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Worked out great for Maj Nidal Hasan.

I just love this interview...this guy has future senator written all over him. Totally incapable of answering a simple question. Just an example: "AIRMAN MAGAZINE: When did the Air Force start noticing pilot manning issues in the fighter community?" Seems like a pretty simple question...when did you notice it? "BRIG. GEN. KOSCHESKI: The fighter pilot crisis manifested itself because when you only have single seat fighters, it becomes a cockpit training capacity issue quickly compared to larger aircraft with multi-seats, where you have an aircraft commander and a copilot. You have a little bit more flexibility to manage your pilot training. The crisis happened quickly in the fighters because of that very reason. But what we’re seeing is the same dynamics are in place for other career fields, and also because of the fighter pilot shortage, the mobility Air Force has been carrying some training shortfalls and pilot training to cover the shortage of fighter pilots. So, their effective manning has been hit and they’ve been doing more than their fair share, trying to help out while we heal the fighter pilot crisis." Okay...but WHEN DID YOU NOTICE THE ISSUES?? WHEN, not HOW or WHY. WHEN. It is a time-based question, sir. The answer should have some kind of chronological reference, like "in 2008 when Gen Welsh was going around USAFE asking fighter pilots why they aren't staying in", or "last week when one of my staffers left Baseops.net open on his computer and I started reading."

That is a guy who has only ever been in the Air Force, and is so self-indoctrinated that he doesn't even understand the concept of "quality of life" as it exists in the real world outside of big blue. Thus, his assessments and "solutions" are only viable when compared to other previous states of things in the AIr Force, rather than being a comparison to the greener pastures on the outside that pilots are fleeing to. Basically, a man incapable of actually seeing the bigger picture due to his enjoyment of smelling his own blue-tinged farts.

Its even worse, since the pointy-nosed Generals are the ones who are leading the AF into the ditch in the first place.

That's how you know you've struck a nerve.

I think the actual solution would be the opposite -- ensuring the PIT syllabus and graduation standards are high enough to take a MAF dude and make him a competent T-38 IP. I'd love to see MAF-background 38 IPs do a mandatory IEP (or multiple IEPs) to see what IFF is all about, too.

Because this is how you get students who fly tac formation using the A-A TACAN, fly their turns using heading bugs and while looking at a PFR, execute the mechanics of the rejoin using numerical countdowns and airspeed cues, etc. In other words, all of the bad crutch techniques that have to be un-taught during the formation phase at IFF. Students who can't instead simply use the actual visual reference and "feel of the jet" techniques that are required to fly tac form while also being a good wingman. The techniques that, themselves, are only developed over many hours of having to fly tac form and also be an on-board systems and weapons manager, where you don't have time to use the crutches. Yet again, we are talking about experience, not talent.

Because they do. Point?

I don't. Honestly, if it were up to me, we wouldn't have them. FAIPs are fine when used among an experienced instructor corps who can moderate their lack of operational experience. They excel at what they know...and to a generally terrible job at teaching what they don't. When I was an IFF IP, one of my jobs was managing tracking the graduation-vs-washout statistics for the two IFF squadrons at Moody. For two straight years, there was a notably higher washout rate of students who had graduated from Vance vs any of the other winging pipelines. I participated in an IEP to Vance that was sort of a fact-finding expedition to see what was going on there. What we found was that at the time (04-05 timeframe) there were a large number of FAIPs and reduced contingent of IPs who were fresh from the CAF. We observed a number of things being taught that were poor technique and contrary to what was going to be expected of IFF students. When we asked some of the IPs (FAIPs and a couple of bomber-background IPs) why they were teaching what they did, they answered, "this is how they do it out in the CAF..." Further digging revealed that it had been a lot of FAIPs teaching FAIPs these techniques, and a lot of misunderstood 3rdhand "knowledge" leading to it. Furthermore, there weren't enough experienced IPs to call their bluff. So, again, it was not a talent issue, it was an experience issue.

Unfortunately, in order for someone to learn how to be a good wingman, their teacher needs to have some idea of what that means. That's not about talent, that's about experience.

Money, quality of life, not living under DoD's thumb, etc.

Cannot be repeated enough.

No experience with those magazines specifically, but I have never had luck with a multitude of ProMag products over the last 15-20 years.

Good details to know. Most military dudes -- even those who are somewhat light on multi PIC time -- won't spend very long at the regionals (6-24 months), and could get caught in one of these traps.

The 2nd and 3rd order effects of cancerous leadership philosophies and a lack of mission focus sometimes take time to manifest themselves...especially when many of the problems were being masked by commanders (and line bros) who are conditioned/socialized to never say "no" or "can't". I always giggle about the "fields of friendly strife" quote from MacArthur that the AF loves to use, and how the Air Force conveniently forgets its corollaries about what fruits are later borne by mediocrity.

On one of my assignments working on Wing Staff, I took to calling them "The Group" as they were not providing any support or service to anyone except themselves. The Wing CV advised me that, although that was dead-on and quite funny, I should not say that in Wing Staff meetings.

I just had this hope that the ANG was a last bastion of places that didn't have to deal with the big, inefficient bureaucracy of stuff like that.

In my estimation, that's how you know the report *isn't* fake news, hehe.

I was referring to the Army helo dudes who were recruited to come through AF fixed wing qual and IFF to go out and fly in AF units. There was a big batch in the 2004-2006 timeframe, with many going to ANG units but some headed to AD units. I thought that's what you were referring to when you said, "the AF also didn't bring in quite a few Army RW pilots..." If not, my bad. I'll STFU then.

Hah, probably totally valid.

Evil, are you guys seriously using a Gmail account for recruiting/hiring? Do you guys not have a comm squadron who can set up an email account that's, you know, official and stuff? hehe

If by "just fine" you mean they had an unusually high washout rate at IFF -- so much so that Guard fighter units pretty much stopped trying to bring them in for the subsequent decade or so -- then, yeah.

I have slept in the back of my old overland-converted 3rd gen 4Runner in Lot C. The USO is a nice place to sit reserve, too.

Maybe we can just wing kids after they solo the T-6. Think of how high annual pilot production could be then!

Online at places like GT Distributors, Kings's Firearms Online, and Recoil Gun Works.