Leaderboard

What's wrong with the Air Force...and military in general...is that it now equates leadership with management and promotes as such. The military now values the antithesis of what the below article highlights. Then...after time....the O-6s and above are merely "the best that's left" after the officers with real people/leadership skills have called BULLSHIT and punched out.

I'd be happy with some firings and a "vector" at this point.

So I read Brig Gen Olds' memoir from a while back. Great book front to back, but the part that made a lasting impression to me was the advice from Gen Spaatz to then Maj Olds. This time-tested wisdom still holds true today. I get it, nobody is perfect, but it's about which category you strive to be. It is evident (to me at least) that what's wrong with the AF is the dedicated leaders are way outnumbered by the other categories of people. I sincerely hope Gen Welsh sees this and is successful in putting more "dedicated" people in the positions of leadership. Until then, expect to see more buffonery in the AF Times. “Now, I know advice is cheap and often suspect, but here goes. You’ve had a good start and there’s a long road in front of you, but always remember this: Your most difficult problem will be the people. In the military, they mostly divide themselves into four major categories: There are the ‘me-firsters’, the ‘me-tooers’ the ‘deadwood,’ and the ‘dedicated.’ You are among the minority, the ‘dedicated.’ Stick with them, search them out, and work hard to be worthy of their company. You won’t be popular with a lot of your bosses who act dedicated but really aren’t, and that can make life difficult at times. Beware of the ‘deadwood.’ Most of them mean well and, in their own way, try hard, are loyal, and even useful. But too often they’ll botch things up and get you and your outfit in trouble. Watch out for the ‘me-tooers.’ These guys will tell you whatever they think you want to hear. They borrow thoughts and ideas from others and present them to you as though they were their own. They are opportunists who look for every avenue to advance themselves, without sticking their own necks out. They ride someone’s coattails and try to make themselves indispensible to the boss. Believe me, they are not to be trusted. You don’t want yes-men around you. But you can’t always avoid them. The worst and the most dangerous are the ‘me-firsters.’ Most of them are intelligent and totally ruthless. They use the service for their own gain and will not hesitate to stick a knife in your back at the slightest indication you might stand in their way. They seem arrogant, but don’t be fooled; they are really completely lacking in true self-confidence. Do you understand that?”

Hey now, I think I did a pretty good job "devoting my time to training new Combat Airlift pilots", and hell, I was actually doing "Combat Airlift"...also, I've fried chicken before, that's as easy as flying a tanker.

No offense to Popeye's employees, but how the ###### do they have anything to do with "Combat Airlift"? How does a civilian fast-food manager become the "Combat Airlifter of the Week"? I get it...eating fried chicken is probably #15 on the list of priorities, thus beating out #18, flying the mission. Edit to add: OK, yes she's technically an AAFES employee, but I'm staring right at the title of the award and can't seem to connect the two.

Served eleventy billion calories...

In azimuth's defense, you won't be able to see it at the end of the month, either.

Not funny; these are civilians. I hope you are capable of regret. Here's a toast .

Always wanted to use that red -1 button!!!

What a great man and great leader! I wonder where he got his online Master degree done at?

I need some help. I've been tracking the VSP pretty closely and trying to keep up with this thread, but I'm not tracking the 'new IRR' doc. Where and when did that come from? Is this something new since the strategic delay? Or are we talking about the change in form from the Dec PSDM to the late Jan/early Feb PSDM? I suddenly find myself in an unusual attitude and need some help. Thx in advance.

1 (Sadly)

She honestly looks slightly bewildered as to why she's getting a Combat Airlifter award from the Wing Commander and Chief. I'd love to see the writeup turned in on her behalf for this award. "Spearhead'd tng pgm for 16 civs; enabled sustenance for 6900 LRAFB warriors...direct spt for 69-pallet cbt airdrop ISO ISAF troops"

Despite your cartoon, I still decided to Google the term, "Pegboy." God dammit....

Any irony in banning defenders of freedom and freedom of speech from a place exercising both of those rights?

If you like the leadership at LRAFB, you will love this. Musta been a slow week in tactical airlifting. https://www.littlerock.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123401734

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You're a Nav aren't you?

Agreed I can only inagine the screaming that would ensue the first time somebody handed an Alice pack for the 18th Airborne annual ruck requirement to one of these "grass is greener AF guys." Whatever job you have something will suck and we as humans will bitch about it. If there was an MOS whose job was to receive handys all day while shooting guns and drinking beer that guy would bitch he had to load his own magazines.

Your what?

Exactly, this seems to be a huge issue. Ok, let's say the AFPC/Air Staff finally pulls its head out and VSP applications actually start processing. The PSDM said applications would be processed in "monthly batches" and not a "first in, first out" basis, but also said that all applicants are "encouraged" to apply early, thus the crashing of separation website. If I were currently in the rejected pool, I'd be even more pissed if I wasn't eventually approved because I had to apply over again. Unfortunately, this is why I think they're going to make everybody reapply, wasting more of your (and your CC's) time. Ultimately, there will be something else flawed or incorrect with the new guidance as well because no one at AFPC can put together a coherent document. Side note: If the US ever needs to launch a cyber attack at an enemy, tell its AF pilots that the VSP window is about to open and direct all of the web traffic in that direction. If we hadn't already done it, this would have been the blueprint to shut down those Iranian nuclear reactors.

StratoBukkake

Latest update from AFPC

So when you said "bacon flavored seasoning" what you meant was.......bacon?

Well since I was not in the corp at A&M and am on the road all the time for work and do most of my spare time searching via phone kinda makes it hard to search around. Especially when your working 80hrs a week between three jobs. Just wondering what happen to respect for others now as well.

Apparently the online masters degree the Air Force paid for you to complete neglected to critique basic grammar. Whatever, I'm sure the tax payer will still see a satisfactory return. Yea, about that... Just ing with you man.

Sum Ting Wong? https://www.cnn.com/2014/03/07/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane-missing/index.html