Your thoughts?
Z
Z
Friday, March 14, 2014
"Off we go......into the wild blue unemployment lines?"
I received this email yesterday from an old friend. It needs no introduction or explanation from me:
I talked to my grandson the other day. He is a lifer in the
Air Force, as is his wife. I asked him if he would be safe from the
cutbacks and he said there is a 64% chance he will be discharged. I just
can't believe this. He is in security, just got promoted into swat a few
months ago, is squeaky clean....why would they want to get rid of someone like
that, except that he is a lifer, has 13 years in so it would only be 7 more
until his retirement. He said they are already cutting all the not so
sharp people. With the upheaval the world is in right now, it just
doesn't seem to be the time to be cutting good, experienced, loyal
airmen. He has been deployed to Iraq and Afganistan 5 times
since 2007. Geeez!
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56 comments:
That's typically been the problem with military cuts. It's not as if cuts and reforms don't need to happen.....because with the egregious waste, fraud and abuse since 9/11 [the blank checks], the services are rife with duplication of effort and misguided 'good ideas'.
The systemic problem when cutting the military, is that the cuts aren't well thought out, and have little [if any] input from senior Non-Commissioned Officers, who are left to manage an increased workload with fewer assets.
If the cuts were to dismiss the bloated GO/FO cadre, and the multi-layered and extraneous acquisition corps....we could achieve a desried force strength and budget without harming the warfighting functions of the services.
Though an Army guy, the proposed Air Force cuts hit a button with me, as they have [again] proffered to remove the venerable A-10 from the fleet. A sad day for anyone who has ever had their life depend on this close air support 'flying tank'.
I have a nephew in the Navy.
I have numerous nephews and nieces who have served in various services and a son who is a CPO and COB in the Navy.
This nephew is trapped in a rating that is facing cutbacks, and yet there is no path for him to cross train to progress.
When I was in, I knew many guys who bounced between services for progress in their career.
Right now, I think a bigger problem with USAF is not RIF, but the PC that's occurring at Lackland and USAFA.
Persecutin of Christians by lesbians and "liberals".
As CI spoke of, the A10 is being cut!
It's not a glamour cockpit.
We need to have an Army Air Corps again, just as we have Naval Aviation (including Gyrenes flying jets!)
Remember this?: "We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."
If the displaced military is willing to exchange Old Glory with the Hope & Change Logo, obama might just have positions opening up for the coming storm.
CI: They figure they can do the same thing with other aircraft.
I remember being mortared one night in Iraq, and it was a blessing to hear the F-16s screaming through the sky and dropping some ordnance. It shut the mortars up in a hurry.
"Remember this?"
Yep. Remember how he was specifically referring to expanding AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and USA Freedom Corps?
Z - I hate to see that happen. Someone who is good at his job should not be cut out of it. It just isn't right.
SF - "They figure they can do the same thing with other aircraft."
Probably so. I'm no Airman, but having had some JTAC, Joint Fires and JATOPC schooling....I know that no other fixed wing platform has the durability and ability to loiter, as does the A-10.
Fast movers are nice...the sound alone has a measurable effect, but there' engagment ability is limited in regards to insurgents ability to fire and maneuver.
The A-10 is a great single purpose aircraft and a hoot to fly but has outlived it's usefulness and cost to maintain is very high.
Like most government institutions the entire military is bloated and needs a diet. The problem is they will cut where their is a need and keep the waste. We have a system administered by known incompetent crooks, politicians, making decisions about something they know nothing about and have a vested interest in keeping bloated. Let them attempt to close Nellis and see Slimy go ape sh--.
"The A-10 is a great single purpose aircraft and a hoot to fly but has outlived it's usefulness and cost to maintain is very high."
Could you characterize the assessment of usefulness, in light of our ongoing threat to forces by insurgents? Would you assess another CAS platform in having the same capabilities?
This is a lot to do about nothing. We are safe and will remain safe. After all we have Obama and Kerry leading the charge :<)
"This is a lot to do about nothing."
Was that in response to my question? Or a follow on observation?
OK, with 13 years service and a 64% probability of an involuntary discharge: What message does this send to perspective volunteers? Also I don't see the World situation getting better.
Not saying any aircraft in inventory is as capable of CAS as the A-10 but it was mothballed until the desert wars.
After all it is a 40 year old design and needs to be replaced. Since they don't build the A-10 any longer, it is difficult for our elected crooks to use those jobs as a vote getter and if it doesn't serve them, it just doesn't matter.
That I understand. But the A-10 matters to those serving. Fortunately, there is movement in Congress to continue funding it.
I should have specified, "those serving" meaning those who find themselves in dire need of CAS. I can't and won't speak for those who fly, fund and maintain them.
@CI:
"remove the venerable A-10 from the fleet..."
I'm wondering if this is what Obama meant when he told Medeved that he'd be more "flexible" after the election? Now that tanks are rolling into the Crimea and Ukraine..??
Not that he'd send A10's after them anyway...
Just sayin'...
@Silverfiddle:
"it was a blessing to hear the F-16s screaming through the sky and dropping some ordnance."
I'll wager that the dead ambassador in Benghazi wished he had heard that too when he begged for them?
Imp: Your statement just does me in. Yes, I'm sure those in Benghazi thought "America's coming"....ya, some were, but they had no support and they got killed, too.
Good point, Imp.
Skudrunner, you were being sarcastic about our feeling same in Obama's hands, right? :-)
I'll be back later.
xx
According to the democrats and the MSM, what is Bengazi?
Z - You mean you don't sleep well at night knowing swift boat is leading negotiations on world affairs so obama can focus his attack on the destroying the middle class. After all, most independents come from the middle class while the richest of the rich come are yellow dog democrats. Limousine liberals are all for giving away your money and protecting the environment as they take their Limo to board their private jet.
CI and Skudrunner:
Airmen no longer talk of 'air superiority' but 'air dominance,' which essentially means we fight in mostly uncontested skies, allowing us to do CAS with precision weapons from higher up.
That's about all I know about it. I've been out a few years now, and I was never an air guy anyway. Commo troop.
SF - That's sounds as if it would be the prevailing mindset in Big Blue. Not to get too wonky, but we of the muddy boot brigade are grateful for '16's and '18's with JDAMs and GBUs, when warranted and when we're able to lase.
For the other situations, a platform that is slow enough to positively ID targets and able to loiter long enough to provide CAS for movement through danger areas and insertion/extractions.....the A-10 is a grunt's best friend.
I'm optimistic that much like before, it's demise can be hated by cooler heads.
@CI:
"hated"?
@$#%#% Mac......."halted".
@CI:
You let your Mac spell for you?? LOL
i donnt spill so gud
Leave no one behind.
Did anyone read Lone Survivor? The book went into a lot of detail about how no one was to be left behind. Including bodies.
Marcus Lutrell KNEW America would be looking for him and the other SEALS.
But of course, that was Bush's "fault". Obama leaves SEALS to fight for hours alone on a rooftop with no help coming. You know those guys could never have imagined their country and Hillary abandoned them.
It sickens me when the left tries to make Benghazi into nonsense. But they murder babies too, so what should we expect?
Amazing how this conversation turned from the unemployment of troops, to the unemployment of warthogs.
The friend who basically wrote this post just emailed mentioning something I'd been thinking about; isn't it amazing that CNN's showed almost nothing BUT the Malaysia air crash story since it happened?
What the heck happened to Russia and how Obama's handling that?
Obama is far to busy raising the minimum wage and overtime to concern himself with world issues. After all he has swift boat to handle the mundane issues.
Guess the MSM doesn't care that thousands are being murdered in Syria and hundreds in Venezuela not to mention the Ukraine.
Z,
isn't it amazing that CNN's showed almost nothing BUT the Malaysia air crash story since it happened?
Yes.
CNN periodically obsesses on something.
Certainly there is an aura of mystery about what happened to that flight. But the wall-to-wall coverage, some of it contradictory, is odd. For information about the contradictions, see THIS. Quite a compilation!
Of course, by talking about the missing flight, CNN can avoid other matters -- matters that don't tread on Obama's toes.
Now, about the topic of the blog post...How many more "death blows" can our ailing economy withstand?
CI: Understand where you're coming from. Another factor may be that A-10s are not satcom-equipped. I worked on an air-ground A-10 project in Afghanistan, so I know how much the soldiers on the ground value that plane.
Where are the jobs, Mr. President? Your Progressive policies have destroyed America!
Despite getting 100% of his policies implemented (whether by a Nancy Pelosi Congress or by unconstitutionally bypassing Congress with his "pen") over 5 years, all we have to show for Obama's Marxist policies is record unemployment.
The facts are facts, you can’t change what has already been done. The fact that you delusional democrats believe more jobs have been created under Obama is comical and hilarious. When Bush was in office, unemployment was already low so there weren't that many jobs that could be created. When Obama stepped in and blew up America’s economy costing 13 million jobs, so it's not really to impressive if 4 million are "Created". He still has the biggest net loss in U.S. history (since the great depression - which not coincidentally was overseen by another ignorant Dumbocrat).
@Z:
"What the heck happened to Russia and how Obama's handling that?"
We already know how that's going to turn out. What we don't know is when Obama will find MH370.
Z - "isn't it amazing that CNN's showed almost nothing BUT the Malaysia air crash story since it happened?"
I saw a piece on Fox today covering that very topic. Which was weird coming from what was once the Natalee Holloway/Chandra Levy channel.
CI, what's WITH you? Do you feel you're informing me that FOX carries it, too?
Ya, I watch FOX, too.
Please read more carefully...I specifically wrote "almost NOTHING BUT" because that's the truth.
Yup, FOX is carrying it, too.
And yup, CNN covered Chandra Levy and Holloway, too. oops
My GOSH, calm down....."almost nothing but" is quite different than normal coverage.
AOW, you're exactly right; FOX is covering the daily news...whatever is happening and obviously is covering the flight, too. But, yes...CNN and the networks are obsessed with the flight.. works well for them.
And yes..just what our economy needs now...more on welfare. Oh, I'm sorry, more on ENTITLEMENTS. (when DID that word become the PC replacement for welfare, anyway?)
Imp; we know how that story's going to finish?
What's YOUR feeling about the Malaysia flight? In water? on land? terrorism? Electrical malfunction?
Tell us, as a pilot...thanks!
Z - You brought up obsessive coverage of a story. I noted the irony of who on TV was deriding the same.
@Z:
My opinion. I'm going crazy listening to all the nonsense and total ignorance of these talking heads about "towers" and transponders. Not too many have a clue as to what they're speculating on.
My take...is it's been hijacked rather successfully. Either by the crew or two very competent, well trained terrorists.
In light of the fact that there's no sign of a debris field, fire, explosion...anything..I think the plane is down on some hidden airstrip on some out of the way archipelago out there.
And some how I think the Malaysians are involved in this too. Which is why they haven't been forth coming with info.
If it's in the Indian Ocean...then it's a s good as lost as the Titanic was. That's 12 to 14,000 feet of water out there.
CI...You don't have to explain; I read your comment.
And it's I who is deriding; FOX didn't.
Also, I wonder that you'd suggest CNN didn't cover Chandra Levy every bit as much as FOX did!? That was RED MEAT to all newscasters.
I knew Gary Condit fairly well; did a lot of business in Modesto, and liked him immensely. That whole thing really my mind.
Imp! REALLY? As lost as the TITANIC? ? I'd have thought we have such sophisticated sonar, etc., now that it'd never be a problem finding a plane...but you're probably right; it's not like a big plane's there, it's probably in small pieces, right?
And I'm starting to wonder about if the plane actually landed, too; I just literally five minutes ago emailed Mustang and asked him about that.....
He's been covering Russia at his blog; I'm going there now to read what he's thinking. Mustang's always valuable to read, right?
"Also, I wonder that you'd suggest CNN didn't cover Chandra Levy every bit as much as FOX did!?"
I didn't suggest that [though Fox did have a reputation as the "missing white girl of the week" channel]. What I asserted was the irony of one cable channel that has obsessed over a story....deriding another cable channel for obsessing over a story.
For one who criticizes every channel except FNC, you certainly seem not to like criticism of FNC.
CI...you're still missing it. FOX derided NO ONE. I AM.
And I watch THEM ALL. And I have often complained about FOX here.
But touché with the insult.
I will ALWAYS stand up for FOX, however, when people call CNN centrist and say FOX is biased though they have FAR FAR more liberals on that channel than CNN or MSBC ever thought of... that is one point that seems lost on many and I feel it's an important one.
What you might not know is that CNN was insulting FOX far before it went on the air. I literally remember sitting in front of the TV watching CNN and seeing their people mock an "all conservative channel" that was going on the air soon...for months. I remember knowing nothing about FOX but thinking "My gosh, it's not on the air yet..what's up!?"
It set the tone. Silly, but it did.
Z said: "And it's I who is deriding; FOX didn't."
Reading comprehension is a good thing CI. She didn't say FOX was pointing out the reporting at CNN.
@Z:
" I'd have thought we have such sophisticated sonar, etc..."
We do...radar coverage that is. We have 22 Radar centers that overlap across the US. It wouldn't just disappear here. I'm hearing that over there in the 3rd world..they shut their facilities down at night. Which makes it the perfect scenario to take that plane over and to where ever that want to take it.
Z, how do you feel insulted when your very next sentence proves exactly what I asserted? And yes.....reading comprehension is wonderful. I encourage everyone to engage in it. One can start where I stated that Fox was deriding CNN for obsessing over a single news story.....as I stated watching that occur on Fox today.
Whether or not Z decided to deride CNN is irrelevant to my earlier comment. It was directed explicitly at the irony of Fox doing so.
Breaking news is that the transponder still pings against the satellite even after it's turned off and that's how they know how long and where the flight moved off course. Traveled for several hours after shut off.
@Rita:
"Breaking news is that the transponder still pings.."
Since when? What time?
About three hours ago now. Shepard Smith was explaining it, interrupting The Five. Around 5:30 ET.
The last time I'm saying this is now:
NOBODY, including me, said that FOX derided CNN. NOWHERE in my comments does it say that.
And who would expect FOX not to cover this story? Of course they did.
Rita and Imp: Re the plane pinging, I just heard Shepard Smith and I believe he said it pinged for 4-5 hours longer than we'd thought....? Not that it was still pinging. He said someone apparently turned whatever pinks off now, too.
They said it still pinged. Not that it was pinging now. Shep said the administration "leaked" the same news as to how they knew the flight continued on after the transponder was shut off. It didn't make sense before they explained it was pinging against the satellite much like your cell phone will show where you were at any given time.
"NOBODY, including me, said that FOX derided CNN. NOWHERE in my comments does it say that."
.....Sigh.....
Who said that YOU did????
I said that Fox was deriding CNN. I watched it on Fox. Me. This guy. I said it. Posted at 1:01 pm. Right here. The one typing right now. Is this thing on?
http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034
CI: okay. ??
geeez
And you needn't ask "is this thing on?" NOBODY is stupid here. god
Rita, no, as I said they think it pinged for 4-5 hours.
Good link...thanks, I appreciate the support. MAN, oh MAN!! Whew.
We are agreeing Z. I mean that it still pinged after it was flipped off not that it's still pinging. I was meaning last tense. As in the several hours after the flight seemed to have disappeared.
Rita, I'm hearing now that there are ways of finding this plane with technology that isn't intended for that purpose...I'm so hoping there's an end to this soon because I can't imagine what the families are going through, you know?
I think of the husband a wife doesn't know is alive or dead (if they did land...maybe they are still alive? But food? water? for that many people?)...I believe there were 2 children on the flight..imagine the parents who apparently weren't traveling with them somehow?? ALL the families must be so desperate. My heart breaks for them.
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