share of holidays and weekends, and crappy hours, but even then I still make it home for part of the holiday/b-day party/bbq/ little league game/etc. Not putting down what I do, but the commitment to the military is much greater than that of my civilain LEO position -- there's a need for a unique retirement for the military. I do both and I can say there's no comparing the two -- I miss alot more of life and make more sacrifices in the reserves than I do for my agency. In my opinion, watering down the retirement will cause the better people to leave and those that stay will be the ones who can't do anything else - exactly what we don't want to further encourage.

I'm not a finance expert at all, but happened to have previously worked for the Deputy of DoD Agency in which the Director sat on the Military Retirement Fund's board, and I'd see firsthand the minutes of the meetings before they went to my boss. From what I remember, the military retirement fund was actually in very good shape and there were no problems with it at all. I was always impressed that it was managed so well. So, when I saw what this USN O-4 wrote, I had to do some searching. I happened to see the 2012 USD (Comptroller) report on the Military Retirment Fund. While there is a part of it that's considered an unfunded liability, it's actually been accounted for and there is an amortization to see how it's going to be paid down. Also, the amount he's quoting (from the Defense Business Board) and what's in the 2012 MRF Report are signifcantly different. Overall the fund is in good shape and expects to meet all of its obligations over the next 20 years, so I'm not sure where the Defense Business Board got it's numbers from (assuming the LCDR quoted them correctly). Read it for yourself here: http://comptroller.defense.gov/cfs/fy2012/13_Military_Retirement_Fund/Fiscal_Year_2012_Military_Retirement_Fund_Financial_Statements_and_Notes.pdf I agree that there's certainly a need for revision, particularly with TRICARE/healthcare. However, it seems to me that the author is using skewed data to bolster his argument, and considering he references the Center for American Progress, there's even more reason to question the data and argument he makes.

Sorry to hear of his death. I was an enlisted observer in the Army flying OH-58C's during DESERT SHIELD/STORM with the 11th Avn Bde. I remember seeing the pictures/stories in Stars and Stripes and other newspapers/magazines about Gen Schwarzkopf, as well as occassionaly hearing his voice on AFN from time to time (no TV in the desert back then, not to mention the Internet). As a lowly Army E-5, I felt that we (collectively) were in good hands, and we were. I never got to meet the General, but did march with him (and about 20K others) in the NYC/DC Welcome Home Parades in Jun 1991. He led the parade, and then about 1/2 way through left to enter the VIP box where others were reviewing the parade, so I did get to see him as we passed by. I wish there were more like him in the military today. RIP.

Do you know of any units looking for MSO's? I'm a reservist looking to get back into the ANG. Would like to try an AOC (AOG, AMOS, etc) type unit (like Syracuse or State College) and then attach and fly the RC-26 (I looked into doing this at SYR years ago but wound up on an active duty tour for a couple of years).

According to the news today, the NDAA that Congress has agreed on and will vote on later (and which Sen Levin said the Pres will sign) has restored 32 Mobility aircraft and spared 3300 airmen, while cutting the A-10's from Barksdale, Ft Smith and the F-16's at Iowa. It also says the MC-12's would remain in the active duty force. I thought part of Schwartz's plan was to retire the 12 or 13 ANG RC-26B's and replace them with the MC-12's? Anyone know what's in the legislation pertaining to the future of the ANG RC-26's? Did they get spared as well, and if not, what's going to replace them? http://defense.aol.c...icid=apb2#page2

Can you enlighten us? Any specifics? ANG? AFRC? please feel free to share...

I had to look up the article on the AFRC newsite, b/c I literally couldn't believe it. Thought it might be another article from the Onion, kind of like the recent one that declared Kim Jun Un sexiest man of 2012. Who manages these things at the AF and AFRC? I'll take the bonus, if I qualify, but really -- forcing ART's out at minimum retirement eligible age, taking airframes away from units, not letting rated AFRC crewmembers in non-flying units fly with other AFRC units (b/c "there's no travel moneyt"), etc, and now there's a shortage of rated people? What next? Big blue going to re-open the rated recall to active duty program too?

I'm not the authority on this by any means, but pretty much once you're in the ARC, you're there permanently. To go on active duty requires pretty much a rated recall program to open up. The last one was in 2009 and offered 2-3 year tours. I was accepted into a Limited Period Recall program back in 2002 and spent almost 3 years on active duty, before they ended the program. While I was on my LPRP tour there was also a permanent recall program that was opened up as well. Right now, given the current Administration and fiscal health of the country, I don't see any of the recall programs opening up anytime soon.

"Emergency Takeoff"?? No way man! We're going to start engines, and after the Before Taxi checkiist is complete turn 90 degrees and do an enhanced for the SCNS (4 minutes)! Then we can plan on an "emergency takeoff"! - A Nav

Reminds me of the old joke: "What's the difference between a second lieutenant and an A1C?". A second lieutenant is a second lieutenant no matter where he or she is commissioned. As far as this discussion, I'm not an academy grad (unless we count the "Academy of Military Science"), so I don't know what it's like, but I did do 2 1/2 years of Army ROTC, so I can talk about that. I will say that ROTC was difficult, not because it in itself is difficult, but because of the challenges of scheduling ROTC training around a 15 or 18 credit semester of classes, while working part time and doing weekend warrior stuff in the Army Guard (the Army had the SMP program -- a really good deal). It was a mjor headache for me and several of my fellow friends in ROTC, but really balancing all of that was a leeson in it's own in mangaging time, finances and dealing with real-world responsibilites and headaches, along with the made-up leadership stuff that is ROTC or any commissioning /leadership program. I'm not denegrating any other commissioning source -- but really the Army got some good 2LT's from the ROTC program I was in, and certainly those ROTC cadets were a small investment with a high return for the Army (although not me -- I opted for the Air Guard and was persona non-grata anywhere near the Army ROTC bldg).

I just went over 17 years of AD points and am learing a lot about sanctuary. I was told that in the event your squadron/Wing is "involuntarily mobilized" you'll be offered the opportunity to sign a nice, fresh sanctuary waiver, or simply not be mobilized/deployed, and the unit will have to replace you with someone else from within, or seek a hired gun to replace you. When I was at Little Rock back in 2005, two of the instructors were GA guardsman who'd been activated for either OEF/OIF and went into sanctuary and declared sanctuary. They did in fact get the shaft, of sorts, as they PCS'd to Little Rock to complete their 20 years, rahter than stay at their base in GA. I know the AFI on the sanctuary program (AFI 33-332 WRONG AFI IT's AFI 36-2131 for Sanctuary in the Air Reserve Components) states that AFRC members who enter and declare sanctuary will be absorbed into the AFRC AGR program until they complete 20 years of active duty. I assume that since the majority of AFRC AGR positions seem to be either in GA, DC (Pentagon) or Colorado, it does mean a PCS for those entering sanctuary, although not to some armpit, third world hell hole. What really sucks about sanctuary is that the program was designed to protect reservists, but makes it more difficult to enter onto AD when over or close (AFRC tracks all members over 16 1/2 years AD Points) to sanctuary as it requires a waiver, that until recently had to be signed by the NAF/CC (now at the Wing). It made it a pain to see an opportunity and apply (esp if it was short notice) only to know it would take some time to get a waiver, and therefore you really aren't competitve for the position in the first place. Reason for the edit: I referenced the wrong AFI. It's AFI 36-2131 for sanctuary information for reservisits. First it was the eyes, then the knees, and now the brain/memory. Getting old sucks.

I heard that example used on Red Eye Radio the other night (on my weekly 3AM drive from home to purgatory for the week - the Pentagon). According to the two hosts, even if we raised taxes to the level that the Pres, Reid and Pelosi want us to, it would make the family income only increase from $21,700 to $22,400 or something similar to that. Their point was that nothing is going to change with tax increases -- it's all about the spending.

At least no one was wearing the short sleeve blue shirt with tie. I did Air Force week in NYC 2 years ago, and the Air Force uniform for the event we went to was short sleeve blues with tie. Of course we were the only branch dressed that way. Everyone else was in short sleeves w/o a tie. We looked like a bunch of tools. OK, I'm done venting. I just hate looking any more like a tool in that uniform than I already have to.

Yeah, maybe we should compare sacrifices -- I'm curious. Aside from military service, what other "sacrifices" do Americans make?