Bender

How often does squadron, group, or wing leadership actually pull alert with a crew? I would do this. It sounds like a great (if not monumental) challenge. I would not know where to start, I am certain my functional would get a good laugh out of it though. Bendy

That's some decent starting materials...too bad 69% of are reading it as it's getting posted, eh? Bendy

Ah shit...I knew that question was on there and I'm not even a missileer. Granted, 110 posts ago I did not. Still though, it's like a fun riddle...usually I only have to change my facebook photo to a giraffe or some shit if I get it wrong though...slightly different stakes I'd say. Bendy

"Okay guys, look...I know you're all cheating. I didn't call all of you in here to tell you to stop; I know perfectly well that my asinine policy decisions have driven you to doing this. That said, I need you to split it into two separate operations. If they ever catch on to this, we can't have literally the entire force on base getting pulled. This way we'll still have roughly 50%...Armstrong, it's an odd number in total, so pick your favorite and we'll just split the rest down the middle." -- Col Stewart "Missile Launcher" Hammerstock, 2003

Yeah, yeah. There are rules against oppressing people, stealing shit, and rubbing sleeping people's assholes...but the cheap price of an LOR and less than a month's base pay, give or take, you think that's gonna keep me from doing "what I think is right for the Air Force"? Son...I did not "slow roll" that application. I'm just a fucking busy, to you read important, man. My exec is also very shitty at getting through my email and responding in a timely manner. Keeps saying shit like I have to sign this one and that one...if you sign one, sign them all idiot. Shit, where do we find these kids....am I right? Do I get in-residence SDE credit for that post? B--U--R--NNNNNN. Bendy

“Robby [may be] a member of...the Air Force family”, however AF family members "seen purchasing large amounts of alcohol" (read: a 6-pack +) when they are actually supposed to be at work cause they learned to use LeaveWeb from Gen Schmidt get fooked. It was a good run, Robbie. You don't strike me a much of a marathon runner, so good luck to you. This is not going to go well for you. Bendy

This entire attempt on the government's part at trying to save money is so fucking beyond retarded. This is why politicians civilian leaders need those pensions. They would be completely fucked without them...completely...stand zero chance...zero. Someone caught a gasp of air from outside their own ass there for a second: a SSN required for a CTC...yes...keep going... Bendy ETA: V V deaddebate should start a blog synopsizing CSPAN hearings; that shit is hilarious right down there! V V

Just like any other software related venture by the military, the specs got all fucked up between the customer and the engineer (thanks, Bob). It doesn't have the automatic ability to sort submitted shit by date, however it does have the ability to download the batch file of all submissions in the database when the client requests it. As such, since it does not sort them for the human, and the human is too lazy to sort them on their own, it cannot be considered perfectly first come, first served. We keep thinking that this statement means it in no way reflects "first come, first served", when in actuality it is a legalese statement (fairly required as the iceberg is in sight and course correction is not taking very rapidly here) that it is not perfectly "first come, first served". Even if you get it into batch #1, if it's on the bottom of the pile...you could still be fooked. Shit, if your an 11x and it's on the top of the pile...your probably fooked. It's a flawed system, but that's how we do things here in the Air Force. If you don't like it, apply for VSP already....damn it. Bendy

While he has never said such things in front of me, if the Chief has said some of the things I've heard he said...it would not take me off guard if he tried to wipe them out as well. I hope that stuff was rumor, I'm certainly glad it wasn't in front of me...I guess you just have to figure out how to wall-to-wall counsel a wing chief as you go, I guess. Sounded too stupid to be true... Well that is a very interesting analogy. I'm not sure I've ever seen a regulation written that prohibits lower level commanders from imposing further restriction/guidance. Personally, I think that would cause more trouble in the long run if looking beyond patches and similar silliness. Even if it hadn't spelled out approval authority, it still would have been followed by brother's guidance. Analogy is valid, it's okay with dad, but I'm going to beat your ass if you do it. Whether I agree or not aside, I see the thought process in that classification. Sad story, pawnman...Fridays better than nothing, right? The tab/pen tab patch I was referring to was for deployed MC-12 squadrons to wear specifically (and only) for Indy 08. This was authorized even under the previous regulation, thus it would be ironic for it to be disallowed after the regulation was changed to authorized commander discretion to allow them. Bendy

The RRF is nothing more than an altered PRF. Just like the promotion board, there will be records and a OSB that accompany the RRF to the retention board. Unfortunately, if you have a UIF with anything in it, it will be visible to the board. There is no real way to say for sure if a CC could say/do enough to prevent a UIF from driving the boards decision...If it's a LOR for not wearing your reflective belt, maybe...if it's an Article 15 for a DUI, likely not. If the approval authority saw fit to pull said document, effectively closing out the UIF, the likely decisions of the board members could reasonably be assured to be swayed in one's favor...but, that's not really much up to the person with the UIF (although, certainly couldn't hurt to plead one's case at this point...we all know reflective belts are stupid.) Bendy ETA: Also unclear to me, as I haven't read the RIF PDSM closely...as I really couldn't give less fucks right now...but, I remember ready posts on the absence of the actual DR, R, DNR altogether. This will remove much leverage from the SR and make the RRF little more than a glorified OPR (which is still useful I suppose), but it would now lack that one large discriminator (the DR) that opposes the UIF also in the folder.

Classic...well played, Chuck. The trick is to do it fast, so no one notices! I speak from personal experience... Bendy

Do we have so many GO billets that we can't find individuals with both competence and character? While I think there are too many billets, it may be more of an issue in how GOs are selected in the first place. I'm sure focusing more on "character" will break the problem out into a nice neat measureable metric that will nip this quick. Clearly expectations need to be set, it's unfair to change expectation midstream. If it is clear that the exec must remind the general to wipe his ass when he finishes pooping, then the exec should remind the general to wipe his ass when he walks out of the office stating he's on his way to take a massive dook. If he doesn't, well...he's not really a very good exec. I kid, kind of...regardless, no one deserves to be treated poorly. Especially by someone that is about as vetted by the military system as they can be. This (and the numerous other examples) are a horrendous disgrace and direct reflection on huge systemic issues that need to be addressed (even if at the expense of short-term morale moves). Bendy EDIT: Never mind...This person did not complete IDE or SDE in-residence. Clearly an outlier here, an especially strange occurrence as well, since the SOS DG really should have help pull through all of these troubles. Seriously though: "B-52 co-pilot, standardization and evaluation instructor copilot"...come on now....is that a real thing? A B-52 Stand/Eval Instructor Co-pilot? Is someone fucking pullin' my leg and shitting in my cheerios at the same time right now? That is a wicked cool ass duty title, I would have known right then this one was destined for the stars.

I assume this little bit of wild-hair decision making does not effect the tab patch you are allowed to wear, true? It would be a bit ironic for the regulation to relax, then the policy to be restricted... Bendy

Can someone explain to me the connection between year groups (say 05 and 06 for example) and projected AF requirements? How do "we" know "we" should axe 84 11M's from 2005 and 69 11M's from 2004? I can see a convoluted connection to future numbers in grade, but it seems on face value the correct answer could very well be to axe 1 from 2005 and 152 from 2004. I don't get it. Additionally, why would a board process not apply to voluntary force management if it is based on the needs of the Air Force? Are the needs of the Air Force actually believed to be definable in 0's and 1's with no further definition of the 1's? That would certainly lead to much credence to those that say, "you are nothing more than a number". Bewildered Bendy

Holy shit that was close; it's a damn good thing you got here in time! Obviously you couldn't stay long, but that was fuckin' clutch inputs right there! bendy

Now figure in the compounding interest of investing that extra $297.33 a month over 43 years. I still don't think you'd get to $500k, but you'll get closer. Bendy

I've been informed by ACSC students that as long as you "air gap" it, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Press, Karl. Come on, what's the worst that could happen really? Bendy Edit: Fuck, it's like I can't do two things at the same time! Kind of frightening considering my occupation.

So we received a PowerPoint briefing today via email originating from the AFFOR/A1 Deputy. Copy, so after I distract myself from my warfighting obligations trying to figure out if I or my troops are eligible for this crap, and get done writing god only knows how many RRFs, I'll make an appoint to go do TAP just in case. It is?!? I have a question...that no one can answer.... WTF, Bendy

Oh...when his wife is finished, he'll have paid far more than $3678. Bendy Edit: That's Bendy...with a capital B.

Ahhh...those were the days! Bendy

Honestly I don't have a lot of time to dig this stuff up right now, but RAND has a large array of budget-sucking reports to peruse. Here is an example of one related to my point: https://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR759.html Free time could be used semi-productively looking at the National Security stuff they've produced: https://www.rand.org/topics/national-security.html There are many, many more recommendations the Air Force pays to get that it subsequently ignores. As it pertains to O-6's specifically (the link above), I'd have to do more research into any alterations that may have come of it. Bendy Re-Edit: Now that I relook at One1's posted document, that one was 1 of 5 documents I recall pertaining to leader development (AAD, billets, progression) leading to eventual skill pairing requirements (O-6 and GO)...although one of them, IIRC, was actually an Army sponsored study. It is possible that RAND was not the source of all of the documents, but I honestly think they were. I will point it out to you if I come across it...I'm sure I probably saved them, 3 laptops ago.

Right. As will be the "return of Friday shirts / patches". Bendy

I find your suggestion to bar people from TA over the top, but I do agree that there should be a much more reasonable connection to it being useful to the officer and the AF. The award process currently in place at Bagram is exactly as you describe. There is also a ban on qualifying statements like, "Great Dude!", etc. Oddly there is no FGO wing level award, I'm still trying to figure that one out. This is a good idea. It's not a novel one, but an additional twist on the concept of "skill pairing" that is already (or was) part of the developmental vector process. If you look at your AMS surf, you'll see the reference to "skill pairing". The concept doesn't apply directly to AADs, more so experience. It is something AFPC still dumps money into studying at all levels (why is beyond me). It is not, however, something the AF does well and they don't seem to act on RAND's recommendations to alter course. I can personally vouch for resultant value in the "skill pairing" vector that the board provided me (MAJCOM Staff and RAS/PAS). Thanks, I hope you didn't spend to much time coming up with that! Yes, yes...back to Friday Shirts! Bendy

I know we can be short, sarcastic, and/or witty at times...which is difficult to make out on a message board. Additionally, I do not agree with this concept of CGO greatness that keeps ping-ponging here. However, if this is truely the attitude of an O-6...you need to know that you are making the job of a junior FGO much, much harder. I see CGOs all the time that feel like you (O-6, commander, etc) feel this way, internalize it, and subsequently stiffles out all initative. I can deal with that in my E's (to a certain point), but I simply should not have to deal with it in my CGOs. So...thanks alot for that. I/We will work on unfucking that as able. Bendy

I don't understand why you feel you need to do anything different. Did you feel like you were doing something wrong? I agree with you that there is a "correlation to the attitude towards baseball hats and mustaches" and mission performance. (Not sure about the correlation of the attitude towards baseball hats and mustaches though.) What I don't understand is how this mission performance is somehow tied to a some measure of leadership. The Geico caveman can enforce the standards to ensure hats are not worn, mustaches are all trimmed...even he will understand this will prevent aircraft mishaps. Naturally, he will be at the standard disadvantage of not knowing you wear said baseball cap...just like your commander was, as were you. It's not about wearing the baseball cap in the aircraft, it's about why you think it's okay to wear the baseball cap in the aircraft. It's about why you take it off when someone is watching you. I do not follow every rule to a tee. But, I will not change my behavior because you are watching me. I welcome the discussion about it, then we can share with the others. For frame of reference, I do not wear a baseball cap in the aircraft, but do not stop others from doing so. Bendy