HeloDude

I think Buddy Spike called it...if we start honoring guys with a terrorist past/ties to communism then I think that's a very very slippery slope. He also didn't have the most kind things to say about the United States over recent years.

This has been an interesting conversation at work so I was wondering what folks' opinions are on it?

I'm sorry.

I'd say her chances are going to look better just because the race was close in 2012 and Dems are currently poised to lose some seats in a standard midterm election as well as having to defend Obamacare which I believe will only continue to be an overall disaster. Hopefully someone better from the GOP can beat her in a primary, though she does have the correct plumbing and resume the eatablishment is looking for.

Move to NJ?? No thanks man.

Interesting how the side-boob doesn't look as good with the angle in the mirror. Mmm...side-boob

So let's do it the most cost effective way...I'm all about value. If the Academy is more cost effective vs ROTC vs OTS, then I'm all for it.

In response to CH, I don't think much of anything will be done with regards to this issue/scandal. At best they (senior officers) will say that they have stopped the practice, and I'm not even sure that will truly happen. As for the Academy itself, what a waste. Do we really need to pump that much money into government schools that produce the exact same product that an ROTC/OTS program can produce? I know there is history and tradition involved (especially with Annapolis and West Point), but why are they are truly needed today? I've met great and shitty officers from all commissioning sources, as well as plenty in between. Just like the commissaries (especially stateside), they are no longer needed and require additional funds to maintain status quo. Senior officers are telling us that we need to 'change/adapt' and get away from things just because it's tradition...getting rid of the Academies would be a great start.

The real question is: Will this be addressed? Or will it be like all the other government scandals in which the senior officials will say, "we're concerned and are looking into it", only to to never hear much of the issue ever again? Don't worry...the Air Force has got your back.

The OSI have informants in the ops squadrons to rat people out who are talking about flying for the airlines while still at work.

Sounds like the first day you buy a boat...

So if a bad (ie not popular) policy was implemented 5-10 years ago and is now rescinded, does that necessarily mean that things have gotten better? If your boss cuts your pay by 10% and a year later gives you that 10% back...is that a pay raise, per se? If that's the case, then the civilians should be very happy for their 'pay raise' in terms of just not being furloughed any longer. I think we're grading on a pretty big curve these days. Don't get me wrong, I'll gladly take getting rid of the stupid policies...but then that begs the question--why were they then implemented in the first place?

I don't know the specifics of this certain situation, put per the AFI, if an aviator isn't willing to fly the assigned aircraft given, then you move to an FEB and usually recommend losing rated status. Though I agree that if a pilot/nav isn't competent enough to fly a manned aircraft then they shouldn't be flying an RPA. You have very little recourse as an aviator when it comes to aircraft assigned, rating status, etc unless the Air Force violates their own policies or goes against the law (ie gave you something you didn't want because of your race, for example). The flying world is pretty much a one way agreement.

Good to see you posting again Bendy!

Hopefully your GF was spared the stupid gene. My solution to liberals--let them have their 'utopia' and see how well it works for them and fight them when they try to interfere with other people's lives outside of their area (that goes for conservatives too). Have you seen the douche-bag NYC elected as their new mayor? If you chose to live near these ass-clowns then you get what you deserve. Just my 'humble' opinion, of course.

I think we're being a little too kind with our definition of 'average' in this case.

Norway's Army Tries To Save The World... By Going Vegetarian Glad to know we're not the only military dealing with nonsense. No meat on Mondays, or sexual assault CBT's...chose your poison.

Oh, I see...guess you feel strongly that they would look differently than portrayed?

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/army-pr-push-average-looking-women-100065.html?hp=f3 Army PR push: 'Average-looking women' I'm sure this will solve all the Army's problems.

Vertigo--do you support any part of the ACA or any of the regulations that have risen from the law?

Since when does a Big Mac cost $5!?? I need to lay off the peyote.

Didn't they already make this movie a few years ago?

In my experience, local businesses can rarely match the prices of online gun stores. Why pay more?

I think you have quite a bit in common with your fellow senior officers, just as I do with CGO's/FGO's who are actually into hacking the mission, mentoring young officers and enlisted, and willing to do what is necessary for legitimate reasons. You want me to go deploy tomorrow to hack the mission?...let me know, and I'll be packed up and ready to go, no BS there. I'm personally tired of the hypocrisy in the Air Force...maybe that's just my personality, but it's something that was instilled in me a long time ago--to not just 'go along to get along'. I have seen the hypocrisy from my first years as a qualified dude in the squadron, to right now at my current staff job. I have also seem some great leaders...mostly when I've been deployed, but at home as well. I have seen a commander go out to dinner with a couple of his 'favorite' young Captains who him and his wife were friends with (literally caught them by randomly showing up with a date to the same restaurant)...funny, those couple Captains were always the ones getting picked for upgrade first, highest strats (I was the Exec, so I saw this with my own eyes), getting pushed harder for the assignments they wanted, etc. Their leadership and flying skills were average to above average, but again, they were the ones typically picked for awards, etc. Yeah, I'm sure an IG complaint would have done wonders...that commander would have had an excuse for every one of his actions. Again, unless it's blatant, then it's a 'he said vs she said'...oh, and this commander has friends out there who could be my next commander, so... I have seen guys get called out for doing something 'wrong' when flying, only to bring the AFI's to the DO/CC to show them that they in fact didn't do anything in wrong...and then subsequently had that the DO/CC say 'well...maybe it was legal, but...'. I personally did this on two occasions, and fortunately I was correct both times. I have seen commanders utterly surprised when not one of the evaluators (both pilots and the E's) recommend their shining star for the next upgrade to evaluator. Think they might have just been a little 'out of touch'? Funny, the commander still pushed that person for the upgrade, the next job outside the squadron to get pushed, etc. I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. You can only pee on my leg and tell me it's raining so often before I smell the piss and realize what's really going on. When a sharp dude gets the highest strat, gets picked up for school on his O-4 board, etc then I'm not at all jealous, actually, I'm happy that the 'system' is at least somewhat working the way it should be. And for the record, I could give 2 shits about saying 'so to speak' (that's a stupid fighter thing anyway), saying 69 all the time, etc. But I do hate the witch hunt and the hypocrisy...you know, that same hypocrisy you show when saying Wilkerson assaulted someone. The same hypocrisy of saying that a picture of a dude's wife in a vacation bikini pic is unprofessional/sexual, etc but then don't have a problem with the AF PA on af.mil sites showing girls in body building pics wearing bikini's. I've said it before and I'll say it again--this is the way the system is and I get it. It's hard to prove that a commander or O-6 did what he did (ie lower strats, not picked for an upgrade, etc) because you challenged them a policy--why?...because this business is subjective as hell. If you're not one of the 20% chosen ones (you know, the guys you love who will agree with anything you say) then you're better off to just doing your best and not rocking the boat. You may call that cowardice...but I call that reality. I'll fall on my sword when I just can't take it anymore or when I'm near the end and I don't feel they can fck with me much anymore. But I refuse to drink the koolaid and be a cheerleader for the nonsense. I have had young Lt's ask me about certain rules, policies that I though was utter nonsense and I tell them is to make sure they understand such rule and policy and that this is what we're to do and follow. I won't though start cheering about how great of a policy or rule I think it is and how it's making us a better force, blah blah blah. BL: I'll keep on doing what I know is right and taking care of my own guys as much as I can--I'm not 'chasing' rank. Sorry for the TLDR type post. Rant Off.

I would tell them that they can make an IG complaint and/or contact their Congressman. I also suggest to them that they can always go to talk to the ADC for just about any legal question they have and that they are far more the experts in the legal realm than I am. As for telling the young guys that most likely very little will get done unless it's extremely blatant or is a 'flavor of the month' type complaint?...no, I do not. They have their peers and mentors for that...not that it's much of a secret these days as you can see from posts in the other threads. Again, you don't see how 'singling out someone for their race/saying Wilkerson assaulted someone' is a bad thing, and you're part of this larger process. Like I said, you're part of the higher echelon club, I, and most others here, are not.