Chuck17

Be careful. There's a saying that goes, "dont get splinters." You get splinters by sitting on the bench. You sit on the bench when those in charge decide you're not playing well. What I mean is that the worthless masters degree is a yardstick. Commanders use it for more than noting who is checking boxes. There is a preponderance of thought on the futility of the masters degree on this site. I am in full agreement. But I also have mine, and its a worthless degree. I am here to tell you that you are sending a clear message to you superiors if you don't show forward movement of the ball - PME, masters, etc. You want to lead your people? You want to stay in the cockpit? The price of that is getting the bullshit done. Period. You wont change it. You can rage against it, but the AF WILL find some way to marginalize you, one way or the other. You're 100% right, the AF needs you more than you need it. But when the AF decides it doesn't need you, you'll be out on your ass. I have seen this shit in action, in AMC, PACAF and ACC. Everyone handles it remarkably similar. I know Weapons Officers who played the same hand - "Ive got the patch, they can't marginalize me." No masters, no PME - part of the 57th Wing, with the entire WIC, the T-Birds, etc, i.e., lots of good dudes. They got a P on their PRF and are at the bottom of the heap. They fucking deserved it. None of us is anything special. But you can make a case by showing that you're willing to move the ball forward. I continue to find it markedly hilarious that all of these good dudes I know, great grades in school, top sticks at UPT, first to 2FLUG, 4FLUG, IP, AC, MC, etc, all end up throwing in the towel when the AF "expects" them to better themselves and get a degree (or quel horror at least a BAC+), do PME, etc. They don't do it and they shoot themselves in the foot. They see their bros get upped because they chose to check the box, get passed by, discouraged and angry. They give up after kicking ass in so much for so long. It's almost sad. This shit ain't rocket surgery. Get it done at your own pace, but help the AF help you by showing that you're moving the ball forward. Too many dudes think they are entitled to a promotion. They are not. Promotion is about showing promise for leadership at the NEXT GRADE, not being rewarded for doing well in your current grade. You can show that by showing you're willing to grow the fuck up and do MORE than just fly. The long and short of it is this: commanders rank their dudes. Not having the little things makes it easier to separate and strat you. Commanders spend the most time on the middle of the pack, not the top or the bottom. So when dudes bitch and moan about being good sticks, good dudes and good bros but not getting the queep in order, they are missing the forest for the trees. It sucks. I don't agree with it, but it's tough to make a case against it. Getting promoted and moving up the chain to change things requires luck and timing. But it also requires that you run the marathon at sprint speeds. If you don't want to play the game, that's fine! But don't bitch about the outcomes if you choose to ignore the coaches advice and wind up on the bench. Chuck

Thats FANTASTIC. HA! +1 to you brother... Chuck

This beard brought to you by "Great Beards of the War Between the States".... Chuck

Sooooo.... is that the 36th at Yokota or the 537th at Elmendorf? Both AD, both PACAF. And yes, Im just giving you shit :) Chuck

I laughed out loud, twice... beers for both of you. Chuck

"2" - Nice work Hoss. "THAT'S how you De-BATE!" Chuck

Shack. I had a long talk with one of my mentors about this stuff today, and included the concerns expressed here. He said essentially the exact thing that Rainman said, and has weathered the ups and downs of the same course we are on for the last 28 years. Amazing the perspective when you find a guy who's BTDT and is willing to offer advice. Bang-Bang Guidance is a great way to put it... One note to add: In the opinion of said individual, you'd better be willing to sprint the rest of the time you're in if you plan on staying to 20 and beyond. There is no rest, there is no "I have arrived" assignment. Those moments come and are much like brushing past someone in a crowd - in a flash, they are gone, time to get back to business. It's not the end of the world if you don't get school on your major's board - your career prostects arent sunk unless you believe they are. Im interested about the coming 2-3 years in light of the coming hiring thaw WRT the airlines. We aren't there yet, but it's coming. There will be plenty of work for all of us to do, and some will realize they don't want to stay on over all the BS and multiple deployments and missed family time and BS non-mission, non-kinetic horseshit that goes along with staying. I can't blame anyone for that. I don't think ill of them in the slightest. Staying on as a career is real bitch. More would do it if it wasn't. In light of this recent corn-holling the experienced past-over dudes received, I'm sure there are plenty of dudes out there that are having serious doubts about staying in, taking the bonus or even making it a career... I'm not surprised that young dudes are worried about getting queep done. That's what they see OLD DUDES worried about. Right or wrong, you have to know your shit in the jet, be an EP/IP/WIC dude, get your masters, do your school, get the right job opportunities and strats if you can if you want to stay and get promoted. There's no way around it. Bloom where you're planted, don't bitch about where you grow. The rest is all timing, and ultimately timing is everything (Rule #2). When all else fails, FIDO - Fuck It, Drive On. This is also the time (Sr Capt - Major) that the careerists start to show their true colors. They bust out the industrial strength knee pads and go to work. Friends who were once friends will turn out not so friendly - what Boyd was talking about in his "To Be or To Do" speech. I've seen it and it sucks. As was said before, I think the take rate on the bonus in the coming 2-3 years will be very telling indeed. If the bonus goes away, watch out - the flood gates will open. Right now, the leadership knows that they have to get to numbers closer to what T. Mike attempted all those years ago - 316,000 - 320,000. Money is running short - the country is broke, mired in 3 wars we can't seem to end. There will be a continuing shrinking personnel, training and infrastructure footprint... If you've got a senior guy whose ear you can bend and bring this subject up, I highly encourage you to do so - Old dudes offer great learning. Chuck

WHAT?! No Way! I'm shocked. [/sarcasm] Chuck

Rusty - Still waiting on clarification of your stats bro... 0/6 happened at what base ? Did those guys have the pedigree (AAD / PME, etc) ? Thanks - just trying to help everyone paint an accurate picture. Chuck

Ironically this post nothing to do with experience either. Chuck

I can see the basket! Who's got some eggs??!? Chuck

As in... "We keep the C-17 community intentionally overmanned to absorb the shock for the MAF in Predator and UPT IP assignments..." Chuck

The community is kept overmanned for a reason. The C-17 community is one of a few kept overmanned on purpose - as the shock absorber for Predators and UPT assignments... No shit - straight from the assignment manager's mouth. But as a guy going to his 3rd flying assignment and rapidly approaching my gate month quota in the next 1.5 years, thats a valid concern as well. Chuck

Its been a slow news week... what with a golden economy, non-existent national debt, well below double digit unemployment, complete lack of military commitments worldwide and peace breaking out everywhere, including Syria and Libya... (and the Red Sox kicking ASS!) Who could blame the non-flying public or the media!??! Chuck

Dicky Starr did too... in both the novel and film. Though his fate was decidedly different in the film version.... Chuck (M2, I got your back! Thats one of the best books about flying ever written)

Lets not let ALL the good ones go public! (But thanks for the ideas) Chuck

Ive been here for 3 days and flown twice. Slick 130s, 60's/HC's, HI, AK and Aussie C-17s... Chuck

Tooey ! (j/k) Nope, Ive been on the West Coast a while, headed East in 6 weeks... Chuck

We have a winner. Chuck

I was downgraded on my Operational Mission Eval for falling off the boom 4 times on a moonless night over the Black Sea, taking a 100,000 lbs onload (about 25-30 mins on the boom) while hauling 70k of cargo downrange... I wasnt unsafe, didnt have to divert, and eventually got all the gas. I just sucked at AR that night. On the return leg to the states, I had another 100,000 lbs onload that I took in one plug. My EP then took the jet and got a plug, falling off the boom after 30 secs. I asked, "Well... still gonna downgrade me on that AR?" He replied, "I have to!" I just looked at him and shook my head, knowing he just didnt get it. And thats the point - make a checkride, giving or receiving, what it's supposed to be... a snapshot check - OF THE SQUADRON TRAINING PROGRAM. Thats why you have things like trends, TRBs, upgrade programs... to make guys better, grow them from the ground up. Checkrides check the validity of that training, or those upgrades. SEFE's who aren't big picture make me laugh; those with god-complexes need to be crushed. Or sent elsewhere... like my former EP - who is now at Cannon "operating" RPA's. Sometimes things just work themselves out. Chuck

Point Missed... The article is spot on. The UAV argument is a red herring. Get over it and recage on the fight that matters. Chuck

You're saying that's how an entire Mission Commander / Formation Ops brief works in the CAF? I have no doubt that it's different... But "IAW the 3-3" is the tip of the iceberg. Chuck

Flameout? Chuck

Eh, well - saying I disagree with you is boring. Creativity is mo betta'... Chuck

You're high. Chuck