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Eliminating AF Waste (Fraud/Abuse too)


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I volunteered at a camp. They fed and housed me, and it kept me from moving back in with my parents. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

Was it really just to be surrounded by young impressionable children?

We all know where Gravedigger spent (and probably still spends) his summer:

SpaceCamp_logo.png

Edited by Fuzz
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Was it really just to be surrounded by young impressionable children?

Is there any other reason to work at a camp...or Catholic Church for that matter?

We all know where Gravedigger spent (and probably still spends) his summer:

SpaceCamp_logo.png

I was too busy with JROTC, show choir and CAP to go, sadly. Still am.

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  • 1 year later...

Perhaps this is old news, but it was new to our base.

I was assigned as a MICT admin as an additional duty a while back.

Apparently, there was an AF-wide meeting recently where it was relayed that Lt Gen Stephen Mueller has determined referring to a MICT checklist as a "checklist" was inappropriate. Why? Because the word "checklist" can be construed as simply "checking the box." As we all know, you can't complete MICT, it's an infinite process so you can't check the box and call it done.

Therefore, the AF has allocated an additional $500,000 in funding for computer programmers to find and replace the word "checklist" with "communicator" throughout the MICT program. Because this investment clearly belies the importance, we were all asked to no longer refer to lists of MICT questions as checklists, but as "communicators" in all communication and correspondence.

Thought you should know.

The emperor is wearing no clothes again...

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Perhaps this is old news, but it was new to our base.

I was assigned as a MICT admin as an additional duty a while back.

Apparently, there was an AF-wide meeting recently where it was relayed that Lt Gen Stephen Mueller has determined referring to a MICT checklist as a "checklist" was inappropriate. Why? Because the word "checklist" can be construed as simply "checking the box." As we all know, you can't complete MICT, it's an infinite process so you can't check the box and call it done.

Therefore, the AF has allocated an additional $500,000 in funding for computer programmers to find and replace the word "checklist" with "communicator" throughout the MICT program. Because this investment clearly belies the importance, we were all asked to no longer refer to lists of MICT questions as checklists, but as "communicators" in all communication and correspondence.

Thought you should know.

Reason #269 that I'm happy I took TERA...

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When asked for comment, the CEO of Italian-based Alenia Aermacchi gave this reaction:

...

lol, sorry for the double post.

The saddest part is that this is nothing new. I'd heard about what was left behind in Vietnam, but never thought these wars would end that way considering how much control we have over the area and how mobile our modern military is:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/04/04/billions-in-equipment-supplies-being-left-behind-in-afghanistan/

Edit: I'm not saying all the leadership involved demonstrated fraud or abuse since obviously most of that equipment is cost-prohibitive to ship back, it's just interesting how much waste there is.

Edited by xcraftllc
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  • 2 weeks later...

Sen Coburn publishes his "wastebook" every year. Highly partisan but worth a read if for no other reason than to educate yourself on his opinions as a Congressman and member of several Senate committees. His most recent is available at: http://www.coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases

The news links for individual cases below are only the easiest to access/read without going through hundreds of pages of government reports. He cites other resources to support the claims. Some have already been discussed on this site.

The two Air Force cases are:

#81 - DOD Sends 16 Planes to the Scrap Heap for $32,000 - $468 million - http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/09/us-usa-afghanistan-idUSKCN0HY2M120141009

#98 - Earmark Spends Taxpayer Money to Send Coal to Germany - $638,910 - http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2014/03/14/290238727/long-dead-congressmans-earmark-lives-on-in-europe

Other DOD/VA cases:

#28 - Exploding Claims of “Sleep Apnea” Threaten to Bankrupt VA Disability Program - $1.2 billion - http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2014/02/sleep-apnea-boom-splits-vet-community

#46 - DOD Tries to Build Real-Life “Iron Man” Suit - $80 million - http://io9.com/the-military-has-hired-hollywood-to-help-build-an-actua-1601102216 -http://defensetech.org/2014/04/29/congress-wants-more-control-of-special-ops-iron-man-suit

#48 - Missile Defense Misses the Target - $998 million - http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/03/18/alaskan_folly

#79 - DOD Pays 16 Times the Going Price for Helicopter Parts - $9 million - http://www.dodig.mil/pubs/report_summary.cfm?id=5890

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Waste? Change of command, at any level. With little exception, every person takes the helm and steers in a slightly different direction. More broadly on squadron jobs and additional duties: If the job move isn't a promotion, it shouldn't happen at all.

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Waste? Change of command, at any level. With little exception, every person takes the helm and steers in a slightly different direction. More broadly on squadron jobs and additional duties: If the job move isn't a promotion, it shouldn't happen at all.

Disagree, if only for the reason that we need to provide hope to those with shitty CCs that soon (<2 years) it'll pass. However, having 20 private jets flying dignitaries and DVs in from all over the world for a, say, COMUSAFE CoC is very wasteful.

Also disagree about job moves. I did my last job for 2 years. I loved it, I was good at it, and I could do it both drunk or 90% asleep (both ops tested). I also got sick of it, and since I've left, others have done what I did better. Learning a new job only takes a couple of weeks.

Yes to making tours 4 years instead of 3, to save on ridiculous PCS cost and buffoonery.

Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!

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Disagree, if only for the reason that we need to provide hope to those with shitty CCs that soon (<2 years) it'll pass. However, having 20 private jets flying dignitaries and DVs in from all over the world for a, say, COMUSAFE CoC is very wasteful.

Also disagree about job moves. I did my last job for 2 years. I loved it, I was good at it, and I could do it both drunk or 90% asleep (both ops tested). I also got sick of it, and since I've left, others have done what I did better. Learning a new job only takes a couple of weeks.

Yes to making tours 4 years instead of 3, to save on ridiculous PCS cost and buffoonery.

Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!

Here's a crazy idea: If a base is on your ADP, then your orders get cut for 4 years if the base isn't then it's a 3 year tour. 4 years tours are awesome at Hickam or Charleston, not as awesome at Altus or Vance.

Edited by guineapigfury
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So pretty much every CGO-level job not in the cockpit, right?

False.

There are quite a few non-rated CGOs who are busting their hump, leading teams, and taking care of their troops.

Comparing the first four OPRs/TRs of rated dudes to MX officers, LG officers, and Comm dudes is eye-opening. There are young Lts and Capts out there leading 20-50 member teams while the rated dudes are eyeballing AC or FL upgrades.

I'm a rated dude saying this.

Edited by Dupe
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Comparing the first four OPRs/TRs of rated dudes to MX officers, LG officers, and Comm dudes is eye-opening.

Really? You wan't to judge workload and responsibility by OPR bullets? There are exaggerations, lies, damn lies, exaggerated damn lies and if you keep going a ways you'll get to OPR bullets.

Led 50 troops in intense combat environment = put together shoeclerk sports day.

Worked with multi billion dollar asset = stocked snack bar for satellite technicians

Top junior officer in my sq = only officer in sq

Etc etc etc

Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!

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Really? You wan't to judge workload and responsibility by OPR bullets?

However you judge it, there are young non-rated CGOs out there who are making it happen. At a career point where most rated dudes are in the FTU or MQT, there are young AF officers leading 50-airman flights.

The idea that all non bag-wearers are "shoe clerks" who work 8-4 unless it's Thursday where work is 9-1 needs to be erased. Being a "shoe" is a state of mind that I've seen as much from the O-5 dinosaurs at MAJCOM A3V as I've seen from base finance.

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However you judge it, there are young non-rated CGOs out there who are making it happen. At a career point where most rated dudes are in the FTU or MQT, there are young AF officers leading 50-airman flights.

The idea that all non bag-wearers are "shoe clerks" who work 8-4 unless it's Thursday where work is 9-1 needs to be erased. Being a "shoe" is a state of mind that I've seen as much from the O-5 dinosaurs at MAJCOM A3V as I've seen from base finance.

I don't think anyone is saying that all non bag-wearers are "shoe cerks."

There are some kick ass nonners and some big shoe pilots out there...

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