What's wrong with the Air Force?

[Boomer6]

ePEX is why there are 20+ fighter squadrons using the gonkulator (created by a viper dude) to schedule.

[Pooter]

On 5/11/2023 at 5:11 AM, slc said:

Yeah, no.  Tell that to my buddy who was sent to Africa.  Nice try

Cool.. east bum-phuck Africa didn't have a vax mandate. Curious, what round of anthrax shot is your buddy on?

Deployments are to other places than Africa and in my community I directly witnessed people go non deployable

[brabus]

Irrelevant, red herring argument. If we want to go somewhere and needed everybody, we’d do it, period. Exhibit B: entire navy ship goes NMC for a week because their 100% vaxxed crew all got COVID…but they all were green on a slide, how could this happen! Making an argument based on green slides and appeasing country X is nonsensical. 

[slc]

2 hours ago, Pooter said:

Curious, what round of anthrax shot is your buddy on?

He's been in since 2000 

[slc]

And, curiously, it did have a vax mandate

[Polar Bear]

On 5/10/2023 at 7:14 AM, VMFA187 said:

Pawnman, Pooter, Polarbear, Negatory - Go read The Real Anthony Fauci. It'll be good for you. I read White Fragility and realized it was complete and utter bullshit. Maybe you'll feel the same about the former, but I bet you won't. Or you can just keep reading reports that agree with your viewpoints that have been fed to you by big pharma and keep deepening your foxhole. 

RFK is not a valid source.

Edited May 21, 2023 by Polar Bear

[VMFA187]

6 hours ago, Polar Bear said:

RFK is not a valid source.

Go with your data. 

His book corroborates what my experience was with covid. I had my last flight in fighters, and any aircraft as PIC after I was diagnosed with epilepsy back in 2018. 

After being informed that I was going to be terminated from a major defense contractor in 2021 for choosing not to take the vaccine, one month after I was diagnosed and recovered from covid, I asked my doctor for a medical exception citing the only two studies done regarding covid vaccinations on individuals who had been diagnosed with epilepsy. Each demonstrated increased intensity or prevalence of seizure activity, approximately 18% and 23% for the two studies if I recall correctly - One of the studies I think was performed in Japan, the other in a northern European nation. I sent my doctor these studies and was told he was not allowed by the state to allow a waiver for any reason other than recorded allergic reactions to the ingredients in the vaccine but referred me to a neurologist and said speak with her. I called said neurologist and cited the documentation illustrating adverse effects and informed her I had, one month ago, had covid. She told me that no doctors in California were allowed to offer a medical exception and if they did their licensure would be revoked. I asked her to provide that information to me in an email and she said she could not. I then asked her if she could repeat what she said and she said that she could not. 

So again, go with your data. His book sounds really fucking accurate from my perspective. 

Edited May 21, 2023 by VMFA187
.

[tac airlifter]

9 hours ago, Polar Bear said:

RFK is not a valid source.

I agree man, he is questioning actual scientists who have been purely altruistic & transparent the last few years.  Can you believe RFK opposed mask mandates?  It’s proven they SAVED LIVES!  There’s no need to debate or think about any of it, we did what we felt was right and that’s all that matters in the end.  

[BashiChuni]

10 hours ago, Polar Bear said:

RFK is not a valid source.

His book is extremely well sourced. But you haven’t read it so you’re just a fucking blowhard 

[Biff_T]

16 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

Go with your data. 

His book corroborates what my experience was with covid. I had my last flight in fighters, and any aircraft as PIC after I was diagnosed with epilepsy back in 2018. 

After being informed that I was going to be terminated from a major defense contractor in 2021 for choosing not to take the vaccine, one month after I was diagnosed and recovered from covid, I asked my doctor for a medical exception citing the only two studies done regarding covid vaccinations on individuals who had been diagnosed with epilepsy. Each demonstrated increased intensity or prevalence of seizure activity, approximately 18% and 23% for the two studies if I recall correctly - One of the studies I think was performed in Japan, the other in a northern European nation. I sent my doctor these studies and was told he was not allowed by the state to allow a waiver for any reason other than recorded allergic reactions to the ingredients in the vaccine but referred me to a neurologist and said speak with her. I called said neurologist and cited the documentation illustrating adverse effects and informed her I had, one month ago, had covid. She told me that no doctors in California were allowed to offer a medical exception and if they did their licensure would be revoked. I asked her to provide that information to me in an email and she said she could not. I then asked her if she could repeat what she said and she said that she could not. 

So again, go with your data. His book sounds really fucking accurate from my perspective. 

Why didn't you just trust the "Science"?  Lol.   

Science- American definition; Trust the government without doing any of your own homework.  They know what's best for you.  

I lost my flight physical in 2019, right before covid.  I'd do almost anything to get back into a flying machine of some sort (not experimental ones) but that door is pretty hard to open for me.  That being said, what will the FAA do when you have complications from the covid vaccine?  My bet is they will say so sorry, better luck next lifetime.  No waiver for you.  

[ClearedHot]

In the latest installment of how one acidic general officer can ruin a command...I present Unit PT and....Open Ranks Inspections...coming soon to an AFSOC near you!

[Danger41]

Uhhh….what?!?!

Whenever there’s a big push on uniform stuff in AFSOC, I always think of the story of how they got the Air Commando hat (aka Jungle Jim aka Slouch aka Aussie Bush hat) approved by Curtis LeMay of all people to shut up the CINCPAC.

https://www.polkcounty.org/vn/dasf/4thdasf/robin/ausi_hat/aussihat.html

[dream big]

2 hours ago, ClearedHot said:

In the latest installment of how one acidic general officer can ruin a command...I present Unit PT and....Open Ranks Inspections...coming soon to an AFSOC near you!

I’m sure you were well loved so don’t take this personally but what is it with toxic AFSOC senior leaders?? You guys must want to compete badly with AMC to see who can run their pilots out of the Air Force faster. 

[Pooter]

1 hour ago, dream big said:

I’m sure you were well loved so don’t take this personally but what is it with toxic AFSOC senior leaders?? You guys must want to compete badly with AMC to see who can run their pilots out of the Air Force faster. 

More and more, what decides who moves up in the AF is about who is willing to stick around, kiss the ring, put up with the abuse, and accept life/family thrash.  So it's really a self-selecting pool. Majcoms that subject their people to high amounts of life thrash and abuse will naturally elevate the people willing to put up with it. And those people once in power will, in turn, inflict it on others.

[BashiChuni]

7 hours ago, dream big said:

I’m sure you were well loved so don’t take this personally but what is it with toxic AFSOC senior leaders?? You guys must want to compete badly with AMC to see who can run their pilots out of the Air Force faster. 

It’s the same few toxic leaders who were wing and group commanders 15 years ago. They just happen to have stars now. 

[brabus]

11 hours ago, ClearedHot said:

In the latest installment of how one acidic general officer can ruin a command...I present Unit PT and....Open Ranks Inspections...coming soon to an AFSOC near you!

Hey everyone in AFSOC, Delta desires to hire 200/mo “for the foreseeable future” (AA and UAL probably have the same goal). GTFO if you can.

Edited May 24, 2023 by brabus

[pawnman]

8 hours ago, Pooter said:

More and more, what decides who moves up in the AF is about who is willing to stick around, kiss the ring, put up with the abuse, and accept life/family thrash.  So it's really a self-selecting pool. Majcoms that subject their people to high amounts of life thrash and abuse will naturally elevate the people willing to put up with it. And those people once in power will, in turn, inflict it on others.

But why does AFSOC seem to be uniquely bad at leadership? I was largely left alone by AFGSC when I was at Dyess.

[DirkDiggler]

16 minutes ago, pawnman said:

But why does AFSOC seem to be uniquely bad at leadership? I was largely left alone by AFGSC when I was at Dyess.

Didn't always used to be this way.  For most of my career in AFSOC I've had good to excellent leadership up through the Wing level at the locations I was stationed.  Like a lot of things, it's a sine wave.

I will say the last 3-4 years I feel like things have been on a downward track.  Several great O-6s and generals have gotten out instead of continuing to deal with the thrash like Pooter alluded to.  The previous AFSOC/CC's habit of placing STS guys in flying leadership billets at the Grp and Wing hasn't helped.  DEI focus in one specific case really hasn't helped.  Everyone in the HQ is cowed by the current CC and he's been off the chain in his first 6 months in command/no one is willing to tell him when he has no clothes on, reference the "returning to standards MFR" involving open ranks inspections, sq PT 3-4 times a week, and vastly increased urinalysis.  Rough times ahead. 

[tac airlifter]

4 hours ago, pawnman said:

But why does AFSOC seem to be uniquely bad at leadership? I was largely left alone by AFGSC when I was at Dyess.

My opinion only—

AFSOC has an unusual internal power dynamic due to unique COMREL creating distinct officer cultures with different career incentives. 

AFSOC has two masters: Big Blue and SOCOM.  The more senior you get, the more difficult to serve both and you eventually pick your tribe.  SOCOM is harder to compete for senior leadership and requires combat credibility in an officers pedigree.  Big AF is easier and doesn’t require multiple forward tours.  Currently the Big AF inclined officers are leading AFSOC & the current MAJCOM/CC has to overcompensate for his lack of combat credibility; thus he finds Big-AF type endeavors to champion and shuns anything (and anyone) who is of the warrior tribe within AFSOC.  

 

[BeefBears]

1 hour ago, tac airlifter said:

My opinion only—

AFSOC has an unusual internal power dynamic due to unique COMREL creating distinct officer cultures with different career incentives. 

AFSOC has two masters: Big Blue and SOCOM.  The more senior you get, the more difficult to serve both and you eventually pick your tribe.  SOCOM is harder to compete for senior leadership and requires combat credibility in an officers pedigree.  Big AF is easier and doesn’t require multiple forward tours.  Currently the Big AF inclined officers are leading AFSOC & the current MAJCOM/CC has to overcompensate for his lack of combat credibility; thus he finds Big-AF type endeavors to champion and shuns anything (and anyone) who is of the warrior tribe within AFSOC.  

 

The group commander he fired had 11 medals to his 1.5 air medals. Talk about rack envy...

But seriously, you hit the nail on the head. The last two commanders have been balls deep in the blue kool-aid. I dont see the emphasis on acting like AETC while deploying like SOCOM ending anytime soon. Especially since the gene pool in AFSOC is so shallow and leadership installing their personal sycophants into squadron cc positions.

The culture emphasizes a "cover your ass" attitude instead of accepting risk or speaking up. Why push the mission envelope when good officers get paperwork for things that should have been a simple chewing out. This spooks everyone else and leads to ridiculous policies at lower levels.

After a dozen AFSOC deployments I am really getting sick of this shit. 

Edited May 24, 2023 by BeefBears

[Guest nsplayr]

18 hours ago, ClearedHot said:

In the latest installment of how one acidic general officer can ruin a command...I present Unit PT and....Open Ranks Inspections...coming soon to an AFSOC near you!

As Master Yoda once said…I believe there are *two* giant bag-of-dicks Generals who have been ravaging AFSOC lately. RIP to all my bros who have to keep putting up with that level of BS on top of all the deployments and other tastings that keep them away from home 69% of the time.

[Trogdor]

2 hours ago, nsplayr said:

As Master Yoda once said…I believe there are *two* giant bag-of-dicks Generals who have been ravaging AFSOC lately. RIP to all my bros who have to keep putting up with that level of BS on top of all the deployments and other tastings that keep them away from home 69% of the time.

Think those two convinced a wide swath of aircrew to separate when they were wing king and grp/cc. Helped me make up my mind as a young captain. If you weren't part of the 'mentor' or 'groom' top 10% of CGOs, you were expendable. And that was from an 'officership' perspective, they couldn't care less about your tactical proficiency... Unless it made them look bad. Then Q3. If they did care, definitely not message received.

[MCO]

New PSDM out on strats. The only way to get a good strat now is to be an exec. Everyone else is a denominator for the exec, but small enough they can’t get a strat.

[Pitt4401]

1 hour ago, MCO said:

New PSDM out on strats. The only way to get a good strat now is to be an exec. Everyone else is a denominator for the exec, but small enough they can’t get a strat.

What in the fresh hell is this? Dug out my card reader to look at the PSDM.

That's it, I am longing for the old system now.  

[HuggyU2]

Seen in Beale Finance this week.  
Congrats to the Blue Angels for their sponsorship of Finance.