disgruntledemployee

I'll go in reverse. Me - C-130 pilot Dad - Marine Corps during Vietnam, then went Army, then Army Guard for Desert Storm (between him and I, we can have a 75% joint conversation...sorry Navy) Grandfather - Air Corps during WWII: Attemped pilot, then nav, then became a B-17 bombadier Great grandfather (dad to the one above) - WWI Italian infantry: captured, escaped, immigrated to NY I'll even throw one in for the wife; Grandfather was an Army MAJ in WWII, retired a Col. I love this kind of heritage! Out

If any of you had the opportunity, would you ask the CSAF why "Blues Monday?" He's on the command's schedule this month. Out.

No, this is no good. They didn't over react enough. I suggest no buses and no personal vehicles. That way, there is zero chance of getting run over, unless they're still using shitter trucks. And no more jogging either...thats dangerous too. Wait, get rid of all the fried food and soda. That stuff will kill you. Sarcastically out!

The application of rated dudes to staffs is deplorably managed (if there is a more worse adjective, I'd use it). I've asked the question, "How does staff experience make a dude a better DO or CC?" It doesn't. If anything, I believe that some of our more mediocre leaders out there were able to wow their bosses with "mighty skills o' Powerpoint" while in the staff and earn DGs and primo follow-on assignments. They will say, "But as an officer, you need career broadening in order to be a good leader, etc." I retort that rated dudes, if required in a staff, should go there to apply their rated expertise, not to learn the bazillion, self-licking processes that constitute a staff. Yet, that is what most staff dudes end up doing. Square, you are correct. Dudes die in the staff. Its a soul sucking entity. I've wondered if staffs have ever done anything meaningful that makes its way down to the squadron. I've told the AF that the days of sending people to the staff because "its better for your career" must end now. If a staff job calls for a rated dude, they had better be doing 100% rated-type work. If not, hire a civilian. Oh, and thats another thing. Staffs are way too heavy in the civilian pay scale. You can't spit without hitting a GS-15. Dudes at the top of their game need to stay in the wing, and get promoted, and get the schools. That is where our best DOs and CCs will come from. BTW, if you can't tell, I HATE the staff. Worst decision I ever made. Out

You mean like households with more than one television set? I couldn't resist the opportunity for a vague "Anchorman" quote. Out

I knew an outstanding field grader (true crew dog) and watched his career get shit-canned by a P.O.S. O-6 at the Deid. That happens way to often to the good guys. Put yourself in those dusy tan boots for a moment. When shit happens to one of your crews doing the J-O-B, would you stand your ground (got your back, crew), knowing that will be your last stand, or fall in line and throw the crew to the wolves? Thats the kind of stuff that makes people think twice about taking command. Too often, in recent history, the right thing to do doesn't mix well with the "Management" above you. Once I figure out the magic formula to solve that one, we'll be on our way to taking over the Force. So "John," to answer your question, fixing it seems like trying to cure cancer. People grow tired of cracking their head against the wall and decide to move on. Still Disgruntled Out.

Don't bet on MG Scott taking our side. I asked him point blank many years ago on why I can't wear a tab that simple says, "C-130." His answer, "I don't like them and since I'm in charge, you won't wear them," or something close to those remarks. But then again, he didn't make the crew dogs wear scarves either. Out

Are we going to go back and forth on this "humor" thing?

Uncle. You win. I throw in the towel. The Navy rules. They can teach flying better than we can. Crap, I forgot the sarcasm squelch. Out

Alright dude, I get the sarcasm. Or maybe you truly have no idea. But get this, I had to babysit an "experienced" Herk AC on an iron swap because he had never flown anywhere other than the flagpole and the deployed flagpole. Sad, on many levels. My FMS point was not a dig on the 44, but merely a comparative point. But I digress. I LOVE your point on the "old-school" and I want everyone to listen good. In the old-school days, crews knew everything about their planes. Everything. And it wasn't just a bank of knowledge that was contained in a unit, but a culture that pushed crew-dogs to really know everything they can. I believe the Herk community does a fair job of trying to maintain that culture, but its slipping. It goes down the toilet with the J model. I flew an OIF mission with them once, and they said that they didn't have to know ops limits...the computer would color code discrepancies red, yellow, etc. and they crew ran the same color checklist. Another old-school item is looking out of the aircraft vs heads down button pushing. Out

I may be one of the few active duty Herk dudes that came out of T-1s. Listening to my fellow students at LR discuss their training, I concluded that Corpus is not a benefit. So, if any AFR/ANG folks out there have a choice, take the T-1 for phase 3. You stay in place for a year, and the training helps prepare you for AC duties and exposure to the AF way of doing ops. AD, you're taking a big change that a Herk comes to your drop. I was surprised as to how little Corpus folks knew about how to operate an AF mission, from mission planning to TACC, overnight procedures, etc. Plus, in a T-1, you get a taste a real FMS; world-wide DAFIF or 200 way-points...you decide. On the other hand, none of my classmates struggled much to finish initial. Out

And don't forget to add this long-endured item to the list -- the EP is an asshole. Its always that kind of EP that dishes out the most hooks. Recall back in the UPT days the chats you had with your buds. Stud1: "Who did you get?" Stud2: "Capt Stan Evil Jerk" Stud1: "Sucks to be you, that guy is an asshole" Stud2: "Yep, I'm screwed" Out

I once met an O-6 commander that talked about promotion boards. This guy was extremely anal with looking up SOS/ACSC completion dates and comparing them to date of rank, thus giving higher marks to dudes with the smallest time gap. "It showed motivation," he said. So, if you know clowns like this look for this sort of crap, piss-poor officers can game his system and garner promotions, let alone in-residence PME slots. This is probably one of the reasons why good dudes leave the service and turds get promoted. Stepping on soap box. Commanders need to know their folks and thus take the time to do so. Group and Wing CCs need to trust their commanders. If they want the best, have a discussion after the weekly staff meeting and have commanders advertise their top people. Alternate units in case of a jump ball. No 1206 can top personal leadership. Otherwise, we're just as well off using a dart board. Opps, I forgot, that's AFPCs methodology. Still on soap box. Next week, we can discuss leadership by e-mail. I'm too disgruntled at the moment. Off soap box. Out.

I can't resist. What if the CP is a chick?

September 12th, 2001. It was an early morning flight out to Andrews AFB to lend any assistance we could. It was the quietest flight I've ever had. I snapped this photo as the sun came up over DC. We flew right by the still-smoldering Pentagon and saw the damage first-hand.

In a Herc, the lighter one decends faster. I've done hundreds of pen. descents...idle power, 250 IAS, and the lighter plane always takes less distance, and thus has a higher VVI. And if anyone argues with me on this, I'll pull my 1-1 out on you! Out

While I'm already on status, I talked to the doc and was told I have a spermatocele (sp?). It was felt up by two docs and scanned for good measure, but net result was no action and no change in flight status. But I also remember the days when doing the entry flight physicals and if they didn't ask, I didn't tell. If your doc says its no big deal, then leave it at that with regards to the AF. But I do suggest a second opinion. I learned that nut cancer is prevalent amoung the young; past 35 and you're mostly out of the woods.

Long time ago, back in the Camp Andy days, a bunch dumb ass shoes decided to have themselves a little picnic. Being resourceful for their beverage cooling needs, they found a container to hold the ice, cans, etc. It just so happens they ended up taking one of the silver human remains caskets from the stack by the road on the way to the CAOC.