M2

HD is correct, except it is not a RIF, it is "shaping"... Seriously, a RIF has different connotations, it is when people are forced out. Right now we haven’t hit that point (yet)...get the full gouge from this AFPC web site or the CSAF's Sight Picture on said subject. Cheers! M2

Check out this vid...****ing A! And before any pups start guessing what kind of jet it is, it's a Rafale. Cheers! M2

Lt Gen Bruce Wright, U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force commander, meets and talks with several Indian Air Force members at Misawa Air Base, Japan, late last month. Thoughts on how COPE INDIA 05 is going to play out, as compared with COPE INDIA 04?? Cheers! M2

Shit, we are all over the news today...can we discuss this without getting into a religious debate?? Cheers! M2

Sorry, de boxes are gone! Cheers! M2

Wes Stopped by Kel-Lac, just to see what they had in stock. I bought some BDUs from them last time I was here, but I am too close to retirement to bother with new uniforms. Surprisingly we haven't been to Rudy's yet, but we have been to Tom's Ribs and the Alamo Cafe, just to name a few of the restaurants we have been to. Thirty days in the TLF, plus a week without our HHG, means we were dining out quite often... Cheers! M2

OK, last chance, these "cardboard containers" go curbside in the morning unless someone contacts me beforehand. Cheers! M2

Second that on PRK, got my eyes zapped in 2001 and am still 20/15. Cheers! M2

JG I've been on G-series orders with command authority/responsibility for 1700 individuals, albeit for a limited time period (two months). During that short time, I put several people out of the USAF for various reasons (mostly just for being fat slobs), sent one to jail (well, we court-martialed him and the board sentenced him to jail), and did a command-directed mental health evaluation on an individual who was exhibiting possible suicidal tendencies. I also issued no contact orders on three individuals involved in a "love triangle," took a stripe off one individual for not complying with a direct order, and had to bust an airman from my own unit for disobeying and order and lying to an NCO. Loads 'o fun. I've also had to deal with suicides, deaths and other administrative headaches as a part of the wing staff and for a two-star (exec'ing). I know all that isn't the same as fully commanding a squadron, but the principle is the same...you accept the responsibilities that go with the authority you are given. Basically it is the same responsibilities you accept when you become a commissioned officer, it is just "notched up" when you become a commander. And, as Karl so elequantly pointed out, rank is not always an indication of leadership... Cheers! M2

JS No one is saying the subordinate shouldn't be held accountable, they should; but what they are saying is that in most circumstances there is a level of responsibility a commander has to accept as well. If one of your subordinates commits suicide and you were negligent in doing anything about it, despite knowing it was a possibility, the you SHOULD be held accountable. As it has been noted previously, there is no hard/fast rule, each situation needs to be addressed individually and competently. That's the rub... Cheers! M2

So what you are saying is the person who made the mistake and the person ultimately responsible were held accountable for the incident. What doesn't make sense? This is crap. I hope some kicked the shit out of the CP for ****ing up. Nothing worse than getting hammered for something that is beyond your control (well, getting hammered for you own mistakes sucks too!), but it is what you sign up for when you accept command responsibility. You just have to do your best and hope for the best as well. But as Snake pointed out, there are too many CC's out there who over-react to CYA rather than actually apply some true leadership. Basically it is the 'All for One and Every Man for Himself' mentality. When more asskissers get promoted than leaders, it is time to go... So where do we stand? Yes, I believe people should be held responsible for their actions, especially commanders; but honest mistakes happen and with some effective leadership appropriate action can be taken without ****ing up someone's career. The problem is you can't buy leadership in a can down at Costco's... :rolleyes: Cheers! M2

I'm glad to see that AETC hasn't changed that, Hacker! Cheers! M2

So, no one's interested in the boxes? Fair enough... Cheers! M2

Since DITY moves seem to be popular with folks on this site, if anyone is in San Antonio at the moment and plan to do a DITY move in the near future, I have a ton of new boxes (or 'container' for those who point with their elbows) and wrapping paper from our PCS from Belgium. They are brand new, used once during our move. If anyone is interested let me know, we are off of 1604 and Braun, near Bandera Road. This offer is good for one week, at which point they all go curbside for the trash collectors to remove. Cheers! M2

I got "jacked up" by some US Army pogue at CFC-Afghanistan for having my boonie tied up...he said something along the lines of keeping the sides down "to support our troops!" WTF? But as I was being shown around by an old bud of mine, an Army Warrant who would surely catch shit later on if I argued or told the dumb**** to **** off, I just smiled and let the flaps down. My bud later apologized on behalf of the entire US Army, I just had to laugh...it is amazing what people will zero in on. Luckily, over in NATOland (ISAF), I could cruise around all day in sunglasses, no hat, and a SF SPEAR fleece pullover, and nobody said a word. NATO deployment locations are usually less comfortable than US ones (they don't have AAFES or HBR), but at least they are less uptight about the bumpf when they are downrange. Hell, the Canadian 3-star in charge of ISAF at the time, LTG Rick Hillier, threw us one helluva huge BBQ, and actually brought me a beer and chatted about Texas (he was the Deputy CG of III Corps at Ft Hood at one time) and golf. He is now the Chief of the Defence Staff (CJCS equivilent), and his official bio states he "runs slowly, plays hockey poorly and golfs not well at all." Could you imagine Myers' bio saying that? OK, rant over. We are the USAF, we're not suppose to be uptight...that's the Army and the Marines' job! Cheers! M2

A cool vid of the MiG-29 OVT can be seen here (**WARNING for dial-up weenies** 39MB file!) Cheers! M2

Errr...the name of the exercise was COPE INDIA. Cheers! M2

Jetmaker MiG Displays Latest Maverick Engine On 5 August, the latest version of the MiG-29, the MiG-29 OVT, was demonstrated at Zhukovsky with a new all-axis thrust-vectoring nozzle. It is this version of the MiG-29 that Russia will be offering to India in a tender for 126 fighter jets later this year, MiG chief Alexei Fyodorov said. Discuss. Cheers! M2

Dude, where's my forum? Cheers! M2

Sorry, I thought you said "I need answers for a TEST!" :rolleyes: Cheers! M2

This 79 Dodge van at D-M puts them all to shame... Featured in the Hawg Wild (04-ABD's manual bombing competition) video. But the 334th machine is pretty sweet. What is that, a Pontiac? Cheers! M2

More porn...you can never have enough porn! Have fun, not sure if I will be visiting you in the near future, all depends on where my new organization wants to send me, but DCUs might be in my picture as well. However, hitting 20 years of AD in less than two months, I may be able to jump into retirement as with the current force shaping going on, ADSC waivers are being given out like doped candy at the Neverland Ranch. I could be growing a beard, wearing a tie, and complaining about the AD folks in two months as well! Cheers! M2

Yeah, I have to admit the one thing about the Belgian re-enactors were that a lot of them didn't speak any English, so even though they looked a lot like Americans, the fact that they were blabbing to each other in French kinda ruined the whole thing. Of course those who did speak English cussed a lot, and spit, so those guys were pretty authentic looking! What was really odd was that I talked to a US Army guy who was a re-enactor, and when I asked his buddy if he was also an American, he replied back to me in German. I guess there wasn't a big desire to dress up as a German at the Bastogne ceremonies! Another American I met was a US Army Colonel in real life, but was dressed as a WWII infantry captain. I wasn't sure if I had to salute him, or if he had to salute me!* Cheers! M2 * - Just for clarity, we were encouraged to do the march in BDUs. The locals really liked that we did so.

HD (et al) Take a gander at their bylaws, for example... They are also pretty stringent on what equipment can be used. Cheers! M2 [ 26. July 2005, 19:43: Message edited by: MajorMadMax ]

HD I gotta disagree with your opinion on re-enactors. I have walked the Battle of the Bulge commemorative march for the past three years, and the re-enactors come out in force during the event. They set up demostrations all along the route, and it really brings home what it was like for US forces fighting the Germans. These guys go all out, buying and restoring a lot of equipment that is not only hard to find, but expensive as well. I don't think they are trying to convince anyone that they are the actual veterans of the war, most of them aren't old enough to have served in WWII. They are mainly history buffs who want to allow people a chance to see firsthand (as best as they can) what it was like back then. These guys are trying to bring history alive but spending a lot of time researching and preserving items from that age. I know a Dutch guy who has a lot of money wrapped up in several WWII vehicles he has restored to pristine status. But, I will admit that some of these guys are a little TOO into the US military. But for the most part, I wouldn't put these guys in the same category as those who make claims they are SF or something like that, they aren't "posers" in that sense. Cheers! M2