Leadership at the 'Deid

[mjk5401]

Speaking of booze and tobacco, if I recall, my Grandpa use to tell me back in WWII he was rationed both booze and tobacco. Yes the military gave the HEROES of America FREE booze and tobacco. Now we can't even buy it while deployed all because, "we're trying to be respectful to our host's customs".

They're going to stab us in the back in 10 years anyway...just like Iran did, Afghanistan did, and now Iraq is....but I digress.

Anyway, I know the Vol 3 says "no smoking in the aircraft, unless approved by Gen.....",but I think I would allow my Loadmaster or Boom Operator to take a few hits so they can keep their nerves at ease while they perform the mission. I don't smoke, but making people quit cold turkey while being deployed is borderline dangerous in my opinion. I'm kind of curious on how many cigarette boxes will be found behind the insulation (on Mobility Aircraft)...Its always fun finding some porn left behind from a previous crew. ahhh...morale, where have you gone?

[Vertigo]

Reluctantly, I ordered one, drank it in silence wondering if my balls were going to detach and make a run for the border.

Well don't keep us in suspense... did they?

[M2]

No booze, no porn, no tobacco, no women. Perfect.

You forgot one...no morale.

[flyguy2181]

You forgot one...no morale.

incorrect...there is morale. It is had by the commanders who will pin on stars because of the work that other people did here.

[afnav]

Not saying it is, but is it possible the tobacco thing is related to Ramadan? In the three God-forsaken Muslim countries I've had the pleasure to live in, there always seems to be a freakout by the idiot shoes this time of year.

Two years ago, they didn't want us eating during daylight hours because some Bangladeshi worker that is essentially a slave might see us eating a ice cream coming out of the chow hall. Needless to say, that 'policy' lasted about .69 seconds.

[skinny]

Two years ago, they didn't want us eating during daylight hours because some Bangladeshi worker that is essentially a slave might see us eating a ice cream coming out of the chow hall. Needless to say, that 'policy' lasted about .69 seconds.

No no, it wasn't needless to say. Given the shenanigans that have been pulled in the past to include the most recent tobacco ban, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that some dipshit would let something like that fly.

[JarheadBoom]

ahhh...morale, where have you gone?

It was hunted to extinction by the shoes, much like common sense and mission focus...

[HerkFE]

No no, it wasn't needless to say. Given the shenanigans that have been pulled in the past to include the most recent tobacco ban, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that some dipshit would let something like that fly.

Last year during Ramadan I was told by an AF shoe, and I quote..."Sir, you can't drink water, it's Ramadan". This was while I was trying to re-enter the soveriegn country of Qatar about 11am (translation, 110 degrees) post mission, post mx debrief, post armory stop bag drag of every f*(@king thing I owned from the plane. Oh, did I mention how muthaf*#$@^ing hot it was. Right after that I think was when I had the pleasure of "The Ginger" saying something about my sunglasses. So glad I will NEVER see that POS part of the world again.

[Guest Hueypilot812]

Last year during Ramadan I was told by an AF shoe, and I quote..."Sir, you can't drink water, it's Ramadan". This was while I was trying to re-enter the soveriegn country of Qatar about 11am (translation, 110 degrees) post mission, post mx debrief, post armory stop bag drag of every f*(@king thing I owned from the plane. Oh, did I mention how muthaf*#$@^ing hot it was. Right after that I think was when I had the pleasure of "The Ginger" saying something about my sunglasses. So glad I will NEVER see that POS part of the world again.

Idiots...only mindless shoes would risk their own health for the sake of appeasing some cultural/religious mindset of another country. For what it's worth, when I was an advisor to the Iraqi Air Force, we ate and drank all the time during Ramadan...we just tried to not do it in front of them. They weren't offended if we did because they aren't idiots, they know we're not Muslim...rather we avoided it because to do so would be a douche move, sorta like eating chocolate ice cream and cake in front of someone who's dieting.

Finally...even the Iraqis drank water if they needed to (although many would try to go all day without...but I did often see them drinking water). Tell the shoe that if they want to dehydrate and create a ing heat injury emergency, be their ing guest but it ain't gonna be you. Dammit, I hate people with no ing common sense.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Hueypilot812

[Festivius]

I may be headed to Deid next, so all of a sudden I'm interested in this...

Open ended question: Baseops forums often attribute this kind of silliness to "shoes," but it is generally also noted that the AF is led by rated dudes (who also get a lot of credit for being superior officers). So what gives?

[tac airlifter]

I may be headed to Deid next, so all of a sudden I'm interested in this...

Open ended question: Baseops forums often attribute this kind of silliness to "shoes," but it is generally also noted that the AF is led by rated dudes (who also get a lot of credit for being superior officers). So what gives?

What gives is that "shoe" is a mentality, not an AFSC, and plenty of our senior leaders who've been exec-ing and schooling their whole career and have barely above 2000 hours as an 06 are shoes to their core. And they resent with passionate shame ops dudes like myself.

[HerkFE]

Idiots...only mindless shoes would risk their own health for the sake of appeasing some cultural/religious mindset of another country. For what it's worth, when I was an advisor to the Iraqi Air Force, we ate and drank all the time during Ramadan...we just tried to not do it in front of them. They weren't offended if we did because they aren't idiots, they know we're not Muslim...rather we avoided it because to do so would be a douche move, sorta like eating chocolate ice cream and cake in front of someone who's dieting.

Finally...even the Iraqis drank water if they needed to (although many would try to go all day without...but I did often see them drinking water). Tell the shoe that if they want to dehydrate and create a ######ing heat injury emergency, be their ######ing guest but it ain't gonna be you. Dammit, I hate people with no ######ing common sense.

I actually did not even know it was Ramadan. I think it was the first day. I had handed my ID to the immigration dude and stepped away from the window (completely out of sight) not intentionally because, again, I didn't even know it was Ramadan when this Shoe bitch said this. I could have understood if she said something like "Could you maybe step over here or over there out of respect to the Qatari's?" No, her exact words..."You can't drink water, it's Ramadan". I took my water outside...in public, and continued to consume.

I have told this story to some people I know who have worked with Muslims in their civilian jobs. They said the Muslims don't expect us to observe Ramadan anymore than they expect us to pray with them.

I have met the enemy and he is us.

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

Idiots...only mindless shoes would risk their own health for the sake of appeasing some cultural/religious mindset of another country. For what it's worth, when I was an advisor to the Iraqi Air Force, we ate and drank all the time during Ramadan...we just tried to not do it in front of them. They weren't offended if we did because they aren't idiots, they know we're not Muslim...rather we avoided it because to do so would be a douche move, sorta like eating chocolate ice cream and cake in front of someone who's dieting.

Finally...even the Iraqis drank water if they needed to (although many would try to go all day without...but I did often see them drinking water). Tell the shoe that if they want to dehydrate and create a fucking heat injury emergency, be their fucking guest but it ain't gonna be you. Dammit, I hate people with no fucking common sense.

And that's the thing-- I have no problem showing respect to the Qataris (or anyone else for that matter), but when it's idiot shoes forcing idiot shoe rules that's what breeds resentment. I'd be willing to bet a lot of the hostility that is held toward the Qataris has to do with the idiot AMERICAN shoes forcing their idea of "respect" on people who otherwise would have no problem showing the kind of respect that is due to anyone, much less a host. I also think that a lot of the problems that are encountered with the Qataris is that they have to deal with HNCC, who by and large are the biggest bunch of idiot shoes ever collected in one location at one time. If I had to deal with the HNCC shoe idiots all the time, I'd be a dick too.

[snoopyeast]

Well don't keep us in suspense... did they?

Yes, but they were stopped by customs. Didn't have the magic stamp on the orders.

[Clayton Bigsby]

...it is generally also noted that the AF is led by rated dudes (who also get a lot of credit for being superior officers). So what gives?

What gives is that "shoe" is a mentality, not an AFSC, and plenty of our senior leaders who've been exec-ing and schooling their whole career and have barely above 2000 hours as an 06 are shoes to their core.

There's that, and there's a lot of people who sell out for the next grade, that OPR/EPR bullet, the active-duty retirement, etc. And there's a lot of others that puss out and let it happen.

[Gov]

Not saying it is, but is it possible the tobacco thing is related to Ramadan? In the three God-forsaken Muslim countries I've had the pleasure to live in, there always seems to be a freakout by the idiot shoes this time of year.

Two years ago, they didn't want us eating during daylight hours because some Bangladeshi worker that is essentially a slave might see us eating a ice cream coming out of the chow hall. Needless to say, that 'policy' lasted about .69 seconds.

Ramadan was a couple months ago

[DUNBAR]

I don't believe the tobacco issue has anything to do with the morality police -- I think it's just a tax/AAFES issue. Hopefully it will be resolved soon. The bigger issue here has been the great sickness of Nov 2011, which is causing more GI distress then you even want to imagine. Hopefully that's in remission too.

For me, the most cosmic mystery about the undisclosed location in South West Asia is the threshold rule. As far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong) they don't play by that rule at the undisclosed Army base here or at any other Army base in theater. Don't know whose rule it is or if anyone has ever really pushed to test (congressional, etc) but it amazes me we are forced to live with it. As a 20 year married dude it isn't a real concern of mine (like tobacco) but the policy has always surprised me.

Oh, and this place is hell -- I had to drink my Bombay and tonic last night with no ice.

[sputnik]

What's the threshold rule?

[Homestar]

Can't enter the room of the opposite gender.

No worries if you want to go and bang a dude in his room though.

Pretty sure it's a GO1B thing, not base specific.

Edited November 12, 2011 by Homestar

[nsplayr]

Ramadan was a couple months ago

Correct. The confusion may have been that Eid al-Adha was recently. November 6-9, no joke.

I suspect the dumbness is due to nothing special, just Qataris being Qataris and some bureaucrat wanting to dick with the Americans.

Edited November 12, 2011 by nsplayr

[LockheedFix]

Gotta love a Muslim holiday where they celebrate the father of the Jews.

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

Gotta love a Muslim holiday where they celebrate the father of the Jews.

Might want to check your facts... Muslims also trace their history to Abraham.

[Vertigo]

Gotta love a Muslim holiday where they celebrate the father of the Jews.

It may sound ironic but Muslims believe most of the the same things as Jews and Christians (i.e. Abraham, Jesus, and Moses were prophets); however they also believe that Muhammad was the final prophet of God.

What separates the three apart:

Belief in Abraham: Jews, Christians, Muslims

Belief in Jesus: Christians, Muslims

Belief in Muhammad: Muslims

[nsplayr]

Gotta love a Muslim holiday where they celebrate the father of the Jews.

[LockheedFix]

All three of you,

Fuck off. I was merely pointing out the irony of one religion basing its precepts on the foundations of a religion that is over four thousand years old and then spending the next 1400 years pitting itself against the religion on which it was based...to the point where a large segment of the new religion states as one of its goals wiping the foundational religion off the face of the planet. Thanks for the second grade history lesson.