di1630

Well, we've come full circle. I think a few things can be said. 90% of the time, any aircraft that has CAS as a sub-sub-sub mission will suffice in Afghanistan. When shit hits the fan, its is best to have the guys who do it for a living flying an aircraft built for CAS. Again, doesn't matter, USAF leadership has sold its soul to the F-35 and that bill will be paid with CAS capability and blood in the future.

I understand how the Army views USAF CAS platforms, and since I spent many years training with JTACS and Army dudes, I understand that they make mistakes, I know pilots make tons of mistakes and is why we train so meticulously to mitigate those things. I stand by it...THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED especially in current Afghanistan. As for night, Afghanistan CAS is easier at night....well, when you can look outside that is. Here is a few things an A-10 can do to mitigate a B-1 cannot, correct me if I misunderstand 1. Look outside at night to see IR strobes/pointer 2. have two jets/look angles/pods 3. throw down a low CDE weapon (rx/gun) first to mark/verify There's more but its sad I've heard a few dudes say "See, it wasn't the B-1's fault"...bullshit, this should not have happened and is why we have and need dedicated CAS culture. But hell, like I said, the USAF has no problem claiming JV CAS is good enough. Frat happens, it should not. It is almost always the fault of the pilot/crew. This chain could have been broken and should have been. I do think that if an F-16/A-10/E model was there, this might not have happened.

You mean doing CAS is more than just strapping a TGP to anything that flies? Quick, tell this to USAF leadership, oh too late, they could care less about CAS except when boasting stats. 5 people died, yeah that was months ago and they were Army guys so they won;t count against our yearly fatalities on ppt. Just tell the premier B-1 CAS crews they can't see IR strobes in the TGP and to keep doing the best they can. The Hog...pffft, we'll try to get it out of the picture next year again. An F-35 with the helmet would have seen the strobes. That's the solution...the F-35. Oh, and tell the Army guys to get their shit together...CAS is simply the Army telling the aircrew coordinates and having a bomb dropped on the grids...its not tough, any USAF plane can do it.

Question: I am at contracted civilian school near a number of bases in the DC area but my orders show my unit in Arlington VA (not on a base). I am PCSing, do I need to stay on a base for TLE or since my orders have Arlington, can I stay at a more convenient hotel?

I heard its only for a year or two with possibly having to go to Afghanistan. Truth?

Can someone give some accurate details on the shenanigans? I'm not asking for names, just pictures of the chicks, types of booze and how many FAIPs ended up in AWACs. Emphasis on the photos.

Heard Faips were F-ing students......truth? Same as always, only they got caught apparantly.

SOFA question: I know in Korea for example non command sponsored dependents get SOFA but does anyone know in Europe if it is the same?

Update: I asked my gaining rater for help in filing an appeal since the process has taken 90+ days already. He essentially told me that he didn't want to take a chance dealing with medical issues and within 12 hour canceled my assignment. Of course the only notice I got of the cancellation was an automated email. sidenote: The guy is a non rated Col and I felt as if I was talking to a person with 1/2 his brain (no kidding) IF ANYONE ON HERE EVER SEEKS MEDICAL ADVICE VOLUNTARILY....DO NOT!!!! My family got Q coded for a minor problem. The system is not designed to help you no matter what they say and decisions will be made by people who have never met you or your family or could give a Fck!! I went from dream assignment to probable f-'d in 12 hours for subjective opinion on a cured minor condition. Anyone is free to PM me if they need lessons learned or deals. Or if you have advice, I'm still working all angles I know.

Ahh, the great part of this is my chain of command is Army which makes it even more fun since all my EFMP is done at a AF base. So far not one suspense has been met by the medical community....on either continent.

So I have an OS assignment I am going on either accompanied/unaccompanied...one family member was given a "not recommended for OS travel" for a condition that has since been outgrown. We appealed, had full support of losing and gaining base medical only to be disapproved by MAJCOM for a condition that does't exist so 2/3 dependent are command sponsored. I was told no more appeals, tuition at overseas school is paid, there is no chance of recurrence so we are going without that dependent listed on orders. Can anyone add to my list of drawbacks/considerations. Its a remote location so the loss of base facilities is not a factor. 1. Travel for family member is not funded. 2. Need to enroll them in Tricare overseas standard 3. Need a visa 4. No travel per diem (TLA), less cola Anyone ever deal with this sort of cloosterfook?

Today I used the MPF at a Marine base and was shocked. I honestly felt like I was in a different military. After weeks of dealing with inept, lazy USAF support personnel and civilians to PCS, I was utterly amazed at the difference in professionalism and work that I saw. I was not in uniform so no indication of rank. Makes me really think the USAF has a SEVERE culture problem (on the support side that is)

I like Sprey but if it were up to him we'd have F-5's instead of F-15C's so he's off on a few points as he mostly thinks about A/A potential simply in terms of BFM capability. He's right on about the CAS potential but hey, all the F-35 has to do is outperform a B-1 for the USAF to call it the "best CAS platform ever". That being said, I have not heard one great thing about the F-35 from the people working the program or the pilots flying it other than the standard USAF push line on how great it will be (when we go to war with China) via ppt slides.

I had a lot of fun at the clubs on UPT assignment/grad nights and in Korea. At other clubs, SF actually sat outside waiting to harass people after a function. Also, I found at most holiday brunches I could get better food from the local buffet for 1/2 the price me and my buds who ate there all got sick as fook. But whining about the club like some on here is super Gaaaay as there are a lot bigger things to bitch about that matter. End thread//

Std tacform UPT board diagram Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!

I still want to hear about the rest (most) of the war when stealth has done its job, most IADs are down and troops need CAS, who will operate in that niche where AAA/MP are the threat? Tell me the aircraft designed to operate in a high AAA/MP threat environment. I wonder how the F-35 does against barrage fire?

I don't think its a B-1 vs A-10. Something needed to be cut to pay for the shitshow we know as the F-35 due to congress and USAF leadership simultaneously screwing the pooch. But here are the facts: 1. The B-1 v A-10 CAS argument is flat out dumb. The B-1 can drop bombs in Afghanistan....it can't do CAS in many other scenarios effectively. Likewise the A-10 Can't launch JASSM, carry 30 JDAM or fly supersonic. You can't call the B-1 an attack platform or the A-10 a bomber. 2. Leadership is horrible at predicting future conflict. China/Russia....Probably not where we see action next. 3. Needed weapons. Again leadership has a poor history. Anyone read about the A-16? We need a balance of deterrent airframes (B-2, F-22, F-35) and ones that will do the work everywhere else (F-16, F-15E, A-10) 4. Contested environment? We talk as if radar threats are the only ones out there. AAA/manpads....Good luck F-35. The A-10 was designed to operate in an environment where speed and stealth aren't the important factors. Any legacy fighter is toast versus the newest SAMs, not just a hog. 5. Afghanistan has ruined the definition of CAS.

Anyone know of a good place in the DC area to do a ATP check?

Anyone else get hit on taxes because the ACP put them over the limit for ROTH IRA contributions? I am not tax savvy so wondering if anyone has a good idea for avoiding the penalty.

I love how Robin Olds is the poster child for the new USAF sanctioned mustache March but absent is the real history behind it. "It (mustache) became the middle finger I couldn't raise in PR photographs. The mustache became my silent last word in the verbal battles I was losing with HHQ on rules, targets and fighting the war. -Robin Olds Count me out. I'll be damned if I'll take part in one more diluted "we are all equal" USAF tradition. 12 yrs was a good run but the new MM for me is not growing one at all and calling out the people who don;t even understand the real non-censored history behind it.

I'd like tot see how the F-35B does vs armor with no AGM-65s and <200 rnds of 25MM.

Today I laughed when I saw a unit safety rep posting a flyer on the safety board.....special interest item......Thrill rides not allowed. I was perplexed so I had to the fine print as to what a thrill ride was. Apparently some dude morted himself by riding a motorbike at 100+ mph after smoking pot. Thankfully the USAF has solved the problem with this ban that laws and common sense could not and there go my weekend plans. I only wish this ban had been in place to save that young military member before he smoked his joint and got on his bike because if he saw this....I know he would have obeyed.

Take pics, put in a file and if you get passed over/career not where you want it, scream harassment and blame it on fighter culture racism.

Liquid, I won't argue they make me a better warfighter...they don't. You need to understand that it isn't about the women or dirty language that is pissing everyone off. Its the fact that the USAF is riddled with serious problems and leadership has gone full retard to stamp out things that anyone with a 69 IQ can tell is not really a problem and is just for show to the politicians. Instead of finding the real issues, the USAF has focused on fighter culture because it is visible. You want some of the best/brightest officers to work 14 hour days, work on weekends and think you can get that by treating them like A1C dumbass? See where this gets you in a few years.

Glad to see Liquid back with his view. Maybe I could send him some pictures and he could tell me at what level I should be sexually offended at the workplace so that I may as a leader pass my USAF learned sensitivity and subjective morality scale onto the enlisted guys/gals that work for me. Then I could figure out when I am supposed to be upset when I work out at the gym an see girls in tights or read an af.mil news article where they show bodybuilders. Liquid, I work with many senior leaders who at least in the bar will admit this is CYA Bullshit and is hurting the service more overall than it is helping but their hands are tied and must enforce it. You seem to have bought into it what we are doing and how we are executing is right which worries me. I just saw a list of actions and punishments against senior leaders during this with hunt and I was blown away with how far we have taken it. Makes me wonder who would want to even be a CC in this environment. I bet I could act more like a warfighter at the local knitting club than I can in the USAF.