FourFans

I'd pay money if they'd let me take my 1911 .45 and as many mags as I want. Although that GAU-5 sounds like a great idea to have strapped in a few places in a herk.

...and they probably want to call it a flight deck, not a cockpit. How progressive. Autocorrect is gunna double my data inputs times.

Doesn't merit it's own thread, and no better place to put this: https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/02/05/deploy-or-get-out-new-pentagon-plan-could-boot-thousands-of-non-deployable-troops/ Nothing so useful as applying an Army fix for an Army problem to a Joint environment. Having worked in a "Joint" staff for over a year now, I'm ready to never work with the Army again.

ClearedHot said it best: Follow your heart. You will have doubts. Don't sweat someone else's experience. This is your journey, choose to fully engage in it.

Can they call it Ministry of Vigilance so we can be more Orwellian about it?

"words, words, words, government shutdown wasn't that bad...more words...who should we blame..." It's on par with a 500 pound morbidly obese man arguing how getting off the couch and walked to the refrigerator should count as a workout so he should be allowed more food. The government failed at it's basic function: operating. How long has it been since congress passed a complete budget? The system is thoroughly broken. We should not be measure inches of failure here, we should be demanding success. But seeing how excellence in any form is frowned upon now, I'm pretty sure that's a lost cause.

Perhaps in the C-17 community. Care to share with the rest of us?

In the school's "safe zone"

So you stand against the law, but not enough to suffer discomfort (whatever consequence is currently tied that law) to see it repealed. Dr. King has some words of wisdom in that arena. Stating the specific law you're fighting against would make this a much more productive discussion as the root morality of that law should be the topic of debate. Clearly you think the law immoral (from your perspective) and wish it repealed, yet elected officials (past or present) disagree. Is that on the mark? P.S. In my opinion, your statement on "inalienable rights" and how we are born into those rights is the modern entitlement generation's interpretation of a concept our founding father's laid down...not the founding father's original interpretation. The father's meant it from a core of duty and responsibility, "millennials" (the attitude, not the birthdate) mean it as their birthright, not something to be earned and upheld. They want to fight FROM that right, not FOR it. Our modern interpretation of those "inalienable rights" is what will bring America to its knees because it breeds entitlement, not responsibility. P.P.S. I think the draft should only exist during times of crisis and absolute need (i.e. not now). Draftees would universally lower our fighting edge. I agree that if the whole nation feels the pain of the conflict and has to pay the price (WWII) the quality of the nation improves. What that price is forced on them (Vietnam), resentment takes deep root and nothing good comes from it.

Been reading Heinlein again, eh? Sound logic and good thinking that will take an existential threat to play out in CONUS before "we" get there.

Truer words were never spoken.

FIFY

Huggy's chances are looking better. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/10/24/air-force-working-implementation-trumps-pilot-recall-order.html?ESRC=airforce-a_171025.nl

Yes

Because the stop loss has already started, just not by that term yet.

"What does conventional conflict look like with a nuclear element?" - CSAF Sir, conventional war with a nuclear element looks like nuclear war. If I bring a gun to a knife fight, is it still a knife fight? Brilliant. If NK uses a nuclear weapon, I'm fairly confident that NCA will drop orders to make sections of that country into glass-floored self-lighting parking lots, and the commanders of NORTHCOM and STRATCOM won't have much of a say in it. Where is Buck Turgidson when you need him?

Is anyone else seeing this as preparatory fire? A bunch of 15-17 year pilots start considering retirement or separation because it will provide better money, quality of life, stability...better everything...so they consider hopping the fence to the airlines. USAF targets retirement with every weapon possible to make retirement look less attractive. (this is where we are now) Fast forward 1-3 years - If the pilot stays, USAF says 'good choice, enjoy this critical yet entirely purposeless useless staff job'. If he leaves, they say 'I told you so' and involuntarily recall him...to that same useless staff job. All the while the USAF gets to continue complaining it has a shortage of pilots...only now it's a shortage of pilots actually in cockpits. This is another step in fixing the hole in the damn before they fix the source of the pilots. Shrewd. Completely vacant of integrity or morale leadership, but shrewd. No way the SECDEF would simply drop this on the CSAF without a backroom discussion first. CSAF is simply damage controlling to maintain the image that he's on the side of the pilots. This was no surprise.

Concur! Sadly, in a world where people are too lazy to even type out the words "too long, didn't read", very few will take up the charge of self education, though your recommendations are spot on. The laziness of an America that would rather debate their opinions rather than learn facts, analyze them, and put their opinions to the test...possibly even changing them...this is one of the root causes of our problem. If cowards went out into the world and discover that their situation isn't really as bad as they thought, they wouldn't go on murderous rampages. Alas, we live in a world where it's all about 'me', and when that world all about 'me' turns depressing, it's everyone else's fault, so I'll kill as many of them as I can before I go out in a blaze of glory...which often actually ends in a tragic homicide/suicide. You want to change this world right now? Parent your kids. Seriously. If fathers in America simply stood up and fathered their children, events like this wouldn't happen. I'm not saying it's easy. It isn't. But nothing worth doing ever is. Here's a challenge: If you are a father, put the device down, and engage with the those hearts and minds you created...they're watching everything you do and don't do, and they'll respond in kind. Teach them your beliefs. Give them a foundation on which to stand when the world turns ugly, and they'll be able to stand. Raise men and women, not teenagers who never grew up. ...standing by for the TL, DR response.

Your terminology invalidated your arguments. Only grandparents and M2 spout phrases like that.

Thanks for the assist.

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. (paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin) Unfortunately, modern America has a very short memory. Historically, when suppressions of vices and liberties are emplaced in the name of social responsibility, dictators rise to take the reigns of the socialist movement, and tragedy ensues. On the flip side, you never hear about these mass attacks occurring in places like Switzerland, where virtually the whole population is part of the militia and owns an automatic rifle. American society doesn't need more fences to keep the wolves away, it needs more people with a sheepdog mentality, along with the abolishment of entitlement, such as "it's the federal government's responsibility to protect me from everything".

Revival. I'm a bit surprised I haven't seen more discussion here about the mounting Russian threat. https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-targets-soldier-smartphones-western-officials-say-1507109402 I'm not shocked that the average American doesn't care, it's all too far away and the media isn't selling it. I can attest that Eastern Europe and the Baltics are justly concerned however. If Russia advances, NATO won't even be a speed bump. US, UK, and German airpower will be the only immediate response that's even remotely effective. These guys are evolving modern combat employment faster than anyone on the planet.

Concur. Sounds a lot like a Stoner or an M-60. Either way, a lot of firepower for someone to sneak into a hotel room, especially someone not known as a gun guy. Appears to be a lone wolf gone crazy, but it doesn't smell right. Prayers and condolences to the victims and their families.

and a good ride for anyone who only wants female offspring