Leaderboard

I think this just has to do with people's perceptions and human nature in general. People bag on what they don't know and for the most part, it's very easy to do. As an ROTC cadet, my commander was an ABM and I used to give him an ungodly amount of shit about how stupid I thought the AWACS and JSTARS were. It was all in good fun, but a part of me was serious. It was the last plane I wanted to fly. Fast forward 2 years and I put AWACS #1 on my dream sheet. I laugh at myself now, but looking back I didn't know what I didn't know, which was why I was more than happy to talk trash. I think it's the same for IPs as well as students, no matter where you are. At drop night I know exactly what 10percenttruth & Napoleon_Tanerite are talking about. When my slide came up, the room dropped a few decibels. Everyone was caught off guard that I was so pumped. I had the best group of dudes for a UPT class and they understood what I'd wanted, but my T38 buddies were definitely confused. One of my old T6 IPs, who'd missed all of it, even came up to me afterward and said he was sorry. He thought I deserved better. Of course, when I told him I'd wanted it, I got the uncanny feeling he didn't believe me. I think it boils down to understanding what other people do. When we were racking and stacking our choices, students and IPs alike made all the standard rounds about how ugly the plane looked or how I'd just be sittin' on my ass burnin' holes in the sky, but honestly, no one even knew anything about it, including me. The only person that had even ever flew an AWACS on the base was my student SQ/CC. I went and talked to him for a few hours about it and I was sold. I walked out, erased my whole paper and put the E3 at the top. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Yeah, it's old, there are the bad times when I think it's a piece of crap, but my favorite part of the day is when I'm walking to the bus. I look back and think, man I just hand-flew that big ol' b*tch from 15k' through all kinds of weather and shit. It's awesome. I get to fly the snot out of the jet, day after day. I love the 707. I think the dome is sexy AF. The mission is interesting. I'm stoked. I came from Columbus only a couple of years ago and I definitely had one of the best UPT experiences I think anyone could have, so there are still great things to say about the program. I have a good college friend who graduated from Sheppard though, a year ahead of me; he absolutely loves flying Eagles, but we've talked about how he thinks it was a big disservice to not expose students to other airframes. I don't want to speak for him, but he said it was fighters or nothing. If you thought about flying something else or wanted to explore other options, you ran the risk of being ostracized or thought of as a lesser pilot. I believe the issue often plays both sides of the table. The best experiences, with what little background I have, have always been with open-minded IPs, talking to as equally open-minded students. The IP sharing his background without judgement and the student willing to ignore his shit-talking bros and search out gray beards from any and all airframes. I'm not an IP, but as a stud, it's easier said than done, which is unfortunate. Hence, the scuttlebutts. I'm just a co and again, I don't know what I don't know. Maybe some day I'll see things differently, but these are my thoughts.

The AF can't afford the personnel, but I'm sure M2 would be glad to empty a magazine at a funeral. Its not a 21 gun, just one gun 30 times.

Let's continue to focus on making good Flag Officers and continue neglecting making good Squadron Commanders...Interesting excerpts from the paper Chuck shared:"Earning "distinguished graduate" (DG) status is as important as the educational aspects of SOS..."Of course it is...DG status is the first of 2 0/1 bits for HPO designation at O-3/O-4 transition."...acquiring an advanced academic degree is deemed by the Air Force as a requisite milestone for either promotion consideration and/or IDE in-residence selection."Of course it is...IDE in-residence selection is the second 0/1 bit for HPO designation at O-3/O-4 transition.DG status and IDE in-residence, topped off with a week long Squadron Commander's course is the first half (the important half) of making a senior leader..."Like squadron command, in-residence SDE is another indicator of high potential."These are naturally exactly the same thing, right...If we have failed you so far, AWC will fix it."Squadron command is a key indicator for increased rank and responsibility and usually is the result of careful growth within the squadron structure itself (e.g., squadron DO, deputy commander)."Of course it is...very careful growth within the dilapidated, struggling, squadron structure itself...led by a squadron commander we completely fucked over getting him/her ready for more than half the responsibility to grow the very senior leaders we claim to have a problem with.This topic is super fun,Bendy

I don't disagree with with rest of what you said, but this made me literally laugh out loud. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One...hundred....dollas!!!!

+$18. I'm rich, bitches!

Did somebody say Freedom Fighter? I know a guy, make good deal..... https://m.controller.com/ListingDetail/Index?listingId=1404013&categoryId=10072

Sent a PM

The IG? Is that the office that helps legitimized illegal commander actions?

"You need to be maxing BOTH the TSP and an IRA when you're able."

817–222–5006 or 505–842–4366 Page 389 https://aeronav.faa.gov/afd/10dec2015/SW_rear_10dec2015.pdf

If that happens to any former 18Xer, I would fully expect them to literally burn down their UPT squadron post drop night. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

High performing officer... its like choosing your quarterly award winners before the quarter starts, so you can get them everything they need to win. We try to choose our Generals when they're Captains because of it. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Where's that Sgt who turns in people for FB posts when you need her?

Lawman, so she actually texted "thank the ass holes killing themselves" about fellow pilots recently killed in a crash when she was complaining about not flying? UFB. I'd say your baseball bunt reference is about spot on.

One of the first female Army Ranger School grads demonstrating the leadership gained from the prestigious school.... WTF Also I knew one of the pilots in both Apache crashes over this week that led to the safety stand down. So the word I want to use here rhymes with a practice of batting sometimes seen in baseball.

True but our strategy (for lack of a better word) requires restraint, if it comes to needing cluster bombs, MOABs and napalm I'm ok with it but until then shoot carefully

CDE not on their 9 line I think.