17D_guy

Meant clearance/access to areas teams are going to visit.

It might. Watching the mid-tier leadership struggle with crew management issues when I think back to how you fliers do it is very frustrating. Can't figure out how to get a mission assigned and a crew tasked? Well.. fliers use PEX to track all those requirements...but we can't use that because "we're cyber" and "it's different." Brought up the idea of a scheduling office and was told that won't work because this cyber stuff requires de-conflicting clearances and access issues. Good to know you fliers don't have to deal with that sort of thing... Then they suggested contracting something like that out. Thankfully the Bro in charge was a flier and killed that idea painfully. I got <4 yrs left. I'm taking the $ and running. But I can't speak highly enough about our Reserve/Guard members. They're going to be the real leaders in the fight going forward and I think it's going to cause massive changes in how we're organized in the future. Much like flying, this isn't a field where technical proficiency is to be mocked. You've got 20 years hacking this particular device type? Fantastic, here's a boatload of money.

Well.. something big for us. https://www.reddit.com/r/AirForce/comments/5d9grn/17x_critical_skills_retention_bonus/ the gist of which is: "Effective the date of this memorandum(10 Nov), I designate the 17X (17D and 17S) Network Operations and Cyber Warfare Operations Officer specialty as critical to establish CSRB authority (Title 37, Section 355 USC, DoDI 1304.34). Upon approval, the Air Force will target qualified 17X Cyberspace Operations Officers with 4-12 years of commissioned service (TAFMCS) with payment of $15,000 per year for 4 years. These officers will incur an Active Duty Service Commitment (ADSC) of 4 years, and payments will be made on the anniversary of the contract. This designation of Cyberspace Operations as a critical skill and targeted CSRB is to incentivize highly skilled and experienced 17X personnel to continue leading and managing this critically manned specialty." So, I'm not too surprised it took the AF this long to figure out having our Cyber Operators continue to follow the support career path was forcing out the dudes who love the tech side of the job. They've also started to put a ADSC on the folks who receive the 3-ltr-org training as well. However, just like you fliers with the ACP, this isn't going to retain the numbers that are needed. Until there is a clear career path that allows folks to maintain tech roles for longer (or at the very least quals) we're going to continue to have a problem. If we continue to use the same career path as we did for support, while calling ourselves Ops, and meeting/not-meeting POTUS directed cyber force constitution--people are going to step. If I can't build a team to run missions because Lt So-and-so has to box check exec, PCS, etc., then people are going to leave. You can't tell educated and dedicated nerds that they're important and necessary, then file them into crap jobs when they don't have a ADSC required to put up with your crap. You can't tell some Lt/Jr Capt how important Cyber is, and how much they're needed, while PCSing them to inspect SCIF's or be a contract monitor over a "cyber integrator." We look for holes in logic and exploit it...it's literally what you pay us for. And we aren't beholden to a small group of employers with byzantine hiring requirements. Even basically accomplished individuals can trip and fall into $1XX+ year jobs. The market is in our favor. It's so strongly in our favor I can't think of a word for it. All that being said, this aligns with my plans and timelines. So... I'm a strong candidate, but I was anyway. This isn't going to turn anyone's head that wasn't already walking in that direction. Again, much like your ACP.

Also, Don't believe whatever they say about the shred outs (B vs S). There's nothing that keeps one from doing the others jobs except training...once you get a job. You're just a meatbag, and can fill any hole...sts Welcome to the cyber force.

Spot on. We're starting to see the same thing impact the "cyber ops" side of the force as well. Except the breadth is huge, possibly bigger than what you flyers are facing. I can have a Lt-Capt sit and do COMSEC inspection, Flt/CC stuff at a base, or do no-shit ninja stuff against nation states. 2 of those 3 know they're not doing the sexy job, and the sexy guy isn't looking forward to doing the non-sexy stuff. None of these guys have the ADSC to retain past about 8 years once done with even the most vigorous of training (CNODP/WO) and the tech side is throwing insane amounts of money, faster tech, faster training and better QOL. They've pulled "non-ops" AFSC's into ops slots, without the recognition or all the training because a "body is a body" and they just need someone. It's working ok for now, but all of this is going to come to a head, and faster, than the pilot retention side. And having worked at a couple different staff levels, it's amazing how much a 3-star on down lack in power to get anything done. Downright unmotivating when you see them champion for the right thing, to only get shut down due nonsense.

Jack Reacher was ok. Lots of the "Tom Cruise Run" and dude is starting to show the age in close ups. 80's schloky fights, bad guys, dialogue and plot. Really a retro film. C+

Isn't there already an award for Fighter Pilots? I could have sworn I neg-replied on one when I was doing my tour in a CAG pit.

Saw "The Accountant." If you liked Affleck's other movies (The Town, Argo) you'll probably like this as well. Concise story without trying to build some mythos and/or franchise that a lot of the movies go for these days. Well shot, with interesting visuals and not too much shaky cam bullshit. Good character and story arc with little to no pandering and it swerves away from getting cliche in a lot of parts. Nothing really surprising, or hard to figure out if you even pay a little attention. Solid B/B+.

Yes, they are going to plus up the CSS'. 3A's AFSC has been recreated to be exactly what it was before Skeltor destroyed the AFSC & Sq CSS. So, basically it's going back to what it was when I joined in 1999. However, there are still a lot more programs now than then. I'm particularly concerned with moving UDM to the CSS.

So, I need to get on here and eat crow. I bitched at length, and repeatedly, about not having Cyber people leading Cyber in my beloved AF. Well, I've had the please of interacting with the new 24 AF CC. He's a zipper suited sun god Viper driver. He's fucking awesome, link to bio - https://www.24af.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/804882/major-general-christopher-weggeman He's applying his experience as an Viper driver to our cyber stuff and it's just...a breath of fresh air. It's fantastic in every way imaginable. No micro-managing, no "meet the deadline or else" BS, he cares what our cyber-operators are executing and will call BS, to 4-stars, if something/one attempts to impede that to turn a checkmark green. He also actually comes off as really liking this stuff beyond a "help make another star" attitude, or a time sink to retirement. The attitude on staff is... I don't even know how to describe it, beyond pretty darn good. I hope that AF doesn't screw this one up and move him out in a year or less. We really need some stability at the top, and I think he's the guy to right us. Shit, if he could run it until we move to Vigilance Command, it might work out very well. News flash: Space Operations ain't. Also someone makes jalapeno popcorn in the "heritage room"... how has this not moved out to the AF as a whole. That stuff is fantastic. P.S. - the vice is a good dude too - https://www.24af.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/809210/brigadier-general-mitchel-h-butikofer

55th's had a bunch of deaths this year. Rough one. Toast to the man.

" My desire to stay in the cockpit meant that further promotion passed me by like a ship in the night but I am not bitter. As I approach 18 years of service I have only worn the shackles of a desk job once - in the job I am currently in and even now I still hold a cockpit for a couple of weeks of the month" What a novel idea...

What do you mean? Europe has never had a problem with right-wing nationalism before.

British politics are the best.

Unreasonable: no Inarticulate: no sarcastic: yes, no.. maybe humorous: yes Well, the last conservative Vice President did tell someone to go fuck themselves in the Senate Chamber. The pig fornication thing does have some legs. Trump's said enough unreasonable, inarticulate, non-sarcastic and funny/not-funny stuff he's in his own little world. The parrot-faced former-Brit a political satirist, so is Ann. She's also used that dirty f-word from time to time, but she puts in the "--" so I guess that shouldn't really count? She's also funny. But, I grew up watching this, perhaps my sense of humor's a little skewed -

I haven't seen an Ann Coulter or Trump response. But I'm sure they'd be reasoned, articulated responses with no sarcasm or humor intended.

Update -

I thought the demographic breakdown was interesting - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36616028

Lots of ways to address this question. But the short answer is: sure it's been discussed, but as BuddaSixFour has pointed out, highly skilled technical organizations have spent trillions of dollars developing software and it's still buggy. The gov't and/or one of it's contractors isn't going to do better. There's always a new hack that people can't plan for. And that's a good thing. This cyber stuff moves too fast for development the USAF way. Look at the problems w/ the F35 software and that's a very specific set of design parameters. Now imagine that for everyone's different set of desktop boxes and the USAF/DoD directing the fix. We'd lose a few GDPs worth of cash w/ nothing to show. Also, there's already products out there that provide serious security (ex. SE Linux) w/ NSA contributions. On our 2 normal networks Win7/10 is fine. Properly administrated they're fantastic operating systems. Are they currently properly administrated, no. Is that my cyber-bro's fault, partially. But, at the end of the day all this tech stuff is cool.. but it's the bag-o-meat sitting at the keyboard that's going to screw it up. We all hate the stupid LARPing CBT we have to do annually, but it's at least made people ask me if something was stupid.

Thanks. I do need to add that the tech-advisor thing will have to be closely structured and monitored. As in - no previous federal service at or above a certain level 2 year max stint before a "cooling off" period ensure no single company/org is sourcing a lot of individuals easily fire-able, moveable, and easy for an individual to quit I think the last one would be mitigated by the fact that there's no career to ruin. You tell the thanks for their service, they get on social media about why they were unjustly terminated, etc. Congress is going to listen if you let a former VP of Facebook go for a stupid reason. Otherwise it'll be the same thing as when those Generals were coming back as "leadership consultants" while allegedly hawking their contractor gig merchandise. How much money do those fuckers need.....

I've been thinking hard about this one. Every way I look at it, I don't see how having civilians cross in at the O6 or higher-level is going to translate to meaningful change for Cyber. I've got Cyber O6's that I know now agitating for meaningful changes: real mission assurance, real network advancements, etc. They can't get it done and they've been in the system the whole time! What's some civilian with no history, contacts and context going to bring? Dear Lord.. if he/she starts on staff without ever having supported an operational mission... the hate we get now will only be magnified because the leader only isn't in touch... they've NEVER been in touch. We aren't like civilian companies where we can dump one vendor for another. We're beholden to DISA for services. We're beholden to our MAJCOM/NAF for mission requirements. We're beholden to AFSPC/24AF for "cyber mission requirements." Finally we're beholden to the IMSC for... something. Couple the serious mission challenges to the promotion and "up-or-out" and you're going to demoralize the cyber force. We've already got enough problems with not having a career cyber person in cyber leadership. Now you're going to shift some of these few O6 slots to civilians coming in? How exactly am I supposed to believe there's any credibility at all with AF Cyber Leadership if this happens? It's already difficult enough as it is and I've been told very good things about the folks in charge. Finally I don't know many "cyber leadership" civilians who could do well on our PT systems. Hire civilians as non-line tech advisers, increase the industry internship opportunities, allow more sabbaticals, develop/promote Technical MS programs (AFIT doesn't count), provide mid-level (vs high-level) cyber leadership/operations training (less demanding CNODP/Cyber WIC) and get some damn career cyber leadership visible to the force. I will note none of these even start to address the problem with current GS-civilians who are retired O's and SNCO's who refuse to do anything meaningful to move Cyber into the current decade. For them the AF hasn't changed since the day it retired, and by God it'll be the same when they retire again in 10/20/30 years.

Yea, sorry, should have included it. https://www.moaa.org/Content/Take-Action/As-I-See-It/Why-Whack-Military-Housing-Allowances-.aspx?utm_source=Legis&utm_medium=email&utm_content=legis&utm_campaign=JuneAsISeeIt

It'll drive up costs on all rental properties, just like it does overseas. Again, it's going to screw the lowest ranking Airmen and dual-mil families the most. The MOAA article showing actual changes in compensation is the best write up of it I've seen.