What's wrong with the Air Force?

[tunes]

Someone who points with their elbows please translate this to English. I'm so confused and may fuck up this guidance.

said author of guidance lacks an understanding of basic science

Edited March 12, 2014 by tunes

[ARIs 'R' Us]

What a total asshole. If an ADO, who is a Major, sent this out in our squadron he would be hated from that point forward and would get every single bad deal that could be given.

Did the required background reading. Not sure the complaint...if you're in a 6 on, 6 off job...wouldn't you want your 6 on to be during the "solo" ??

Edit: Posting while drinking. Disregard everything I said...he is an asshole.

Edited March 12, 2014 by ARIs 'R' Us

[AnimalMother]

Good Lord, just when I have a "hey, the Air Force ain't so bad" day, I can always count on this forum to set me straight again. I seriously wonder how people become such self-aggrandizing, small-minded, narcissistic dipshits. Probably something along the lines of the nurture vs. nature argument, but who the hell knows. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the WIC shibboleth: "Knowledgable, Credible, Approachable." Too bad so few truly walk that walk (not saying that I'm the role model here, but I sure as shit make a concerted effort not to be a douche).

Finally, maybe I'm missing something here, "waive your dwell?" Didn't think it was up to the individual at this point. We just tried this and it takes 1 star approval, which was denied.

[matmacwc]

Someone who points with their elbows please translate this to English. I'm so confused and may fuck up this guidance.

If you are screwing your spouse, there could be consequences and you will deploy anyway.

[HU&W]

That guy's callsign isn't something you can buy at Home Depot, is it?

I didn't realize until you posted this just how many callsigns are actually just items you can buy at Home Depot: Tool, Toolbox, Hammer, Knife, Torch, Caulk, Rose, Grill, Padlock, Brick, Blade, Saw, Drill, Screw, Vise, Shovel, Hoe, Rebar, Board, Glue, and so many others. It's basically a callsign superstore.

[Fuzz]

7.5 months adavance notice? How exactly does that work on a 6 on/6 off schedule?

[RASH]

Wedge...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[TreeA10]

Tree..

[Buddy Spike]

Ceiling fan

[Bender]

It's not just ACC, that thought experiment is spreading to AFGSC as well.

I think of it as a lead-turn to the mass exodus when there will be no one left to man the DO/ADO shops but Captains & Majors. However, that's giving a lot of credit where little is due.

WAY too much credit...more likely just your need to attempt to make sense of non-sense.

Ceiling fan

WTF is going on in this thread right now?

Bendy

[10percenttruth]

Septic pump

[czecksikhs]

I love lamp.

[Dupe]

If you are screwing your spouse, there could be consequences and you will deploy anyway.

It's March... there just ain't that much spouse-screwing to be had.

Related, spouse of the year should just simply be given to the last wife to deliver a baby in December.

[Bender]

The quote from my real boss (sometimes I think we should promote her, but she's already the self proclaimed CINC of my residential address):

"If they want you to plan your life around the deployment, then your dates shouldn't change. "Uh, I'm deploying in like 3 weeks." "Um, my return date got pushed back" doesn't work if you are having a kid."

Yeah, I said both of those things this time around (although she's paraphrasing, I was much more charming then that recounting),

Bendy

[PlanePhlyer]

SHED? If it is said individual, I can see that person doing it. Sorry to hear that another community got that booger.

[BONE WSO]

I was taking a guess and can't confirm since I haven't seen him in years, but I wouldn't be surprised.

[stract]

SHED?

Super Huge Enormous Douche?

you ruined the fun, thanks.

[ak47]

SHED?

Super Huge Enormous Douche?

[FBomb]

"Senior Leaders Challenge Airmen to Reaffirm Commitment to Core Values"

https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/473713/senior-leaders-challenge-airmen-to-reaffirm-commitment-to-core-values.aspx

We thats it folks. That should fix everything, time to shut this thread down. Leading by webpage, who knew?

[Bender]

“Each decoration prescribes standards which define the degree and magnitude of an act, achievement, or service considered worthy for awarding that particular decoration. Do not base award of a specific decoration upon a member’s grade, but on the member’s level of responsibility, achievements, accomplishments, and manner of performance.”
- AFI 36-2803

The award of military decorations in an incongruent manner has a negative impact on both morale and readiness. The current misapplication of aviation related awards and decorations by a deployed flying wing has three unintended consequences: 1) it dilutes the recognition of other higher options for recognizing aerial achievement and 2) it complicates the process of correctly applying other non-aviation awards and decorations, and 3) removes sufficient recognition of superior performers that lays the ground work for a “socialistic decline” in the future performance within the wing. Not all awards are applicable within the normal conduct of a deployed flying wing’s day-to-day operation.

The Distinguished Service Medal is generally not applicable beyond the WG/CC. The Distinguished Service Medal is intended for exceptionally meritorious service to the US in a duty of “great responsibility”, such that they “decide the successful operation of a MAJCOM, activity, installation, or major program” such that they “greatly benefit the interests of the US”.

The Silver Star is intended for “gallantry in action” (i.e. “heroism of high degree involving risk of life”), just short of warranting the Medal of Honor or Air Force Cross. It requires this “gallantry” while “engaged in an action against an enemy of the U.S.”

Multiple common policies incorrectly apply award guidance and are infused with subjective application of requisite rank and duties. The current squadron level policies of pushing Air Medal recommendation as soon as possible after completing twenty combat sorties is far out of line with Air Force instruction guidance on awards and decorations. Higher group level policies dictating that End of Tour Decoration recommendations cannot contain achievement/service construed as “primary duties” further diverges from the structure presented in AFI36-2803. The application of aviation related recognition is laid out by the Air Force Instruction as such:

The Distinguished Flying Cross is the highest honor available for recognizing aerial performance. It requires “heroism or extraordinary achievement” that is “entirely distinctive" during “operations that are not routine.” This award is not intended for “sustained operational activities and flights”, thus would be rare, requiring an exceptional example that should be clear in its worth.

The Airman’s Medal is applicable, but unique. This medal requires an act of “heroism involving voluntary risk of life under conditions other than those of conflict with an armed enemy of the US” in other than the “normal performance of duties”. Like the Distinguished Flying Cross, this award would be rare, requiring an exceptional example that should be clear in its worth.

The Air Medal, like the Distinguished Flying Cross, also requires “heroism or meritorious achievement” during aerial flight that is “entirely distinctive" during “operations that are not routine”. It is awarded for those achievements that are “above and beyond that expected of professional airmen” and must be “accomplished with distinction”. This medal is intended for those achievements that do not rise to the level representative of the Distinguished Flying Cross. The medal is expressly stated to not be awarded for “sustained operational activities and flights”.

The Aerial Achievement Medal is awarded to recognize “sustained meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.” MAJCOMs, FOAs, and DRUs have leeway in determining the missions and positions that qualify, but the award is not to be used for “single event flights”.

The Aerial Achievement Medal does not require specific achievement, only “sustained meritorious achievement”. The blanket exclusion of aerial achievement from “End of Tour” award recommendations and citations is not appropriate. However, in accordance with AFI36-2803 paragraph 1.15.10, the “approval of multiple decorations for the same act, achievement, or period of service is considered dual recognition which is prohibited”. If they are included in the award of the Air Medal, it makes those achievements disqualified for use in an “End of Tour” award recommendation. Once the recommendation is in the “official chain”, defined by AFI 36-2803 as endorsed by the next person above the person making the recommendation, those achievements are considered.

This means that an “End of Tour” award recommendation for even an Air Force Achievement Medal cannot use these achievements. However, an “End of Tour” award recommendation for the Air Force Achievement Medal is certainly applicable for “outstanding achievement or meritorious service rendered specifically on behalf of the Air Force” or “acts of courage that do not meet the requirements for award of the Air Force Commendation Medal” that are outside of aircrew’s “primary duties”.

The Legion of Merit is intended for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services”. “Performance of duties normal to the grade, branch, specialty, assignment, or experience of an individual is not an adequate basis for this award”. There is no prohibition on the inclusion of aerial achievement outside of dual award. The Legion of Merit is a combat and non-combat award appropriate for the very best efforts within the deployed air wing, to include aerial achievement and otherwise. Under the current policies of mandated, and inappropriate, Air Medal submissions, normally only ground duties are available to justify this recognition. Although, even discounting aerial achievement, stellar performances outside aircrew "primary duties" could justify recommendation of the Legion of Merit.

The Bronze Star is intended for “meritorious achievement or service” that does not involve “participation in aerial flight” under conditions applied to the Silver Star. The Bronze Star is also used to recognize meritorious achievement or service during “armed conflict that are of a lesser degree than that required for the award of the Legion of Merit”. The Bronze Star is not a lower form of the Silver Star, rather relative to the Legion of Merit recognition. Holding the exclusion of achievements involving "participation in aerial flight", the Bronze Star award applies only to ground duties. Aircrew are not eliminated from consideration for this recognition based solely on other "primary duty". The Bronze Star is intended for stellar performance outside aircrew "primary duties" that do not measure up to justification of the Legion of Merit.

The Air Force Commendation Medal is intended to recognize any “meritorious achievement and service” by an Air Force member that is “distinctive”, but “not unique”. To this end, the Air Force Commendation Medal is expressly stated to recognize “sustained meritorious performance by crewmembers”. This is the lowest form of “End of Tour” award recommendation related to aerial achievement (meaning it can and should consider aerial achievement, with reference to the prohibition on dual award), as the Air Force Achievement Medal “will not be awarded for aerial achievement”. Recognitions of duties which are “distinctive”, but “not unique” can easily apply to the performance of “additional duties” such as flight commander, liaison officer, etc. Doing a "distinctive" job in a commonly held position is sufficient to justify this recognition. The act of downgrading a stellar performance to this award holds the most potential for "socialistic decline" in future performance. Show up on time everyday and if the boss likes you, AFCM...do an job above the "grade, branch, specialty, assignment, or experience" expected of you...AFCM (likely downgraded from a MSM, which is not even appropriate in a combat zone). The only hope is that an officer promotes into the next preconceived requisite rank before they catch on that their performance is not properly recognized.

None of these three decorations are predicated on position, rank, or previous accomplishments. Aircrew within a deployed air wing should be appropriately considered for Air Force Commendation Medals if they perform well outside of flight, the Bronze Star if they perform exceptionally (i.e. “above their peers”), and the Legion of Merit if they excel beyond their “pay grade” (i.e. “well above their peers”).

Rather than move closer to aligning with Air Force Instruction, recent trends are to recommend the Meritorious Service Medal and subsequently fight to have them not downgraded to Air Force Commendations Medals. The Meritorious Service Medal is not a combat award. It is intended for the recognition of “outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or outstanding non-combat meritorious service” to the United States. “Normally, the acts or services rendered must be comparable to that required for the Legion of Merit, but in a duty of lesser though considerable responsibility” (i.e. in-garrison). The Meritorious Service Medal is not applicable within the deployed air wing. Rather than downgrade an MSM to a AFCM, we should be downgrading LOMs to Bronze Stars to AFCM to nothing at all…except the twenty Air Medals you received, which you’ll wear before your AFCM, since your efforts were not worthy of an MSM (which should have been submitted as an LOM, downgraded to a Bronze Star).

Bendy

Edited March 14, 2014 by Bender

[zach braff]

"Senior Leaders Challenge Airmen to Reaffirm Commitment to Core Values"

https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/473713/senior-leaders-challenge-airmen-to-reaffirm-commitment-to-core-values.aspx

We thats it folks. That should fix everything, time to shut this thread down. Leading by webpage, who knew?

It was the email that really moved me.

zb

[Bender]

"Senior Leaders Challenge Airmen to Reaffirm Commitment to Core Values"

https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/473713/senior-leaders-challenge-airmen-to-reaffirm-commitment-to-core-values.aspx

We thats it folks. That should fix everything, time to shut this thread down. Leading by webpage, who knew?

Bendy

[Bender]

Yeah I didn't understand that email. What was that supposed to accomplish?

The one about banging your wife or the one about finding new ways to self affirm in the mirror?

Recommendation: Bang your wife, brag about it to the ADO, then brag about it to your self in the mirror saying, "I did do that, I did it for her, and I did it well".

Then I think you're covered either way.

Bendy

[AFsock]

Naw AF wide email on Core Values and our need to recommit to them and being a wingman means being an informant:

To All Airmen,

Following is a very important message from General Welsh, CMSAF Cody and me regarding Core Values in our Air Force. I ask each of you to read it, internalize the message and rededicate yourself to our Air Force and our Core Values.

Respectfully,

Deborah Lee James

-------

To the Airmen of the United States Air Force:

Being an Airman is more than a job. When we voluntarily raised our right hands and took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, we became members of the profession of arms. Underpinning that profession is the sacred trust given to us by the American people. To meet their expectations, we must build our lives and shape our service on the foundation of our core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self and Excellence In All We Do. Throughout our history as a service, Airmen with tremendous moral courage have taught us there is no replacement for virtue, character, dignity and respect. Today’s Airmen—active, Guard, Reserve and civilian—must continue this tradition.

When Airmen fail to live up to our core values, the reputation of all who serve is tarnished. We must have the strength of character to do and say the right things at the right times, always with diplomacy, tact and respect. Being a wingman does not mean protecting those who lack integrity or fail to uphold the core values; it means not tolerating them. You are accountable not only for your actions, but also for failing to take action if you see bad behavior.

Today we challenge each and every Airman to reaffirm their commitment to our core values by finding new ways to live these values each and every day. This reaffirmation will strengthen the trust between Airmen, and our commitment to one another. It also reassures the American public we are worthy of their trust.

Thank you for representing the Air Force so well and exhibiting pride and courage in our service. If you have questions about our core values, please seek out guidance and assistance from people who can help: commanders, first sergeants, chaplains and inspectors general are available to provide counsel and advice. Because of who we are, and what we do, Integrity, Service and Excellence carry special meaning for all of us. Always remember that it is an honor to be called “Airman.” We must earn that honor, every day.

Deborah Lee James

Secretary of the Air Force

Mark A. Welsh III

General, USAF

Chief of Staff

James A. Cody

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

Edited March 14, 2014 by AFsock

[tunes]

Naw AF wide email on Core Values and our need to recommit to them and being a wingman means being an informant:

To All Airmen,

Following is a very important message from General Welsh, CMSAF Cody and me regarding Core Values in our Air Force. I ask each of you to read it, internalize the message and rededicate yourself to our Air Force and our Core Values.

Respectfully,

Deborah Lee James

-------

To the Airmen of the United States Air Force:

Being an Airman is more than a job. When we voluntarily raised our right hands and took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, we became members of the profession of arms. Underpinning that profession is the sacred trust given to us by the American people. To meet their expectations, we must build our lives and shape our service on the foundation of our core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self and Excellence In All We Do. Throughout our history as a service, Airmen with tremendous moral courage have taught us there is no replacement for virtue, character, dignity and respect. Today’s Airmen—active, Guard, Reserve and civilian—must continue this tradition.

When Airmen fail to live up to our core values, the reputation of all who serve is tarnished. We must have the strength of character to do and say the right things at the right times, always with diplomacy, tact and respect. Being a wingman does not mean protecting those who lack integrity or fail to uphold the core values; it means not tolerating them. You are accountable not only for your actions, but also for failing to take action if you see bad behavior.

Today we challenge each and every Airman to reaffirm their commitment to our core values by finding new ways to live these values each and every day. This reaffirmation will strengthen the trust between Airmen, and our commitment to one another. It also reassures the American public we are worthy of their trust.

Thank you for representing the Air Force so well and exhibiting pride and courage in our service. If you have questions about our core values, please seek out guidance and assistance from people who can help: commanders, first sergeants, chaplains and inspectors general are available to provide counsel and advice. Because of who we are, and what we do, Integrity, Service and Excellence carry special meaning for all of us. Always remember that it is an honor to be called “Airman.” We must earn that honor, every day.

Deborah Lee James

Secretary of the Air Force

Mark A. Welsh III

General, USAF

Chief of Staff

James A. Cody

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

big blue, specifically AFPC is doing a great job at integrity first and excellence in all we do.....