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It's a game, nobody but the Air Force wants fighters; but the other services are depending on the Spartan and rescue birds. Claiming to chop those programs will hopefully get some outcry, causing Big Blue to shrug its shoulders and act like there's nothing it can do. It's childish, but that's how it's played. Truthfully, after seeing the fucking monstrosity of the new 502 ABW headquarters at Ft Sam (because some USAF GO wanted to "stake his claim" on the Army post, since Ol' Blue owns JBSA) and the even bigger monstrosity of the über-training facility being built on Lackland at an estimate cost of $900 million (and ya know it's only going to go up!), I'm confused. For some reason the 40-yr-old RH&Ts that were good enough for clowns like me to not only go through Basic Training but Field Training as well are no longer up to the task! Plus, they're gonna tear down Wilford Hall Medical Center and build a clinic in its place. Seriously? Demolish a perfectly good building and then construct another one in the same site? In some ways I think the DoD needs a swift kick in the nuts to get it back on track with how it spends its dollars; but it's idiotic decisions such as cutting the C-27 and personnel in lieu of big screen TVs and other shit that tells me it would be of no use. The services are gonna have to bleed a little before they learn how to deal with the pain, as obviously the warnings are not sinking in! Strap in, gentlemen; it's gonna be a bumpy ride...

To address your question: Saying "no" and walking off is not wrong provided you are an O-1 or above and provided the chief was not being disrespectful in tone, words, or approach (insofar as we're addressing good order and discipline). If the chief was in anyway disrespectful, then pausing for correction is in order provided the circumstances allows for this to be accomplished constructively - if not then report the chief's conduct to your commander. (If your commander does not seem to care, that's a shame, but for your part you can recall this event when you're the commander and your folks come to you with similar experiences) Assuming the chief was being respectful, but possibly mistaken (or perhaps you are mistaken), don't you think it preferable to take charge of the situation and discuss a little more fully? - e.g. introduce yourself, get his/her name unit and contact information, let the chief know that you're not aware of a published rule that clearly prohibits this small utility light, and since you are not subject to his/her direct authority you will continue to wear the light until presented with proof of this rule. Keep your words and tone good natured and professional. State your position clearly and move along - you are under no obligation to engage in debates with the enlisted force.* (*I am not suggesting that being routinely dismissive of the opinions and ideas of our enlisted members is an acceptable SOP, but the scenario you present would be resolved by reference to published directives - no need for a debate) I might anticipate replies that my comment demonstrates ignorance of how things actually are with regard to officer/chief conduct and authority. I know full well how it is, but the chiefs are not going to fix this - it's up to ALL the officers. All-in-all, even if you were mistaken on the rule on the wearing of the light, what you did was better than removing the light and conveying that the chief has authority to direct your actions. But, if you knew you were in error, then you should not have been wearing the %$&# light on your uniform out where this chief was going to see you (sorry guys).

Question for everyone. At a certain base in Arkansas today, I was chiefed on wearing an LED light on my flight suit zipper. Was I wrong in responding "no" when he said "you need to take that light off"?

I read that the Air Force officially retired the BDU uniform that I wore during my time on the flightline, and I started thinking what else has changed since then... My recruiter's office has closed and moved as has the MEPS station in Syracuse. My basic training squadron from Lackland AFB, the 3707th, is gone. My tech school squadron, the 3778th is gone as well. In Basic we were amongst the last flights to be issued the old green fatigues. Hated them and switched to BDU's as soon as we could. They've retired the then current dress uniform a couple of times, so that's out as well. I was assigned to the now disestablished Tactical Air Command, at MacDill AFB, which was "realigned" after our 56th TTW was moved to Luke AFB. Within the 56th though I was assigned to the 63rd TFTS which was deactivated. I worked on the flightline on our now retired F-16A/B aircraft that were built by General Dynamics who sold their aircraft division to Lockheed (which was renamed to Lockheed Martin). On my one TDY for a hurricane, we deployed to the now closed Dobbins AFB on a now retired (and scrapped) C-141 Starlifter. We shared the ramp with the Georgia ANG's F-15A Eagles and a Navy squadron, also evacuated, made up of A-4's, A-7's and A-3's, all of which have been retired... After I left Florida, I flew to my new assignment in Spain on Trans World Airlines, which no longer exists, to my new assignment at the now closed Torrejon AB where I was assigned to the now disestablished 401st TFW and the 613th and 614th TFS's that are also gone. The 401st, by the way, was the sole flying wing in the 16th Air Force which is gone as well. I deployed with the 401st TFW(P) to a provisional airbase at the Doha International Airport in Qatar where our address was APO New York 09869. The unit and the APO address shut down when we left, and I believe the airbase and the airport have since. During my time there I carried my trusty M16A1 (triangle handguard, full auto, no three round burst, 1968 build date) and steel helmet while wearing my "chocolate chip" pattern BDU's and black jungle boots. Was happy to get back from the Gulf, so I took some leave. Flew to the UK on British Caledonian Airlines, which like TWA, no longer exists and watched the Concorde launch each day out over London. Traveled to France on the now retired Hoverspeed hovercraft (cool ride) and spent a lot of Francs (along with all of the Lira in Italy and the Pesetas in Spain). The Paris Air Show was the European debut of the "new" F-117 Stealth fighter... Although I enjoyed my time in the Air Force along with my job as an AFSC 431X1 (which they got rid of) and then a 452X4 (which went soon after the 431...), I made the decision to move on, and I left the USAF as an E-4 Non Commissioned Officer (which now requires E-5). Yes, I was a "Buck" Sergeant, a rank which, you guessed it, no longer exists. Any wonder I feel old sometimes?