Hacker

FWIW, the banked pilots of the early 90s had to go through extensive re-quals in the T-38 before getting back in the "pipeline". Even then, as a generalization, they struggled in their follow-on training because of the time they'd spent out of the cockpit. The fact that the USAF hasn't used the "bank" as a pipeline management tool again suggests that they realized it wasn't a good method. While I agree that RPAs should not be a black hole from which no pilot ever emerges (in fact, I believe quite the opposite -- that pilots of RPAs should be free to get assignments back in the real world as manning dictates), I don't think that using the case of the banked pilots does anything to bolster your argument.

The real root problem with "Chiefs" is the O-6s they work for who empower them to act that way. Every time I have seen an officer do anything but kotow to a Chief over his asinine 'correction', it has resulted in a direct ass-chewing from an O-6. It's to the point where the Chiefs believe they are carrying all the rank of the guy with the Eagles whom they work for - and the Colonels are not only allowing it, but they're ENCOURAGING it by their actions. The Chief knows he can confront ANY officer he sees, because he knows that if he is rebuked, he'll be able to go tattle to daddy Colonel, who will then show that officer who's the boss. It's sickening...it's like the Commander's wife who thinks she is the "commander" of all the spouses, or that she wears her husband's rank around base. We can complain about Chiefs until the sun burns out, but the REAL issue is the O-6s they work for. Until they decide to stop allowing E-9s to go on these rampages, and put their feet down about policy, there will never be a fix.

Since this book isn't on the street yet, and it's unique style is a selling point, here are a couple preview links for you all to enjoy: Amazon Look Inside: https://www.amazon.com/Days-Rolling-Thunder-Robert-Deas/dp/0956982409/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318401301&sr=8-1 Google Books: https://books.google.com/books?id=Ufpozw95oMQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=two+days+of+rolling+thunder&hl=en&ei=TDWVTuuzE5Go8APJ6tSxCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

A bud of mine just got back from his 6 months in the BACN. He said that the short training program was a big advantage over the MC-12 in terms of time away from home. Other than that, he said the most exciting thing that occurred on the deployment was choosing which movies to watch during the flights. Yes, the MC-12 has evolved quite significantly since the first year of ops, and the mission sets differ (often considerably) depending on base/location, and even differ between supported unit and time of day. If you have the choice between the two deployments, which one is 'better' depends a whole lot on who you are and what you're looking to get out of it. IMHO, the BACN could provide a fighter-background guy with a type of flying experience (and ATP/Type) which would show future civilian employers some diversity of experience, but it wouldn't be very exciting so far as the actual day-to-day execution goes. The MC-12, while being a type of experience that some future civilian employers might not be quite as impressed with, would likely be more satisfying during the deployment while flying missions. The end-state reality for us military guys, though, is this: if we are hired by a civilian flying operation, what type of civil type rating we do or don't have is not going to be the reason why we are selected.

I heard his mustache was too wide. Seriously, one of the news reports quotes the guy who picked up the pilot, who quotes the pilot as saying he had a dual engine flameout.

Thought I'd pass along a new book to the baseops.net masses, Two days of Rolling Thunder by Robert Deas. A fantastic read with a new twist on the "Thud pilot in Vietnam" theme. Like many of you, I've read several very good books on flying F-105s in Vietnam: When Thunder Rolled, Thud Ridge, Pack Six, and others. To be honest, when I first heard about Two days of Rolling Thunder I wasn't really all that enthusiastic about reading it -- after all, what could this book cover that hasn't all ready been done (and very well) by those other books? Well, I'll be frank -- this one knocked my socks off. What's different is that this is a "there I was" story of a different color, one which puts the reader in the seat rather than reading about the author being in the seat. The book is written in first person, as if the reader were a brand new wingman showing up in an F-105 squadron and participating in two days of combat sorties during ROLLING THUNDER. When I first started reading it, I have to admit it reminded me just a little too much of the Choose Your Own Adventure books I used to love in elementary school. The formula works, though, extremely well. It's a short read...or, at least, it seems like one because it is very engrossing and was tough for me to put down. The events are apparently true, as experienced by the author, Col Deas. The radio comm printed is transcribed directly from Deas' audio tapes of the very missions and events he describes. The book is full color, with many photos that Deas took himself. The book reprints some of the mission materials used on the raid, including the target photo/map showing the DMPIs for the attack. Pretty interesting stuff from a historical perspective...stuff which gets immediately put through the shredder in today's combat ops! The book is being published by Y2B Publishing, of which Baseops poster Steve Davies is one of the core founders/proprietors. I'm sure he'll be along to answer questions about the book, but I wanted to throw my two cents in. There's a start-up forum there on the publisher's website where more in depth discussion will take place, I'm sure (Steve had one for his Red Eagles book, too, and there were extra photos and text, etc, that ended up there to augment the book -- pretty cool stuff). A great read -- highly recommended.

I don't believe that the Navy sends "contact" style rides out on IFR flight plans.

There used to be a time when rebellion was encouraged and embraced...when we WERE the rebellion in the Army's ranks. A time when they named airplanes after you if you'd rebelled so vigorously that you'd been Court-martialed. This MSgt, like so many today, has it wrong, wrong, wrong. In telling us to "rebel correctly", he's really saying "comply, peon".

I'm surprised that we are not also having widespread malign for this E-9's boss, who has allowed this mindset to take hold. After all...this E-9 was pretty clear that this was HIS BOSS' idea "vector".

The guy in that other thread (fantastic read, BTW...it's great to see stripe-wearers in there duking it out with the shoe clerks!) who lumped McPeak, Jumper, and Moseley together in the same boat as being responsible for the USAF jumping the tracks needs to be choked. His message is correct, but 2 of the 3 targets of his spears are right out.

Shack.

Do any of you guys remember a time before "everyone has to have a badge"? I do.

Absolutely they do. Unless I completely misread your original post, that's exactly who you were railing against, not the miscreants who stay in beyond 20:

That's a fucking idiotic generalization. Yes, the upper level idiots are included in the entire group of people who stay until 20 and beyond. However, to say that the entire group is 'generally' comprised of those idiots is phenomenally ignorant. There are a shitload of passed-over Captains, Majs, and Lt Cols who remained in those ranks for years because they didn't suck dick and sell out to the man. In fact, many of them use those extra years to do battle with the morons to try and keep some sanity in the process.

Yeah, that's why it's called 'the service', dude. It's never been about what you "get" as an exit bonus when you're done with your time in the service. Besides, that extra stuff you're wishing you got when you leave is all ready there: they're called "veteran's benefits", and it's aimed at exactly the dude you're talking about who joins up, does his time, and then gets out. There's a whole shitload of 'em out there...check 'em out.

The problem is, that's not a 'now' fix -- that changes things 20 years down the road. Let's face it: this whole retirement discussion is a political dance brought up by the current economy. They want a change that will provide benefit TODAY, or this year. To say that it will help in 20 years means absolutely nothing to anyone.

I love it when firearm neophytes ask 'what's the most accurate'....when the weakest link in the chain isn't the equipment, it's the wet noodle pointing it. They're all more accurate than we are.

Some additional Yeager douchebaggery, just in case some felt that this was an isolated feeling amongst Baseops.net participants: https://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=42031

This, in big bright shiny bold neon flashing letters.

I find sitting around here and screaming the USAF equivalent of "you kids get off my lawn!" incredibly constructive. I just can't wait for that first day when I can go to the Commissary as a retiree and buy 3 shopping carts full of carton cigarettes. Then I'll know I've really made it!

Sarcasm detector inop again, eh? Of course, you should be self-aware and proud of being a know-it-all asshole -- I am!

Enormous continued off-topic discussion: While I thoroughly believe that there are plenty of pilots out there who are like that, there are unfortunately also a good number who believe that TCAS is your SA and fail to understand that term 'augment' you so perfectly use above. I would think Rainman was a know-it-all asshole, too, if I hadn't personally observed this kind of 'piloting' myself in the wonderful social experiment/clash of aviation cultures we call the MC-12 program.

Uh, no, actually there is quite an argument. Again, there are thousands of USAF pilots who don't, and haven't for decades.

Dear God, how did ANYONE ever keep from having a midair before TCAS? To hear some dudes talk, it's like every single airliner that ever took to the skies before the advent of it had a fatal midair. Check twelve, listen to the radio, and follow procedural deconfliction. It's worked for decades.

This is quite possibly the best description of this dysfunctional set of human beings that I've ever read.