Seriously

That's the beauty of this message board. You can come on here and see unfiltered, unbiased, (and maybe sometimes uninformed) opinions about the Air Force and leadership in general. I think some guys here have an axe to grind, but most want what's best for the AF.

I guess we'll have to disband the senior NCO academy now. They'll have nothing left to talk about.

Leaders "vaguely" enforcing rules rarely gets picked up by the lower ranks. In every instance I've seen a commander try to do that, most dudes in the rank and file aren't sure of the commander's intent and will just err on the side of caution and abide by the rule 100%. In all honesty, it comes off as a CYA move by the commander even though it may be well intentioned. In other words, it's mostly chickenshit.

That article really highlights the false reality that a lot of commanders live in.

Spot on. The problem with contractors is the rigidity with which the AF creates their contracts. Sometimes I have a hard time believing contractors save us money. The massive problems created in the UPT world with the constant switches between Dyncorp and L3 should be enough evidence for anyone that contractors cause just as many problems as they solve.

I think a lot of these types of personalities still exist in the Air Force today. I see it a lot with Lts coming in, but they are quickly stifled at the squadron and group level. The problem is the constant oversight all the way from the top rungs of leadership. Even if the top guys don't want to micromanage, all of the commanders below them are afraid they'll get the hammer brought down on them for the smallest of infractions or misconduct. I heard a story the other day about a squadron commander relieved for something he wrote in an e-mail. Whether or not that story is true, the perception is there (that story came from another sq/cc). And let's not forget the ubiquity of the camera. It doesn't matter where you're flying these days, there's probably someone with a camera on the ground below you. And even if there isn't, there's recording equipment on the aircraft and in the radar control facilities. There is almost nothing you can do today that isn't trackable in some way. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Good in that it stops bad judgment and buffoonery, but too many people today (and rightly so) are overly concerned about how something looks regardless of the training benefits or lack of actual danger. If it looks fun or like you're shining your ass, then you are (on the ground or in the air).

Well for what it's worth, Gen Carey does actually play guitar and can sing decently. I met him once and only briefly at that, but the report seemed like the IO and Ms. _______ had an axe to grind as if Gen Carey didn't make a good first impression with them. From then on, everything Gen Carey did after that was cause for alarm. The report even flat out states the IO believed Ms. _______'s testimony over everyone else's, but doesn't give any reason as to why she is more credible than anyone else. Eye witness reports are notoriously unreliable, yet this entire report is built upon eye witness accounts. The whole thing is a "he said, she said" report with very little factual evidence. I think it's clear what perception was made on the trip though, and on a political trip, that's what counts. Gen Carey should have known better. And who the hell is "Eric Snowden?" The IO here needs to be fired himself. Awful report.

Yeah... we get it. It's a gray area, but you have to draw the line somewhere. The PT test isn't a perfect solution, but it serves its purpose: keeping AF members reasonably fit. As for the waste measurement, it should vary with height, but definitely shouldn't go away completely. Read the article below for more information on the health problems associated with increased mass in the abdominal area. https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/belly-fat/MC00054

Legitimate request for explanation: Are you talking about starting the after landing checks while rolling down the runway? How is this any different than flipping switches while taxiing? Would you say the line-up check shouldn't be completed while taking the runway? "Heads down" to me means staring inside the cockpit. You don't need to be "heads down" to flip a few switches. If you have to stare inside the cockpit to flip a few switches, it would seem to me that your crosscheck probably could use some improvement.

Don't quibble.

The article was knocking the Marine Corps' obsession with V/STOL requirements. The placement of the lift fan created to comply with the Marines' request widens the fuselage, limits the view of the pilot from the cockpit, and allows space for only one engine. How much these things matter considering changes in tactics and the advancements of radar and stealth technology, I don't know. What I do remember from my aero design class back in college was that *everything* has trade-offs, and there's no such thing as a free lunch.

We were told today that Gen Welsh's "stop doing things that don't make sense" was meant more as a strategic directive rather than a down in the trenches approach to doing things. Not even kidding.

You didn't know LGBT was an ethnicity?

Thanks

Where did you find this data?

We eliminated a female in part for crying during every debrief. She couldn't handle an honest assessment of her performance.

I guess the Air Force Times was using the 10% truth rule to write this article.

I don't know about that these days. Seems like a lot of crap comes out at the bottom of the T-1 barrel. This kind of crap is always justified using the "broken window theory" and "attention to detail." It's all a load of crap and just an easy distraction from fixing the real problems in the Air Force. Its the same reason our promotion system is messed up. The boards look for easy discriminators to identify guys to promote, i.e. master's degrees.

Probably. I also had a chance to listen to Gen Kowalski speak in a small setting. He didn't seem to be as down to Earth. Maybe it was just a clash of personalities.

I met him on a TDY. He was very down to earth.

Slick, dude, you have got to listen to the guys on this message board. We don't know you. The only motivation for everyone saying these things is our interest in making a better Air Force. You need to stop right now and recognize that everything you've said is 100% wrong. The mentality you're espousing is what's wrong with the Air Force, and it's got to stop. I won't rehash the points that have already been made, but suffice to say, everyone here is giving you honest to God feedback. Take it to heart. Everything you've spoken of is just plain lazy leadership. Leadership is a messy gray area. Nothing is black and white. Trying to deal in absolutes is why advanced academic degrees are required to make Major. It's why PT test scores actually mean something to some people. It's why OPRs are chock full of numbers instead of credible assessments of leadership potential. Change you course, man. Don't be a lazy leader. If you're a wing exec, you very well may be on your way to a leadership position yourself. You've gotten through the system so far because you've blended in and followed the examples of leadership given to you (for better or worse). If you make it to a command position, take the opportunity to change what the Air Force has begun.

That same woman later went to prison on bribery charges.

Where do people get these ideas? I mean really. They actually thought he would f-ing care? And how much money did that waste?

A good experiment would be to put the RPA pipeline graduates into a T-6 and see if their 50-60 hours of T-6 sim time actually taught them how to fly.

Ugggg..... "clearance on request" IS A CONTROLLER PHRASE! I'm astonished how many people don't understand that. Building poor habit patterns...