The Congressman is back yo

[WTFAF]

Lordy dude.
I represent 700,000 people.  Guessing you aren't one of them. Regardless Ill look and see if I still have what you sent me.   Nice Foxnews dig...you rock

I feel like this is what I just read in this thread:

Q: I'm here to help, what can I do for you?

A: Don't know.
A: That's a new one, hmmmm.
A: Not sure, I'm kind of important and really busy.
A: Are you eligible to vote for me? Cause then I might act like I care a little bit more.

[matmacwc]

You still in congress?  Good on ya, I'd imagine a pretty good job but stressful  at times.  You're in for a couple years of happy times if you are still in and a (R).

[congressman]

1 hour ago, matmacwc said:

You still in congress?  Good on ya, I'd imagine a pretty good job but stressful  at times.  You're in for a couple years of happy times if you are still in and a (R).

Ya I'm both.  And yep we are excited

[matmacwc]

We may need to talk, I have a slam dunk problem that can be fixed.

[17D_guy]

Are you in any of the "cyber" committees and/or test and evaluation/gov't oversight committees?

Edited January 12, 2017 by 17D_guy
dumb words

[congressman]

1 hour ago, matmacwc said:

We may need to talk, I have a slam dunk problem that can be fixed.

Send traffic.  

[congressman]

23 minutes ago, 17D_guy said:

Are you in any of the "cyber" committees and/or test and evaluation/gov't oversight committees?

Depends.  Intel committee deals with the defense side of it which I am not on. I'm am on a committee tho which has jurisdiction over cyber issues. This is a tough nut to crack as it's privacy and free market vs the defense hawks.  I'm a defense hawk

[Kiloalpha]

19 minutes ago, congressman said:

Depends.  Intel committee deals with the defense side of it which I am not on. I'm am on a committee tho which has jurisdiction over cyber issues. This is a tough nut to crack as it's privacy and free market vs the defense hawks.  I'm a defense hawk

What's the status on the military releasing their stockpile of M1911's to the CMP so they can be sold to the public? If you got that one accomplished, you'd be re-elected for the next 10 years, minimum.

[WTFAF]

As a member of this board since 2001, I still am amazed at how quickly a post that says "hey guys what is up" can turn into "F-you ya arrogant prick"

You're right and I see it all the time. Guess I should apologize for being a dick. Sorry, and thanks for making the effort to engage and listen to our perceived issues and ground truths.

[17D_guy]

1 hour ago, congressman said:

Depends.  Intel committee deals with the defense side of it which I am not on. I'm am on a committee tho which has jurisdiction over cyber issues. This is a tough nut to crack as it's privacy and free market vs the defense hawks.  I'm a defense hawk

I'm a privacy nut.  Still I think we can work something out.

[congressman]

10 hours ago, WTFAF said:

 

You're right and I see it all the time. Guess I should apologize for being a dick. Sorry, and thanks for making the effort to engage and listen to our perceived issues and ground truths.

 

No worries man.  I've done the same in the past ha

[HeloDude]

11 hours ago, congressman said:

This is a tough nut to crack as it's privacy and free market vs the defense hawks.  I'm a defense hawk

Ugh...and here I thought Liberty would be front and center.  Where's Ron Paul when you need him?

[pawnman]

On 1/10/2017 at 10:34 PM, congressman said:

Sorry I'm not quite spun up on this.  In many cases different groups spin people up on some ideas that were considered etc in order to increase membership.  So if we pass language saying we need to look at social security reform, every senior gets a letter saying the govt is taking your social security away.  Same happens in military.  These seemingly golden "guardian of the flames groups" exist on scaring military members that congress is gonna take all their benefits away.  I have kicked some out of my office for lying to me (they didn't do their research to know I was in the military.)

i will tell you all there is zero desire to take your benefits away.  Unless we Become broke AF as a country in which case it doesn't matter

You're more optimistic than I am.  I've seen all the ways benefits have been eroded (chipping away at BAH from 100% to 85% of housing cost, the ever-dwindling number of conditions Tricare covers, the reduction in per diem if you're TDY 30 days or more...).

I also know that the Air Force cut something like 20,000 people just three years ago for budget reasons, and we've been struggling to recover ever since.

I don't sit in on the votes, but I do read the NDAA when it gets passed, and the latest one sounds like bad news for military paychecks.  I hope your right, but I have my doubts, especially with Sen. John McCain taking aim at BAH every year.

[Prozac]

Is anyone in congress talking about the incessant use of the military as a foreign policy tool in recent decades?  There are a great many potential problems with this practice, many of which are no longer hypothetical.  We are using up an aging fleet at rates that were never anticipated and we cannot hope to recapitalize in a timely manner, even if the military budget is greatly increased (I have my doubts whether Increased defense spending is really in the cards).  Perhaps more ominously, we are doing the same with personnel. Most of the operators in recent conflicts whether they be spec ops, aircrew, maintainers, etc, are simply burnt out and taking their experience elsewhere.  Yet the only plan seems to be to continue to attempt to squeeze water out of the rock.  How about the monetary cost of these conflicts? I'm a big proponent of a strong military, but the fact is we have spent an astonishing amount of money with very little to show for it.  It amazes me that we've laid out the cash we have while actually shrinking personnel and aging the fleet. I don't care if you lean left or right, everyone in this country ought to be demanding more accountability when it comes to military spending. Don't expect me to support increased military budgets without telling me EXACTLY how that money will be spent.  So, what's the plan?  Throwing money at the problem is not sufficient. I expect my elected officials and my military leadership to work together to come up with a sustainable defense strategy. Forgive me if I have little confidence in either group to deliver. 

[189Herk]

Is there any accountability for who adds what to the NDAA?  For example, a small line was added in the Senate Armed Services committee to their version of the bill that has had some negative effect on ANG AGRs...how would I track where that came from?

[VigilanteNav]

52 minutes ago, congressman said:

And, maybe different readiness levels for C-130 pilots etc.  I hear from those guys that its impossible to hold a civilian job while doing 10 days a month in the Guard.

As an ANG C-130H nav, there are definitely training events that could be reduced/eliminated from a pilot's current readiness requirements to allow them to maintain a fully mission ready status with less days required at their unit (given the current real world ops requirements).  Additionally, it would be an outright boon to morale and retention to eliminate the Afghan Air Advisor mission (or contract it out if it will continue).  If not entirely familiar with this, let me know and I can elaborate.  It could decimate the instructor force in the ANG the longer it goes. Guys will go to the desert for 60 or 120 days with their units but there are not many who will go for 180 to fly as Afghan Air Force crew members.         

[congressman]

1 hour ago, Prozac said:

Is anyone in congress talking about the incessant use of the military as a foreign policy tool in recent decades?  There are a great many potential problems with this practice, many of which are no longer hypothetical.  We are using up an aging fleet at rates that were never anticipated and we cannot hope to recapitalize in a timely manner, even if the military budget is greatly increased (I have my doubts whether Increased defense spending is really in the cards).  Perhaps more ominously, we are doing the same with personnel. Most of the operators in recent conflicts whether they be spec ops, aircrew, maintainers, etc, are simply burnt out and taking their experience elsewhere.  Yet the only plan seems to be to continue to attempt to squeeze water out of the rock.  How about the monetary cost of these conflicts? I'm a big proponent of a strong military, but the fact is we have spent an astonishing amount of money with very little to show for it.  It amazes me that we've laid out the cash we have while actually shrinking personnel and aging the fleet. I don't care if you lean left or right, everyone in this country ought to be demanding more accountability when it comes to military spending. Don't expect me to support increased military budgets without telling me EXACTLY how that money will be spent.  So, what's the plan?  Throwing money at the problem is not sufficient. I expect my elected officials and my military leadership to work together to come up with a sustainable defense strategy. Forgive me if I have little confidence in either group to deliver. 

Understood.  we are in a new era in the world where everyone is super connected and the world is smaller, and challenges are different a greater.  In a cold war construct, it was easier.  In Low intensity and irregular warfare we are burning our fleet and people.  I think personally America is uniquely positioned to keep some world order (not in a new age govt conspiracy meaning) but its gonna take new thinking.  Do we need F-16s burning their hours flying holes in the sky and doing Gods work dropping bombs, or could a AT-6 do the job cheaper while we save the F-16s for the war on Russia or china?  We need to expand the number of people in the ranks and shrink the civilian force, so that rotations are less often.  WE NEED TO BURN REFLECTIVE BELTS TOO.

What it looks like ultimately will be up to the Commander in Chief and us here, but I think we need to reevaluate our equipment and personnel priorities daily.

Unfortunately with ass hats willing to blow up kids in a school or café, I think this war will continue for our lifetimes.  Military strength can also make war less likely as it strengthens diplomacy.

Just my opinion.

[congressman]

29 minutes ago, 189Herk said:

Is there any accountability for who adds what to the NDAA?  For example, a small line was added in the Senate Armed Services committee to their version of the bill that has had some negative effect on ANG AGRs...how would I track where that came from?

That depends.  If it was added as an amendment its an issue of public record, if it was in the base bill that maybe harder to track down, whether it was a senator or military input.

If you have specifics DM me and ill see what I can find.  For those wondering why I have all this time, I can assure you this is a busy job, but the first couple weeks committees aren't formed yet and all attention is on the senate.

[congressman]

16 minutes ago, VigilanteNav said:

As an ANG C-130H nav, there are definitely training events that could be reduced/eliminated from a pilot's current readiness requirements to allow them to maintain a fully mission ready status with less days required at their unit (given the current real world ops requirements).  Additionally, it would be an outright boon to morale and retention to eliminate the Afghan Air Advisor mission (or contract it out if it will continue).  If not entirely familiar with this, let me know and I can elaborate.  It could decimate the instructor force in the ANG the longer it goes. Guys will go to the desert for 60 or 120 days with their units but there are not many who will go for 180 to fly as Afghan Air Force crew members.         

Interesting.  Ya the broader requirements issue is important, and lets see if addressed with new leadership.  From my position the question can be asked.

[ImNotARobot]

Keep up the good work bro. Unless I'm mixed up, I saw you speak at a Laughlin UPT graduation where my unit had a couple Lts graduating last year. You're uniquely qualified to help our various causes from your pulpit. Don't let these bastards keep promoting each other...it's a cancer that's eating our organization from the inside out. 

https://www.airforcetimes.com/articles/mileygate-commander-promotion-letter

I was stationed with/flew with/went to college with one of these guys that got wrongly burned in this fiasco. He's a great dude, and is still dealing with the after effects while Hastings is jockeying for his own promotion. I realize many things are probably out of your control, even at your level. 

Keep on keeping on my friend. 

[congressman]

5 minutes ago, ImNotARobot said:

Keep up the good work bro. Unless I'm mixed up, I saw you speak at a Laughlin UPT graduation where my unit had a couple Lts graduating last year. You're uniquely qualified to help our various causes from your pulpit. Don't let these bastards keep promoting each other...it's a cancer that's eating our organization from the inside out. 

https://www.airforcetimes.com/articles/mileygate-commander-promotion-letter

I was stationed with/flew with/went to college with one of these guys that got wrongly burned in this fiasco. He's a great dude, and is still dealing with the after effects while Hastings is jockeying for his own promotion. I realize many things are probably out of your control, even at your level. 

Keep on keeping on my friend. 

Yep that was me.  I have the propeller they gave me hanging in my office. 

[Hacker]

The "indefinite detention" language needs to come out of the NDAA.  It amazes me that anyone who has taken the oath to the Constitution that we all do could possibly vote for such a thing.  It is one of the most repulsive things to come out of Congress in decades (that is unclassified, at least).

[yankeetango]

A friend of mine is at some training where an O-5 from a UPT base was discussing the pilot retention problem. It was said that the idea is to triple training throughout, but jets are broken and have been for awhile, and there aren't enough IP's to go around. He said that there is no way the Air Force can recover from the pilot shortfall with the UPT pipeline being broken/slow, to which end he used the words "stop loss."

What kind of picture has been painted for congressional leadership on how bad the impending pilot shortage is, and what is actually being proposed to counter it? Is stop loss actually on the table as a "fix" to this problem?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[disgruntledemployee]

Hey, an easy way to talk to a Congress Man, I'll bite.  And this one can't be too hard to tack on to a Defense bill.

Did you know that when any of us has a pay issue that results in over payment, DFAS will start charging the member 5% interest until its paid.  This occurs even if the amount is in dispute/wrong.  And to get any of that interest back takes a very long time (I'm at a year).  The red tape is soooooooooooooo excruciating in that department.  So, I propose that DFAS can't charge interest any higher than my checking account, currently less than 1%.  Tie it to the Fed rate, no more.  BTW, if anyone here is making 5% on a savings or checking account, please tell me know; DFAS isn't into banking yet.

So there, an easy line item change to current law. Reduce the interest rate DFAS can charge on debts.

Out

[daynightindicator]

First, thanks for your service, both mil and gov - I've seen your interviews on CNN, and I find your opinions well-balanced, nuanced, and reasoned.

From a mil perspective, I'd like to see up-and-out promotions go away, with a repeal of DOPMA.  I believe this would help stop the hemorrhaging of talent and address the manning issues at the grassroots level.

I would also like to see a bigger push to allow members to take breaks in service without mortgaging their futures with huge ADSCs.

From a national perspective, our foreign policy needs a major vector check.  Threatening to withhold support from NATO is massively destablizing.  We are on our heels trying to figure out how to respond to Putin.  Russia is not as strong as many perceive, but that actually makes them more dangerous.

Please don't support more conflict intervention without clearly defined, attainable goals and articulated end-states (not accusing you of this, rather our adventures in nation-building since 9/11).

Thanks for your time.