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Pissing contest removed. If you want to talk about AIBs, SIBs and other issues of such, start a new thread or take it out of respect for the crew

T-clone costs depend on how you do the accounting. The true costs are spread out among many pots of money. But it's WAY more than 50 grand in the end. They pay for their own rooms. I think they needed 56 rooms at our show. 90 bucks a room x 4 nights. That's 20 grand in rooms alone...for one show. The airshow pays for their cars (or get them donated, but that's tough in this economy). Something like 30 cars x say 40 bucks x 4 days is ballpark 5 grand. The airshow also pays for their smoke oil. $600 per barrel. Approx one barrel per jet, per show. Not kidding. 2 shows plus a practice works out to over 10 grand in smoke. The airshow also foots miscellaneous other costs...their own tent, tables, chairs, etc. but that's only a couple grand. We're at probably 37 grand already. All in all, they are expensive for the obvious costs. The not obvious costs are the killer. Now throw in airlift to get their stuff there. Generally 1 C-17 or 2 C-130s. Plus gas/flying hour costs for the heavy(s). Plus Per diem/rooms/cars for the crew(s). Now throw in the same costs for tankers that they get on the way to most of their shows. All of that is still chump change. If you want the true costs, take their annual budget + flying hour program + AF costs (personnel costs to the AF, Tricare, facility costs, civilian support staff, plus fuel, parts, oil, mx, etc) and divide that by the number of shows per year and you reach a number that is obscene. That's what it really costs to put on a show. If the public ever knew the total costs they would flip, no matter how cool they think the show is. I'm not advocating getting rid of them. Not even close. I actually like their shows, regardless of how much I make fun of them and their leotards. They are good dudes (mostly) who work ridiculously hard for 2 years and I think they are the biggest recruiting asset we have. Tell me you didn't love watching them when you were a kid. Tell me you don't stop even today and watch their show if they're in town. They are incredibly effective at their purpose. They are just expensive.

My sq/shirt was soliciting ideas for future "no hat/no salute" areas to be written into the latest edition of the AUAB sup to the 36-29chowmyhog. I sent him a wall of text with my idea of The Way It Should Be. Highlights: 1. CC and BPC (basically everything inside that fence) is a "residential area" and in the residential area it's ALL hat optional/no salute. In addition, crocs and closed toed shoes are authorized, and your PT shirt does not need to be tucked in. 2. If you work in a residential area or are receiving service from there (finance, FSS, etc) you need to be up to full uniform standards (tucked, real shoes, etc). 3. Reflective belt policy should mirror the AFCENT AFI, i.e. reflective belt is not required in the AFPTU since the AFPTU is sufficiently reflective per the AFCENT version of the same pub. 4. Reflective belts should only be required in areas that are accessible to vehicles, and would be optional in areas not normally accessible to vehicles (i.e. walking from your trailer to the shitter). I think all those are good, common sense (thus NFW they will be accepted) ways to make this base feel more like home (because for a lot of guys like me it IS home more than anywhere stateside) and cut down on some of the stupidity that abounds this place.