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Do the math, di1630: Take the number of throttles in your cockpit, Multiply that by the number of ejection seats. Then take THAT number and multiply it by the number of vertical stabs. If your final product is anything greater than one, you play the skin flute.

Did you even read the next paragraph after the one you quoted? The one where I further explain what we don't have enough of...? Floated an idea of what we need more of? Advocate of the current system is a bridge too far, as I said earlier in my post when I said the first year was a waste. However, I'm an advocate of PME in some of the current forms - others need to go or be heavily modified and or incentivized. What I am not an advocate of is thinking that since I got these here wings on my chest that I know everything and need no further value-added education in any form, specifically that of PME. But I don't expect that line of thinking to resonate much here. Chuck +1 edit to clarify

I have nothing to add, other than another data point. I just went over 17 yrs active service, but am seriously considering going reserves and trying for the airlines now. I'd be turning down a healthy retirement, but three years is still three years. I don't know if I can follow the dipshits they put in charge these days. But the AF will be fine, my 3700 rated hours will be replaced by someone else with 200-ish. Nothing lost.

Easy there. How about you put away the "jump to conclusions mat"? The facts are: the airplane stopped working, Tuna got out safely, noone on the ground was hurt, said airplane crashed in a field. All else is just hearsay right now and you should know better.

You know, I love Cyber. I've been doing it for close to 20 years. I crossed from E-to-O into it. I set life goals based on the AF telling me that's what I'd do. I read about it at home, much to the annoyance of my wife (who doesn't want to learn about the new Win10 hack?). All the pilots I've met that actually love to fly do the same thing - study it in their off time, talk about it... sometimes even dream about it. If I'd graduated from my commissioning source and tech school to be told I'm now going to be a MFP/Services officer I'd want to burn it all down. Hell, if they told me I'd fly a Viper I'd still be angry - it's not who I am. That's not being jaded, that's being human. Doubly so if I went to any of the shit-holes the RPA bros are at. This doesn't even begin to touch the outright lies and blunders the whole RPA community has had directed at it from on high. It's almost the same as the missile fields, without the long heritage of shit or "investigations & programs" to fix it. Basically, "You're so important to the USAF and Nation. But not important enough for us to put money, men or brain power to fix it." It's an affront to justice we're taught as Americans and the trust we placed in the institution of the Air Force to go through what some of the RPA dudes have gone through. That doesn't end because you make O4/5/6. It doesn't end because you get to a cushy staff job off the line. It doesn't end because you get more money, or a ribbon with some metal on the end of it. Your lack of compassion, empathy and understanding are very telling. Broadly, you're just another troll, well done. Specifically, you're myopic view on status and money are indicative you're lining right up with that part of the AF machine for box-checking promotion - more concerned about yourself and what you can get, less concerned with the people executing your mission.

F16Deuce, You're right. Please accept my apology. There are numerous things that "could have gone wrong" and the SIB will figure it out. I've deleted and replaced my original post. Pretty impressive that the pilot doesn't even appear to have any ejection injuries that a cold beer won't remedy I do feel bad for your friend though:. 1. Ejects 2. Meets Obama 3. ? Bad things always come in threes. Tell him to be careful.

Maybe you should separate. We thank you for your service.

False That's ONE way to do it. But those commanders almost universally suck ass

This is a very true statement, but don't have any delusions - you're not one of them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Stop being a bitch.

I have absolutely no reason to believe that pilot bonuses are in any way internationally related to the proposed reduction in BAH rates. But, using the flawed logic, I counter with this: maybe if you guys wouldn't have ed it away in the first place, you wouldn't have to pay guys 10s of thousands more that many started out as youngins willing to do for free. Bravo, indeed.

For all you "co's/lt's" out there, the only one you have to impress is the face staring back at you in the mirror when you shave whatever it is you shave (gender neutral). The only opinions that matter is yours, those "bro's," and, should you lead people one day, theirs. As much as I loath Chang/Scotch's Blue assimilation and attempts to gather more into the collective, I have to agree with him on at least one point. Being an officer (or NCO or airman) is not a popularity contest. Sometimes you have to tell the boss he/she is wrong, tell them why, and how to keep their cranium out of their rectum. I'm betting 6 of 9 has never done that. Rather, he's gone the full Sgt Shultz...and thinks he's a better man for it. Big Blue doesn't give a sh1t about you as an individual, only that you help make a dot green on some slide somewhere. Given actual combat events that can either kill people or get you killed, I'm ok with that realization. For anything else, not so much. If The Man wants to have you around when the Big Dance starts, he damn sure better be wining and dining you in the other times. When I see a Chang/Scotch post, I'm sorry, I get this mental image every single time: Or to go all literary n' stuff, I am reminded of Courtney Massengale (the character, not the feminine product. Although, now that I think about it...)

Logical, fact based, unemotional opinions backing arguments of substance over an issue that matters to the future of the USAF... Seems like an anomaly around here sometimes... FWIW, I'm an in-res IDE guy who followed on to ASG. Like others, I found the first year to be almost a complete waste. It gave me a sister-service networking opportunity and a chance to write - something I plan to do upon retirement. Other than that, I went to school to go to a second year of school. The real learning was in the second year, and made the entire experience worth it. Scoff what you will, this same model (two-years of mid-career PME) has been used for centuries by some of the most successful armed forces in history. We aren't inventing new ways to educate here... We are in fact lagging behind in that department in my opinion. We don't have it all figured out. In fact, the over-education of our officer corps as they proceed toward O-6 is a real topic of discussion... But there has to be a balance. Not everyone can depart the line for two years mid career. Not everyone should. Not everyone has the drive, brains, or desire to. That's not a bad thing. That's expectation management. But sending officers of 20+ years experience to just a little under three and a half years of schooling in their service is not overeducation IMHO -- ASBC (4 weeks), SOS (6 weeks), IDE (1 year), ASG (1 year), War College (1 year) - three years, spread out over the career, is nothing. Just my opinion. And realizing there's other things that pull dudes off the line for months/years -- WIC, TPS, JPME-II, Safety School, staff, etc -- I guess my question is, what's the alternative? Where do our officers get the education they need to be effective in the joint world? Because I'm telling you, the USAF is getting murdered in the joint environment. It should be our wheelhouse, and we suck at it - something that's still shocking to me given the quality of some of the dudes I was at school with. Short of throwing folks into the deep end and letting them sink or succeed on the job, the only prep for entry into that world is PME (of all forms, correspondence included) - comments on the quality of that prep aside. These aren't things I knew about or cared about on the line. They are things that I touch daily now, in a joint and service-headquarters level environment in which there is far too little understanding of history, theory, politics, and doctrine to go around. That speaks directly to the quality and breadth (read: civilian schools and PME) of our education programs... You're on to something when you talk about broadening/diversifying the school experience. But there is an element of quantity that has to come into play as well - because flying the line forever isn't an option yet, and if you're going to go to staff anyway I'd rather have you be trained and educated at the staff than not. Spears accepted willingly. Cheers, Chuck --spelling edits

Dudes, apparently I pissed a bunch of you guys off and that's my bad. My buddy Sparky told me this morning and he defend me as a stand-up guy so I'll take what I deserve. I didn't serve in the selfie age, I didn't own a camera till I got married and I wasn't married while I was on active duty. The pics of me in uniform are few. This pic was taken while I was flying some missions in the back of either a C-17 or C-130 with a buddy of mine who happened to be a laodmaster and was able to get me on a few rides. That's his helmet, he snapped some pics, we were doing some training airdrops and I was pumped to tag along. I do believe that patch was swapped with someone from the flight deck but I can't remember but I do remember I had another sweet morale patch on the other side as well. My eye sight is 20/400, so no, I never had the opportunity to go through or washout of UPT. We used those pics because they were some of the few I could find. I don't believe anything claims I'm a fighter pilot though I would have liked to have been one if PRK or Lasik was accepted back then. I do believe I have a few pics from survival as well in BDUs but in fear of someone accusing me of trying to be a SEAL or Ranger, I'll refrain. Instead I was self-loading baggage who got to fly in the back, perhaps supporting some of you and coordinate SEAD missions, since airborne EW was my specialty. I appreciate all the dedication to keeping me in check...and if you ever think about running for office, my advice would be not to. Oklahoma has a $1.5 billion budget deficit which we're trying to sort through and I'm having to defend a picture I took 10 years ago with a flight helmet. Hope this clears it up so Duck can get back to his crown and cokes.

As someone who has designed the aerobatic box for airshows, I'd like to see how they set this up over a stadium. My friend in attendance said they did not do the Bomb Burst. I guessing that the combo of mountains and other LimFacs makes it not feasible. Another friend said the show was delayed due to POTUS but looked great I'm also curious to know if TBird1 gets a phone call from someone with 4-stars about having a performance with POTUS in the crowd. I'm guessing there is some additional external pressure in this scenario, even for a demo team. I cannot remember how long the team was down after the 2003 Mountain Home crash, but I hope there is a Block 52 somewhere getting red, white, and blue paint, and a smoke system installed so they can get back to what they do best.

Hat's off to General Goldfein...

JOINT TIME IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE A GOOD LEADER. NATO is a shitshow, and our services still are full of generals who would rather stamp their name on a pet project than kick our enemies asses. The best future Generals have already left for the airlines.

Don't fool yourself, those running the AF are doing a far better job hurting the future of the AF than anyone could from this forum. Maybe you should start with helping correct the course in which this sinking ship has been traveling. There is a reason for the manning/asset problems for which we are currently engaged with, and it starts with the decision making from upper management. The AF could have lead turned this issue a decade ago. The data was there, you and the rest of upper management just decided to ignore it all.

//RANT ON// Just stop with the number of deployments argument; as it relates to RPAs, it's old and busted. Even when not deployed in theater, back at homestation the operators are actively prosecuting ATOs, killing the enemy, and meeting the demand of a war-time ops tempo. Not just in short sprints, but every single day of your assignment in RPAs, flying the line (which is 99.9% of MQ-1/MQ-9 Pilots and Sensors). I question the demographic of the Aircrew that find it appealing due to the "fewer" deployments; how long have the been in the AF, how many non-RPA flying deployments have they had, total deployment count, how long were they in RPAs when that opinion was given and what's their follow-up opinion now (ie, has it changed)? Don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're at home, your "deployment" is somehow easier. It's generally not. The ops tempo is continual, AND they have meet the demands of a peace-time AF (CBTs, Inspections, CCAF degrees, PROJO volunteers, civilian education, etc). The remote location forces everyone to spend significant percentage of their paycheck on fuel, especially if you have office work to do. You can't get it completed when you spending 83% of your time at work actively flying/prepping to fly, so the bus schedule and van pools aren't a valid option. Speaking of the van pools, yes the AF provides a payment system for contract van rentals, but G-d forbid you that up on a rare TDY, or don't ride enough in a month. There are more examples that I'm glossing over, but think of everything you do right now and then try to image fighting a war for 7.5 hrs out of every 9 hr day (minimum) with no end in sight. Yes, some of the posters here sometimes present an argument from their POV and how the ops tempo is affecting them personally, but that doesn't negate the validity of their complaint. The aggregate effect, of everything listed above, upon the Airmen meeting it all is wearing them out quickly. One of the shitty parts is everyone of them is smart enough to realize that succeeding in their primary duties (to remind you: fly planes and kill the enemy) isn't enough to keep getting promoted. I've seen exactly ONE pilot who was able to just fly/instruct the line and fleet up to the top. He definitely earned it, but he's the exception to the rule. Some aircrew in RPAs volunteered, some were "needs of the AF"; all do more than speadsheet bean counting. People come here to vent because they care about the AF and because that's what Aircrew does. I've seen many good plans come together from sport bitching in the bar that solved immediate needs. This is just the extension of that. I'm curious as to your quals; you've become a blue-suit equivalent of Scoobs. You pass profound judgement that show you lack a basic "man-on-the-street" perspective. You have ZERO credibility at this point for most your posts. RPA operators are all great Americans, who have answered their country's call. If comments here make someone "a touch angry", then sack-up get yourself out to Creech. Learn what it means to lead people in actual combat. There's plenty of seats on the line for you. //RANT OFF//

And a touch tone-deaf...

This needs to be ended. At least he isn't some screaming liberal douche nozzle who has never served and hates all things military. Constructive feedback has been given. He can take it or leave it.

Adam, Your military service is something you can be proud of and is far more than many Americans have been willing to offer. However, be straight about it and don’t try to turn it into something it isn’t. I think that might be what’s bugging a few of us as we look at your web site and consider what you posted here. No one likes feeling like they’re being given a line of BS, even if they can’t prove it for certain. You’re also using certain pictures, words and inferences to create an image that’s not completely accurate. You can’t remember what kind of airplane you were on? Really? Is that because you watched airdrops on a C-17 and others on a C-130 because your bud was dual qualified, you did so many they all ran together or you simply can’t tell the difference? Airdrops with the back door open, pallets or maybe troops going out, airplanes on the ramp, generally cool military ops and hardware and you go find a meadow with a rock to sit on for your photo? Can you see why this explanation is a little hard to buy? When we called you on it, you went down the “it was so long ago, I can’t remember all the details” path. At least you’ve got that part of politics figured out. Oh, and the “I’m too busy with the budget deficit to defend the picture I CHOSE to put on my website”. Nice try…Don’t you need to get elected first before you can “sort through the budget deficit”? Right now, you’re trying to get elected – and like it or not, you’re getting some blow back from your website. Speaking of that, here’s some feedback on the web site: You’re not a “Captain” any more. It appears a bit desperate. You separated. If you retired and you really felt like it was important, you could refer to yourself with your former rank and put a USAF (ret.) after it. But…. You didn’t. Lose the wings on your lapel. Those are about as subtle as a Rolls owner wearing his hood ornament on a necklace. There’s a reason you couldn’t find a little, classy set of ABM wings to use as a tie tack or lapel pin and had to use the ones from your mess dress. No one is going to mass produce ABM wing pins because no one wears them. But, wings = pilot and if no one looks close enough or understands what they’re looking at, why spoil the image with those pesky details. Same thing with the flight suit/helmet shot. Flight suit + helmet equals another image you’re trying to imply that’s not reality. You wore a flight suit on duty. If a picture of you in that uniform gets you a little mileage with the voting public, great. Add in the helmet (which you never wore on duty) and you’re flirting with creating a false image, hoping the general public will take it on face value. The fact that you didn’t own a camera or get any accurate pictures of yourself during your military service doesn’t make it okay to post one that clearly attempts to imply duties you didn’t have.

Ok.. I'm not sure if you are full of shit, if you're just trying to poke the collective bear or you have yet to have that awakening moment when you realize that the AF is mostly made of good people that get treated badly in many cases by a few people who use rules, laws, policies, procedures and a self promotion system to keep themselves and like minded a-holes in leadership. You're right about living the Core Values and putting officership before being a pilot and a bro but you are implying that it is always exclusionary to those things, it's not usually and more often than not the Core Values and true officership are in opposition to the latest and greatest shoe clerkism that comes from on high if you believe that the purpose of the AF is to advance and defend the interests of the United States thru the projection of Air, Space and Cyberspace power. If you can't see or actually don't believe we are less a military organization than we used to be and are drifting towards becoming just another government agency by the evidence of the dearth of actual military activities in the daily duties / training of large numbers of members of the AF then you are lost.

Deuce is right. It's way too early to speculate, and not fair to Tuna to throw around theories like that. Let the process do its thing.

Wasn't this thread started as a possible "stolen valor" case? Since we've figured out that this dude is an actual veteran, exactly what the fuck are we going on about at this point. Are we quibbling over this dudes choice of patches in 10 year old photos as somehow deceptive? Really? I have a picture of me rocking a ThunderCats T-Shirt in my flightsuit as a 2Lt. I guess I better not run for office or I'll get called out as an imposter from Third Earth or Thundera.

I wonder how great this Air Force could be if some of those "company men" were replaced by the "cool, popular crowd" who are widely regarded as the best pilots and leaders in the squadron, and not the people who turn down deployments and flights to check the boxes to get a school slot? The sooner you realize the core values aren't about indentured servitude and you start treating people like you actually care about their well being, then the sooner the RPA manning disaster will be fixed. Or you can walk around an Ops squadron handing out 341's for shitty attitude and keep marveling at how anyone could possibly want to leave as you give them their stop loss paperwork.

My personal observations: No amount of PME will ensure success in the Joint environment Factors (in no particular order): Politics - Which service historically *owns* this particular Command (can't speak for the Puzzle Palace). Do you have top cover from the big boss? Street Cred - What do you bring to the table? (combat exp, exotic quals, and/or other warfighting skillsets). Are you fighting to get additional combat time/skillsets for yourself and future Airmen? I've not seen AF leadership push subordinates for street cred (again my observations), because it's not what gets Airmen promoted (careerism). You can't influence anyone based on exec/TMT/party planning experience. No one in the Joint world cares how many AADs you have. The successful Joint officer gets people's attention because he/she has BTDT. Personality - Are you a pompous asshole or are you a bro/sis? Team player or back stabber? Just working to get by, or fighting to move the mission forward? This is not exclusive to the AF. A good dude/dudette is going to be successful no matter where he/she goes. Leadership - This is where AF gets crushed (IMHO) because we don't push our Os into *real* leadership positions early on (unlike the USN/USMC/USA). Instead we mold them into managers, and guess what happens when they get into a Joint billet? They get pushed into managerial/support billets because they lack the leadership skills and street creds. Lastly, I find value in AU's in-residence officer PME programs (lectures/seminars/networking/discussions). But I hate the location, and I hate the fact that none of the learning matters outside of Montgomery, Alabama.

Since I've had quite a few tonight and am bored...i'll be your huckleberry. Our Air Force is broken code-3 and is getting worse by the day. You're either a naive dipshit or a pathological liar on the level of Mrs. Clinton. Either way, you're doing our service a huge injustice. If many in our morally corrupt society wanted to join...they are more than welcome to. We actually are an all volunteer force even though it quickly escalates into indentured servitude on the rated side, which you are quick to take advantage of (15 year commitments right?). Many in society are welcome to join and yet they don't. They don't answer the call. They don't possess the selflessness and patriotic sense of duty. As the culture continues to erode...more won't. "Some members" are so sick and tired of the culture that clowns like you and this current administration are responsible for. JQP nailed it with his latest updated blog post regarding fighter pilot manning. Our Air Force is falling apart at the seams and you're blind as a bat for not seeing it. Shame on you and those around you for not fixing it when you had the opportunity and insight given to you by members of this board. I gave you advice a couple of years ago when I was on my very last deployment- it mimiced everything that you hear here. I took your advice though and thank you for it. My feet made the right vote. You're welcome for my service but that service wasn't for you. It was for the boys and girls who's daddy's came home because I was in some shit hole for the umpteenth time doing my duty. It was for those that still believe in this great country and Liberty. I voted with my feet for my personal reasons and am grateful every single day. Not only did I spend my first year out of AD making more money than you do (no matter what your rank is), I saw my family a lot more and focused on "real shit" that includes lots of mission oriented flying. Having a desire to spend even more time with my family and maybe eventually get back into owning a business, I decided to go fly for a major airline. Holy shit is the grass so much greener than the rotten brown shit you constantly urinate on while telling everyone that it's getting watered. People like you truly don't get it and think that the airline opportunity is WHY we left...it most certainly is not! Back when I was flying vipers, there was no amount of money that would've made me even utter the word "airline." It is however the reason WHY we no longer have to work for dumb shit mother f~ckers who erode the incredible service and culture that we were so proud to be apart of. I miss it, but it's gone. Sticking around won't make it come back. I now spend ample time writing recommendations for my military bros and am so happy to get words when they get hired. I encourage everyone that I know to get the f~ck out ASAP before retards like you institute stop-loss. Most heed my advice like I heeded yours. All are thankful once they reach the other side. Someone in this thread nailed it when they mentioned the ripple effects. Most of the <1% of us that sserve end up with family that follows in our footsteps. It's part of the pride that we took in our former culture. I had two boys that were ready to fly jets. One of them heads off to study Aero Engineering next year and our discussions have already concluded that he is best NOT going into the USAF. My other son figured this out for himself a few years prior when he cried himself to sleep because I had missed Christmas yet again during one of my 9 deployments. How do these numbers fit into you're spreadsheets? Your 1% is about to become .1%! You're f~cking high. Our AF will be on life support and the culture will be so bad you might regret ever joining after you do. Forget doing SAPR 4 times a year. Well make suicide prevention a quarterly requirement as well. You should be personally satisfied but you likely won't be and its getting worse by the day. Who cares about money...but NDAA is already trying to screw you yet again because you make too much. Professionally satisfied...I was but God knows that most aren't. I'd consider this doubtful. Bottom bottom bottom line... Chang, you're a bumbling idiot. That's the beer, not real emotion. It's frustrating that no matter how much people on this board inform you, you always know better. You look at our lives quantitatively as though we are numbers and green/ red bubbles. We look at our lives personally because they are. We will never see eye to eye. When we resort to looking at things quantitatively- we leave. The emotion, culture, and personal aspect are why we joined and why we would stay (or otherwise leave). You should go ahead and retire Chang. Thank you for your service.

I'll get you a hurt feelings report.

The point, in my mind, is not that we shouldn't be educating our current/future senior leaders, but that we are overeducating them, and in the process losing out on experience and operational credibility. It's Friday, so read on if you want a history lesson: - Spaatz (first USAF Chief of Staff): famously despised his time at CGSS/never went to War College . . . yet effectively led the Army Air Forces during WW II (when the AAF peaked at over 2.4 million men). Given his disdain for PME, the fact that they named the officer education center at Maxwell after him is laughable. - Vandenberg (second CSAF): was best educated of the first 5 CSAFs--ACTS, CGSS & War College--but when he taught pursuit at ACTS, he was somehow was incapable of making the case for fighter development during the interwar period. Even though he was a fighter pilot, he de-emphasized fighters as CSAF. He took over from Spaatz as CSAF in 1948--two years before the Korean War. - Twining (CSAF #3): never attended War College, but served as both CSAF and CJCS - White (CSAF #4): also never attended War College - LeMay (CSAF #5): the 3-month ACTS short course (during the '39-'40 academic year) was the only PME he ever attended in his career. Nonetheless managed to build SAC into an impressive war machine between '48 and '57. Ironically, there's a doctrine center at Maxwell named after the guy, even though he never taught or commanded there. None of those individuals, by the way, got any meaningful airpower instruction in their precommissioning sources, and there was no equivalent to ASBC or SOS for any of them. The Air Corps was part of the Army throughout the interwar period when these guys were CGOs, and the Army wasn't all that enthused about preaching the virtues of airpower back then. Now, along the way to earning four stars, our most senior leaders get: 4 years of undergrad precommissioning airpower education/indoctrination, SOS, perhaps 6 months at a WIC, 1 year of IDE, perhaps 1 more year of SAASS, 2.5 months of JPME II, 1 year of SDE, and probably some other fellowships at ivy league schools along the way. It doesn't appear to me that the professionally overeducated crop of senior Air Force leaders is appreciably more competent than the minimally-educated leaders who kicked the snot out of the Axis in WW II and led a much bigger Air Force during the Cold War than exists today. Education is important, but it's pretty clear to me we've gone a bit overboard with the emphasis on education over practical experience. TT

And this is why we don't have more veterans in politics. We can't even get fellow service members to unite behind them, why would we expect the public to? I've got plenty of pictures in a flight suit wearing unauthorized patches, some from different MDSes (including one wearing the patch of the Canadian JTAC unit that came down to train with us). I can only imagine the vitriol if I were to run for public office. "Look at this jackass, pretending to be a JTAC. His record clearly states he was never a member of an ASOS. And it's a Canadian patch. Why would an American military member side with the Canadians?" No thanks.

"hey, sir....I know we're in a budget crunch, so I just really wanted to apologize for the $20 million aircraft in the field over there."

No, I agree that it's hard to smile when eating a shit sandwich, if that's truly what it is. I can't deny the terrible locations. From what I've heard, long hours as well. There are clearly valid downsides to RPAs. But is it not true that there's at least a few upsides? There's got to be some mission satisfaction... It's been my experience that sarcasm is rarely if ever productive. It attracts the ire of leadership because it solves nothing, and yet is so toxic to morale and unit cohesion. It's the self licking ice cream cone where Bros start trying to one up each other to see who can make the more outlandish sarcastic comments. That's the black mold to avoid at all costs, in my opinion. There's ways to provide constructive criticism. I understand those ways haven't paid dividends yet. The answer isn't sarcasm. Let's figure out how we can make it suck less. Who knows, there COULD be more like me who never considered RPAs because we were always told through the bro network that it was the worst thing on the planet, to be avoided at all costs. I've talked to seasoned RPA guys. No, it's not all gum drops and rainbows. But there are some plusses to the job. You guys are kicking more ass than 99% of the rest of us, and you get to stay home. True, you do lose your bragging rights, and if that's important to you then join the rest of us who don't fly A-10s.

I believe the proper verbiage for his chosen technique is the "Care Bear Stare".

https://www.businessinsider.com/army-sergeant-gregory-mcqueen-ran-prostitution-ring-at-ft-hood-2015-3

Great learning opportunity indeed. To the new co's/lt's or anyone who's considering a career in the Air Force: take a look around on this forum. By and large, you'll find examples of attitudes which, if you make the mistake of emulating, will not bode well for your career. Oh sure, you'll make friends, and you'll probably be popular in your social cliques at work. But the truth of the matter is that being cool and having all that swagger -- really, rebelling against your employer, more or less -- is not what being an officer is all about. Yes, you can be a pilot and a good officer at the same time. You can even be a really good pilot while being a really good officer. At some point you will be expected to be a company man, particularly if you ever want to experience command (of people, not just a jet). The Air Force doesn't require you to be popular. Follow the core values, and set the example for your peers and those below you. "Service before self"... really think about what that means. Does it mean you get to focus totally on flying, and leave all that other officer stuff to lesser people? No, it doesn't, particularly in the fiscal environment our nation finds itself in. Before you complain and moan about how you're getting screwed, take a moment and dig deep... is this even supposed to be about you the individual? What does "serving your country" even mean, if it must be on your preconceived terms? A lot of these guys are poor examples to follow. Don't just blindly follow the advice of the popular guy. Think for yourself, consistently do the right thing, and be a good leader. Do these things and you should do great. And now for some more snark from the peanut gallery...

Ah, the 'ole argument by homosexual reference. 60% of the time, it works every time. Classy.

We get killed in the GO Joint billet competition because our fast burners only have 22-24 months of Joint time. We lack credible Joint FGO time (compared to other services), plain and simple. It has zero to do with education, PME or otherwise.

Absolutely spot-on. I have heard from many RPA pilots that the job is intrinsically rewarding work. It is also appealing because of fewer deployments (and the spreadsheets back this up). I believe some people on this forum are simply out to hurt our future Air Force with their negativity, and it makes me sick to my stomach. And ashamed. And a touch angry.

The money for your increased pilot bonuses will have to come from somewhere. Keep this and the House's increased bonus number to $60K (plus the monthly $1K- wow!), and you have a sustainable program. Not sure why the pilots are complaining. I know, I know, it's what you do best.