Sequestration and the USAF

A few years ago, I spoke with an F-82 pilot, who flew out of Kearny AFB, NE and Bergstrom - 27th F.W. / F.E.W. They would fly from Bergstrom to P.R. for navigational training flights. Of course, on the return leg, the wings would be filled with some Rum.

 

That's pretty much the thing.... The next class may not finish due to budget issues. Now I'm guessing they will find the money someplace at the last minute since there are plenty of WOs in high places.

 

It's interesting to see how the WIC has evolved over the years. Most of the old head WOs seem to be people interested in being the experts, now there seem to be fair number who see it as another ticket punch toward being a general.

We were just sitting around the office this afternoon and realistically the path to success is to learn a flying job just good enough not to kill anyone then immediately go DNIF and throw yourself into a masters degree and start angling for all kinds of different jobs around the Sq. Funny thing is that some of the people I see going places have been fired from every job they were in and bounced around everywhere. Since you practically have to kill someone to get a really bad OPR its hard to tell a fast burner from a bag of crap.

Going back to sequestration.... It's really a striking change as very recently we were burning holes in the sky just to use up the PFT. I remember a discussion we had with a general a few years ago who told us we were flying empty missions just so the Iraqis would see us doing it.

 

Mark, Taz and all, I think the change started coming in right after the first Gulf War, and reflects similarly what my Dad describes happening after WW2, but to a lesser degree. The AF I now see and hear of only vaguely resembles the Air Force I joined in 1985, and much of it is flatly unrecognizable. Heck, have you seen the new 2 piece flight suit?

I pretty much blame my generation of leaders, now in power, whom I find quite shallow and devoid of balls. That said, I am very hopeful for the future, for many of the young folks I see, Mark included, are fine men and women. I hope with time, the old will wither, and these newer, more honorable Americans, if odd to me in their own way, will displace my sad generations embarrasing contribution. I pray there is something left for them to inherit.

 

One of the saddest posts I've read...

I don't think it's just the AF... it's endemic.

(What's the 2 piece flight suit?)

 

I haven't seen one in person but I understand that some spec ops units might be wearing them along with some Army fliers. It basically looks more like a regular camo uniform but with fire resistant properties of the flight suit and a different pattern.

 

Mark, I think you and the Missus should get a matching set....
I really like the Dr. Evil collar...
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It is sad, and it's the point I've been trying to make about the USAF and sequestration. They aren't 'special', everyone gets the same haircut. Rather than whine about it, REAL airmen would pull up their pants and get the job done.

The Army had 2 piece flight suits for use in SE Asia in the late 60s, early 70s. The one piece jumper suits were just too damn hot to wear in the jungle I guess.

 

This is what the many in leadership has been driving the real airmen to over the past 15 years: Do more with less - it stops working after a while and leads to ultimate failure covered up in lies. How many examples do you need? You can't run from math, or enact a waiver to the laws of physics, or supply and demand. Pull up your pants indeed.

We'll start with a literary example based on a great British defeat:

As Kipling wrote, "Into the Valley of Death rode the 300.." and we'll modernize with: " Armed with "pull up your pants and get the job done".

 

Well that's fine then. The CinC of the USAF will go to his boss at the JCS and say something like 'with the assets provided by congress, we/I am unable to provide the US with the defense and offensive capability to which it deserves'. Hand his stars over and call in his replacement.

If you want to quote Englishmen and war, here's one for you: "The battle of Waterloo was won on the fields of Eton".

Also, my original point was that this is NOT just a USAF problem. Everyone gets cut, everyone in govt 'can't get the job done' without more money. Well - in case people didn't get it from the last few posts, there is no more money! It's gone, gone, gone. If you can't do the job with what you have, get out of the way, maybe the next guy can. If he can't then we'll suffer the consequences. Whining on a web board is not a solution. The pity train leaves at 4:22 on track 6. All those that can't cut it - get on board.

 

Hey Russ -- you've got to double your troop count and change your author!

Half a league, half a league;
half a league onward!

 

You are quite correct that it's not likely. That would require telling he truth, and having the courage to do so. Failure of leadership to accept 'truth sayers' and accept people telling them what they want to hear is quite in vogue - as people who believe their own performance reports.
No, I think that approach is strategically and tactically flawed and doomed to failure. You can't change reality by simply having a leadership system based on musical chairs. And how many people are going to be willing to stay and do more with less? You miss the strategic points, and to keep replacing commanders in a futile situation actually exactly reflects our current hollow situation.

No one's whining - just telling the truth and the people that don't want to hear who eagerly and always defend their position by a sideways accusation of whining. It's a bit juvenile, quite congressional, and in today's PC insecure world, quite effective ploy. But not with me. I am quite sure, and I should know, that that exact attitude you describe is a cancer in the current leadership.

But that's ok as this is just an internet chatboard.

 

!!!

 

I'm guessing that the half troop count is exactly the point...


I'm sure it bothers Al Tennyson more than the rest of us... ha.

 

another metric from gov't for gov't waste... it has been reported there are 31 overlapping / redundant programs , that if cleaned up would generate the 85 billion cost of suquestration by themselves... if true, sequestration is an example of manufacturing a crisis by directive... who's poopin' who... ???

 

Guys, I'm a Navy brat, but I never served. (My lottery number in 1970 was 350.) But not only will the military will survive, but it will get better. Going on a diet is no fun, but there is no question that the military is bloated beyond belief. (Just as the federal entitlements are bloated beyond belief.) We must do a better job, and we will.

Dale

 

one news report has an ATC tweeting that he would not particiapte in "traffic control slowdown" as requested

 

agreed... A trimming of the fat is necessary within the government, and that is going to have to be across the board(every branch). Entitlements are off the scale, with no way to fix them other than a redesign of the system. S.S. has been borrowed against so many times, there is no way to repay it. We as a people hold the greatest share of the US debt, as the government made a judgement call to borrow your retirement $ to fund various projects(50% + military). We owe well over a trillion to China, whom I believe is the second largest US debt holder, next to us. Then comes Japan, also over a trillion.

Just for fun, read some of the papers Thomas Jefferson wrote... you will either laugh, or cry.

Justin

 

Just heard on the radio, that the AF is going to (starting today) unleash the Thunderbirds from the sequester.

We should start seeing them in airshows the rest of the summer... until October.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/air-force-combat-aircraft_n_3598738.html

 

Read the report again. It says that the Thunderbirds will begin training again, but that all airshow appearances remain cancelled.

 

Don't count on it. The sequester goes for 10 year, with a deeper cut each year, as I understand it. You're counting on agreement in congress: isn't going to happen.

Art