BitteEinBit

I almost posted a long winded response that pretty much says the same thing this one does. No one in upper management will ever say the "system is broken" because it is working for them. But that "system" is actually perpetuating this environment where people are becoming more and more self serving. I have NEVER met anyone who volunteered for a staff job in order to make improvements for an organizational process...or improvements to anything else for that matter. They volunteer for staff assignments so they can get a school push or a PRF written by a 3-star or above. The goal today is not to make the organization better, but rather to secure a promotion so I can make it to 20. Just ask around and see who actually plans to stay past 20...I haven't met any yet. Why 20? What is so magic about that number? Why aren't people talking about making it to 30? Why, because we have a self-serving goal...and for a lot of people, it isn't making this organization better, but rather, doing enough to get by without changing anything or making any important decisions that could get me in trouble, non-selected for promotion, and (nowadays) possibly kicked out of the service....I have to make it to 20. That my friends, is the min-run Air Force...and we have created this environment and have rewarded people for living it. The reality is if you want to make it to that magic number, you have to play the game and take care of yourself first....which from what I remember in SOS several years ago is exactly opposite of those things they call "Core Values." Mission first (alone) will not help you succeed. It is self first, and I'll get to the mission after I'm done with my Masters paper, but I'm only going to do enough to get noticed for my efforts and not get in trouble. The secret to success in this organization is simple given the current environment: take care of yourself, prepare for life outside the Air Force, do the best you can while you are still in the Air Force (in that order). People on this thread aren't just making this sh*t up. If leadership is lurking, please listen to what your junior members are saying. Junior members, bitch, yes, but give some solutions to the problems as well. Sure, this isn't going to change overnight, but we need to change the culture back to the real "Core Values"...whatever they are these days. Stop rewarding self-serving behavior. Ok, so that was still long winded...

I really hate to see dudes bitter about the Air Force these days. It seems like just yesterday we were all still having fun. WTF happened?!? I say do what is best for you and your family (if you have one)! I hate to see good dudes punch while douches stay behind. Good luck to all of you dudes and hot dudettes who decide to leave! I don't know if this is the reason the ACP is being delayed, but the Air Force put themselves in this hole...can't get a good "bonus" approved because they were irresponsible with cuts the past few years...and now someone has to explain why we are trying to offer a good bonus to keep bubbas in when we just paid a bunch to go. I really wish it was Schwartz in the hot seat on that one....

He is very passionate about his math and statistics....and is at least 8x angrier than the previous 69 posters on BODN.

Now quantify your argument by informing us how many of those "violent" crimes reported are in fact "pushing and shoving." Just giving us a definition doesn't tell us anything about their actual crime rate vs ours. A better comparison would be like crimes to like crimes, ie murder rate to murder rate. Just sayin....

Yes, we should be able to establish good habit patterns at home, but that would mean we actually focus on flying and there are flying training hours available. Otherwise, we are just stuck doing the minimums to meet RAP or currency so we look good on paper. After all, we have a Christmas party to plan...ain't nobody got time for flying!

It is this kind of thinking and joking around that creates a culture tolerant of deviant sexual behavior in this Air Force! But on a more serious note....where can I sign up to get one of those strippers!?!? Keep in mind, any bonus you sign is not intended to benefit you in any way unless you are in it for the money (which really isn't much). All the bonus does is obligates you to Big Blue, it does not obligate Big Blue to you. In other words, while you can't get out of your "10-year" deal, Big Blue can release you at any time from your 10-year deal no questions asked. So it doesn't guarantee anything especially a career to 20 years and a pension. This is a type of "force management" without actually having to manage. They know they have you because you can't leave, but they can cut you if they realize they don't need you. Having "free agents" in a world of 365s to Shitcrackistan and 7-day opts forces Big Blue to actually manage people and they don't want to have to do that. As long as you know that going in, you won't be disappointed if you get RIFd, bonus or no bonus, when the Air Force has to draw down. I do find it ironic how the AF spent so much time and money RIFing and VSPing pilots, giving them money to separate, and then asking Congress for more money to fund a program to keep pilots in...no one ever saw that coming.

I don't believe it happened...I want to see proof....

What the f*ck are we supposed to call them then?!? All jokes aside...the next few months are going to be painful with all this new sexual assault prevention training. The irony of all this happening just after celebrating "Sexual Assault Prevention Month" in April....SMH. Are they offering early retirement?!?

I'm offended that someone finds the things I like (women in bikinis, Hooter calendars,etc) offensive. These are my personal things in my personal work/living space and I hate being chastized for it....in fact, it makes me feel that I'm being discriminated against and creates a hostile work environment for me. What are you going to do about it Mr SECAF, Mr SECDEF, Mr POTUS? I means seriously, are people really so f*cking offended at bikinis? WTF do they do when they go to the beach? Or the base swimming pool? Are they going to ban bikinis there too? I mean, I might see Amn Yummy Britches from finance there with her perfect 36C boobies in that bikini, and it would just create an uncomfortable work environment when I'm sitting waiting at finance when she calls my name, and now I have wood in my flightsuit because I'm thinking about how she looked at the pool last weekend.... It might be time for me to go... Rant - (OH EFF EFF)

Why only look for pictures of women? Can men not be degraded? Remember, this is the "new" military....you never know what you'll find in the workplace these days.

This is all for show...DoD has to look like they are doing SOMETHING. We aren't going to fix this problem overnight...probably not even in the next decade. I hate to say it but this sh*t will keep happening as long as we have TDYs to exotic places where people go and blow off steam. People are going to keep drinking and making bad decisions...drunk women are still going to keep going home with dudes thinking they are going to get tea and scrumpets and then get surprised there are no scrumpets. Dudes are still going to go TDY to Thailand and party with the local girls (and ladyboys if you're not careful) and help populate Asia. We are humans, and the media all over the world glamorizes sex and sexy things. It is what sells. Those quiet guys you think are poster boy/girl Air Force are probably some of the dirtiest people out there. Don't be fooled. Sure, there are some straight arrows out there...but come on, that Squadron Bar Daily Photo thread is almost always in the top 10 threads. In fact, I'm going to visit it right now....

Mr President, All I am saying is that the budget cuts we are being forced to make due to sequestration are almost manageable as long as you also cut the ops tempo. Our bubbas and bubbettes are already stretched thin...either cut our ops tempo or stop cutting our budget. Budget Cuts, Syria pose perfect storm for Air Force

Unfortunately the timing on this sucks for him. While I still don't think he's guilty, certainly this doesn't help the "he's an upstanding officer and husband" defense Lt Gen Franklin used (partly) in dropping the conviction. All that aside, something he did 10 years ago doesn't make him guilty in THIS case, but of course with all the sh*t going on right now with sexual assault and the Air Force, I see politics and the media playing a big part in what happens next. Timing is everything...

No way....CBTs are the answer to all of our problems. Maybe this one just wasn't long enough....we should add more modules.

We don't need ACP...we have more than enough pilots who are volunteering to stay.... The Air Force has this under control!

The Air Force doesn't really care about diversity. It only cares that you drink the blue kool aid and think the way they want you to think. Anyone out of line is RIFd, retired or hidden as to not bring new and different ideas to the masses. The Air Force defines diversity as (among other things): educational background, work experience, cultural knowledge? If that were the case, it would promote/retain those with AADs at the same rate as those without. It would promote/retain those who flew the line three assignments in a row at the same rate it does those who hid on staff and exec tours instead of deploying. It would promote/retain those who have deployed around the world experienceing different cultures at the same rate as those who managed to homestead their entire careers working joint staff at the Pentagon or Forces Command. The Air Force doesn't do these things. The promotion/retention statistics tell a different story. The Air Force promotes/retains those who fit a specific model. It has little to do with actual diversity and more to do with the appearance of diversity. I look at it as "group think" in color. They just managed to get different races, genders, sexual orientations on board so as to "look" diverse...but if everyone thinks the same way, it isn't diversity. I'm with Disgruntledemployee on this one....I care more about getting the mission done than I do about making sure we have a rainbow of fruit flavors trying to look good getting it done half-assedly. I don't care what the racial, gender or cultural mix of the group is, I only care that I have the best of the best getting it done...and that doesn't necessarily mean the guy with two Master's degrees and three Christmas party planning leads under his belt.

What? You mean I don't have the constitutional right to free speech here? Or is it only when you don't agree? I'm just asking....as a military officer and American and all....I just want to understand.

Yeah, we should have tried just talking to these young men....maybe offer them some ice cream and they surely would have put down their guns. And we need tougher pressure cooker laws....if we had more restrictions on the purchase of pressure cookers and ball bearings, none of this would have happened! (I know, that argument sounds ridiculous doesn't it....imagine that)

WOLVERINES!!!!

You must be a "Master" Sergeant.....

Holy shit...I was going to say "WTF, just a link and no words?" but then I realized it was for effect....there are just no words for this....

Delete this post immediately before someone reads it and thinks it is a great idea..... We'll soon get rid of "Master" Sergeant because Master has racial undertones...and Senior Master might actually offend old people. Chief is already on the chopping block because the "Navaho Navaho Navaho" nation is offended....Greenpeace won't let us use oak leafs anymore because it is a symbol of the earth we destroy with our "bombs and missiles"...the possibilities are endless....

. You are much more knowledgable on exemptions for HIPPA than I am...I can't even begin to think of how this is a HIPPA violation, but I'm also not a lawyer. From what I remember seeing in past referral EPR/OPRs regarding PT test failures, the only verbiage I recall was just that the member "failed to meet minimum standards for physical fitness" or something to that effect. Nowhere does it mention anything about medical conditions. Perhaps in this case it does...I don't know. But I can't see something like this going to court...but rather just the HIPPA gods determining if it is a violation or not. My guess is no....but good on them for trying.

Well, if we are going to talk about cost (or future cost), why don't we also target smokers who are at risk for developing costly cancer. If you smoke, you're out. Or how about anyone who has a family history of multiple sclerosis or any other costly medical disorder...OUtT with you! You know, black people are susceptible to the costly sickle cell blood disorder, they also as a group lead the US in hypertension, and heart disease, OUT with all the black people! What? You have a kid with 'special needs?' you're out!! Oh here is a good one, let's limit the number of dependents someone can have....we can't afford medical care for all of your rugrats! And tell your wife to stop going to the doctor for every sniffle, ache, or ear infection....it is getting costly. out with you and your 10 kids. Or let's just make it simple all together....if the Air Force brainiacs have determined that anything over a 32 inch waist is potentially costly...let's just get rid of anyone with a waist size over 32....problem solved and our medical costs will go to zero. I could go on. If the Air Force wants to target costly medical care, then target specific individuals who are actually costing money instead of putting a group of people who could 'potentially' cost more money on the chopping block because they have a waist measurement over 32. Are we now going to limit how fat dependent wives can get?? Have you seen some of the dependapotamuses out there?? Surely they are costing money... So, the bottom line is: The Air Force has had this new fitness program for 10 years now. As a whole, .we are more fit today than we were 10 years ago. In theory, medical costs should be going down for our mighty Air Force...but they are not. I just can't imagine why. Perhaps it isn't just fat people (anyone with a waist over 32 inches) who are increasing health care expenditures, but rather increasing healthcare costs that are...increasing...our...expen...di...tures...hmmmm. Wait, that just made sense...never mind....keep blaming fatty!!! Edit: disgruntled beat me to it...good add with the high risk motorcycle riders! That high risk activity worksheet...let me take a look at that to see if we need to kick you out. Oh, and no more drinking! It is bad for the liver...shut down all the squadron bars!

Waist measurement has zero bearing on Physical Fitness. While it may be an indicator of future medical issues later in life, it does not always have bearing on ones physical abilities. I have seen fatties run 8:30 mile and a half runs, and I've seen 28 inch skinnies who can't pass the run. It is a useless measure of fitness. The Air Force PT Test is not difficult to pass...even for a fatty. But failing someone who can max the run, pushups and situps but has a 40 inch waist is a foul. While i know it is not likely that the average 40-inch waist fatty is going to run an 8:30 1.5 mile run, I do know a fatty who can do this...but he failed the waist. Now, if the Air Force wants to play the waist measurement game with regard to physical fitness, while at the same time tying large waists to health risks, then they need to reevaluate giving referral EPRs/OPRs when people fail a test for waist measurement. If you think the "waist measurement may be going away" just came out of the blue, let me introduce you to Airman Fatty at a base in NC who just got a referral EPR for failing a PT test for waist measurement who just filed a HIPPA violation against the Air Force. Yes, you heard correctly...someone is claiming HIPPA violation on the grounds that the AF is documenting a medical condition or health risk on an official performance report. People sue for anything these days. Will they win? Who knows...but it sure is coincidence that the AF is suddenly thinking pretty hard about this waist measurement.