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gearhog

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Posts posted by gearhog

    fitness maps at secret deployed locations

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by torqued

    want to get in shape during your next deployment? this app lets you find popular routes at nearly       every      deployed    us military    location as well as other places.  dont forget your fitbit/apple watch!

    https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#13.92/51.31611/25.12240/hot/all

    https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#14.97/36.99188/35.04879/hot/all

    https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#15.63/38.92630/36.26115/hot/all

    https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#14.41/-103.33138/34.39362/hot/all

    The new airline thread

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Tank said:

    You’re correct.  

    My plan was always to apply for AGR this summer/fall.  My squadron currently does not have AGR but we are receiving them.  

    You're also right in the fact that I asked about medical retirement vs 20 year military retirement.  I like to have knowledge on all my options and be in the know so that I’m not surprised by something unexpected.  

    I think it’s funny that you think you know me and think you’re smart in calling me out just because I asked a question about retirement and stated my opinion/plan about AGR.  

    Keep fighting the good fight... okay.  

    no problem, you appeared to be contradicting yourself but i didn't have the full story. i've done some temp AGR lately, and i still can't imagine, assuming you have a job at one of the big 6 airlines, that any AGR would yield a higher amount of benefits/pay/quality of life, especially if the med requirements are more strict. good luck in your decision.

    The new airline thread

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Tank said:

    I’m a 15.5 (points) year O-5 in the Reserves and in year 3 at my airline where I’m a commuter.  I’m planning on applying for AGR in my Reserve unit.  

    It gives me an opportunity to fly a new plane, gets me closer to my 20, allows my airline to unf**k their fleet plan and I get to watch my seniority grow.  

    I understand I’ll start losing money over the long run being AGR but in my opinion, the other benefits outweigh the money lost.  

    To each their own...

    on friday you couldn't decide whether to medically retire for a hip replacement, two days later you're applying for an flying AGR position? okay.

    • Haha 1

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    1 hour ago, HeloDude said:

    Sorry dude, but I'll never support conscription.  If not enough able bodies are not voluntarily willing to stand up and fight for a country then the country's is not simply worth fighting for...

    would you say that any college age starbucks barista is equally as capable as you are, through life experiences and education, to accurately determine the worth of this country?

    The new airline thread

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, Danny Noonin said:


    Of course it’s not. It’s likely illegal. And he very likely might get fired when he turns in his orders to the company and they show him on mil AGR orders during the dates of indoc. And if he’s still in the military at that point (part time) could also be subject to discipline on that end too.

    Turns out it matters not in the eyes of USERRA whether you “plan” to drop mil leave or if you are forced to. Both are legally protected.

    BUT...buyer beware. Doing things to bring a spotlight on yourself during probation (like dropping mil leave right after indoc) might not be the wisest move, even if perfectly legal. You’re protected by USERRA for your mil service. But when you return, you are a still a probationary employee that can be fired for virtually any reason legally. And dudes have been. If you don’t act in good faith to the company, don’t expect any slack when you sign in late, miss a commute, struggle in training, are involved in an incident, etc. Not that one minor thing would mean you’re fired. But it could. Probation is a risky time to play obvious games with mil leave.

    cant disagree with you here. just because it's legal doesn't mean it's smart.

    The new airline thread

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    danny, we're discussing a plan to get hired, a plan to not work at that job, and a plan to receive financial, seniority, and quality of life benefits for three years... from the company he plans not to work at. i cannot believe anyone has any trouble whatsoever in comprehending there's a problem with this.

    we can argue all day about what the right amount of USERRA military service is, but in this case, we're talking............ zero productivity, zero contribution to the company that hired you to do at least something for the benefits you're being given. the expectation is that youll be compensated for either full-time or part-time work, not zero-time work.

    if you're working a full time guard or reserve gig and you know there's a need for your service, full-time, for the next three years and you intend to fulfill it,  then the obvious and correct thing to do would be to work that position and when the times up, find your airline job.

    in this instance, he says he's not ready to be a part-timer, doesn't want to put in a full year of probation, and just wants to get his foot in the door. are you really trying to rationalize that?

     

     

    • Like 1

    The new airline thread

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    1 hour ago, matmacwc said:

    We all work within the laws/rules that benefit ourselves the most, don't like it, change the law or  make different life choices.  People get butthurt for all different reasons, but that is their problem.

    cmon, man. were talking about planning to exploit a technicality in a law with a design and intent to protect people who are required to perform periodic legitimate military service.  it sure as shit wasn't designed for people to skip work for three years immediately after being hired for the sole purpose of enriching themselves. how is this not completely obvious? the fact that integrity (especially among military officers) should extend a least a little bit beyond what the law allows you to get away with shouldn't be something that needs to be typed on a forum post.

    it happens. people can scam the system all the time. but let's have a little intellectual honesty here, admit that's it's harmful, and not encourage more military folks to do it lest we poison the well.

    • Like 2
    • Upvote 1

    The new airline thread

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted · Edited by torqued

    2 hours ago, brabus said:

    Orders for ~3 years. Makes sense what you guys are saying. Seems like a company would benefit by spending very little on a guy to lock him in down the road, i.e. another body on the books which isn't going to a competitor.

    you really think this is a mutually beneficial idea? you should tell them during the interview that for the low low price of initial training, annual profit sharing, 401K contributions, and benefits, you'll commit to flying for them three years from now. yeah that'd be a great deal... for one of you. they'd likely prefer that you moved on to screw a competitor.

     sure guys do it all the time, but it's not the intent of USERRA, and it's deceitful.

    edit: apologies for the harsh tone, but this sort of thing does upset both retired and non-military line pilots.

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

    Funny how we've managed to stay free since 1783 with an all volunteer force. Do you HONESTLY believe that without draftees in WWII we would have lost that war? 

    Feel free to argue with our founding fathers whether or not Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are God given rights or if you should have to "earn" it first by forced labor. What's the point of fighting for those principles if we're just going to ignore them anyways "for the greater good"? They just become hollow catchphrases with no real meaning. Either we're a nation founded on the ideal that we each make our own way through life with the freedom to decide what that path is, or we're an authoritarian nation in which you can only be free if you first sacrifice your free will to the government.

    "If I abide by a law I disagree with, I accept it." Patently false. There are a few laws I don't agree with, but that the penalty for disobeying is too great to risk non-compliance. That doesn't mean I accept that law, it just means I don't want to go to prison or pay a steep fine. So instead I lobby, or support groups that lobby, to change these laws. 

    sorry, i don't understand your first statement. it seems sarcastic and poorly informed. conscription was used in the revolution, civil war, WWI, WWII, korea, and vietnam. 

    i don't think you read my earlier thoughts on "forced labor". i'll address them again if you are unsatisfied, but i don't want to reiterate.

    if i see you stop your car at a stop sign, i have no idea if you agree or disagree with the law, or are simply stopping out of fear. all i know is that you complied with the law, and that's really all that matters. if you manage to have the sign removed in the future by appealing to reason and logic and not emotion, i think that's terrific, too.

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted · Edited by torqued

    24 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

    Correct. I don't expect it of others. I made my choice so that they can make theirs. 

    You don't "earn" the right to have the freedoms we have in this nation. You are born with it - "endowed by their Creator" and these rights are "unalienable", meaning they cannot be taken away.

    as I said, noble, but not sustainable. 

    i don't think you can legitimately argue that our freedom was free. it came at a cost. when you obtain something through sacrifice, it is the very definition of having been "earned".

    21 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

    What makes you believe I accept them? How do you know I don't work towards deregulating such laws? Maybe I comply with them, for fear of punishment, but that doesn't mean I accept them in principle. 

    how you think or feel about a law is of no consequence. laws do not govern thoughts or feelings. how you act or behave is of consequence. if you abide by a law you disagree with, you accept it. would you mind giving and example of a law you are deregulating?

    • Upvote 1
    • Downvote 1

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    so you're willing to give up some of your freedoms and liberties so others can enjoy all of theirs, but you don't expect or trust those same people with the smallest and most necessary tasks. imagine if WWII volunteers rejected draftees. 

    imagine if parents never required children to earn the things they enjoy. what would that generation look like?

    • Upvote 1

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

    reading is hard.

    ”society should seek to find a balance between allowing it's citizens to do whatever they feel like doing (liberty), and providing a structure that requires them to act with discipline and responsibility (law).”

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted · Edited by torqued

    18 hours ago, Vertigo said:

    One's liberty extends until it infringes on the rights and liberty of another. That's the boundary.

    that is a great concept when when we're talking about the broad direction we seek to take our society, but it's also an oversimplified ideal that cannot be practically applied to all aspects of life in that society. your personal liberty in daily life is restricted by countless rules and laws that cannot be said to directly infringe on the rights of others, and you accept them. i could argue to restrict a great number of your personal liberties by making a tenuous connection to a threat to my right to life (safety and security) and pursuit of happiness.

    a society should seek to find a balance between allowing it's citizens to do whatever they feel like doing (liberty), and providing a structure that requires them to act with discipline and responsibility (law). you can't teach a person to act with discipline and responsibility without forcing them to make a sacrifice. estimating the amount of personal sacrifice needed to guarantee and equitable amount of personal liberty isn't easy, but it also isn't zero.

    as a voluntary member of the military, the amount of sacrifices you are making is likely ensuring the liberty of dozens of people (129.24 to be exact). that's noble, but not sustainable. especially when your beliefs are becoming more polarized from the people whom you provide for.

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted · Edited by torqued

    1 hour ago, Vertigo said:

    What I'm saying is forced labor is the exact OPPOSITE of liberty, which is the principle on which this nation was founded. 

    That fire is being constantly tended by our all volunteer force. If we have the need for a larger force, then we must offer better incentives for people to join or stay in. Do you not think you'd be degrading our security and vigilance by forcing people to join the military against their will? How much resentment towards the government would some of these people start to harbor? How many would then turn to extremism?

    We have enough issues with discipline of those that voluntarily joined, imagine how much time we'd be wasting having to manage those that do not want to be in.

    you're using the term "liberty" as if it is a unconditional right with no boundaries. surely you must acknowledge that total liberty, total freedom cannot exist when a nation of 350 million individuals want to thrive, advance, and to defend themselves against exterior threats. in the course of those pursuits for the common good, nearly all individuals are going to be required to make some involuntary sacrifices. Every law is a restriction on liberty and freedom of the people whom left to their own devices, would act conversely. but I think you would agree they are required for our nation to endure.

    if we agree (and perhaps we don't) that at least some limits to individual liberty and freedom are required for a nation to function, then we only disagree on where the limits are placed, and that's subjective. You can't just point to the Constitution and say it contains the word "liberty". what we seek is a nation that provides the MOST individual freedom and liberty for the most people while still ensuring the nation as a whole continues to succeed.

    since the time period immediately after 9/11, i believe we're seeing a breakdown of our national values and our national identity. a thing i've learned from my military service is that overall, the connection in values and identity I shared with my military coworkers far exceeds anything i've ever seen outside the military. Why? because we share common experiences, adversities. the amount of personal sacrifice for something dictates the value you place on it. I think it is no coincidence that we are seeing a decline in appreciation for our nation as we're also seeing a decline in the rate of voluntary military participation (sacrifice).

    I will say i do not believe in "serve or prison" in most cases, but I think compulsory national service could be heavily incentivized, and it need not be military. Our security and prosperity was earned through a great deal of sacrifice and a great deal will be necessary to maintain it. A lot of work needs to be done and if you want to enjoy all the great aspects here, you should be required to do more than simply exist. all the free-loading libertarians should be required to do their part.

    • Like 1
    • Downvote 1

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    29 minutes ago, HeloDude said:

    By the way, if not enough able people are willing to voluntarily fight for our nation then it's obviously not worth defending.

    false.

    the nation exists because we have a long history of conscription, including the war which founded it.

     

    Raise Taxes, Fire up the Draft.

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted · Edited by torqued

    2 hours ago, Vertigo said:

    Forced public service under the threat of what? Prison? I mean there would have be to some form of punishment for not complying right? What do you call forcing someone to do a job they didn't agree to do or else you'll throw them in jail? 

    what do you call forcing someone to pay money? theft or taxes?

    you're playing word games. labor or money for the common good isn't the same thing as slavery and theft.

    • Upvote 1

    More Uniform Changes!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, GKinnear said:

     

    Don't kid yourself. The A2 is cheaper than the NOMEX jacket.

    Leadership datapoint: During the last sequestration in 2013, my squadron was handing out the A2 like candy to all the pipeline Airmen (well short of the 36 mos required by AFI). The brand new Airmen weren't getting issued jackets through pipeline training with winter approaching.

    The Wg enlisted leadership lost it's mind but when the issue was brought up, my boss had already prepped the OG (and he the WG) on the justification. It was a polite conversation, but his response boiled down to "Noted" and he kept issuing A2 jackets to the Airmen. That's not the only reason he made BTZ, but was indicative of his overall leadership.

    i would like to believe your good leader data point isn't a deviation from the avg so far off the chart it's in the next room...

    More Uniform Changes!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    49 minutes ago, ihtfp06 said:

    I wish we bought the two piece in the green bag and tan bag colors rather than the OCP pattern. If they phase out the green bag, are they going to get rid of the A2 jackets also? A leather jacket with camo pants is going to look plenty goofy.

    leather jackets are expensive. and they're made of animals. you can be sure this is causing much hand-wringing and consternation among shoe clerks.

    of course they won't be around much longer.

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