Herk Driver Posted June 28, 2009 Posted June 28, 2009 has to do with B-1's not being nuclear assests. Sure I can strap a nuc to a cessna, but it's not going to SAC part II. The nuc traid is going to GSC - buffs, dueces & missiles. IIRC, the nuke triad is manned strategic bombers, land based missiles (ICBMs) and ballistic missile subs (SSBNs). Not saying the AF isn't manning what you say above, but the triad is a national policy/ capability, not an AF capability.
BQZip01 Posted June 28, 2009 Posted June 28, 2009 IIRC, the nuke triad is manned strategic bombers, land based missiles (ICBMs) and ballistic missile subs (SSBNs). Not saying the AF isn't manning what you say above, but the triad is a national policy/ capability, not an AF capability. I think you're quibbling over verbiage here. I think we all know that the AF doesn't have subs, but that the AF components OF the nuke triad are going to GSC.
B52gator Posted June 28, 2009 Posted June 28, 2009 Not from this flyer Gotta agree with ya...even though I am not in anymore (almost a year already, damn), I would want the guy in charge of my command to be a flyer. i can understand that missiles are a part of GSC, but I would think you would want an actual rated guy in there. A missileer guy is kind of a slap in the face, IMO. Speaking of SAC, would be interesting to see how many true SAC guys are left. I know the current (Shan) 23d's SQ/CC was the first guy to lead a BUFF sqdn and not actually be a SAC baby. Is RAOC still up in Minot? That guy reaks of SAC (sts)
BQZip01 Posted June 28, 2009 Posted June 28, 2009 Gotta agree with ya...even though I am not in anymore (almost a year already, damn), I would want the guy in charge of my command to be a flyer. i can understand that missiles are a part of GSC, but I would think you would want an actual rated guy in there. A missileer guy is kind of a slap in the face, IMO. Speaking of SAC, would be interesting to see how many true SAC guys are left. I know the current (Shan) 23d's SQ/CC was the first guy to lead a BUFF sqdn and not actually be a SAC baby. Is RAOC still up in Minot? That guy reaks of SAC (sts) Could have been more clear. I have no problem with a missleer in charge
Guest Form 8 Posted June 28, 2009 Posted June 28, 2009 Rhodes scholar...nice. How does he have an Aerial Achievement Medal?
BQZip01 Posted June 28, 2009 Posted June 28, 2009 How does he have an Aerial Achievement Medal? Enough hours fighting the cold in a UH-1 to & from missile silos? Seriously though, I have no idea but he went from initial qual to squadron commander in less than three years he's had to do something right: 6. September 1983 - January 1984, student, 4315th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. 7. January 1984 - August 1984, Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile combat crew commander, 446th Strategic Missile Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D. 8. August 1984 - July 1985, operations officer, 447th Strategic Missile Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D. 9. July 1985 - March 1986, Chief, Standardization and Evaluation Division, 321st Strategic Missile Wing, Grand Forks AFB, N.D. 10. March 1986 - July 1987, Commander, 447th Strategic Missile Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
Herk Driver Posted June 28, 2009 Posted June 28, 2009 Seriously though, I have no idea but he went from initial qual to squadron commander in less than three years he's had to do something right: Or had the right sponsor.
Gravedigger Posted June 29, 2009 Posted June 29, 2009 (edited) Seriously though, I have no idea but he went from initial qual to squadron commander in less than three years he's had to do something right: Yeah, Maj going through initial qual and then Lt Col 2 years and 4 months later, how far BTZ is that? Major Nov. 1, 1982 Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1985 Edited June 29, 2009 by c17wannabe
B52gator Posted June 29, 2009 Posted June 29, 2009 Just out of curiosity, with the 93rd becoming the FTU for BUFFs, what is happening to the 11th?
08Dawg Posted June 29, 2009 Posted June 29, 2009 Just out of curiosity, with the 93rd becoming the FTU for BUFFs, what is happening to the 11th? Further, when's all that going to happen?
Guest Smoke_Jaguar4 Posted June 29, 2009 Posted June 29, 2009 How does he have an Aerial Achievement Medal? Perhaps he was prior-enlisted aircrew??? His bio indicates either he's the reincarnation of Einstein or a Class-A douche. His first ten years show: - USAFA DG and later USAFA professor - Masters and later PhD at Oxford - Various 'special' assignments in the Pentagon, State Department, and Whitehouse - He pinned on Major (BTZ) with no specialty badge earned other than his USAFA jump wings. At his first and only Squadron level assignment (as an O-4), he went from crewdawg to Commander in less than two years. Interestingly, he has no ACSC or equivalent IDE, which is usually a career-ender. He has far more time as a Pol-Mil Officer than Space & Missiles and the bulk of his time has been in Washington, DC. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I've seen too many AF 'leaders' with similar bios who've been barely competent and tolerable. Anyone have any experience working with him? SJ4
BQZip01 Posted June 30, 2009 Posted June 30, 2009 Further, when's all that going to happen? The whole transition (including maintenance) is starting on 7 July and should be done by sometime early next year.
afnav Posted June 30, 2009 Posted June 30, 2009 Perhaps he was prior-enlisted aircrew??? His bio indicates either he's the reincarnation of Einstein or a Class-A douche. His first ten years show: - USAFA DG and later USAFA professor - Masters and later PhD at Oxford - Various 'special' assignments in the Pentagon, State Department, and Whitehouse - He pinned on Major (BTZ) with no specialty badge earned other than his USAFA jump wings. At his first and only Squadron level assignment (as an O-4), he went from crewdawg to Commander in less than two years. Interestingly, he has no ACSC or equivalent IDE, which is usually a career-ender. He has far more time as a Pol-Mil Officer than Space & Missiles and the bulk of his time has been in Washington, DC. He was definitely not prior enlisted. He's already ancient, and came in in '73 as an officer. I would think he would wear his wings if he had them. My guess is that he got the AAM on an Open Skies flight. This guy looks like he's primarily an academic that did some ops time (his bio stresses academic achievements more than most). He has a huge amount of time in nukes, and probably knows more about the general knowledge of nukes than any aviator. His vice will need to be a strong aviator, probably bombers, to keep him honest. The problem is that the Air Force has not grown nuclear-knowledgeable aviators in a very long time. They might make Carpenter at 8th his vice, then line up someone like Northrup at Minot to eventually get there. I knew of him when he was at El Forko Grande, but since he was Deuce, we didn't talk to those guys much. I remember back in the day they had a MMII on the roundabout pad at Barkatraz. I wonder if he'll get rid of the model airplane and put one back...
ExBoneOSO Posted June 30, 2009 Posted June 30, 2009 He was definitely not prior enlisted. He's already ancient, and came in in '73 as an officer. I would think he would wear his wings if he had them. My guess is that he got the AAM on an Open Skies flight. This guy looks like he's primarily an academic that did some ops time (his bio stresses academic achievements more than most). He has a huge amount of time in nukes, and probably knows more about the general knowledge of nukes than any aviator. His vice will need to be a strong aviator, probably bombers, to keep him honest. The problem is that the Air Force has not grown nuclear-knowledgeable aviators in a very long time. They might make Carpenter at 8th his vice, then line up someone like Northrup at Minot to eventually get there. I knew of him when he was at El Forko Grande, but since he was Deuce, we didn't talk to those guys much. I remember back in the day they had a MMII on the roundabout pad at Barkatraz. I wonder if he'll get rid of the model airplane and put one back... Saw this online from the Shreveport Times - all 3 of these guys have a strong bomber background - hopefully they'll be able to keep the CC in line.. Three top leadership slots at the new Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base have been filled, according to a news release from the Air Force chief of staff. Maj. Gen. James "Jim" Kowalski, who is forming the unit provisionally at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., soon will return to Barksdale as the active unit's vice commander. Kowalski is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flight hours, including 127 combat hours, in combat aircraft, including the E-3 reconnaissance platform and the B-1 bomber, as well as the D, G and H models of the B-52. His previous assignment at Barksdale was as commander of the 2nd Operations Group from May 1999 to December 2000. Additionally, Brig. Gen. Jeffry F. Smith, special assistant to the assistant chief of staff in the office of strategic deterrence and nuclear integration at the Pentagon, will come here as director of the new command's plans, programs and requirements section. Smith is a command pilot with more than 3,600 hours in the B-52 and B-1 bombers and an assortment of trainers. He also has prior service at Barksdale as aide-de-camp and executive officer to the 8th Air Force commander from June 1992 to August 1993, as commander of the 608th Combat Operations Squadron and the 608th Air Operations Group and as director of operations, all under 8th Air Force, from June 2002 through May 2005. And Col. Timothy M. Ray, who has been selected for elevation to brigadier general, will come here to be operations director at the new command. He now serves as deputy director for air and space operations at Air Combat Command headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Ray, a former commander of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, also has spent time at Barksdale. The 1985 graduate of the Air Force Academy was an instructor pilot and executive officer here from 1994-97, operations officer for the 11th Bomb Squadron from 2000-01 and commander of the 96th Bomb Squadron from 2001-03.
Guest Wing King Posted June 30, 2009 Posted June 30, 2009 Anyone heard anything out of the Corona? We have heard that the PAD for the new nuke paradigm has already been written and the conference was pretty much just an informational meeting. What about AFCyber? Is the Air Force Global Strike Command anything like SkyNet? Because if it is... Fu*k that. Fu*king terminators, broheim. Fu*king terminators that shoot laser beams. And the Air Force created that sh*t.
BQZip01 Posted June 30, 2009 Posted June 30, 2009 Is the Air Force Global Strike Command anything like SkyNet? Because if it is... Fu*k that. Fu*king terminators, broheim. Fu*king terminators that shoot laser beams. And the Air Force created that sh*t. ...yes?... Saw this online from the Shreveport Times - all 3 of these guys have a strong bomber background - hopefully they'll be able to keep the CC in line.. ...and this is the kind of balance I'd expect. Looks like a good combination. Anyone have any experiences with these Generals?
ExBoneOSO Posted June 30, 2009 Posted June 30, 2009 ...yes?... ...and this is the kind of balance I'd expect. Looks like a good combination. Anyone have any experiences with these Generals? I knew the BG selected for the XP position - flew with him back at KRDR. Good pilot, good person..of course, that was back when he was just a crewdog, but I'd be surprised if that changed. Didn't know the CV select personally, but heard of him in the grapevine (as you know, the Bone community is pretty small), and never heard any complaints.
B52gator Posted June 30, 2009 Posted June 30, 2009 ...yes?... ...and this is the kind of balance I'd expect. Looks like a good combination. Anyone have any experiences with these Generals? T-Ray is a decent enough dude, don't know the other guys.
afnav Posted July 1, 2009 Posted July 1, 2009 Kowalski was my OG when I got to Barkatraz in 2000. I didn't have much time to interact with him. T-Ray was my commander in the 96th. He was there during the big ops-mnx merger, so his schedule was full keeping up with mnx. The DO ran flying ops. We'll see how long Global Strike Command has to live. There are a lot of powerful people with a hard-on to unilaterally eliminate the US nuclear capability or eliminate it through treaty. It is definitely not a growth industry. Take my advice, don't volunteer to become an expert, even now with this renewed "emphasis".
B52gator Posted July 1, 2009 Posted July 1, 2009 Kowalski was my OG when I got to Barkatraz in 2000. I didn't have much time to interact with him. T-Ray was my commander in the 96th. He was there during the big ops-mnx merger, so his schedule was full keeping up with mnx. The DO ran flying ops. We'll see how long Global Strike Command has to live. There are a lot of powerful people with a hard-on to unilaterally eliminate the US nuclear capability or eliminate it through treaty. It is definitely not a growth industry. Take my advice, don't volunteer to become an expert, even now with this renewed "emphasis". You really think we are going to get rid of our big stick? I disagree...no matter what politicians (democratic, republican, whigs) or military leaders are saying, there is no way we will get rid of our deterrent. It is our best insurance policy. Our current military conflicts don't call for nukes, or even the threat of them...that is true. But 10-20 years from now may be an entirely different story. We may be back in a cold-war type standoff with China or even Russia again.
BQZip01 Posted July 1, 2009 Posted July 1, 2009 You really think we are going to get rid of our big stick? I disagree...no matter what politicians (democratic, republican, whigs) or military leaders are saying, there is no way we will get rid of our deterrent. It is our best insurance policy. Our current military conflicts don't call for nukes, or even the threat of them...that is true. But 10-20 years from now may be an entirely different story. We may be back in a cold-war type standoff with China or even Russia again. 2
F16Rooster Posted July 2, 2009 Posted July 2, 2009 You really think we are going to get rid of our big stick? I disagree...no matter what politicians (democratic, republican, whigs) or military leaders are saying, there is no way we will get rid of our deterrent. It is our best insurance policy. Our current military conflicts don't call for nukes, or even the threat of them...that is true. But 10-20 years from now may be an entirely different story. We may be back in a cold-war type standoff with China or even Russia again. I may be biased but... 3
afnav Posted July 2, 2009 Posted July 2, 2009 You really think we are going to get rid of our big stick? I disagree...no matter what politicians (democratic, republican, whigs) or military leaders are saying, there is no way we will get rid of our deterrent. It is our best insurance policy. Our current military conflicts don't call for nukes, or even the threat of them...that is true. But 10-20 years from now may be an entirely different story. We may be back in a cold-war type standoff with China or even Russia again. Unless you have an inside track on information above the four-star level or in a cabinet position, I stand by my statement. Believe me, I thought the same way you do. I was crushed at the COCOM, by insiders and big AF. Even deployed, I am still reaching back and reading briefings and point papers that are giving direction from the highest levels of the military and the government. We can compare notes after the QDR and the START treaty negotiations are completed.
BQZip01 Posted July 3, 2009 Posted July 3, 2009 Update: Just spoke with an O-6 here at Barkatraz. Apparently GSC is standing up on 7 August.
Guest BUFF DRIVER Posted July 6, 2009 Posted July 6, 2009 With the presidents speech today stating the reduction in nuclear forces by 1/3 I wonder where that puts Global Strike Command ????
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