Leaderboard

Who here said America isn't great? It's a feeble attempt at a strawman argument. We're criticizing those who are leading the country. Why can't you make that distinction? We were forced out of one of two strategic anti-terrorist bases on the African continent while our former host cozies up to Russia. It was errors from senior leadership that lead to an this undesirable outcome. They actually are to blame. Because non of us spent our careers trying to reach a high level position in the DoS, we're not allowed to criticize them? Weren't you an ROTC instructor or something? How were you personally conducting foreign policy? I don't personally hold office, but my mother is state level house representative and my next door neighbor and former employer is a state senator. I am involved in both of their campaigns continuously. Things go fairly smooth in our state, but I do occasionally interact with my US representatives at certain events. I've pleaded with them on certain issues and if I get an honest answer, it's always the same. If you don't compromise your principals and cut deals, you're sidelined. If you think you can show up to DC, be good person, and make the country a better place, you're the most naive person on the face of the planet. Look what happened to @congressman. By all accounts, a fairly decent dude when he was elected, had an emotional breakdown, remained broken, compromised, was used, and was tossed aside. Given that you have a tendency to adopt the official narrative as your personal heartfelt opinion, and gleefully cheerlead things like mask mandates and forced vaccinations, you would likely do very well in DC. Probably better than @congressman. So why haven't you? Because our leadership is doing so well they don't need your help? I expect lectures to us in the threads about migration, inflation, etc, and that we shouldn't complain because everything is awesome and someone somewhere else has it worse.

I think it's because we have idiots in every crevice of our federal government.

Be careful out there guys. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is warning there is about to be a flood of disinformation threatening our democracy. And Anthony Blinken knows disinformation when he sees it. https://judiciary.house.gov/media/in-the-news/biden-campaign-blinken-orchestrated-intel-letter-discredit-hunter-biden-laptop

Y'all are the sorriest bunch of pessimists I’ve ever seen, seriously. “Damn, the federal government and our foreign policy are so bad I just spent 20+ years working in the DoD and personally conducting American foreign policy.” 🤦‍♂️ Freaking sack up. Don’t be doomer Gen Z kids who think everything is inexorably fucked and they are to blame (bonus, everyone gets to fill in the they with whomever they want!). Be a good person and family member, be a good officer / pilot/ Commander / etc., be a good citizen and vote, run for office, etc. If something is broken try to fix it. You won’t always succeed but you should still try. It’s not all hopeless, everyone in charge isn’t just a moron in dire need of your brilliant counsel, but if you really think you can do it better then do it better. Talk is cheap, action isn’t, but it’s well worth the cost. I was taught all this shit as a child, were you guys not? America is already great, we’re not going anywhere fast, and yes we have our flaws but modern western liberal democratic capitalism is the worst system…except all the other ones. 🇺🇸

Looks like Putin just won a rigged election. What a ridiculous charade. Everyone knows real democracies cancel their elections so their leadership can remain in power.

https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/world/ar-BB1jZy7Q the start of a new western media propaganda message. it's moved on from ammo and money now...to something more dangerous for the west...men "Few men of fighting age are left in this village in southwest Ukraine, and those who remain fear they will be drafted at any moment." "Ukraine desperately needs more troops, with its forces depleted by deaths, injuries and exhaustion" (MORE MONEY DOESN'T FIX THIS) "Despite Russia’s own enormous casualties, the invaders still far outnumber Ukraine’s defenders, an advantage that is helping Moscow advance on the battlefield." (NO SHIT) “Almost all our men have been scraped out,” said Serhii, 47, an infantry soldier from Makiv who was drafted in March 2022 and serves in Ukraine’s 115th brigade." "Scenarios like these have left Polina, 16, anxious about how much longer she has with her father — one of the few draft-eligible men left in the village." this gig is up. ukraine never had a chance in a war of attrition. the west will soon be at a dangerous crossroads... it'll be interesting to see if this talking point gets more play in the press. the only move forward for the neocons is to push fresh men into the fire...and they won't be ukranian.

Teeth?

Sounds like you want to drain the swamp and make America great again 🙂

That checks 🥃

I heard there are Iraqi WMDs somewhere in Ukraine.

What are you talking about? As of less than a month ago, Ukraine has only had 31K troops killed…don’t you believe Zelenskyy? https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-troops-killed-zelenskyy-675f53437aaf56a4d990736e85af57c4

Good form

we don't agree on much but i agree with you here. unfortunately i think our republic was betrayed beyond repair in the late 1800s, and further betrayed by president wilson. the penultimate action being the CIAs assassination of president kennedy...and the "fuck you" on top was getting allen dulles on the warren commission. they showed they are untouchable and hold unlimited power...much greater than any elected representative. what we see today is a mirage of what the founding fathers created. the more books i read on the entrenched state the more hopeless it feels... "Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer spoke of in glee, in response to then-president-elect Trump’s criticism of U.S. intelligence agencies. “Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you,” -2019

draining the swamp is pointless if you refill it with toxic waste

Absolutely hilarious that less than a week after a presidentially directed visit takes place we get booted. We are the 4’9” dude with a lifted F-690 truck. Sure…it’ll do work, but nobody respects it.

underrated comment. and they are never held accountable. how someone like victoria nuland stays in powerful state department roles tells you everything. since 1992 the only Administration she didn't serve under? President trump. things that make you wonder... https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/top-state-department-officials-asked-to-leave-by-trump-administration/index.html we need more of THAT

Agree with Brabus, always a tough spot to be in. Circa 2013, my squadron had 10 or 11 refugees (nearly 1/3rd of the squadron) from 5 different squadrons being shut down. Off the top of my head, I think they shut down about 13ish fighter squadrons back then (or converted them). Lots of guys looking for new homes and a few of my buddies ended up just converting to non-fighter airframes due to a lack of will of moving or there just being no jobs/TX to be had. These young bucks need to cast a wide net if they want to have a good shot of finding a home in a fighter squadron. Off the top of my head, Atlantic City, New Orleans and Homestead appear to always be hiring. As Brabus said, TX spots might be the LIMFAC. If I were a young guy and I didn't have time for the Legacies, I'd grab a regional gig. Pay is damn nice right now, you'll stay flying and have non-rev bennies to jump around to all the bases easily. Hopefully, you'll get picked up at a Legacy and then can drop MLOA to convert to your next airframe. Or, just be thankful for the time you had in the jet, get to a legacy and enjoy making damn good money with lots of time off. It will never compare to a good, tight-knit fighter squadron, but you'll certainly not sacrifice as much. ...my 25 year old self would tell me to fuck off with that statement lol!

So how good was the flight attendant “mishap” before the unintentional decent?!

Young guys are in a tough spot, not like there’s a bunch of TXs floating around the guard right now. But, even they can hop on the airline train if they desire, but understandably that’s usually the furthest from your mind as a young fighter pilot. Good luck boys, hope you get to wherever you want to end up.

A Herkski. Looks like a Herk but powered by vodka.

I was thinking of writing them, but I know they said by the end of March, so if I dont get anything by then I will probably email them. I am glad I am not the only one haha. Also I know that they are prioritizing older people first.

Congrats and thanks for your service. I don't know I'll be able to take 20 years of this nonsense, so much respect to you for gutting through it.