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Real talk now - The current administration has a laser-like focus on identity politics, and no where is this more evident than in their political appointments, particularly in the high profile positions. And it doesn't get much more high profile than a service chief. The talk about qualifications and experience of different candidates is laughable. The next CSAF is going to be chosen based on which box they check. Given the current field, I assume it's going to be "First Female CSAF."

I’d love to see a Desantis/Haley ticket (or vice versa) for the Rep. I also agree, I think the Dems are starting to worry about Biden’s health and aren’t exactly onboard with Harris either. The lead-up to 2024 is going to be very interesting!

Hyperbole much Mark1? He’s a douche but def didn’t do everything in his power to overthrow anything. The left knows that but still insists on wild exaggeration (you still working for msnbc?). Sadly I’m afraid in 2024 we’ll have to choose again from 2 liberals (the incumbent leaning hard towards leftist now) who are mostly in it for themselves. Where are visionaries and strong servant leaders when we need them. If dementia Joe dies before the election, we’ll be stuck with Kamala (ygtbsm) to finish out and then an election with Newsom or Buttplug running, which will mean we’re still screwed by incompetence and irrationality.

Trump / Carlson ‘24 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Honestly, I think this matters very little. Van Ovost makes A LOT OF SENSE. A robust knowledge of SEAD isn't going to win the South China Sea. That is literally the smallest problem set there and I'm certain any given weapons officer at any given F-35 squadron is more than capable of solving that for any given MPC. What is much more problematic, and why VO makes so much sense is the logistical problem in the Pacific and the fact that we have a smaller tanker and airlift fleet than we've had historically while planning to fight a war in 5 years thats going to take place over a greater geographic area than any war we've fought in the last 70 years. In in 99% of that geographic area, there is 0 ground lines of communications, effectively incapacitating 1/3 of the entire logistics enterprise. (In reality much more since ground transport can move more stuff cheaper than air or sea transport) Never mind the fact that on any given day any of those key islands we might rely upon for solving that logistics nightmare might just be not there thanks to China's latest advances in missile technology. I know you're a fighter dude and love blowing shit up, but lets face it--if we leave that problem to a Viper dude, there's likely going to be several hundred other fighter dudes sitting on an alert ramp with no gas and no weapons. It would literally take a year and a half for a CAF guy to even get caught up to understanding the problem, much less being able to put any foot forward on defining a solution. Yes learning SEAD and weapons is cool, but what I really need someone to know is what are the primary lines of communication, how many tons of freight can they move, how quickly, during what times of year, how much staging is needed for every single supply depot, what is the capacity at every supply depot before overage and need cargo forward.... Theres an economics side to it, what does it mean when a major port in Singapore puts down a paddock for renovation? How many other supply nodes does that effect on the first, second and third order? I'm not saying any of it is hard and a fighter guy couldn't pick it up. Its not even a tanker versus fighter thing since I'm almost certain most tanker bros cant speak to this. Its more the fact that VO is leaving TRANSCOM and has already spent years untangling the requisite knot in her own head space. If we accept that China is the next big war, and its happening in 5 years, which seems to be on repeat among senior staffs now--then positioning of WRM needs to start happening now and that's not something I think another CQB could handle. He did his big effort which was bringing on the whole AGILE Wing thing. That was a great move to lower the logistics burden and apply some redundant C2. But I honestly think VO is in the best position to solve the next big problem and why a COCOM/CC would be tapped for a Chief role rather than even the AMC commander.

I don't know how it goes in T-38s, but sometime in the early academic phases of T-6s you get access to full cockpit simulators with screens. Just go practice there with a couple friends. It's basically unlimited, provided you show up early enough to beat everyone else on the sign-in sheet.

Its just as bad on the DNC side, while some dems are criticizing Biden, the rank and file and most especially the donor class is firmly behind Biden. I find it shameful the DNC has already said there will be no DNC primary debates. The Biden strategy is clear for the next 18 months...run another "Weekend at Bernies" campaign keeping Joe in the basement and and away from the microphone as much as possible. Already the fewest press conferences ever for a sitting President, no live debate with any DNC challengers and I bet they are already calculating a way to avoid a debate with Trump should he win the GOP Nom.

This should be fun! The 80 year old with demonstrable cognitive decline is going to run for President again! As opposed to putting the nation through the whole FJB vs Orange Man Bad again, I say we put on a pay per view (funds go to pay down debt) death cage match and the winner is exiled to Epstein Island. Win, win, win for everyone.

Guys I figured it out, if every dude on earth identifies as a woman maybe we can get the left to quit bitching about the gender pay gap but seriously the lefts gender philosophy is so full of contradictions and I feel like the right does a very poor job pointing them out. If women are a victim class that need protecting, it must have some definition.. except the left balks when you ask for one. If gender is a social construct and completely fluid, why do people need to get surgeries to align with something (apparently) totally made up.

I was a part of the "what can i do best to prep for UPT," and like everyone else said, if you have ANY skill at time management, you'll have plenty of time to figure it out once you get here. Enjoy life and enjoy phase 1. Hang out with your bros and get to know them, because they'll be the ones that get you through UPT (from both a sanity and assistance standpoint). With that said, if you have money and time to burn, go enjoy flying just for the sake of it. Go upside down a couple of times to see how you handle it ( I didn't handle it well, and have many a ride in the chair to show for it.)

If you want to do anything to benefit a career in aviation, I would recommend becoming an expert at instrument flying. It doesn’t matter if you fly a Raptor, a C-5 or anything in between, good instrument skills are absolutely vital. However, given your level of experience, I wouldn’t worry about hiring a CFI for that. Just remember it down the road.

There's no shortcuts dude! Also, learning itself is not a stressful activity. If there is anything I have learned so far it is that your IPs will always rise to the challenge of inducing stress and push you to your edges. You are only raising the bar by trying to skip ahead. Getting your hands on gouge and pubs ahead of time (the 11-248 or whatever it is they use these days) is probably time well spent but nothing you can do in the civilian world flying wise will approximate the structure of a military training program. Maybe hire an instructor that likes to yell at students and tell him to beat you with a stick every time you are off parameters? That might get you pretty close.

Fly your hardest. Trim until your thumb has a hole in the glove. Be a good dude. Study your ass off. Follow this recipe and you’ll have your choice as to what you’ll get to fly, regardless of which method of UPT or ENJJPT you go through. The good news for you is that EVERY damn community out there is hurting for pilots, so if you do these things, you’ll be able to take all of the considerations from other threads into account when you make your choice.

I grew out of the mindset that you have well before I even enlisted in the Air Force, let alone left my base to come to USAFA. I'm not interested in the relationships you're talking about but I appreciate the tips. I am focused on putting myself in a good position to have the career and life that I want with a wife and kids one day. This isn't a 4 year party for me. I enjoy my time here but I make sacrifices each day knowing that it will one day be worth it.

Sad fucking day when somebody who swore an oath to the Constitution makes it known that they'll vote for a dude who did everything within his power to overthrow a democratic election result, no matter who the alternative is. Literally declared himself an enemy of the Constitution, but he can still count on your vote. Some real third world shit-hole stuff right there. Can't wait for 2027 when he's frothing up his base to abolish the 22nd Amendment so he can die in office like Putin and Xi. Pathetic.