Revenge of the MX officer

[discus]

Discuss:

[Guest Hueypilot812]

Many truths in that video. I can excuse the guy for making the operators look ignorant...because many of them don't have a real idea of why MX struggles to keep airplanes in the air. The end of the video devolves into the usual format for these types of videos.

[Prosuper]

Many truths in that video. I can excuse the guy for making the operators look ignorant...because many of them don't have a real idea of why MX struggles to keep airplanes in the air. The end of the video devolves into the usual format for these types of videos.

If you were never in mx you might find this funny but that video is so close to the truth especially after explaining everything and they still want 3 jets and don't care the whole squadron is 100% NMC, his supply rant is dead on.

[Guest Scooby]

As a 21R, I can definitely relate. I did a stint in Vehicle Mx and got the same attitude from people who wanted to trade in a broken vehicle and get a new one. Obviously no where near as important as airplanes but similar concept.

Also as a 21R though, I'd say that his point about relying on FedEx is retarded. Would he really like AMC to dedicate a C-130 for a tiny part that could just as easily be DHL'd to the AOR? We already have a big enough problem as it is making sure that our strategic airlift is properly utilized so that we don't have empty planes flying all over the place. Wasting airlift even further would only make things worse.

Yea, it really sucks to have to rely on FedEx/DHL while in a third world country (and I've suffered the wrath of many operators for not getting the part soon enough...since, you know, I control private companies) but it's really the best of multiple shitty options.

[Bayou_Eagle_Driver]

Jalapeño pop-corn? fvck yea.

Edited January 6, 2011 by ȘÅİňŦ

[fire4effect]

1)DLA = DELAY

2)PMA (reverse engineered by other than the OEM) parts forced upon us. Way more trouble than they are worth.

3)LEAN/Just In Time concepts are fine for a manufacturing operation but totally jacked for a maintenance operation.

4)DLA = DELAY

Video was spot on

[Spoo]

So true, operators/squadrons just love adding lines to fuck with Mx...

[Guest 12XU2A3X3]

where is his revenge?

[Prosuper]

Lean Logistics, another bad idea from Gen McPeak.

[pawnman]

I certainly feel for the MX guys trying to fix the jets.

What does anger me is how often we don't have an aircraft or a spare, and the next day maintenance wants to add a line "because this jet needs to fly/this system needs an in-flight ops check/etc.".

It especially bothers me when MX wants to add a line on a scheduled no-fly day (happens around jet-swap time to the AOR ALOT).

[Guest]

Ops and mx need to work together. It can work if they try to understand each other's processes.

[MechGov]

Instead of having a pissing contest regarding whose fault it was when a line gets canceled?

[TacAirCoug]

Wouldn't it be great if we had ops and mx in the same squadron? Everyone would work together and JP-8 would smell like roses. Why has no one thought of this before?

[PapaJu]

Wouldn't it be great if we had ops and mx in the same squadron? Everyone would work together and JP-8 would smell like roses. Why has no one thought of this before?

Did they nix that idea?

[Guest]

Instead of having a pissing contest regarding whose fault it was when a line gets canceled?

Yep.

[Prosuper]

Wouldn't it be great if we had ops and mx in the same squadron? Everyone would work together and JP-8 would smell like roses. Why has no one thought of this before?

I am guessing that is sarcasm, if not we haven't been under OP's since the early 90's. I remember going to meetings and explaining to OP's Sq commander just like the video and most of the time they did not want to here my problems of trying safely give him fixed jets. In a Ops Sq we are to be seen and not heard and never say no to a bag wearer, the only thing that helped us out was that our Sq Mx officer was a O-5 who used to the AGS CC when they disbanded his Sq so he knew career wise he was ######ed so he did not care if he made bag wearers mad at him. But on the good side if a jet doesn't fly it is not either mx or ops fault it goes against the whole sq.

The way rated officers are trained in the personnel side of business and brought up in the USAF they just are not ready to command over 200 enlisted which before they just commanding a few bag wearing officers.

[herkbum]

The way rated officers are trained in the personnel side of business and brought up in the USAF they just are not ready to command over 200 enlisted which before they just commanding a few bag wearing officers.

Paint with a broad brush very often? So who is ready to "command over 200 enlisted which before they just commanding a few bag wearing officers"?

Edited January 6, 2011 by herkbum

[Guest]

The way rated officers are trained in the personnel side of business and brought up in the USAF they just are not ready to command over 200 enlisted which before they just commanding a few bag wearing officers.

I, for one, enjoy the insight you offer around here.

That said, you pushed past the edge of the envelope on this one.

A good officer can lead both ops and mx to become a high performing team, regardless of his/her prior experience leading large numbers of enlisted troops. NCOs do the hands on leading of the enlisted troops, the boss makes sure they have the support, recognition and encouragement they need to get 'er dun.

Technique only.

[Prosuper]

Paint with a broad brush very often? So who is ready to "command over 200 enlisted which before they just commanding a few bag wearing officers"?

A mx officer since he was a O-1 he has had more supervisory responsibility of enlisted than any of his rated peer's. I don't want to start a pissing contest but the mx world is totally different than from your world, you guys would not even think of flying without every crew position filled but in mx we might have only one 7-level to cover 20 jets.

But as always as a mx guy I am going to get my head bashed in for offering a opinion that differs from the ops world.

[herkbum]

A mx officer since he was a O-1 he has had more supervisory responsibility of enlisted than any of his rated peer's. I don't want to start a pissing contest but the mx world is totally different than from your world, you guys would not even think of flying without every crew position filled but in mx we might have only one 7-level to cover 20 jets.

But as always as a mx guy I am going to get my head bashed in for offering a opinion that differs from the ops world.

I don't necessarily disagree, but just because someone wears a bag does not mean they are not capable of leading enlisted troops. What about a prior mx enlisted troop who gets a pilot slot? Or just a prior enlisted (say they made E-6 prior to commissioning) pilot? I would just warn about such broad statements.

[Vetter]

I don't necessarily disagree, but just because someone wears a bag does not mean they are not capable of leading enlisted troops. What about a prior mx enlisted troop who gets a pilot slot? Or just a prior enlisted (say they made E-6 prior to commissioning) pilot? I would just warn about such broad statements.

Everyone knows that the only people able to lead in the Air Force are prior enlisted officers and SNCOs. Why are we even talking about this?

[Prosuper]

I don't necessarily disagree, but just because someone wears a bag does not mean they are not capable of leading enlisted troops. What about a prior mx enlisted troop who gets a pilot slot? Or just a prior enlisted (say they made E-6 prior to commissioning) pilot? I would just warn about such broad statements.

Being a prior E will give a leg up on knowing the EPR process and surely make you more enlightened of how the rest of the Wing gets the job done but as a E-6 you supervised maybe between 5 to 10 guys with a couple them E-5's but by the time you make O-4 that is so far away in your rear view mirror. Since that time you spent the last maybe 8 years just trying to be the best pilot possible with some other additional duties thrown in.

Why would any rated O-5 want the added headache of a FSMU attached to him. You will probably be talking and spending more time with your 1st Sgt than your DO and explaining knucklehead stuff to the Wing CC why Amn Snuffy got drunk and smashed into the front gate.

I believe the Army does it best when it comes to this, enlisted do mx, WO's fly, and Officers Command and if they behave maybe get some flight time. I believe on this forum there are alot of pilots who love to fly and wish they can just stay in the cockpit for 20 years and be left alone but Uncle Sam made them officers first before he made them pilots.Like me I loved Crewing a jet but like a dumb ass I studied and made MSgt and had to lead. I think it would help rated officers who by defualt will be tomorrows senior leaders giving them enlisted to be responsible for, like the Crew Chief and wipers of a jet when they get to their airframe after AETC, follow up on training, medical, finance, recognition, discipline, etc. Instead of waiting until they are O5 and get everything thrown in their lap and now just do it.

[Guest]

But as always as a mx guy I am going to get my head bashed in for offering a opinion that differs from the ops world.

Don't be a victim. I've been respectful but I won't respect this.

You will probably be talking and spending more time with your 1st Sgt than your DO

Not at all. You will be spending the appropriate amount of time with your DO, Shirt and Mx leadership.

It is not that difficult.

[Guest Scooby]

Paint with a broad brush very often? So who is ready to "command over 200 enlisted which before they just commanding a few bag wearing officers"?

Some of us have been leading 100+ troops since O-1.

[Guest Crew Report]

Being a prior E will give a leg up on knowing the EPR process and surely make you more enlightened of how the rest of the Wing gets the job done but as a E-6 you supervised maybe between 5 to 10 guys with a couple them E-5's but by the time you make O-4 that is so far away in your rear view mirror. Since that time you spent the last maybe 8 years just trying to be the best pilot possible with some other additional duties thrown in.

Why would any rated O-5 want the added headache of a FSMU attached to him. You will probably be talking and spending more time with your 1st Sgt than your DO and explaining knucklehead stuff to the Wing CC why Amn Snuffy got drunk and smashed into the front gate.

I believe the Army does it best when it comes to this, enlisted do mx, WO's fly, and Officers Command and if they behave maybe get some flight time. I believe on this forum there are alot of pilots who love to fly and wish they can just stay in the cockpit for 20 years and be left alone but Uncle Sam made them officers first before he made them pilots.Like me I loved Crewing a jet but like a dumb ass I studied and made MSgt and had to lead. I think it would help rated officers who by defualt will be tomorrows senior leaders giving them enlisted to be responsible for, like the Crew Chief and wipers of a jet when they get to their airframe after AETC, follow up on training, medical, finance, recognition, discipline, etc. Instead of waiting until they are O5 and get everything thrown in their lap and now just do it.

SNCO's in MX lead? I thought they were there to give the crew shit for not taking a ed up jet and for eating their own younger troops? I think you're forgetting there are Enlisted Flyers and that the Officer Flyers are in charge of them. Not every flying squadron is made up of only Pilots.