What's wrong with the Air Force?

[sqwatch]

On ‎4‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 4:18 PM, waveshaper said:

Colonel in 'Dino Puppet' Video Speaks: 'I Was Given a Death Sentence';

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/04/25/colonel-dino-puppet-video-speaks-i-was-given-death-sentence.html

what a bummer for the (Lt) Col. What I find most aggravating is despite his 28 years, multiple deployments, thousands of flight hours etc, three minutes of (minor) misjudgments forces his retirement.

I will caveat with my own personal experience - I faced a similar situation where I could have had the book thrown at me but a cooler head (sts, a three star general in this case) prevailed and instead of an Art 15 I was given a stern talking to about the finer points of the foreign clearance guide and how it spells out applicable curfews to airmen travelling to foreign countries. I don't believe reactionary leadership is systemic in the Airforce, but it sucks that the new retired Lt Col befell its wrath. 

[SocialD]

All because of some ridiculous internet outcry...what a fucking joke!  A great case of, if you can't do something valuable, do some things visible.  Dude will look back on this and realize he is far better off not being a part of this toxic, bullshit laden sinking ship.  Retirement can't get here fast enough.  

[hindsight2020]

20 minutes ago, SocialD said:

All because of some ridiculous internet outcry...what a fucking joke!  A great case of, if you can't do something valuable, do some things visible.  Dude will look back on this and realize he is far better off not being a part of this toxic, bullshit laden sinking ship.  Retirement can't get here fast enough.  

And this happened in the Guard gentlemen. Put in other words: the USAF is fucked. 

[17D_guy]

59 minutes ago, SocialD said:

All because of some ridiculous internet outcry...what a fucking joke!  A great case of, if you can't do something valuable, do some things visible.  Dude will look back on this and realize he is far better off not being a part of this toxic, bullshit laden sinking ship.  Retirement can't get here fast enough.  

And said asshole is now crying about how he didn't mean it that way, and everyone else over-reacted.  "All these places contacted me for comments, or sharing the video...I had no idea it would blow up so big."  

King Blue Falcon acts like he's the arbiter of public Air Force outrage, a Mikey Weintsein of secular "honor" infraction.  A machine of his own making ruined 3 people's lives, and he's attempting to distance himself from it.  What a cowardly villain, inept in his own power - 

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/04/29/military-page-admin-i-wish-id-handled-dino-puppet-video-differently.html

[HarleyQuinn]

This Air Force Puppet Video Would Be Cuter If 3 Airmen Hadn’t Just Had Their Careers Ended

https://www.google.com/amp/s/taskandpurpose.com/dino-puppet-video-elmo-goldfein/amp/

[viper154]

I had a crew chief run out last week to taxi us wearing one of those inflatable dinasour costumes, myself and the crew about lost it, it was hilarious, good for morale, I was deeply sadden about .69 seconds after I saw him and the second thought in my head was “my god, please don’t let anything bad happen happen on this flight and the tapes get pulled” with this puppet incident in the back of my head. The AF has done a fine job of making us to afraid to have fun. 

[HarleyQuinn]

On 4/29/2018 at 6:33 PM, viper154 said:

I had a crew chief run out last week to taxi us wearing one of those inflatable dinasour costumes, myself and the crew about lost it, it was hilarious, good for morale, I was deeply sadden about .69 seconds after I saw him and the second thought in my head was “my god, please don’t let anything bad happen happen on this flight and the tapes get pulled” with this puppet incident in the back of my head. The AF has done a fine job of making us to afraid to have fun. 

Made me think of the "Balad Light Show" the tower used to put on for us upon request after landing at night. Definitely boosted my morale.

Edited May 1, 2018 by HarleyQuinn

[moosepileit]

Made me think of the "Balad Light Show" the tower used to put on for upon request after landing at night. Definitely boosted my morale.

Always a light moment when taxiing in near view of the tower and announcing that we had our tickets...

[Bergman]

1 hour ago, moosepileit said:

3 hours ago, HarleyQuinn said:

Made me think of the "Balad Light Show" the tower used to put on for upon request after landing at night. Definitely boosted my morale.

Always a light moment when taxiing in near view of the tower and announcing that we had our tickets...

They were still doing the Gun Show at Al Udeid in December.

 

FWIW I've seen the TN adjutant general in action for quite a number of years and this didn't really come as a surprise.  A tragedy, for sure.  But he doesn't like the Air component one bit to begin with, and has a very low tolerance for "flyboy shenanigans".  It's interesting to note that he is one of the most old-school relics I've ever run across (and I'm pretty damned crusty myself).  The stuff I personally have heard him say about women and minorities, out loud, and in public, made me and several others literally wince.  Rule #3: There is no justice!  How he has made it this far is somewhat of a mystery to me, although admittedly I don't know much of his career prior to being a two star.

(Rule 1 being Timing is everything, Rule 2 Life isn't fair. The three rules of an Air Force career)

I already thought the guy who runs the snco/nco Facebook page was a complete Nonner tool, and this whole episode confirms it.  This shitbag literally ruined these people's careers, and in the case of the MSgt who tried re-enlisting, perhaps her entire life (she is a single mom whose only job was full-time ANG) and now tries to backtrack for fear of losing his precious clicks and Likes.  You, sir, can eat a bowl of dicks.  I'll never read or comment on anything he posts again.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Bergman

[Lord Ratner]

They were still doing the Gun Show at Al Udeid in December.
 
FWIW I've seen the TN adjutant general in action for quite a number of years and this didn't really come as a surprise.  A tragedy, for sure.  But he doesn't like the Air component one bit to begin with, and has a very low tolerance for "flyboy shenanigans".  It's interesting to note that he is one of the most old-school relics I've ever run across (and I'm pretty damned crusty myself).  The stuff I personally have heard him say about women and minorities, out loud, and in public, made me and several others literally wince.  Rule #3: There is no justice!  How he has made it this far is somewhat of a mystery to me, although admittedly I don't know much of his career prior to being a two star.
(Rule 1 being Timing is everything, Rule 2 Life isn't fair. The three rules of an Air Force career)
I already thought the guy who runs the snco/nco Facebook page was a complete Nonner tool, and this whole episode confirms it.  This shitbag literally ruined these people's careers, and in the case of the MSgt who tried re-enlisting, perhaps her entire life (she is a single mom whose only job was full-time ANG) and now tries to backtrack for fear of losing his precious clicks and Likes.  You, sir, can eat a bowl of dicks.  I'll never read or comment on anything he posts again.

You repeated one

1. Timing is everything
2. It's better to be lucky than good
3. There is no justice

[HarleyQuinn]

You gentlemen have a great deal of knowledge and I have a two part question. I'm about to PCS for a good job, then I plan to retire at that location. My functional told me I don't have to worry about a 365 since I have received credit for 3 short tours. People were telling me to do my ACSC, but I refused. If you are happy in life, shouldn't you walk away feeling like you are on top or is this a dumb premise I have surmised?

I have a great friend who is doing well in his career on the support side. He went to Bagram for 2 months and I did a short tour flying there for 6 months. He received short tour credit for taking his family overseas. I did a short tour in Iraq and I also received credit for my enlisted time overseas. My discussions with him make me feel like he is full of the blue kool aid. He said, "If people could pick jobs again, they probably wouldn't be pilots." I wanted to tell him you sat your a$$ in the old Russian building at Bagram never to leave the wire as the flyers launched sorties to kill the bad guys, protect convoys, and prevent him from taking an incoming rocket up the ass. Are these the types of "leaders" who will be left running the Air Force? 

[GlassEmpty]

Are these the types of "leaders" who will be left running the Air Force? 

I can’t see it getting any better. Those who are left are basically promoted by survival.

I just sat through a UTA “sign out visit” while I watched a Command Chief talk about how other folks in the wing question we get away with everything. We were then berated after some pushback by our Vice Wg/CC for playing the victim. My understanding is the intent of the visit was to bridge the gap in relations. I’ve been confused ever since they walked into that room.

The logic is gone and they want the lower ranks to fix leadership problems.

[Bergman]

12 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

2. It's better to be lucky than good
 

I thought it was "It's better to get lucky than be good"?

[Hacker]

On 4/28/2018 at 7:15 PM, ihtfp06 said:

Tyler Rogoway is a dumbass, however.

Cannot be repeated enough.

[cragspider]

1 hour ago, Hacker said:

Cannot be repeated enough.

While I did enjoy some of his earlier work and photos. Most of the stuff he post now isn’t great or shouldn’t be posted due to opsec stuff.

[SurelySerious]

At the glorious safety down day in at least one wing, the continual cutting of undergraduate flying training and MDS initial training was submitted as a safety issue. Chances that makes it out of the wing? I’m not holding my breath. 

[Right Seat Driver]

38 minutes ago, SurelySerious said:

At the glorious safety down day in at least one wing, the continual cutting of undergraduate flying training and MDS initial training was submitted as a safety issue. Chances that makes it out of the wing? I’m not holding my breath. 

I can see it making out of the Wing. It is the staff/managers between WG/CCs and the CSAF that will shut it down.

[Fuzz]

No word on a safety down day at my base or solicitation of suggestions. Doesn't matter though since most of the suggestions will be aimed at the staff buruecrats, which coincidentally will also get first look at any suggestions we push up.

[Duck]

We are having a safety down day... perfect opportunity to catch up on all the ancillary training that we have been behind on since we have been flying and doing the mission so much.

[17D_guy]

6 hours ago, Right Seat Driver said:

I can see it making out of the Wing. It is the staff/managers between WG/CCs and the CSAF that will shut it down.

My favorite thing is the "innovation idea" taskers that come down urging us to :cut the cruft and think outside the box."

Then require us to route it through the entire chain, brief Sq/Grp/Wg CC's for it to get out of the Wing.

[SurelySerious]

The email from CSAF says to hold focused forums to ID current seams or developing conditions for future unsafe conditions. He also listed several recommended topics, and then after the safety review instructs to pass feedback through chain-of-command to MAJCOM safety office. 

 

He wants to know where we have high risk areas, and that’s the way in which the UPT/FTU sortie cutting was framed. 

[FourFans]

On ‎5‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 2:13 AM, 17D_guy said:

My favorite thing is the "innovation idea" taskers that come down urging us to :cut the cruft and think outside the box."

Then require us to route it through the entire chain, brief Sq/Grp/Wg CC's for it to get out of the Wing.

Make sure your out-of-the-box thinking fits inside the box.

[NKAWTG]

https://warontherocks.com/2018/05/a-call-for-senior-officer-reform-in-the-air-force-an-insiders-perspective/

 

Another article highlighting the open secret of how we choose our senior leaders.  And suggesting the only fix is for the people who benefited from the system to believe the system itself is the problem.  

Or we can just vote with our feet, like most of us are doing. 

[Guest]

https://warontherocks.com/2018/05/a-call-for-senior-officer-reform-in-the-air-force-an-insiders-perspective/
 
Another article highlighting the open secret of how we choose our senior leaders.  And suggesting the only fix is for the people who benefited from the system to believe the system itself is the problem.  
Or we can just vote with our feet, like most of us are doing. 

Throwing darts works for the stock market. Maybe we should do the same when it comes to picking commanders.

[di1630]

Throwing darts works for the stock market. Maybe we should do the same when it comes to picking commanders.

“The most successful high-potential officers are those who make their seniors look good in shallow pursuit of the latest fad, thereby avoiding potential mistakes that could result from taking actual risks to advance the mission.”

It’s like 17 years of my experience with the careerists were summed up in a sentence. Well done.