BitteEinBit

Ah yes, the beginning of "even more with less"...Good luck gents...we're all counting on you!

What a cruel joke to play! I sat and watched that shit for 7 hours and 31 minutes and 7 seconds to see it...and it was just like the rest of the damn video! Thats BS!

Damn! Again, just a tease! No hot-ass stripper to bang...be back in 69 seconds.

More disturbing than the fact that she gave birth at 532 lbs is the that someone f*cked her at 532 lbs... I know big girls need love too...but DAMN! (...and not IT)

That is why I think our organization is in danger. We say we are short of pilots for the mission we are being asked to do...Big Blue solution: reduce pilot manpower requirements so the numbers look better even though the missions we are asked to do don't get reduced. We say we are short on experience...Big Blue solution: change the rules that define "experience." At the same time, we force out our real experience in Sr NCOs and FGOs by reducing HYT and not offering continuation to passed over officers (I understand fiscal constraints). We take our young officers and rush them through development, making them focus more on PME and AADs and less on their primary jobs where they actually get experience and become competent. Where does that leave us? With a lot of very smart (at least on paper) academics with no real tactical competence who now have to lead manage the next group of young airmen into our next war. That scares me. I remember a time when we upgraded people to IP or made them Flt CCs because they were good at what they did and were ready for it. Now we do it because we are trying to fill quotas and get people the jobs they need before their "first look." We are getting negative feedback from the FTUs about the quality of candidates we are sending. Maybe it is just my unit...or is anyone else noticing these trends? Sure, I'm speaking in GENERAL terms...we have very bright officers out there making sh*t happen, but I'm starting to see more and more of our young LTs/Capts who are just worried about checking the square than they are on actually being the best at their primary job. And now on top of rushing our younger force through professional development with odd jobs outside the squadron where they don't fly enough, the AF wants to reduce flying hours and change the definition of "experience" too? Is that the answer? We lower the standards? Is that the reason SATISFACTORY on an ORI is the new "norm?" That scares me more...

For you my friend...it will get worse before it gets better. We are about to see "more with less" like we've never seen it before....

YGBFSM! I've had enough. I'm genuinely concerned about the future of our Air Force if this is the sh*t we are going to focus on. They are making THIS a requirement but many MANY don't even know the AFIs that apply to their PRIMARY DUTY! This is an EPIC FAIL in "leadership" like I have never seen before. He must have spent HOURS writing that e-mail...I couldn't even finish reading it. Imagine all the untucked shirts and flip flops running around ASAB right now. If this is the shit we are going to focus on, then I don't belong in this Air Force any longer. Sorry, this focus is not going to save my life or get my mission done. My God...how did we ever project airpower before the Airman's Creed?? To the Chief...please take your own advice in your "bottom line" You have lost track...get back to the fight...NOW!

I like the "Thats the way it is/has always been" attitude. I've always wondered at what point in one's career that attitude started molding itself in the minds of our fearful "leaders" It seems like people are just afraid of change no matter how much sense it makes because they feel safe with the way things are...they won't get fired if they just keep it the way it is. Yet we will spend waste millions of dollars and man hours making subtle changes to uniform regs about hairy legs and yellow t-shirts when it makes absolutely NO sense (ok, maybe the chick hairy legs part makes sense) Ask yourself this: If the Air Force changed the rules (back) to masked Masters degrees, would you all of the sudden support the idea because "thats the way it is?" or would you be against it? Or is there another reason you support getting a Masters as a Lt so much? IMO, it seems the only people who are against masked Master's degrees are the ones who most rely on that AAD to help them stand out. The bottom line is that the way we manage the AAD for officers promotes wasteful spending...period. You can argue that it is the "game" and "just do it because thats the way it is" but it doesn't mean that we are using those funds and the AAD program to our advantage. You have people getting a BS online quickie Masters two years into their career who otherwise would not get one JUST so they stay in the game. The degree is worthless to both the individual and the Air Force if that person just picked the online degree they can finish quickest. Who does it benefit?...the online school that is overcharging for the degree in the first place. In addition to completing your degree too early, depending on your degree, you have to worry about degree recency requirements. Just look at some of the current job requirements out there...some of them require a Masters degree within the past 10 years. How competitive do you think you'll be with an MBA or Aviation Systems Masters from the 80s or 90s (or insert your current degree 20 years from now)? IMO, to use a Master's degree as a tool to measure potential leadership is some of the most backwards thinking I've ever seen. We should be using them to help the Air Force and our mission. I have never met a single person in my life who all of the sudden became a great leader the day after they graduated from their Master's program. Not once did I ever watch a true leader in action and think to myself "Wow, I wonder what kind of Master's degree that guy has." I know O-5s and a few O-6s without Master's degrees (not including the ones awarded at PME), and they seem to be doing just fine in leadership positions. Imagine that... I will always say education is important. It is important because it promotes innovative thinking (the exact opposite of "thats the way it has always been" thinking), brings new ideas to the table, and allows for networking of best practice ideas that could change the way we operate as an organization. The people most suited to make those operational level changes/decisions are not Lts and Capt, but rather Majors and Lt Cols...the people we should be targeting for specialized AADs. The irony is that we HAVE a highly educated force, yet some still have the "thats the way it has always been" mindset...probably because that education isn't serving the purpose I've indicated above, but rather box checking and promotion opportunity (sarcasm) The culture has to change. In these times of fiscal constraints, we are going to have to figure out ways to better spend our money. TA and other education programs are lower hanging fruit and are going to change, the money just isn't there anymore. We just let 157 experienced officers walk because we can't "afford" them. I'm calling on all the highly educated officers out there...this is just one of many ways we misuse our funds...with all that education, surely you can figure out how to do this smartly instead of just saying "thats the way it is/has always been." I think I've kicked the sh*t out of this dead horse.... Edited for grammar (gotta look smart)

Exactly the reason it is wasteful spending...(in this case) it benefits NO ONE. I'm sure your record is probably good enough to get promoted without it... And that is my point... Edited for context

What Rainman said. Enjoy your time while you're young and innocent! We bitch about a lot of things bad about the Air Force, but there are 10X as many things GOOD about the Air Force. Very few, if any, of these things we bitch about would make ME leave the Air Force by themselves. The last thing I want to do is discourage new bubbas from joining the Air Force. I personally bitch about these things because it wasn't always that way, and somehow we managed to promote people back then (to Capt/Major specifically) without using Master's degrees as a discriminator. We really aren't helping anyone by FORCING young dudes to get a Masters 2 years into their careers...especially those who make a career out of the military. What exactly are you going to do with an 18 year old Masters degree when you get out at 20? You're going to go back to school to get current again... Lt, you're in a good position (STS) with your fresh perspective to help identify and fix some of these inefficiencies. Don't be discouraged...at least you know they are out there! Yes, I think things will change for the better... Edit for spelling...

Bergman, nothing against you personally, but that attitude and line of thinking is exactly the reason why we waste money and no one cares to change it. You are correct, that is the way it is TODAY and if you want to get promoted high enough to help make changes, you have to do it. But continuing the attitude of "that's the way it is or has always been" is the reason why officers who bitched about these very things 10 years ago are the same ones dishing it out today. They are in a position to change it but they don't because now that they have been promoted things like that don't seem that important and why? "That's what they had to do to get promoted." All I'm saying is how we mandate it TODAY promotes inefficiencies and wasteful spending. Using when you complete a masters as a measuring stick for promotion is backwards thinking. It assumes everyone is afforded the same amount of free time to complete it. Good luck AFSOC bubbas! It shouldn't be a requirement for Lt, Capts or promotion to Major, and it needs to change...TODAY. We no longer have the money to support this inefficiency. Again, education is important. The AF is going to pay for your Masters, so do it for YOU. But, don't penalize those who do it on their own timeline. How about using something like, I don't know, JOB KNOWLEDGE AND PERFORMANCE to measure if someone is promotable or not...just a thought.

SHACK! I get it...commanders are busy. Senior raters just don't have the time to get to know EVERYONE. Using PME/AAD as a discriminator just makes their job easier when dishing out Ps and DPs. I've seen it firsthand where senior raters don't even look at packages (STS) but separate the P's and DP's by who has a Masters and who doesn't. They are essentially trying to make it easier to distinguish between officers that they perceive as "leaders" because they show drive and initiative and those who "just do their jobs." It appears that they aren't even looking at OPRs anymore. Why would they? It is time consuming, has a lot of fluff, and everyone is a winner. They look not only at IF you have an AAD/PME but WHEN you finished it. Really? That makes a great leader? I guess that makes our missileer force the best of the best since in the course of doing their jobs on alert, they are afforded the greatest opportunity to finish PME/Masters the fastest. So, in short...I do the ACSC Master's program, takes a year and a half to finish, I graduate with a 4.0, I get another Masters out of it...but somehow Capt Shmuckatelli does the crash course, finished in 6 weeks, min ran the program with 75% (or whatever the min score is) and somehow he is a better leader than I am? Is this really the line of thinking? CC's and former CC's please chime in... One last time on the Masters issue. I know the Air Force isn't a "business" but I'm making this comparison to make my point about the way these "leaders" think. They keep talking about our benefits as they compare to the private sector...well, why don't we look at our TERRIBLE "business practices" as they compare to the private sector. Name ONE company out there who pays for all of its employees to get Masters degrees so they can use that as a measuring stick to promote them (regardless of the type of degree)? I'm all for TA and our people getting degrees that could help them when they decide to get out, but don't FORCE people to get a quickie Masters just to make them promotable when the degree they are forced to get doesn't help the individual or the Air Force. How about measuring how effective people are at their jobs, promote them, and then send them to specialized schools to make them even BETTER at doing their jobs? You can talk about doing it to "check the box," thats how it works these days...and it is wasteful, inefficient, and does nothing to help the AF. Brilliant thinking "leadership." I see this "business" going far!

I see what you're saying about not having the time as a senior Capt/Maj to work on a Masters degree the way things are run TODAY, but I think it is because you are looking at it as just a requirement to "check the box" to get promoted instead of a program that could benefit the AF. That goes back to my point from Gen Jumper's policy...If you need to get a Masters, the Air Force will send you. So YES if we do it right, you will have time as a Major to do your masters if the AF is sending you to get a Masters. While you're a LT/Capt, you'll have more time to learn your job, run Stan/Eval, instruct FNGs, spend time with family all without worrying about Master's classes because the AF will send you later when you get that staff job that requires it. Spending millions of dollars on worthless degrees so someone can look good to a promotion board and the Air Force can brag about percentages of officers with AAD is wasteful. The way I look at a Masters degree is that the Air Force SHOULD be spending money on AADs that directly benefit the USAF. A career pilot with a Masters of Health Science degree isn't helping anyone. Sending an officer to get a Masters of Logistics Management or Operations Management or Human Factors in Safety, because you plan to put them in job that uses that degree, makes sense to me. The way we do it now does not.

...It isn't DOING the Masters, but rather the fact that the Air Force uses it as the ONLY thing that matters these days. For promotion to Lt Col, sure, I get it, but we shouldn't be forcing Lts and Capts to finish a Masters to make Major. Let them focus on the tactical level of employment...save the Masters for the operational and strategic levels where they could actually use them if everyone at the tactical level wasn't getting some BS basket weaving Masters just to fill a square. I like the Jumper mentality...we'll send you to get a Masters if we think you need one. Lts and Capts don't need them. We waste a lot of money getting our Lts and Capts BS Masters degrees they'll never use just to make them look good and so we as a service can brag about 96.69% of the officer corps having advanced degrees. Education is important, and I believe there is a time and place during career development for it. A new LT at a squadron trying to learn his/her primary job is NOT the time. We've been doing it that way for about 8 years now. We look f*cking awesome when it comes to AAD stats, but we aren't as good at our jobs as we could be. We will soon see the negative consequences of the misguided focus in failed ORIs, lowered standards, and (God forbid) mishaps. I hope I'm wrong on this one. By the way, when did you finish your Masters? As a LT or senior Capt/Major (back when senior Capts had 11-12 years of service). No, they aren't fun anymore. Not sure how long you've been out but drinking is frowned upon these days (not that you have to drink to have fun). We even used to have play money casinos at our Christmas parties before leadership frowned on it saying it promoted gambling. If I were to make it my kind of "fun" it would certainly get me in trouble. I wouldn't quit for it though... I don't think we do these often enough for it to matter. Agree...show up and run. You were probably going to go to the gym anyway. Rainman, I agree with what you say most of the time. You bring a "big picture" perspective to a lot of the gripes on here and I like that. I only disagree with your assertion that the gripes of these younger officers are something they can ignore without consequences. Sure, bringing gripes like Christmas parties and warrior runs from the tactical level directly to the CSAF doesn't make sense, but the message isn't getting past our leadership and there isn't much anyone at our level can do about it. Ignoring it or just conforming isn't the answer. The focus and the culture has to change. I just hope that these same young officers complaining about these things aren't the same ones 10 years from now dishing it out. Edited for format

I like your optimism...you must work at the Pentagon or some staff and tell the bosses "yes Sir, everything is great Sir!" even though they are not. Rewind back in time to the mid 90s (you may be too young for this)...yes, pilots got out in droves. And just think...they were deploying less, putting up with less BS (AAD/PME emphasis), and actually doing more "fun" flying with less office work (the days of the OST). Do you remember when and why the "pilot/nav bonuses" started? I think you're spot on if you're talking about those on the support side of the house probably not getting out...the job market is a little different right now on the outside for those guys. But then again, most non-rated AFSC aren't being offered $25K bonuses either. However, if you think those on the rated side won't get out because they are "addicted" to benefits that congress is currently talking about taking away, you Sir, are sorely mistaken. I'll be sure to revive this thread after Oct 2012 when the AF finally figures it out...I'll see your call and raise you a stop loss/higher bonus proposal courtesy of the USAF probably starting in FY2013. This isn't new...we've seen this before. Probably because you can't afford to get out because you're not ready. Stay in...hopefully you'll be the change for "what you think is wrong with the Air Force." As for me, I'll give up my "addiction" because I can, and I'm ready...

I was surprised about the 20% too...but even more surprised at the enormous costs associated with such a small percentage of retirees that continues to rise. I think this new "retirement" system that pretends to be "fair" to all who serve is really just an attempt to create another pot of money (required TSP contributions) to raid in order to fund the current retirees until they can find another solution. I think they are hoping this new investment strategy lasts long enough to fund and eventually phase out the 20-year annuity retirees so there will no longer be a liability. We are living longer, so it will obviously take decades before that happens. The problem is that I don't see people motivated to stay longer than 10 years...so in the long run, the DoD spends billions of dollars training new recruits to replace the ones who are no longer motivated to stay in past 10 years. Where are the savings? If I were coming into the military today under the new retirement system, I would contribute for 10 years into the TSP, get my free education, free $1M flight training, and transfer my investments to a real 401k when I transition to the airlines. Other than patriotism, give me another reason why I should stay any longer than that? My question is what other benefits will they offer to keep people in past 10 years in order to continue "funding" the current benefits?Because we are living longer, the retirement benefits currently funded by DoD won't decrease fast enough in series with the proposed defense budget cuts. So, in theory, entitlement spending for DoD will become a larger percentage of the smaller DoD budget. It has to be funded somehow...

We all know changes are coming to the current retirement system, the questions is how drastic will the changes be and how drastic will the effects be on the force. There are a lot of different plans out there...the one I think is most likely to be implemented is the one that takes a snap shot of the current force and offers a percentage of current years served as retirement at 20 in addition to matching TSP contributions between implementation date and 20 years of service. They sound like great ideas on paper when it comes to saving money, but I think it will have severe impacts on our readiness and force structure of the future...specifically 10 years from now. Here are a few points to consider: If there is no longer an incentive to stay in past 20 for a guaranteed annuity, where will your leadership come from? What benefits are left that would keep people in up to or past 20? Will the strength of the force become dependent on the investment market? In other words, will people start to take the money and run at 15 years if it looks like the stock market will crash? What happens to people at 19 or 20 years who are invested in the TSP when the market crashes? What happens to the readiness of the force if while at war the market is in flux? Should our troops have to worry about their nest egg while fighting a war because the market is in flux due to irresponsible government spending? This new retirement system seem to be just a pay cut, especially to our younger troops. TSP becomes mandatory and is only "matched" up to 16.5%? So SrA Yummybritches has to invest 16.5% of her already low base pay to save for a retirement that may or may not be there when she hits 20? They make this seem like it is "fair" for everyone who serves, but without a guarantee of a set annuity, I find it hard to believe anyone will stay invested in a retirement fund for much longer than 10 years. We are already hollowing out the force now by forcing out experienced NCOs with the HYT rollbacks and with the FGO RIF that just happened. Now you want to hollow out the force more by implementing a market-dependent retirement system that doesn't encourage anyone with experience to stay longer than 10-15 years? I'd like to get everyone else's thoughts on impact to the force with this new retirement system. I think there is more to it than just trying to save money...and I don't think any of the leadership making these decisions are considering ANY of the implications of any of these new plans. If they have been thinking about them, they haven't addressed them. I know they've talked about targeting certain specialties and increased benefits during wartime, but I think they'll have to apply them to ALL career fields to cover the personnel shortfalls that are going to happen. Thoughts?? Edit for GRAMMAH

(to the panel Chief quoted above) Well Chief you're probably right, only a little morale comes from wearing a colored T-shirt and showing unit pride on Fridays. It is the last of any morale and pride left in units these days. Lets just do away with unit pride altogether...squadrons shouldn't even have colors. Standardize all flight suit patches so they are the same color...squadron patches can just be a big white patch with bold black letters (insert unit here) so people know which squadron you're from. We'll make name patches Air Force blue so everyone looks the same (although you'd probably f*ck that up trying make a "rule" to determine which shade of blue to use). You're obviously disconnected from your "troops" if you can't understand how important a little bit of unit pride and morale (regardless of how small) means to a squadron in which morale is lacking because of all the BS they have to put up with on a daily basis...and yes, that is part of a bigger problem that you're too disconnected to see. We've been wearing squadron T-shirts as far back as I can remember (wasn't 'against the rules' that whole time)...and in 35 years I don't remember Amn Snuffy ever being confused about breaking rules regarding which T-shirt to wear until you made all of these stupid rules to follow. If you are worried about Amn Snuffy being "confused" about breaking rules because people are wearing colored T-shirts, then yes, we have bigger problems that standardizing T-shirts will not fix. I would put more focus on making sure Amn Snuffy is familiar with rules and AFIs that apply to his job so he can do it more efficiently and less focus on what you think Amn Snuffy will think just because I'm wearing a yellow T-shirt on Friday. How can you trust Amn Snuffy to do his job if he can't follow the small rules? I really hope that shiny boots and clean sideburns is not how you determine if you trust Amn Snuffy to do his job correctly. Good luck Chief...we're all counting on you!

I bet AFPC doesn't even know...or care right now. Remember, TODAY it is all about end strength...they'll sort out AFSCs once the dust settles. I think the clue light will come on shortly after they run the final numbers for FY2012 after next years non-continuation board for passed over officers AND this year's RIF. Their overall endstrength numbers will be spot on, but they'll realize how short of rated officers they really are...and then wonder how it happened. I really have to shake my head when I hear about AFPC telling deferred officers that they may not get continued due to manning, yet in the same conversation telling the same officer that Palace Chase may not get approved because his career field is critically manned. Part of me is saying there is no way that conversation actually happened...but then I look at how AFPC is (mis)managing this "drawdown" and I can see them saying just that. They really are that task focused on overall endstrength that they are completely ignoring the trainwreck getting ready to happen in front of them. I REALLY want to give the Air Force the benefit of the doubt that they are anticipating what is getting ready to happen with the rated force. There is no way they are completely oblivious to what everyone in the industry is reporting. There HAS to be a reason they are ignoring it...AF rated requirements MUST be going down. Either way, I'm getting the popcorn maker ready...extra buttah! Are there any A1 types or anyone "in the know" on this board that can shed some light on the rationale behind the AF thought process? Are we still putting bets on the date of the rated recall/rated stop loss?

What are you talking about? Fighter pilot with more than 17 years have the highest retention rates EVER! The Air Force isn't worried, we have plenty of fighter pilots...PA said so! (simulated sarcasm emoticon HERE)

Leave the Eastern Europe women out of this! Oh, wait...you mean...nevermind....

I think the flying incompetence has a little more to do with the fact that the AF makes you focus more on PME and AAD rather than flying. Some of those really smart low-flying-time PME/AAD guys need all the additional SA TCAS can provide. Yes, our pilots are becoming a little more lazy and a little too dependent on technology instead of using it as an enhancement tool. It will only get worse as long as we continue to make rated officers focus on the wrong shit at the wrong time. But to stay on point...it isn't about being the best, most competent pilot anymore, but rather making sure you check those PME/AAD boxes so we don't get RIFd and we can make it to retirement before they change it...

Seriously...who sits down and thinks of these details?!? Zippers zipped when the cap isn't in it? So now when I walk into a building from outside I have to bend over in an awkward stance a few seconds longer as I first unzip my pocket, then put my cap in it. Likewise going out? Now I'm holding up traffic as I exit the building. Isn't that a fire hazard?? I guess that leaves you bent over long enough for the AF to f*ck you some more... P.S. Might not be as bad to watch when hot chick airman yummy britches does it...

Not to hijack the thread...but....was she hot?

I wonder if the good Capt was PME/Masters complete.... Happy Independence Day!