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Pentagon to Monitor Military Social Media


BashiChuni

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@viper_driver_memes bit the dust. Anyone know the back story? 

Rumor is they were bashing the 19 AF CC and tagged him in a post. I have zero direct knowledge of what actually happened though.


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I followed all of it and actually communicated with the guy several times. I think it’s an interesting commentary on social media and modern times. Where is the line of GOAD and all that? Who knows. I also think people that think the AF is overreacting to dudes tagging individuals by name and not offering anything constructive but making very personal and derisive statements towards said individuals need to take a step back. Communicating directly and publicly to a GO from an anonymous meme page and repeatedly saying “fuck you” and other things is going to produce a result. I don’t necessarily agree with it, but you can’t act surprised. 

I’m biased against anonymous social media shit talking so this is just me. It just feeds into the mob mentality and jades the force for no reason. 

Hell, every one of those anonymous climate surveys I’ve done for a squadron I’ll put my name in the comments if I actually make a comment. I hate that anonymous shit and pussies that don’t speak up when asked unless it’s anonymous. Commanders aren’t psychics and most of them want to do a good job. If you don’t give them feedback when they ask, how do you expect them to fix things? And saying “this is stupid fuck you” isn’t feedback.

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Have you ever really had commanders like that? I’ve had a bunch of commanders and not one that would go out of their way to punish you if you stood up for what’s right. I’ve had some great ones and some real turds, but nobody truly vindictive.

No shit there I was…when I was teaching at the WIC we had a commander who had never been a black border previously and made a big deal about getting the real experience of earning a black border and not just pencil whipping it. He was a previous DO and had a notorious rep as an asshole. He gave a brief that wasn’t up to the standard to the cadre (who was grading him) and asked for feedback. One by one the cadre told him how good it was and gave him glowing reviews on the grade sheet. It gets to me and I told him how that wasn’t up to standard and I hooked him. I said that if a student did that, he absolutely would have hooked and that’s not passable as an instructor at the WIC. There was a gasp in the room because he had a reputation as a hard ass. Fast forward to the standard one on ones with squadron members and he asked me why I did that. I told him my job is to produce the best Patches that I can for the combat squadrons and uphold the standard. He said thank you and ended up making me the #1 guy in the squadron as a brand new Major. Nothing bad happened at all and it helped the cadre realize that “selection is every day”. 
 

I don’t tell that story because I’m so great but I truly think if you do the right thing for the right reasons, you’ll be fine. And if you truly do have someone punishing you for doing the right thing, go to the IG. 
 

Sorry for the thread detail.

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Have you ever really had commanders like that? I’ve had a bunch of commanders and not one that would go out of their way to punish you if you stood up for what’s right. I’ve had some great ones and some real turds, but nobody truly vindictive.
No shit there I was…when I was teaching at the WIC we had a commander who had never been a black border previously and made a big deal about getting the real experience of earning a black border and not just pencil whipping it. He was a previous DO and had a notorious rep as an asshole. He gave a brief that wasn’t up to the standard to the cadre (who was grading him) and asked for feedback. One by one the cadre told him how good it was and gave him glowing reviews on the grade sheet. It gets to me and I told him how that wasn’t up to standard and I hooked him. I said that if a student did that, he absolutely would have hooked and that’s not passable as an instructor at the WIC. There was a gasp in the room because he had a reputation as a hard ass. Fast forward to the standard one on ones with squadron members and he asked me why I did that. I told him my job is to produce the best Patches that I can for the combat squadrons and uphold the standard. He said thank you and ended up making me the #1 guy in the squadron as a brand new Major. Nothing bad happened at all and it helped the cadre realize that “selection is every day”. 
 
I don’t tell that story because I’m so great but I truly think if you do the right thing for the right reasons, you’ll be fine. And if you truly do have someone punishing you for doing the right thing, go to the IG. 
 
Sorry for the thread detail.

Yeah man…hence my comment. Thanks though for your support…

Seeyuh Air Force, keep your “leaders”

Edit: also, career advice for anyone still reading, stay away from the cesspool that is Global Strike Command
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9 hours ago, Danger41 said:

Have you ever really had commanders like that? I’ve had a bunch of commanders and not one that would go out of their way to punish you if you stood up for what’s right. I’ve had some great ones and some real turds, but nobody truly vindictive.

No shit there I was…when I was teaching at the WIC we had a commander who had never been a black border previously and made a big deal about getting the real experience of earning a black border and not just pencil whipping it. He was a previous DO and had a notorious rep as an asshole. He gave a brief that wasn’t up to the standard to the cadre (who was grading him) and asked for feedback. One by one the cadre told him how good it was and gave him glowing reviews on the grade sheet. It gets to me and I told him how that wasn’t up to standard and I hooked him. I said that if a student did that, he absolutely would have hooked and that’s not passable as an instructor at the WIC. There was a gasp in the room because he had a reputation as a hard ass. Fast forward to the standard one on ones with squadron members and he asked me why I did that. I told him my job is to produce the best Patches that I can for the combat squadrons and uphold the standard. He said thank you and ended up making me the #1 guy in the squadron as a brand new Major. Nothing bad happened at all and it helped the cadre realize that “selection is every day”. 
 

I don’t tell that story because I’m so great but I truly think if you do the right thing for the right reasons, you’ll be fine. And if you truly do have someone punishing you for doing the right thing, go to the IG. 
 

Sorry for the thread detail.

Yes. And if you haven't you are the exception and certainly not the rule. Don't get me wrong, I've had great commanders and mediocre ones as well, but 1 toxic commander is enough to jade your whole career. 

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12 hours ago, Danger41 said:

Have you ever really had commanders like that? I’ve had a bunch of commanders and not one that would go out of their way to punish you if you stood up for what’s right. I’ve had some great ones and some real turds, but nobody truly vindictive.

No shit there I was…when I was teaching at the WIC we had a commander who had never been a black border previously and made a big deal about getting the real experience of earning a black border and not just pencil whipping it. He was a previous DO and had a notorious rep as an asshole. He gave a brief that wasn’t up to the standard to the cadre (who was grading him) and asked for feedback. One by one the cadre told him how good it was and gave him glowing reviews on the grade sheet. It gets to me and I told him how that wasn’t up to standard and I hooked him. I said that if a student did that, he absolutely would have hooked and that’s not passable as an instructor at the WIC. There was a gasp in the room because he had a reputation as a hard ass. Fast forward to the standard one on ones with squadron members and he asked me why I did that. I told him my job is to produce the best Patches that I can for the combat squadrons and uphold the standard. He said thank you and ended up making me the #1 guy in the squadron as a brand new Major. Nothing bad happened at all and it helped the cadre realize that “selection is every day”. 
 

I don’t tell that story because I’m so great but I truly think if you do the right thing for the right reasons, you’ll be fine. And if you truly do have someone punishing you for doing the right thing, go to the IG. 
 

Sorry for the thread detail.

Never been in the MAF, huh?

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On 5/18/2021 at 6:51 PM, Waingro said:

Yeah, that's problematic. This seems like a solution in need of a problem. I think the mechanism for addressing bad judgement in that regard already exists.

Case in point, I had an airman make a blatantly racist comment regarding a former POTUS on a public and widely viewed Facebook page. CMSAF personally found it, it went at the speed of light through the wing leadership and to my desk to handle. I was on the fence about taking a stripe, settled on LOR with control roster though. Probably didn't warrant Art 15 and I wasn't convinced it was winnable if he declined the Art 15. Guy came close to ruining his career because he thought it was a good idea to blow hard on Facebook, it was unbelievable. 

 

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Have you ever really had commanders like that? I’ve had a bunch of commanders and not one that would go out of their way to punish you if you stood up for what’s right. I’ve had some great ones and some real turds, but nobody truly vindictive.
No shit there I was…when I was teaching at the WIC we had a commander who had never been a black border previously and made a big deal about getting the real experience of earning a black border and not just pencil whipping it. He was a previous DO and had a notorious rep as an asshole. He gave a brief that wasn’t up to the standard to the cadre (who was grading him) and asked for feedback. One by one the cadre told him how good it was and gave him glowing reviews on the grade sheet. It gets to me and I told him how that wasn’t up to standard and I hooked him. I said that if a student did that, he absolutely would have hooked and that’s not passable as an instructor at the WIC. There was a gasp in the room because he had a reputation as a hard ass. Fast forward to the standard one on ones with squadron members and he asked me why I did that. I told him my job is to produce the best Patches that I can for the combat squadrons and uphold the standard. He said thank you and ended up making me the #1 guy in the squadron as a brand new Major. Nothing bad happened at all and it helped the cadre realize that “selection is every day”. 
 
I don’t tell that story because I’m so great but I truly think if you do the right thing for the right reasons, you’ll be fine. And if you truly do have someone punishing you for doing the right thing, go to the IG. 
 
Sorry for the thread detail.

https://gazette.com/military/toxic-fort-carson-battalion-commander-returns-to-job-despite-recommendation-to-fire-her/article_004b4d41-b9bd-5385-91cf-79180581003f.html

2 weeks after her command was returned to her she fired every senior warrant officer in the formation. Turns out she had been given the sworn testimony from the investigation complete with names. She also made O6 and was given a command. Mark my words, she will pin her star, and will be the first female Branch commander of aviation in the Army.

The system is truly broken.


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On 5/18/2021 at 5:51 PM, Waingro said:

Yeah, that's problematic. This seems like a solution in need of a problem. I think the mechanism for addressing bad judgement in that regard already exists.

Case in point, I had an airman make a blatantly racist comment regarding a former POTUS on a public and widely viewed Facebook page. CMSAF personally found it, it went at the speed of light through the wing leadership and to my desk to handle. I was on the fence about taking a stripe, settled on LOR with control roster though. Probably didn't warrant Art 15 and I wasn't convinced it was winnable if he declined the Art 15. Guy came close to ruining his career because he thought it was a good idea to blow hard on Facebook, it was unbelievable. 

The Chief Enlisted Aviator of the USAF personally called me from the Pentagon circa 2012 and screamed at me for 20 minutes about a Facebook post I made on a Facebook Air Force Humor group. He then sent what I said to my Sq/CC and Chief. I also had recently made MSgt, which he reminded me since he took it upon himself to pull a SURF on me. I ended up just getting an LOR, but it had ruined my career at 11 years in. Thankfully, when you deal with toxic leadership in the civilian world you get to just vote with your feet. 

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  • 1 year later...
3 hours ago, JohnyTodd84 said:

Thanks for sharing that interesting piece of news about the Pentagon's plans to monitor military personnel's social media for extremist content. It's definitely a complex issue, especially considering the First Amendment protections that service members have.

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On 6/1/2023 at 9:12 AM, uhhello said:
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  • 3 weeks later...
4 hours ago, Sim said:

For democracy and constitution, right?

Imagine being the poor bastard having to explain to a four star that not only has he been ratioed and then dragged on Twitter, but that he has become a meme on a subreddit.  Then imagine trying to be that poor bastard's supervisor trying to turn that nonsense into an OPR bullet.

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Leaders engaging on social media will never be able to win with the same old song and dance. People want and appreciate honesty and action, but if the 4 star is being honest, I guarantee that undermines their authority and causes problems. It can work (then Col Tom Palenske as 1 SOW CC) but it can also backfire (see current CMSAF). 

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