17D_guy

Along with "Fighter Pilot," Bud Day's biography on one of the past CSAF's Reading Lists was one of the best books I ever consumed that actually taught me about what being an Airman was. Also, fuck that douchbag. Funny how so much success can come out of a small group like that and then have one of them rip the heart of an institution.

Hopefully they invest some more in the CGI. These movies always look "too clean" for my liking. However, I am excited for the story about crossing the North Atlantic during WWII. A lot of that sacrifice is forgotten and/or simply a note in the text books about "U-boats attacked convoys." It's sounds terrifying...not as terrifying as being in a bomber, but close.

And this is what the real truth is. You want him to ruin any chance he has of positive impact for the force for the future. He goes balls to the wall for what and lose any ability to advocate for the service. He's got to fall in line with all kinds of civilian leadership, on top of ensuring he gets buy in from the 3-stars and up that his changes will continue. Are there people here who really believe there'll be mass retirements in protest from the eligible 4-stars over...additional duties, or 1 failed aircraft acquisition? Is it just jr. Capt's on here complaining the Finger's has done nothing but the song changes and the light attack? CSS' have grown, and we've seen more power return to the Sq CC's that have had the balls to use it. If yours hasn't...that's not on Fingers. I've also seen a thawing of the frozen middle we detest at the ops levels...staff is going to take awhile. 2 line PRF's, extended the HPO pole years and come down on the way we're grooming officers, Cyber moved to ACC, and there's been tons of good growth there that came from HAF, changes to our IDE selection and ability to attending/timing, tons of positive changes to the E-side of the house. I've seen the attitude of the USAF change positively since he's taken over.

Yes, unless there's some tea-leaves I can't read (always possible) he seems like the least "get exec early and ride coattails" GO I've seen in a long time.

And killed the original Cyber NAF for Strategic Command Global Strike Command

For real...that's a shit move that doesn't make any sense at all for PRF/OPR. Unless that 1/7 Maj's is a HPO they're sliding into GO-ranks some day. Shit move that fucks over bros. Also, retirement orders in hand so I don't have to deal with this sort of black magic fuckery anymore. Feels Good Man.

There's that desire, just a lack of experience and people. Plus the TTPs of our enemies are heavily classified, so it would be difficult to role those out on a range.

I think there's a lot of parallels to what early military aviation went through and what my cyber operators are going through. We're doing stuff like this because the USAF still has too many comm officers in cyber leadership billets that advocate for the past. https://www.fifthdomain.com/dod/air-force/2020/02/21/the-largest-cyber-exercise-youve-never-heard-of/

Well, It's been awhile since I've posted in here with the latest happenings from the cyber front. Since the last time AFSPC finally gave up it's choke hold on cyber ops and it moved over to ACC. As part of that there was also a realignment of the operational squadrons within the 2 cyber wings: 688 CW and 67 CW. Now the DODIN Ops bitches (re: email, slow network, etc.) aren't mixed in with the actual cyber operators. Noticeable change overnight in getting actual effects done, training that isn't fucking stupid and the idea that a Cyber Patch needs to work on Server2016 patching TTPs. Also 24AF is no more, and it was "killed" along with 25AF to created a "new" Info Ops NAF - 16AF. The Commander pined on his second star in Aug of last year...and his 3rd in Oct. I've sat in meetings with this dude when he's briefing his "great ideas" to the operators only to be met with a Capt saying, "That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard." That Capt was then supported by every other Team Lead in the room. We were then told the brief was a courtesy only and the decision had already been made. Fun fact: his plan did not come to fruition. The Cyber National Mission Force got a new commander, and a new mission - Defend Forward. For my guys (National CPT Squadron) it means we go into the "contested" areas and hunt out the enemy. It's caused some interesting wins, and is more like spycraft than blow-shit-up-craft. Enemy TTPs, tools and accesses are burned on the "defense" side and the allegedly offense sided guys get to do a safer mission at home...I still think it sounds cool. New NSA and US Cyber Com commander as well. Nakasone has come in and it's been a whole different game. I know some of that is down to the difference in president as well. It's been awesome to see some of the maturity that has come out as we've allowed the younger operators actually push the boundaries. As we've moved out the old (shitty) comm officers who were put in charge, because that's the only folks that made O6, we've seen a lot more bridge building that has enhanced...well everything. It has been really interesting to see the old guard that we've bitched about on here for a decade move on to be replaced by people that were Maj/LtCol's though the massive shit years '07-'14) Cybercom and CNMF do treat the operators like their own service, which is a problem. Imagine being presented to AFCENT/CENTOM 24/7 as operators for mission. There's no built in down-time/dwell-time or ratio. Retainability in very in-demand AFSC's has hit rock bottom. Additionally, if your'e unlucky enough to be stuck at Ft Meade you'll be treated more as staff than as a team lead OTE'ing an operational team and leading them on ops. Also Cybercom and CNMF have no idea what to do with folks that don't actually sit with them on site...in cyber of all things. Boomers...whatcha gonna do? For your cyber teams here's a break down - -- Cyber national mission teams defend the nation by identifying adversary activity, blocking attacked and maneuvering to defeat them. -- Cyber combat mission teams conduct military cyberspace operations in support of combatant commander priorities and missions. -- Cyber protection teams defend DoD’s information network, protect priority missions and prepare cyber forces for combat. -- Cyber support teams provide analytic and planning support to national mission and combat mission teams. The Cyber Protection team one is out dated, and incorrect. It's an ongoing fight that we're having in the joint and AF community. It's almost like different units/services train to different standards for different missions. But fuckers want to do all this on the cheap and treat us like you can go from deep in an enemies network creating effects to managing routers and switches with PCS orders. Which leads to next topic -- Finally, the USAF has done what we've asked for going on a decade - split the AFSC. We now have 17S and 17D. This is a great RAND study that the didn't release for over 3 years because "it's easier to manage you as a core together than figure out how to not do that." So finally those Col's and GO's retired and we did it. There's a 17SA (offensive ops), 17SB (def ops--me), 17DA (email bitch), 17DB (Combat comm). This is causing a split in WIC...which is hotly debated, but overall it's great for creating experts and choking the fuck out of the enemies of our nation. Going to be a bit like EWO's though with not a lot of assignment spots and probably difficulty promoting. With that said I actually hit the button 2 days ago...so my time is now coming to a close. I'd give a lot to be coming in as a 2Lt now with the change in just the past 6 months. As stated above with a Capt calling bullshit on a 1-star...there's a growing and strong operational mindset in our cyber operators. We now have leaders that are trying very hard to build our competency and communication so we can sit at the planning table as peers. I'm very proud to have been in at the ground floor, and look forward to its future with exceeding hope. TL;DR - Cyber from AFSPC to ACC; 24AF & 25AF into 16AF; new mission of Defend Forward; some great strategic victories; Cyber Ops AFSC isn't associated w/ Comm bullshit anymore according to Big Blue.

I love how much we can all see the same thing, and have vastly different opinions on the matter.

I'll just add that your Dad seems like an asshole, perhaps your whole family. One of the great things about growing up is you don't have to include shitty people in your life anymore if you don't want to.

Damnit...I just thought it was an idiot Lt.

What? No, you scared of someone else having fun at work? We're trying to do a heritage bar as well...also not fliers. Do you have a problem with our bar? I don't know where you sit inside this Sq the chief's in...assistant to the Flt CC or something else...but if you think he's that bad, man up and say it. I'm sure it can only come to good results and he'll thank you kindly for the heads up.

In addition to this when manning is tight, and/or people can't sit ops (ex. pregnancy, discipline, etc.) the people who can get double duty. Also, getting snowed in is a thing. Finally, manning did get so bad I know a few peeps who got orders for back-to-back ops and just separated. Plus they had testing, and stan/eval exercises as well on top of sitting ops. So you could do 1-4 exercises a watch, then get called in to do a quarterly checkride or test. Which may, or may not, match up with your sleeping pattern. If you deviated at all from 100%, even for an "exercise" it was reflected poorly. Why the shit hit the fan on those bases for about a decade straight.

Ah, yea. I still have to see that one. As much as I love Tarantino I just never see his films in the actual theater. I enjoyed the way 1917 was shot as the unique things the director did for that movie.

Really? What did you like more that fits the bill better?

How fucking stupid is the Air Force that this is something that was dealt with in the missile fields and they can't figure it out?

This was a good talk to come out of the CCC conference (hacker conference) on this topic. I've been following it for awhile since the software side is in my lane.

Maybe I'm just jaded on here and from my experience on the non-flyer side.

That's awesome -- no sarcasm. I'm not a fan of the instant victim. However, was the it the OG/CC? If so...same rules would have applied w/ no repercussions to you?

How the fuck would this work "in the good ole' days." "Yes SP, I punched the Full Bird in the face because my wife said he touched her ass. Yes, I'll take the blue jumpsuit. Thank you." Holy fuck, like the Sq/CC would have any power back in the day? I didn't live through it, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn and have read a ton of USAF history which seems like punching the dude would not have any good come from it for the man.

Do we know that this didn't happen? Not that a Sq/CC asking for an apology for his wife is "at their level." But it's as close as it's going to get.

Tracking - sacrifice more now, so you can sacrifice even more later...all of it of questionable value. How's pilot and cyber retention going? Looks like Chang is back.

You're not allowed to say that anymore. Report for re-conditioning.

I clicked the retirement button this morning...