Champ Kind

https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123300955 "Nothing to see here.... Move along people.... Everything's fine!"

Brevity.

Nope.

Awesome. Look him up on the global and tell him to never talk to the media again.

Maybe it was the way I wrote my reply... I was trying to say that my original reaction to the article about the drone guys was that it was ridiculous that they felt that they were in just as much danger as those in manned aircraft. I was highlighting your comment about trading in AMs for time back with the fam as a sidenote. Yes, of course I would do that (in a heartbeat), but that was not what grabbed my interest in this story.

While the whole "being away" thing was not what I found completely ridiculous about the article..... This.

Dear God.

Some more gems: "When a manned aircraft with two spare engines scrapes the top of a combat zone, well outside the range of any realistic threat, why do we consider that scenario “combat” yet deem a Predator firing a Hellfire in anger “combat support”?" "I do not believe that RPA operators are in less danger than their manned counterparts." "...the individuals killed in the terrorist attack of 11 September 2001 on the Pentagon received the Purple Heart, a combat medal." How about we just answer this in the same manner that you tell that questionable piece of ass in the morning: "Of course I respect you.... Now... move along...."

This is at the very heart of what the AF's big problem is. "I don't care what it takes.... just make this red/yellow cell turn red." It will take SQ/OG/WG CCs with balls to do this, because right now, if they tell their bosses that they are XX% N©MR, they are afraid of getting fired. I think command opportunities in the Air Force are turning into gauntlets that people run with the sole hope of making through without getting fired. "If I can just make it two years without losing anyone/bending iron/having red cells on a spreadsheet, I can make it to school and be good..." Couple that mentality with the type of people that are typically advancing these days, and you have yourself a huge problem. I know that there are exceptions to the above, because I have seen them. But as much of a fresh breath of air it is to see people like that, they are the exception.

L M A O. I knew I was going to heart this thread.

Dyess will soon be all C-130J (no Navs), and with regard to your first sentence, that is not even close to being reality. OP, Bloom where you are planted.

Her parents must be so proud.

At least aircraft acquisitions aren't the only things we are screwing up.

I'm all for waivers when it is for something worth waiving.

I would, and I do.

Just make sure you never find yourself holding the balloon.

Hmmm... Looks like the going rate in S. America is more than in SE Asia. Perhaps one of you guys getting a bullshit MBA from one of the diploma mills could conduct a study on this phenomenon in the market place.

Were there any sonic booms?

I know that if you were a legacy Herk IP you can accomplish IP upgrade in-house.

Why the angst? Weren't you a UPT stud that SIEd and volunteered for Space/Missiles? It's still the "Air" Force. I'm sure you'll have a separate service one day. But for now, it is what it is.

Whatever it is called, it shouldn't have "ride" in the title.

Wait....what? If someone has no service commitment remaining, what makes it any different if they just randomly wake up on a Tuesday morning and say, "I'm done" versus getting served with a 365 and saying, "I'm done"?

Future E-9

We all have high hopes. I just hope we're not disappointed. Big Blue has the chance to make things right over the next 6-9 months.

Agreed. Been a player in two RF-As. Had the opportunity to work directly with the CAF guys on one of the sorties. Dudes were definitely full-up.