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Whether he is or isn't doesn't matter, from the view of those in my generation. We just need to be sure we won't get fooled again.

My wife has had a usaa managed fund and we have since moved it to vanguard. In the good years 2013-2014 it was worse than the index funds and in the overall bad year 2015 it was even with the index funds. The experience basically proved to me that manages funds are never a good investment, that everything you read is true. Low expense index funds are the way to go, and you don't get those at USAA.

This guy was enlisted, but he was able to join after having a cancerous tumor removed from his abdomen ... https://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48386

Discus, I must agree wholeheartedly with you. There can be no Substitute in the CSAF role for a true visionary... one that can see for miles and miles. And while battling with the politicians, he must ensure our ability to provide airpower anyway, anyhow, anywhere.

Yeah Huggy, talking about our generation is much better than the teenage wasteland of today. However, with the airlines hiring again, Fingers will have to remember that the exodus is here.

Not now ambien walrus, I'm trying to hide my car keys.

I wonder if he's any good at pinball?

So do I, but I am still an asshole. Call me jaded but I will not stand and clap for this one...not yet anyway. Probably unfair to bring up the association and situation with his brother, but within context it does have some bearing. For those that don't know his brother is a retired two star who was punished in the time of Moseley for unethically helping to steer a $49M contract to Gen Hornburg's company shortly after he retired as the ACC commander (well within the 1 year cooling off period). I mention it because Fingers wrote a book called Sharing Success and Owning Failure, in the book he uses and quotes his brother's leadership style as a shining example of "providing the vision and setting the environment" of command. A personal interaction with him a number of years ago also gives me pause...in short, while I working as a senior level exec in the puzzle palace then Col Fingers (who was at the time the Holloman Wing/CC), came into the office with his Codell delegation. In those glorious days we could still wear flightsuits even in the most senior offices. The congressmen went in for a private meeting with the boss before the formal meeting and Fingers stayed outside with me. I saw him look at my WIC patch and he walked up to make some chitchat because he thought he knew me from somewhere (in his defense I am a powerful and attractive man), he was asking how long I had been in the job and where I was before this assignment, I told him I came out of the ASG program and he was all smiles and asked about the program. After that he again looked at my patch and said what platform did you go through in? When I answered AC-130's his smile, disappeared he replied "oh", and he turned around and walked away...never spoke to me again. It was such an odd interaction that it stuck with me for the last nine years. Can't say I will care much after I walk out the door in a month, but for those still around I would check six.

Chicago?? Aren't there some financially-savvy politicians there??

Sure, and sorry for the delay. In Iraq circa 2006/7 the Army's #1 airlift request was getting stuff flown into Taji. There was a lot of fighting around Taji. I did a bunch of -130 deployments to Balad, and one day I happened to be the guy picked to fly the AMC/CC around the AOR. I asked him why we weren't flying into Taji, being that Army commanders at LSA Anaconda (Balad) were always asking us the same question, being told to call AMD, and subsequently being told no. He told me that he owned the pushback against authorizing us to fly into Taji, and he was extremely proud of it. Army helos were regularly taking SAFIREs IVO Taji, and he believed he was protecting his people (me) by denying the request. "Why would I make you fly somewhere unsafe?" But the Army had to resupply and operate out of Taji. It's in the heart of the Sunni triangle and at the time, security in that area was crucial to US strategy. Because AMC refused to fly into Taji, the task was left to Army helos and ground convoys. They are significantly more vulnerable to attack. It's pretty hard to hit a herc on a Pen-D with an RPK. It's not hard to use an EFP on some 21 year old kid driving truck #23 of a huge convoy. By embracing risk aversion for his fleet that AMC commander put more people in greater risk. Stated another way: his risk aversion didn't actually decrease risk, it merely forced another to accept it. And the people forced to accept it were far more susceptible to the dangers. When I pointed this out, I was completely blown off with a sarcastic comment about how his priority was my safety..... Etc.. It's a foul philosophy. There's absolutely nothing special about me and I'm sure a lot of dudes reading this have similar tales; but I hope this story illustrates the principal I was attempting to convey.

Started listening to this on my commute and it's really good stuff...they feature the wingman watches on one of the first episodes.

"lauded" is truly one of my favorites. *important person walks through squadron on a tour looking at stuff. *notice they're not saying much... *uh oh. My OPR bullet is fading quick!! Say something!!!! *Joking* "So our squadron is the best you've seen isn't it?" *important person* "Haha! For sure. You guys are doing great. Keep up the great work!" -Outstanding ldrshp--4-star lauded "best squadron in AF"