Airmen as light infantry may hinder AF Mission

So are these attachments occuring with one specific group from the Air Force? (Special Ops, Security Forces, etc.)

It is time for me to pick a job.
 
No, the special forces dudes do their own thing. They might be attached with other services, but they do important stuff. Security forces, EOD, trans, and other voluntold guys usually get stuck with the army. The guys from my base primarily augmented the army with babysitting EPWs at the prisons, and then could volunteer for convoy security if their hearts desired. All i have to say is stay far far away from Security Forces! Ill say it a thousand times, the worst career field in the AF! Anyone who actually enjoyed it were complete tool bags!
 
The sad thing is that the neo-cons' legacy will be simply that they were the ones who destroyed the U.S. Military.
 
Ortini159 said:
No, the special forces dudes do their own thing. They might be attached with other services, but they do important stuff. Security forces, EOD, trans, and other voluntold guys usually get stuck with the army. The guys from my base primarily augmented the army with babysitting EPWs at the prisons, and then could volunteer for convoy security if their hearts desired. All i have to say is stay far far away from Security Forces! Ill say it a thousand times, the worst career field in the AF! Anyone who actually enjoyed it were complete tool bags!
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:yeahthat:
 
fiveninerzero said:
I am terribly dissatisfied with the USAF's current indecisiveness. A new uniform with a copy pattern of the ACU (Army Combat Uniform) but with a "for show" Air Force colour scheme. If that isn't bad enough, it has a pen pocket and cell phone pocket! I wonder how many millions that thing cost?

The AF is sending guys every day on tactical missions, but I was told by the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force himself that the Air Force will not cater for a few thousand operators when there are 300,000 guys that basically sit behind a desk and don't need camoflauge, but at the same time my unit shows up in Iraq on our Army FOB wearing ACU's and some Air Force brass shows up for a "morale visit" and questions why we are wearing a non-AF uniform. Because we don't want to look different and stupid and get shot when we go out! Duh!

The Airman "Barracks" Uniform isn't even going to come with a flak vest cover or kevlar helmet cover, we'll be using the ACU pattern, what a recipe for disaster!

On the topic of Combat patches and the Army recognising AF guys, I have more Army medals than AF medals, I really don't care much for the combat patch, I have two of them, I don't wear them (my career field is the only career field authorised to wear Army patches in 36-2903, and also other career fields attached to my type of squadron) I am not in the Army, I am appreciative of them honouring me, and I recognise the fact that I did good work for them, but out of respect for guys actually in the Army (plus it costs money to sew them on my uniform) I leave it off and keep them in the frame on the wall.

You mention that guys have trouble getting their awards, I know that the AF has a lot of red tape with regards to awards and decs, if you put your troop in for a medal through the S-1/G-1, I guarantee you it will go through Army channels in about 1/5 the time that the AF processes awards.
ASOS's (Air Support Operations Squadrons) have that working relationship with the Army unit they have been historically supporting for the past 30+ years, and now the AF convoy drivers, security forces, EOD, etc. that are doing temporary work for the Army don't know to press their Army channels to get their troops the recognition they deserve. Believe me, the Army does appreciate what the AF does for them, I deal with them daily and we as AF guys carry a tremendous amount of influence as long as we have A-10's, LGB's and JDAMS, so they usually will go the extra mile for us.

My opinion is that we should do away with all patches on our uniform like the Marines, people will cry a lot less over what they don't have, and we need to stop copying everyone else and quit whining about what everyone else has but we don't unless it involves not getting killed or me getting paid more (prime example: the new Combat Action Ribbon, it doesn't even give points for promotion...just another feel good ribbon for somebody to brag about having..)

I am very opinionated, and don't really care if I get flamed.
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I'm retiring in 2009. I have two decorations ( 2 AFCM) - I never accepted a end of tour decoration since it means nothing. I was told I wouldn't get far. They were right. I'm an O3E and will retire as such...But you know something - I dont care. I can't think of anything I've done that deserved a decoration / medal. Not one thing in 18 years of service.

-LAFF
 
I've heard from many AF pilots that the AF gives medals left and right nowadays and it is embarrassing to earn the same medals that our ancestors did a ####load more to earn.
 
BCTAv8r said:
I've heard from many AF pilots that the AF gives medals left and right nowadays and it is embarrassing to earn the same medals that our ancestors did a ####load more to earn.
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It's true...I've seen several captains with up to SEVEN rows of ribbons. SEVEN!
 
You don't have to accept them. In fact, you can decline if you didn't do anything to deserve it. I've turned down end - of - tour medals by filling out the decor-6 myself before giving it to the boss.

If you really want you can get an AFAM for organizing a holiday party pr escorting DV to the air show - see Captains get decorated for both events.

-LAFF
 
LAFF said:
You don't have to accept them. In fact, you can decline if you didn't do anything to deserve it. I've turned down end - of - tour medals by filling out the decor-6 myself before giving it to the boss.

If you really want you can get an AFAM for organizing a holiday party pr escorting DV to the air show - see Captains get decorated for both events.

-LAFF
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Holy CRAP this is WAY too true!!! This was one of about 26 ACTUAL awards handed out during our last commanders calls ...

-- AF Accomodation medal is awarded to so and so for outstanding service during OIF/OEF. So and so's 'herculean' (such a crap word) efforts ... troubleshot and repaired wing flap system, assuring take off ... blah blah blah --

Basically, its the SAME crapola that ALL maintainers do at home station, but just cause he was wearing tan at the time, AND his supervisor took the time to write it down, he gets a copper chest for it. Often there are guys that bust their @$$ everyday doing 10x the work, but just cause someones supervisor knows alot of Air Force fluff words, his chest looks like he saved the effin queen.
 
AF spends X $$$ on uniform upgrades, and what they get is a carbon copy of the army, which they could have spend a big fat ZERO for in R&D costs. yet they B!^@# about their ever looming budget.

Oh, by the way, they even made a fuss about the dress uniform as well ... and all their budget goes to paying R&D AND all the officers salaries to come up with what looks like WWII german offizer clad.

*shakes head* I'm so ashamed.
 
gypsimac said:
Basically, its the SAME crapola that ALL maintainers do at home station, but just cause he was wearing tan at the time, AND his supervisor took the time to write it down, he gets a copper chest for it. Often there are guys that bust their @$$ everyday doing 10x the work, but just cause someones supervisor knows alot of Air Force fluff words, his chest looks like he saved the effin queen.
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I wouldn't go as far as saying that ALL maintainers do it, though I have seen people get decorations for the most rediculous stuff. "Meticuously R2 cotterpin to a component that does not affect safety of flight; ensuring aircrew can get thier Air Medal on next flight"
 
Although this doesn't have to do with worthless medals for non-flyers in the AF, it does show some perspective...that this is not a new phenomenon. This was written by a then-Major fighter pilot circa 1999 and posted to Col David Hackworth's website in response to Hackworth's investigations into Admiral Boorda's decorations. That Major was severely reprimanded for writing this and posting it on a website...but that Major is currently an O-6 and on his way up the ranks!

From the Air Force

Sir, good morning from Montgomery, Alabama as I stumble through the USAFs Air Command and Staff College (aka Air Command and Golf) - three months of work crammed into a year to appease the local chamber of commerce. I have been a USAF fighter pilot for 14 years with the last 8 years overseas in the Pacific and Europe.

As every military member under the current administration, I have performed my fair share of goofy political military operations: Boring holes in the airspace over Iraq to keep our foot in the door in defense of lower gas prices (we used to call it Provide Comfort until we realized how cynical it was to advertise protection for the same people the Turks were bombing - not much comfort there). Boring holes over Bosnia to appease the world that we were serious about ethnic cleansing (we called that one Deny Flight - the pilots thought it was because the Serbs were doing all the flying and we were doing all the denying).

In 1995, we finally grew a pair and started bombing in Bosnia - I was in F-15E's and we were fragged with some targets that although insignificant to the effort - were too hard for the Navy to hit therefore we were performing a USAF political airshow while risking the lives of aircrews to look good to Congress. While we were wearing out planes, parts and pilots in these contingency operations, those pilots wishing to log the sorties as combat time were allowed to - resulting in an Air medal every 20 times the landing gear successfully retracted.

Most did, but some of us only logged a combat sortie when we employed ordnance or performed a threat reaction to Iraqi fire. The result was that the true swordswingers ended up with fewer merit badges but retained their dignity while the careerists (who were scared sh*tless anyway) rode these fake accomplishments to stardom.

These practices drove the best and the brightest to United Airlines, and after 11 years in the USAF I came close to the same. I then stole a page from your book and cashed in all my blue chips by turning down school, aide jobs, joint jobs, etc. and volunteered for a real career killer - an exchange job in Australia flying F/A-18's for the RAAF at their Fighter Weapons School - best move I could have made to regain my sanity.

The RAAF has avoided the political correctness wave, the female social combat experiment, and has retained a culture that emphasizes war fighting over politics - how refreshing. It was interesting to watch the convicts from down under absolutely pummel visiting US fighter squadrons with their Ivy league commanders, their low morale, poor proficiency from contigency ops and low retention.

I chuckle at the USAF's bloated self press of "the most respected air and space force in the world" - funny, with all these billion dollar satellites, platinum toys and ray guns, these bumpkins from down under treat us the same way the North Vietnamese Air Force treated us 35 years ago - they are kicking our platinum ass with 20mm gunshots from 2000' back like the Red Baron.

I wrote all this in my last station report which I am sure was lost at PACAF somewhere. But nevertheless, after 2.5 years in the tropics, I had purged all the vinegar for political hate from my veins. The Aussies were very appreciative of my efforts to their fighter force and pressed the highest levels of the USAF to reinstate my slot at staff college - here I am.

After arriving at ACSC, I began hearing what a cluster the whole Kosovo air war had been from my buddies from Europe with targets being selected at 1600 Penn Ave, D.C., only after approval from the French only to be missed by incompetent aircrews due to all the cuts in training and all the contingency flying. Anyway, none of this could upset my newly found "no worries" attitude and I just chalked it up the crazy political times.

Then some of my close fighter brethren relayed to me the medal frenzy - it went something like this: If you supported the operation from Missouri, England or Aviano and you're a Lt Col - you get a Bronze Star.

If you saw a Surface to Air missile in flight - you apply for a DFC. If you threat reacted - you're a shoe-in. Each wing gets a Silver Star to distribute - What, a f--king lottery for a Silver Star? My buds told me it became fighter wing versus fighter wing versus bomber wing to see which wing commander could win the most Kosovo Olympic Gold. You either jumped on the team bandwagon or you were considered against it.

It further inbred worse since it was primarily an Air Force show - therefore our Lt Cols with their Bronze Stars could outperform the other services when competing for those hallowed joint jobs - You Gotta Be Sh*tting Me! The service with the motto "Integrity in all we do" is mortaging its dignity to promote its manufactured self image.

Sorry this litany is so long - I'd love to see an article comparing all the sorties of WWII - pilot KIA in WWII - to the DFC ratio of WWII and then compared to the Kosovo debacle.

As a closing note, there is an Army Ranger in my ACSC class who lost his kneecap and another chunk of his leg in Somalia - I don't know what decorations he received along with his Purple Heart from that event, but I am embarassed to look him in the eye as we pass in the hallway thinking of the medal charade we paraded out of our last demonstration of impotence and the real sacrifice he and his brothers made on the ground.

Thanks for your ears - you should send me a therapy bill for just having an address for me to type to. As dedicated as a whitehouse intern.
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Amazing. Where the hell are these officers? I haven't seen one. . . well, wait, maybe one. . . and only one (but he just recently put on 1st Lt - so there still is time for him to become a "teamplayer.")

Need more like you LAFF in the 1W careerfield. Too many bumpkins and Ivy leaguers with huge heads that can't fit through the vault doorway.
 
Hacker15e: Nice read

Surreal: They are few and far between. I'd love to share my stories of the political madness that is going on where I'm at right now, but that's going to be saved for a later date :) .
 
A later date indeed. I'm sure you have some better war stories than I do. Nothing but a bunch of bitching here at my workplace, and it's the most idiotic moaning and groaning that I have ever seen in my short life. I've been sheltered my AF career - sitting behind the vault, doing wx for locations over 6500 miles away from here. Kinda sucks, kinda doesn't.
 
You, know I didn't realize we had this many AF troops doing this sort of thing. I've hauled more than I care to remember over to ORBD, SDA, etc and I never once thought they would be pulling this kind of job.

In the 9th we are tasked every so often, to send 'TWO" airmen to pull convoy duty for 6 months but its strictly volunteer. So far, they've never had to pull out the voluntold on anyone yet. And you better believe its never anyone higher than E-4, if not E-3.

Long story short, as a Loadmaster its not my job to be familiar with a M16, or that piece of #### 9MM they give us. Nor, do we receive any sort of training after basic training. So God Speed to those guys on the ground.

But if you see a loadmaster next to you, give the guy some training for your own sake.
 
thestaton said:
that piece of #### 9MM they give us.
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How exactly is the M9 a "piece of s**t"?

It's a very well designed and built firearm. I have a personal preference for the 1911, as I prefer both the single action trigger and the .45ACP round, but I also think the M9 is a very fine pistol.
 
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