Bigred
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Posts posted by Bigred
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California requires solar on all new homes, but the builders tend to put the minimum legal requirement on the houses so solar doesn’t really 100% cover the usage.
That said, as I’m experiencing first hand, my utility bill and solar payment combined is significantly lower than if I only used power from the grid. I’ve only had solar for not quite a year but so far it seems worth it.
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2 hours ago, Clark Griswold said:
How is the AF not able to do this? The Army has DACs (dept of the army civilians) flying aircraft as instructors and just regular crew stateside for years
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkThe cynic in me says that it’s not that the Air Force can’t figure out how to do it, it’s that no one applied hence are physically unable to do it. In true Mother Blue fashion, they are kicking the can down the road vice admitting defeat.
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4 hours ago, Majestik Møøse said:
When’s the last time any of us has worked with Marine infantry at an LFE? I’m trying to remember the last time I worked with Marines at all in training; it was probably their C2 guys in a tent. When do you think the last time a Harrier or C-model Hornet squadron worked with other Marines? Rhetorical.
When it comes to a MEF/MEB/MEU, the Marines are always the best option to support other Marines. I sure as shit wouldn’t trust my survival on another service showing up; we’re all too busy with our own activities. When the Navy has to choose between CAS and Carrier survival, or the Air Force has to choose between CAS and DCA and strike package size / regen rates and also Carrier survival, support for a thousand Marine infantry holding or advancing to an objective is going to get backburnered. Even the resupply from other services will have to be fought for at every instance, which is why a quarter of Marine expeditionary units is dedicated for logistics support, Hercs and all. They’re geared to survive by themselves for 30-60 days, because they’ll have to. It’s actually a pretty enviable setup, because it’s self-contained “joint” by nature and commanded by a guy that knows what he’s doing.
Maybe Red can shed more light.
You pretty much nailed it.
The MEU, and the ARG/ESG by extension, doesn’t rely on any CV support.
The concept that everyone’s job in the Marines, regardless of specialty or expertise, is to support the private with a rifle. That same mindset and focus doesn’t exist in other branches. Accordingly, the Marines organize and conduct themselves in a way to achieve that primary goal.
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On 12/18/2022 at 8:46 PM, Clark Griswold said:
The Sea Gripen
Just vaporware now but digital engineering and preliminary work has already been done.
Not a crazy concept to take a plane designed to hit the road at the 690 fpm and stop inside of a 1500' and modify for carrier ops.
Reduce signature where you can (air intakes, weapons carriage, etc...) and leverage the good EW capes already in the Gripen weapons system.
Brazil, India and other allies have looked at a Sea Gripen but the USMC should have taken the lead and methinks they would have gotten others to get off the fence also. Like the F-20, the Allies will get confident when/if we buy it.
https://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/2017/02/gripen-m-for-indian-navy/
My point on the Gripen would be relevant about 15 years ago but the horse has left the barn but i rant away anyway...
Anyway dueling opinions on the Lightning Carriers for pot stirring:
My two cents, yes to smaller carriers, maybe to B model 35s, no to believing anything is gonna change from the acquisition path we are on.
That’s pretty cool and that looks like it’d be fun to fly. Like how the carrier had to modify flight deck ops to accommodate the V-22, the amphib could do likewise for this.
As you said though, that train has long since sailed from the barn. The Marines got stuck (or asked for) the -35B and the rest is history.
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On 12/18/2022 at 4:08 PM, HuggyU2 said:
And just like that!...
the U-2 gets a new moniker.
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/u2-dragon-lady.html
Hail Dragons!
Great potential for an ‘interesting’ solo party…
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22 hours ago, brabus said:
To be fair, you don’t seem to grasp how the MEU concept and objective is not in the same ballpark as the fights an F-35 is designed for. The mission and the asset are completely at odds in several ways.
I have a pretty good understanding of the MEU concept considering I used to directly support the MEU.
The Marines need something capable of being able to provide air support to the ARG/ESG, both overwater and overland, natively from the amphib. The Harrier is getting long in the tooth and the only option the Marines have is the F-35B. Is it overkill for the mission? Probably, but what else is there?
When it’s stated that the Marines use vtol to land on the beach, they obviously have no idea how the Marines use the Harrier and the 35.
If the doctrine has changed I’ll gladly admit I’m wrong, but I doubt it’s changed that much in a few years.
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31 minutes ago, Lord Ratner said:
What a stupid capability the Marines are obsessed with.
Anyone who thinks we are landing those things on contested beaches is smoking the good shit. Good thing we didn't have to make humongous financial and engineering sacrifices to keep that party trick...
😐
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1 hour ago, Pooter said:
Glad the dude is okay.
On a totally separate note, vtol fighters are completely asinine and shouldn't exist. A UPT sim instructor of mine was a former harrier driver and they regarded ejection as almost an inevitability. You either have ejected or you will.
Not to mention making an aircraft vtol capable robs it of so much tactical capability, and in the specific case of the F-35 it needlessly complicated the worldwide acquisition process for a tiny tiny fraction of the jets going to our marines. Glad we made the entire fleet less capable to accommodate your stupid lift fan.
/endrant
You obviously don’t understand the point and objective of amphibious warfare.
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3 hours ago, Biff_T said:
I'm helping out one of my Marine buddies who lost a fellow Marine 20 years ago. I'm looking for any former Navy/Marine CH-46 pilots (or any pilots with carrier ops experience) to help answer a few questions about SAR procedures for men overboard.
PM me if you can help.
Thanks in advance!
PM sent
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3 minutes ago, Bigred said:
I doubt it’s a cost thing because the Navy doesn’t require 10 years, and I doubt they have the WalMart brand F-18s just to save money.
When I was in Navy flight school, after winging helo guys only had a seven year comittment, everyone else had eight. They changed it to eight for everyone around 2006-7.
If I were to guess, the AF set it at 10 because they felt that’s what they could get dudes to agree to without negatively impacting accessions. I know if I was 22 and told I had to sign a 20 year contract, I would have said hell no.
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1 hour ago, StoleIt said:
I could at least believe, or stomach, that it's a 10 year ADSC because of the "cost" of training us...or so I was told. Has the cost gone up? I'd argue it's gone down with all the cuts in flying training. Allegedly, the ADSC used to be part of a financial investment calculus...if they increase it any it's just a retention tool, IMO.
Also, all those other contracts you mentioned (except school loans), you can bail on in some way or another (and Biden gave the school loan people $10k anyway).Imagine if marriage really was until death...how many Kings created new branches of Christianity just because they changed their mind?
I doubt it’s a cost thing because the Navy doesn’t require 10 years, and I doubt they have the WalMart brand F-18s just to save money.
When I was in Navy flight school, after winging helo guys only had a seven year comittment, everyone else had eight. They changed it to eight for everyone around 2006-7.
If I were to guess, the AF set it at 10 because they felt that’s what they could get dudes to agree to without negatively impacting accessions. I know if I was 22 and told I had to sign a 20 year contract, I have said hell no.
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7 hours ago, ATIS said:
Do what the Navy did years ago in the S-3, A-6, EA-6B community, put an instrument qualified Co-NAV in the front right seat.
That just sounds like a copilot but with extra steps. If the AF was gonna go to the trouble of training and manning a squadron with a co-Nav, then might as well go ahead and put an actual copilot in the seat instead.
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Something overlooked is the single seat vs crewed aircraft mentality.
I’ve flown some version of crewed aircraft since 2007. This year I switched to a single seat airframe and I just finished a T38 qualification. The stick and rudder was fairly easy, however the part that absolutely kicked my butt was getting past 15 years of crew mentality. That included things like not having the other dude talking on the radio, setting up approaches, running checklists, dealing with emergencies, etc.
In a perfect world, a single pilot can fly the -46 without issue. When shit gets busy, it’ll be sketch at best, to downright dangerous, for that pilot to deal with the issues happening with the jet, and this whole experiment is geared towards the SHTF scenario. Without a lot of practice, I’d hazard to bet the guy flying the -46 by himself will have some subconscious crewed aircraft habits creep back in, which could be disastrous.
And no offense to booms, I’ve flown with some really sharp dudes, but a boom isn’t the same as a pilot. The boom can help but it’s not the same as having another pilot in the seat.
TLDR; crewed to single piloted ops is not as simple as it seems.
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2 hours ago, Q1Checkride said:
CENTCOM MOD 16 mandating the CV19 vaccine was implemented in January 2022. MOD 15 dated April 2020 had no such requirement. Dod mandated vaccination for active duty was already in effect by the time MOD 16 came out. Imo the CENTCOM CV19 vaccine requirement was added in Jan 2022 to further coerce civilian deployers subject to Biden's Executive Order 14042 from Sept 2021 requiring all Federal workers to get vaccinated.
Lots of good info here regarding the current status of the E.O. as it pertains to federal workers.
https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/new/
Learning has occurred, thank you.
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1 hour ago, Q1Checkride said:
I PERSONNEL MUST BE FULLY VACCINATED TO ENTER THE USCENTCOM AOR, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
i was stationed in USAFE during the entirety of COVID and sat in on wing and UK level discussion about vaccinated airmen. I can say it was less about having folks vaccinated to prevent illness and more about meeting myriad restrictions on entering various countries. For a while, we only had a few crews who could go to any country and that was mission impacting.
I say all of that because I would imagine a big part of the CENTCOM rule was so personnel didn’t deploy (assuming the HN even let them in country) and get stuck in mission limiting quarantine because they didn’t meet HN requirements.
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So there’s this whiny FGO in my squadron that seems like he doesn’t want to fly with me. I’m the DO, and I have a ‘go-fly’ list of people I want to fly with. I specifically ask Skeds to put us together, but every time we end up on the schedule together he takes “emergency” leave or says he can’t clear his ears.
I’m pretty much the best pilot in the squadron, if not the wing, so I know I can show him a thing or two. When I talk to my life-size doll of Robin Olds, (that I keep in my office) his mustache speaks to me and says I should just smash his soul out of his body.
Oh whatever should I do? These damn millennials…
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2 hours ago, Prosuper said:
Since the attack on the pipeline was a successful operation it tells me it was not performed by the Russians. Has the Russian military done anything successfully in modern history unless they are using brute strength and overwhelming numbers against their enemies. I question their abilities to maintain their nuclear arsenal as witnessed by the shape of their ground forces. Also, I wonder if this is Russia's last stand, their demographics are in the toilet, WW2 has them still hurting from losing 80% of the men born in the 1920's.
I’d argue the Russians are actually pretty good at the gray zone stuff because they use people who want to do it, plus the Russians are good at being sneaky. It’s the full frontal, conscript-manned war that we are watching Russia implode upon.
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With Mini’s order that the 46 is now combat deployable, I wonder how the AF can keep pressing Boeing to fix deficiencies? Seems like it’d be hard to say it still needs fixed if they are considered combat ready.
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1 minute ago, HeloDude said:
How long before they get rid of the term/rank “Airman”?
Around 2016 the Navy tried getting rid of all job titles with ‘man’ in them, bucking 200+ years of tradition. It was quickly rescinded as the outrage from the enlisted was enormous.
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12 hours ago, BFM this said:
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/amc-commander-lays-out-mobility-manifesto/
Long time ago, a former CH-53 crew chief told to me that his training syllabus included a landing. Nothing fancy, here's how you set down if the need arises, nothing more. My guess is that future booms are gonna get some landing practice, just for funsies.
Can a 46 pilot reach all critical items from one seat?
Using the -135 as an example, there’s some things critical during emergencies that can’t be reached from the pilot’s seat, and vice Versa.
I’m curious with the 46, if the boom is doing boom things and only a single pilot up front, could said pilot deal with every EP without assistance?
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23 hours ago, Biff_T said:
Also, when has it ever been good to take non taxable income away from your people?
SDAP is taxable.
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17 hours ago, di1630 said:
Im leaving AD for the reserves, how long do I have for my moving allowance to HOR?
One year. You can request extensions in 6 month intervals up to three years, but those requests aren’t guaranteed to be approved.
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When I went to Altus to learn the tanker I left my family at my previous duty station. I used myPers to submit a BAH waiver to get BAH at my previous duty station and it was all handled, and approved, through myPers. It was actually fairly easy. I was TDY so I still got the normal TDY entitlements.
That said, you’re guard so it might be different.
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2 hours ago, BashiChuni said:
You lose the “good dude back then” credit the second you pin on O6.
after those eagles come on it’s “fuck him” until proven otherwise.
seen way too many “good dudes” become toxic fucks once they make rank.
Rank/power doesn’t change someone, it exposes them. If they are toxic as an O-6 then they were toxic before, it’s just no one noticed.
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Big Tech Oligarchs
in General Discussion
Posted
The best part is California is further reducing the NEM credits for new customers in April. It makes sense from the utility’s perspective, the mandate for solar on all new homes, plus the encouragement for solar on existing homes, has reduced the utility’s cash flow. They’ve gotta make up for it somehow.