The Next President is...

[brabus]

3 hours ago, ClearedHot said:

BUT DoD has had TERA ACTIVE since 2012...anyone could apply. 

So generally TERA has been an option for anyone 15+ YOS for any reason? What is the rate of app approval? I don’t know much about TERA obviously. 

Edited yesterday at 05:48 PM by brabus

[Lord Ratner]

By this point you have to be a clown to believe that the news is accurate, especially when it deals with something as nuanced as Air Force separations. 

 

If they applied for Tera and were approved, then after the fact had their approval denied because of their transgenderism, that's bullshit. 

 

If they applied for Tera and were denied, and there is not currently a blanket approval process in place for Tera, then they are just what, angry they aren't getting the money? 

 

If they waited to apply for Tera until after they found out they were going to be separated due to their transgenderism, then I'm not sure what the issue here is. Tera is a voluntary program meant to incentivize people to leave of their own accord, correct? Waiting until the military decides you will no longer be serving not the intent of the program.

 

Does anybody really believe that the news is going to get that right, or that the transgender people getting kicked out are going to fairly represent that in the media? Seems unlikely.

[uhhello]

10 minutes ago, Lord Ratner said:

By this point you have to be a clown to believe that the news is accurate, especially when it deals with something as nuanced as Air Force separations. 

 

If they applied for Tera and were approved, then after the fact had their approval denied because of their transgenderism, that's bullshit. 

 

If they applied for Tera and were denied, and there is not currently a blanket approval process in place for Tera, then they are just what, angry they aren't getting the money? 

 

If they waited to apply for Tera until after they found out they were going to be separated due to their transgenderism, then I'm not sure what the issue here is. Tera is a voluntary program meant to incentivize people to leave of their own accord, correct? Waiting until the military decides you will no longer be serving not the intent of the program.

 

Does anybody really believe that the news is going to get that right, or that the transgender people getting kicked out are going to fairly represent that in the media? Seems unlikely.

Valid

[Swizzle]

4 hours ago, brabus said:

So generally TERA has been an option for anyone 15+ YOS for any reason? What is the rate of app approval? I don’t know much about TERA obviously. 

TERA has been active since the "great RIF" from NDAA FY2012 following the "great VSP" in early 2010s. TERA expires EoY FY25.

https://www.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2000923562/

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/495744/tera-program-offers-enlisted-officers-early-retirement/

The authority to utilize TERA until December 31, 2025 is for force-shaping of active military forces by that NDAA by law. Doesn't mean by policy applicants will be approved for TERA. 

[Swizzle]

I inprocessed a brand new LM for LAO and opened a training folder after he graduated the FTU. Less than a week later I closed the folder because of, and learned about, TERA. He was on terminal leave less than a week after that. #winning?

[Sua Sponte]

49 minutes ago, Swizzle said:

I inprocessed a brand new LM for LAO and opened a training folder after he graduated the FTU. Less than a week later I closed the folder because of, and learned about, TERA. He was on terminal leave less than a week after that. #winning?

He didn’t have an ADSC for the LIQ training?

[Swizzle]

3 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:

He didn’t have an ADSC for the LIQ training?

Waived for TERA. Needs of the service were rebalancing more than LMs or their ADSCs. I was shocked, that guy was pleased to walk with TRICARE for Life, VA disability from working on SFS, and 2.5% of High-3 on ~15+ YAS. 

[ClearedHot]

16 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

If they applied for Tera and were approved, then after the fact had their approval denied because of their transgenderism, that's bullshit. 

That is precisely what happened to several members.  Air Force Reverses Offer of Early Retirement for Transgender Troops

16 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

If they applied for Tera and were denied, and there is not currently a blanket approval process in place for Tera, then they are just what, angry they aren't getting the money? 

I never said there was blanket approval, but ANYONE could apply. The memo specifically calls out transgender, it is targeted.

16 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

If they waited to apply for Tera until after they found out they were going to be separated due to their transgenderism, then I'm not sure what the issue here is. Tera is a voluntary program meant to incentivize people to leave of their own accord, correct? Waiting until the military decides you will no longer be serving not the intent of the program.

I get it, but this was an easy off-ramp to a politically induced situation.  Instead, we are kicking them where their nuts used to be and allowing it to be spun into another dog whistle issue by the left.  

 

 

 

[slc]

35 minutes ago, ClearedHot said:

Instead, we are kicking them where their nuts used to be

I just spit out my coffee.....well played

[Lord Ratner]

1 hour ago, ClearedHot said:

That is precisely what happened to several members.  Air Force Reverses Offer of Early Retirement for Transgender Troops

I never said there was blanket approval, but ANYONE could apply. The memo specifically calls out transgender, it is targeted.

I get it, but this was an easy off-ramp to a politically induced situation.  Instead, we are kicking them where their nuts used to be and allowing it to be spun into another dog whistle issue by the left.  

 

 

 

Hey man, like I said, if they had approvals and those approvals were taken away, that's bullshit. Regardless of the political issue.

 

But I also don't think it's going to matter. I remember you were convinced that the Roe v Wade ruling was going to doom Republicans forever (hyperbole), but I think I was closer with my prediction to say that the issue will largely fall by the wayside because there's no longer a unifying narrative.

 

But this issue is the opposite. The unifying narrative will either be "I just don't care about transgenderism enough to have a strong opinion," or more likely based on the insistence by progressives that we hear about this bullshit day in and day out, "sorry but the idea that a man could be a woman is so fucking stupid that I will act against the movement *if* I am forced to act." 

 

So yeah, I don't like it one little bit if they are backing out of promises just because the service member is a tranny. But the idea that this is going to radicalize anybody against the Republicans is misguided in my estimation. I believe the vast, vast, vast majority of Democrats are quietly relieved when they see someone else speaking against nearly every facet of the transgender issue. And they will vote accordingly and never admit it to anyone else.

[brabus]

2 hours ago, ClearedHot said:

That is precisely what happened to several members.

I don’t think it is what happened, at least using this article as a source.  TERA approval authority is SAF (in this case). I understand this piece of journalism says at one point they “were initially approved,” but nobody below SAF has approval authority. I bet their misspeak/the truth is the members’ apps for TERA were concurred with at lower levels, but ultimately denied by SAF. Just like someone’s Palace Chase app being denied. They took their shot and didn’t get the outcome they wanted - sucks for them, but nothing wrong with it.

Bottom line: Unless SAF approved TERA apps, then rescinded approval later on, there is no bullshit going on. So far, I’ve seen nothing that indicates SAF approved them ever. But, I agree it is bullshit if that is actually what happened (so far, no evidence of that…)

Edited 9 hours ago by brabus

[ClearedHot]

5 hours ago, brabus said:

I don’t think it is what happened, at least using this article as a source....

Bottom line: Unless SAF approved TERA apps, then rescinded approval later on, there is no bullshit going on. So far, I’ve seen nothing that indicates SAF approved them ever. But, I agree it is bullshit if that is actually what happened (so far, no evidence of that…)

I keep trying to tell you, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.  Not only did they have their TERA rescinded, they had their RETIREMENT ORDERS rescinded.  See below.

 

6 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

Hey man, like I said, if they had approvals and those approvals were taken away, that's bullshit. Regardless of the political issue.

Indeed.

6 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

But I also don't think it's going to matter. I remember you were convinced that the Roe v Wade ruling was going to doom Republicans forever (hyperbole), but I think I was closer with my prediction to say that the issue will largely fall by the wayside because there's no longer a unifying narrative.

You are making a YUGE jump here. 

1.  I believe Roe V Wade ruling cost the GOP the mid-terms.  I think most others would agree.  Trump was able to overcome that in the last election.  

2.  I said the left would turn this into a dog whistle issue, I don't think it will be a deal breaker, just another chip at foundation like the Epstein Files.  Things the GOP doesn't need to waste energy on right now.

3.  My entire point of posting actually had nothing to do with politics, more about how we are treating some service members.  Whatever you and everyone else's think about transgender, these folks did step forward to serve, were told one thing by the last administration and are now being punished by this administration.  As a human it sucks.

Big disclaimer here - my wife is a mental health professional.  In the late 90's she did a fellowship as part of her follow on residency and certification.  She picked a particular facility because it had a renowned drug dependency training program.  By chance it also had a division that treated people before they transitioned.  Six months go by and she tells me we are going to their Christmas party.  I being the typical juvenile asshole made a joke and said "I am not going."  After some harsh words I relented and I went to the party. 

We were at a table and they were all men dressed as women...I was dying inside.  The "lady" sitting next to me was a bit older and we struck up a conversation.  Turns out she was retired a USAF Colonel who flew F-4s in Vietnam.  She even knew my pops.  She was humble unassuming and other than the dress and make up, a regular person.  When I got home I looked her up, she did indeed fly in Vietnam and earned a Silver Star and 4 DFCs.  It really changed my perception.

Like I said previously, I think transgenders in the military are a giant distraction and asking the government to pay for the surgery was out of bounds.  But to screw around and take their retirement as part of a political witch hunt is complete bullshit, we are not supposed to treat servicemen and women like that.

 

 

[brabus]

@ClearedHot Copy, but so far you’ve referenced an article (which specifically stated SAF disapproved the applications) and a Facebook post. 
 

Scouring the internet so far has revealed:

”In the Aug. 4 memo, Brian Scarlett, performing the duties of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs, wrote that, “after careful consideration of the individual applications,” he was “disapproving” TERA requests”

“An earlier memo, sent in May by Gwendolyn R. Defilippi, acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs, said transgender service members with 15 to 18 years of service could request Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA)”

”roughly a dozen transgender troops with between 15 and 18 years of military service were “prematurely notified” that their TERA applications were approved”

“An Air Force spokesperson said a subset of applications were "prematurely approved."

Last two communicate to me lower level leadership fucked up and notified before the answer was final.

To the Facebook post accuracy - maybe the guy did have Sep orders (final, not draft), but without producing evidence, I’m not taking that individual at their word on a SM post.

Will happily acknowledge bonafide evidence if it surfaces. That all said above, I do think it sucks for them and letting it go may have been a better option for the admin (just like releasing the Epstein files and let the chips fall where they may). In the end though, nobody in the AF forced significant mental health issues on these people, nor is there any logical argument that their specific mental issues are service related. So logically, it doesn’t make much sense to approve TERA (take the emotions out of it).