brabus

Assuming your kids are young. So you could FAIP and be home more, but then when your kids are older and actually can process the difference between 6 days and 6 months, you’ll be gone a lot more in your non-AETC assignment (vs. doing it in the opposite order). If you’re not prepared to miss cumulative years of your kids’ lives, don’t fly for the AF.

It’s an interesting thought and clearly there is increasing merit to the idea. Seems it does work for many situations, just lacks the firepower one may need in others. But if it’s the 80% solution, fuck it, procure more tech like this and let it rip.

You guys are terrible at critical reading. I directly said the hypothetical dude is not getting a civ tank driving job. I’m saying the experience he gains is a solid resume builder to help obtain good jobs in the civ world post-mil. Employers want to higher mil-experienced people, even if only for the perceived value of the “intangibles.” Of course its even better if the AFSC/MOS directly correlates to the same job in the civ world, but that’s not the only means the mil experience helps build resumes and land jobs. Bottom line, it’s still a great way for a young person out of HS to gain some valuable experience, build a resume, and be a more marketable and better hire in the civ world when they leave the mil. If it helps your mental block, replace tank driver with SARM (who I know several with excellent jobs not linked at all to aviation or the management of it), maintenance (know several who aren’t doing anything MX related in the civ world), etc. The only way a mil person doesn’t walk away with a leg up on their civ counterpart (apple to apples comparison) is if they have self doubt and downplay their own value…probably because they were told bullshit about how there’s no opportunity out there for them because there aren’t tank drivers at Walmart.

Well the canopy bow serves the purpose of being fucking retarded and annoying to the pilot…as is tradition.

You’re wrong. You’d be amazed at how well mil people of all backgrounds can do in the civ world assuming they don’t shoot themselves in the foot with a deflated sense of value and skills.

And when there’s 2 of those guys, and one says, “well I also shot the shit out of things with an Abrahams and banged hot E-strange in the dorms nightly”…bam, you’ve got a decisive winner!

If you pretend this is a Brit forum, then it’d be odd if you weren’t called a cunt!

@pawnman Ah. Well GI bill still wins by a long shot over straight TA, but the TA diff is certainly a valid point. Also, don’t be obtuse, you know I’m not insinuating the hypothetical dude is going to get a civ tank driving job. He’s going to have a resume with skill sets that far outpace the hammer swinger, all while likely making more money and having greater benefits. That’s the point.

So embarrassing...the guy literally needs to be in assisted living. Don't care what political party the president is from, this is just sad and unacceptable. Cut him loose and come up with someone else for 2024, that's the only decent move for the Dems. If they don't, it just further emphasizes all they care about is power...and yes, I'd feel the exact same way if it was a Republican in the seat.

It’s been available forever - called absentee ballots. The difference between those and “mail in” is significant and I think widely misunderstood (people think they’re synonymous when they are not). Nobody is barred from voting if they can’t make it to the polls, just takes a few min of effort. All I’m saying is if you’re not willing to put those few min of effort in, then you don’t deserve to vote (e.g. kill all “mail in” ballots immediately). I agree. All I was arguing previously is it’s bullshit to say it’s a “barrier” to not allow it (and have some limitation like registration up to 7 days prior or whatever). I don’t really care if it’s Election Day or 14 days prior (obviously there’s some reasonable limitation that should t be exceeded), everyone has the opportunity to register, and it’s your fault if you don’t get it done in time based on whatever requirement your state has (caveat is the scenario of turning 18 within “the closed window.”)

@Blue I get your point, but there’s still awesome enlisted jobs and the things I referenced are just as applicable and valid if you do an apples to apples comparison. Drive tanks and blow shit up for 4 years vs. swing a hammer for 4 years. The mil guy did way cooler shit you can’t do anywhere else and walked away with GI Bill and a solid resume for post-mil work, while likely making more $/benefits. That’s one example.

How so? Not a snide question, I really am curious. The mil is free college (state school) plus books and living expenses (capped obviously). They beat that? I grew up in a fairly well off area where the majority of my class went to college. And I’m fairly confident I have out-earned most of them to this day and now with the airlines am exponentially out-earning them at a rapid rate. Even the doctors I know aren’t out-earning me (when you take into account my zero debt and their mega shitload of debt still remaining today). The best part is I’d bet out class’ highest earner is a great blue collar dude who owns his own business and is killing it. Point is the mil earning potential really is hard to beat unless you’re a young dude straight to the investment world with connections, or something like that.

Do it, that’s what I say. I get it there’s bullshit and worrying things occurring, but go back and every generation thinks the next generation/version of the mil is bullshit, ruined, sucks, etc. Things have changed a lot in my career, and I don’t care for many of them, but the core job satisfaction, the bros, and the adventure you can’t get anywhere else persists. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t rewind the clock and do it all over again (while simultaneously counting the days until retirement and lamenting my fucked up back!)

@Jam By and large, voter turnout is low because people don’t give a fuck/don’t prioritize it. That’s it, it’s not cosmic or some political boogeyman. Ocasm’s razor and all that. - ID should be 100% required, every time. Subsidized state ID for those making $X or less, totally support it. I agree nobody should be barred from voting because they can’t afford an ID. But, that’s a red herring and barely a blip on the radar these days due to several factors - I also think we should establish voting days as either holidays or at least make a law that every employer must provide X hours of PTO to allow employees to go vote during the work day if they’re unable to before/after work (which really only applies to those working a 12+ hour shift). For those not working every min the polls are open, they can vote, but it’s a personal choice and not anyone else’s fault if they choose not to - Absentee ballots: YES. Mail-in ballots auto-sent to everyone: NO. If one doesn’t go the polls and also isn’t willing to put a few min of time into the absentee process because they know they won’t physically make it to the polls, then fuck ‘em, they have made the choice to not vote To address the incredibly politically slanted drivel you linked to: - Some states don’t have Election Day registration: Um, you had fucking YEARS to get it done in most cases (e.g. an election cycle), and for those turning 18 the day of, well I’d support an exemption for them or just you miss out on that one vote in your entire life (life’s not completely fair snowflake). So this is a bullshit argument trying to distract from the fact people don’t care/are lazy and didn’t get something done in time. - “17 states have taken steps to increase the frequency of voter roll purges”: Sounds like 33 states are behind the ball on that one and need to catch up to these 17. Rolls are massive problems - I can legally vote in 3 states right now according to rolls, going on 10 years of trying to convince one SOS office I haven’t been a resident for that long. This is a massive problem enabling voter fraud. So not voter suppression, but rather 17 states are actually doing what every state should be doing, striving for the most updated/accurate voter rolls. To argue for inaccurate rolls (like this website) is full retard - Here’s a gem…”now prohibit mailing absentee ballot applications to voters who haven’t requested one.” This website calls that suppression, reality is it’s 100% your problem if you can’t take 2 min to request an absentee ballot; you don’t deserve to vote in this case. This is just highlighting how lazy/DGAF people are, not suppression. Again, absolutely full retard on display by the authors of this website. There’s more absolutely ridiculous, illogical bullshit on that site, but these were a few examples. Actually critically think about this subject. I listed a couple things that I think most people would be on board with doing. Listening to the insanely illogical and retarded gaslighting on that website (or from any source that spouts this drivel) only serves to erode our country by further destroying a fundamental part of our system.

How? It’s wildly unrestrictive as it is.

I don’t think you’re informed as well as you think you are. I’m not guaranteeing anything by any means, but there’s plenty of good, objective reasons to put CAS at the bottom of the priority list right now. TACPs don’t even give a shit about CAS anymore (e.g. low priority), that should tell you something.

Not as bad as the near 3x unintentional shoot downs of a manned fighter I’ve seen. 😬

What Lawman said. Also the most likely (in your opinion, and not shared by decision makers and many high functioning tacticians in our military) is not a difficult training or capes spin up. The most dangerous (your opinion, and what the aforementioned people consider more likely) is not something you can just spin up training, production of capes, etc. on.

I’m confused man, you have experience in both jets (right?), but then you say something completely nonsensical like this. Unless you’re using a 1980s definition of “MCO”, then carry on. If we actually did CAS in a modern “MCO” none of the 3rd/4th gen or RW would be very survivable, and they’d be pretty ineffective. This does not mean 5th gen should be flying CAS lines, it means we shouldn’t be flying CAS at all. Degrade the IADS to a point the other platforms are survivable, then we start doing CAS. Saying we’re going to do CAS in and around modern, functional IADS is a lie and one is delusional if they think it’s going to happen. It does have this capability now (timeline is laughable, I get it). But also we shouldn’t have wasted a second or cent on integrating this weapon on 5th gen, but here we are… BREAK…. To address CAS culture - someone needs to carry it for when OEF 69 pops up and Danger gets arrested for streaking in the Pentagon. But, it’s ignorant to think CAS is impossible or “over” just because there’s not a huge focus on it. A great example is F-16 block 50s not flying a single CAS training sortie until a multi-month, pre-deployment spin up. Guys can’t spell CAS at the beginning. Fast forward and the squadron comes home with thousands of weapons employed, tons of lives saved, no frats, CC intent met x 6900, etc. Am I comparing to the A-10 or AC-130, no, but can guys spin back up and do great work for the bros on the ground and the CCs in the JOC, yes. Don’t put the pussy on a pedestal.

Manchester

Totally agree on that. My response is primarily directed at “CAS is fucked, the AF should just hand it over to the Army” comment. CAS is not fucked and we shouldn’t hand it over to the Army - that’s my point.

@di1630 You’re majorly overacting. CAS is not a priority right now, and it damn well shouldn’t be. But will it spin back up when we get into OEF 69, yep. Will multiple platforms (including TACP/CCT) knock the rust off and be just fine, yep. It’s understandable to be emotionally attached to what our generation did for the majority of our combat careers, but remove the emotion and it’s easy to see why going the direction we are is the right move for now (not to say there’s not a shitload of fuckery along that path). Also, the A-10 patch community disagrees with you; they’re pushing to do things that are relevant to the path we’re on. Though admittedly I can’t speak to what leadership roadblocks they may or may not be facing. I hope it’s none.

Back on track regarding careers outside the military. Happy to report @Biff_T is doing well transitioning to his post-mil career…

Hindsight moments before posting on Baseops after finishing a pint of moonshine…