dream big

I hear you. This is a constant struggle. However, we are always going to have a steady stream of copilots whose GK is trash..but at a certain point, we aren’t going to be able to use that as an excuse. When shit hits the fan, these guys better know the basics and then some, a lot more than that. Speaking for tac airlift here but the next conflict will demand that they are masters of their craft but are also able to understand integration, datalink, degraded ops, you name it, 6-9 months after they show up to the squadron all while getting the goods to our brethren on the ground. Want to know why the MAF is so far behind the CAF? Why we rightfully get all the ATIS jokes? It’s because our copilots struggle through something as simple as TOLD or comms while their peers are putting warheads down range. Got it, different mission sets..but I firmly believe we don’t challenge our copilots enough. Many of them will rise to the challenge, and those who don’t will be left behind.

No? In my experience T-38 studs perform much better and have stronger hands than T-1 trained folks; another argument for single trainer for phase 3.

Looking back UPT was the simplest and some of the most fun times I have had in my Air Force career. No paperwork, OPRs, EPRs, dealing with Airman snuffy and his financial or marital problems, building PowerPoints or briefings. All I had to do was study, fly, grill and drink beer with the bros and not be a douche. It was awesome! To the OP, take it one sortie at a time and enjoy it.

I see your point, I’m just hesitant to dismiss basic raw skills because “airplanes are more technologically advanced”. Will you need to do a fix to fix over the straights of Taiwan? No, but you may need to utilize raw chart/map/ground navigation because you have no GPS. Will you need to do wing work while dropping the 82nd into a hell hole? No, but those crews will need to handle not hitting each other under stress. Pilot training decisions are, and have always been made by bean counters instead of being driven by MAJCOM requirements. 20 years of low intensity conflict (relatively speaking) allows us to rely on our technological advancements, many MWSs have not had to push the envelop in combat in a while. When that happens, forgoing training will come home to roost.

Haha, not a big fan of SKE, it is merely a tactic that we focus too much on. But I have to roll my eyes anytime a cocky young AC tells me “oh we will never have to do x, y, z.” Then I ask them what are the odds that the Buffs or B2s have to execute their nuclear mission? Does that mean they don’t train to it hard and seriously? As to your example, there is historical precedent for a JFE. Twice they were recalled but it is definitely an arrow in the NCAs quiver so let’s not suck at it?

Yeah, until we get plunged into a war with one of the big 4 near peers, then big Air Force would pray our pilots had those skills.

This is the BS I hate about the Air Force promotion system, why is there a secret language? For instance, the wording on when you’re ready for Sq/CC on the push line can be really stellar or killer for promotion. Why not just give people honest feedback instead of mincing words on an OPR? As a young exec I saw a SQ/CC OPR come through that said “staff blah blah..WG/CV next,” I thought to my self at the time, that’s pretty good! Then someone explained to me that if you don’t have a Wing/CC push as a Sq/CC you’re pretty much garbage .. I would like to see us move to more of an Army / Marine evaluation system. I’d rather be told I’m 19/20 FGOs like you would in the Marines and be given honest feedback then the uncertain BS push line language we have now.

It is California, what did you expect? It is the cesspool of everything that is wrong with this country. If only they could become their own country; just got to figure out how to transport all the New Yorkers there..

What’s wrong with you?

I am personally terrified that someone that deranged and devoid of logic is allows to be a nurse and work with other’s health.

No dude, it’s anecdotal. We are arguing whether it’s okay to be mediocre and just shoot for Vol 1/2 minimums like Joe1234 suggests or be the professional combat aviators that our country demands of us. I have zero doubt as to why our CAF bros scoff at us MAF dudes.

Yes, and that’s what I’m saying is the problem. I’m sure it varies by community or squadron in the MAF, but that is the problem. Again, zero qualms against those who want to serve their commitment and head to Delta, I’m 50/50 and don’t blame a soul for heading off to greener pastures. But while we are here in the Air Force, we have a professional duty to be better than the “vectors to an ILS.” Oh btw, I place 100% of the blame on big AMC and the years of queep and careerism that’s fostered this culture, not my bros.

It’s not about raising currency requirements or beans. Those will be pencil whipped anyways! It’s about training to proficiency when you’re home / not off station. Now, I’m mainly speaking to tactical airlift; those same generals you allude to have asked us to prepare for the next fight- whatever that looks like, it won’t be shooting an ILS to a full stop or beating feet to the Hilton. That culture, of training to proficiency in our tactical competencies, starts with the senior IP core, enabled by good DOs / CCs who eliminate the queep so we can focus on our jobs.

No, on everything you said. Government can tell us what to do after it is passed into LAW, that is if that law isn’t shut down by the courts for violating the constitution. That is how our republic works. Checks and balances. If that fails, then people have the right to protest. Governors like that tyrant in Michigan can not arbitrarily step outside constitutional authority in the name of safety. The precedent that sets is 10x worse than the effects of this virus. We are the greatest country on earth, not because we are the safest or the healthiest, but because of the freedoms and rights that we have; that many of us swore an oath to defend. I’ll take that any day!

This is the state that elected Rashida Talib, you surprised?

Thankfully that’s no longer a thing, now 0-6s have three looks for 0-7 as opposed to that stupid 1 look / pole year concept.

Great story! Shows anyone can bounce back.

Of course not FLEA, our governor’s take has always been that anyone is welcome to Texas, as long as they don’t bring New York / California politics here and take up a liking to Shiner Bock. That is reasonable is it not? As for COVID, if you have it, now is not the time to take a road trip wouldn’t you say?

No, we are just tired of New Yorkers and Californians escaping their gutter trash of states and finding refuge in Texas only to bring their politics (or now Coronavirus) to this state. FYI I grew up in New York and my parents still live there, it sucks.

Spot on. Also Mobility Guardian (both of them) apart from being the cluster fs they were is that they highlighted how far behind the MAF is in full spectrum / integrated warfare. We can blame the Phoenix Reach mentality to some degree. Nothing against airline hopefuls but nothing bothers me more as a WO than when I show to mission plan and guys are just flying the flagpole and like you said, ILS to a full stop; or the guys who min run their tactical flying and try to stay off station as much as possible. This is a cancer in the MAF and sets the younger dudes up for failure and complacency. Yeah, and if big AMC can figure out our TDL capes instead of giving us off the shelf garbage, that might help as well.

I was actually referring to the AMC wing at Dyess

Probably belongs in the “what is wrong with the AF” thread; but our base is one of the only AMC bases still flying. We sit there and get lectured about social distancing and then in the same meeting ask to put out a plan for 24 hour ops, build 20 crews for AMC to task, and continue with non mission essential training.

It also came with a 20, yes 20 year ADSC. So yes, people avoided it like Coronavirus. I think the option to coast as a grey beard Maj or 0-5 flying the line and perma ADO, coupled with a 100k bonus is the only option to even put a dent in the retention numbers.

To the OP, I was also an average T-38 stud who tracked C-130s, disappointed at assignment night but has since loved it! Current C-130 Weapons Officer and I’ll tell you right now, great things on the horizon for us. It is an awesome airplane; we get to call ourselves MAF so of course there are fancy hotels in Thailand and mai tais on the beach...we are also a tactical platform so we get to fly in the same environment as the pointy nose guys; of course we can’t shoot back but that’s okay. Flying a formation low level in mountains to an airdrop or dirt LZ and dropping an entire Battalion of the 82nd airborne with supporting F-16s in escort are pretty cool ways to earn a living. AFSOC is also an option if you are more mission focused but I hear Cannon AFB is paradise.. I strongly urge you to put C-130s but at the end of the day, any airplane you fly will become your second girlfriend/wife/husband/etc. Good luck!

Long overdue for a pullout (sts). Our NCA is speaking out of two sides of their mouth when they say the priority is training for a near peer adversary in a contested environment yet we deploy our entire squadron to Afghanistan where the most lethal threat is Mustafa with his Ak-47. Kind of hard to convince commanders to train for the high end threat when Afghanistan is what they’ll get graded on...