Mustache Sally

Once again, this weekend I'll drink for those who can't in Korea...F you, Air Force.

^ This is awesome. I've said it before and I'll say it again: there are work-arounds for most things in the AF, especially idiotic things like Masters degrees. Had I known about Brandman 3 years ago I would have jumped on this in a heartbeat (after all, what girl wouldn't want a "Brandman"?!).

I feel bad for her...on both accounts...

It's not so much becoming an O-5, but becoming a sq CC or DO as an O-5 where I've seen people go from crew dogs to careerist managers. In their previous life, they looked out for their people...but once they stepped into the "leadership" role it was all about them. Just my experience.

We had a good group of guys get picked up for O-5 today in my wing. I hope they keep their heads on straight.

Tank, I'm sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing.

I really don't think there is much we CAN do, unfortunately. That's the problem. I'm in favor of finding and implementing solutions to problems, and we all do it often. I get annoyed at people who bitch about life but then do nothing to improve it, so I'm on board with you. However, the bottom line is this: we can't control others' bad decision making, and we shouldn't be punished for it. Before I joined the AF, I taught high school and had high standards for my students. When the students failed to meet those standards--by not doing the work required and studying--they earned the poor grades they deserved. Guess who was blamed for the students' poor decision-making? Me. Not the students or their parents. Somehow I was supposed to control their every move despite the fact that I didn't raise them and saw them for about an hour a day. Incredibly frustrating, as is the situation at Holloman. What can we do? Here are my thoughts, and they've worked well for me so far: be kind to others. Be trustworthy. Treat those around you like professional, intelligent adults, not errant children or retards. Keep tabs on people without getting all up in their business. If someone's going through a rough patch, take him out to lunch to talk/vent/bitch and make sure he has something fun and constructive to do after work. None of this is mind-blowing, I know...but I have to say I don't see enough of this going on. We are all familiar with the "gotcha!" culture of today's AF and it's killing us. We will never have a 100% solution, but what we can do is simple and I believe it will have a significant positive impact. Does anyone else have ideas? I'm all ears... If Holloman's policy ever makes its way to my wing, and it happens in my squadron, I'll be sitting in my flight suit in the mission planning room teaching my students. I'll take the paperwork that comes after that.

Found this on JQP's Facebook page: https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20140618/NEWS/306180074/Newly-commissioned-Marine-officer-visits-sick-grandpa-first-salute Something uplifting that reminded me how special the military (and the bonds that it can create) is, despite the widespread negativity we currently deal with. It reminds me of my first salute--it was with my grandfather, a WWII vet. While he was not as ill as the gentleman in the article, he was unable to make the trek from Pennsylvania to Maxwell for my commissioning. I flew home the same day and we did the salute in my parents' driveway. Does anyone else have a good first salute story? Now if you'll excuse me, I need a tissue...

Honest question: how is this even legal? I haven't been in the AF very long, and I'm trying to understand how commanders can get away with such inanity. I get it, they are "commanders"...but that doesn't mean they can just do whatever they want. There are limits. Anyone older & wiser care to chime in?

Are you the guy with the sweet vest in the front row?!

I guess I'll drink more this weekend to make up for the lack of drinking in Korea.

Ouch!

WTF is a 1Lt doing as a Wing exec?

I just returned from Nellis. Was glad to see "Home of the Fighter Pilot" on the sign just past the main gate, in its rightful place!

Sad to see AWACS is still being funded. What a worthless piece of junk.

Expect more piss bottles and fecal containers in the dumpsters. There's a work-around for most things in the AF. Hope it was worth it AUAB management!!!

I completely agree Cornholio! For the brief month or so that we had our Friday pieces of flair I nixed my plans to PC into the ANG/Reserves, didn't want to kill myself, and not once did I sexually assault someone! But now that it is gone...here's no telling what I might do. I should log into ADLS to see whether there is a CBT that will properly train me to handle this traumatic incident.

Wing-approved Friday shirts BANNED in my corner of the Air Force UFN. I figured this would happen and totally called it a few months ago. This is exactly why I don't participate in standardized morale. I don't know the story behind it, but here is what I DO know: we need to stop acting like high school JV cheerleaders and act like....oh I don't know...adult MILITARY members. I am just so disgusted by this childish organization. Anyone else out there having Wing-approved wardrobe malfunctions?

Can't wait for the "Child Pornography Prevention and Response" CBT to make its way into my ADLS account. Fahhk.

Same here!

^ Ahh, brilliant! I am totally doing this tomorrow...thanks for the tip! (phrasing)

Yeah, I was tapped (phrasing) for this instructor duty and am pretty pissed about it. I talked to the other female instructor in my sqdn and we both agree that when it is time to "train" the squadron not to rape people, we are going to take this approach: give people good information about the resources at his/her disposal in the event that they become a victim (or perhaps supervise a victim), and make it succinct so that people can get the info and move on with their day. It will absolutely NOT be the usual anti-male, all-guys-in-the-military-are-rapists fare that we've been subjected to for years. At our base, it sounds like the SAPR chick will give us the training and then we the schmucks in the sqdn can tailor it as we see fit. We shall see. I know it is difficult to find a ray of sunshine in this joke of a program, but taking this approach (potentially helping people by giving them good info) rather than looking at it for what it really is (an expensive, flashy, politically correct band-aid) makes me feel a little bit less pissed off about the insane amount of time I'm going to waste over this.

"Presumably it'll be next to the tuna." Gross! Admittedly well played though.

And don't forget all of the hilarious (and truthful) Xtra Normal vids on the Youtubes that simultaneously mock and tell the real story about life in the AF...kids, start taking notes if you haven't already!! Your recruiter will never ever give you our side of the story...

Panch and cgjohnst, I'm really sorry to hear about your experiences. I'm willing to bet that you guys are among the more hard-working set and have done good things for the AF, yet you've been demonized as dirtbags by the True Believers. I hope that this new policy, once it's in writing, changes things for the better. Robin Olds would have grown a Duck Dynasty beard over this garbage. Liquid--thanks for articulating the IG process better than I ever could. In only rare circumstances should it be used as the initial means of solving problems. I've been wanting to say this to you for a long time, so here goes--a lot of talented people want OUT of the current AF, mainly because of situations like this SOS nonsense. The list of other reasons is quite long, and they have been articulated on hundreds of pages on BODN. I know you have engaged with us and are trying to advocate for us at higher levels, which I certainly appreciate. But make no mistake about it--retention for the AD AF is about to become critical, as high achievers with options will walk when pushed to the brink, especially over things that just don't matter.