An different article on a USAF leader

[milplt]

A different article on a USAF leader

This is just the beginning of the article, the full text is at http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=DefenseWatch%202006.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=93. Among other things, it makes a small point of how USAF personnel are not allowed to distinguish themselves from each other (combat vs. non-combat, operational aircrew vs. MWR officer, etc) lest we look for special treatment - EXCEPT, when it comes to the commander or pentagon service badge or some other officially sanctioned distinction.



Hollow Core Values


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]By Nelson Kane
Integrity First... Service Before Self... Excellence in All We Do...
What happened to Fly and Fight, Fight to Win?
Oh, sorry. That was the Air Force. Not the Air and Space and Information Dominance... whatever Force.
Core Values, ever changing ‘Visions’ and Mission Statements... new uniforms... leadership failures. These are all symptomatic of one thing.
Across the board the United States Air Force lacks a coherent focus. It has no sense of itself regardless of the platitudes mouthed by its... leaders.
Most of them are definitely part of the problem anyway. The victories won in the air since 1991 were won by the flyers. Hard flying and hard working aviators, usually below the rank of lieutenant colonel, who continue to ‘make it happen.’ And they make it happen despite the trite silliness of general officers who promote themselves on their ability to reinvent the wheel and wrap it in new paper.
The emphasis placed in definitions, visions and platitudes only serves to illustrate the utter lack of realistic direction from the top. In simple terms, when you know what you’re doing you don’t need to run around telling everyone. You just do it.

http://www.sftt.org/images/moseley.jpg​

Air Force Chief of Staff

T. Michael ‘Buzz’ Moseley

(af.mil photo)​

This is precisely why, in this turbulent, unsettled and downright confusing time, Air Force Chief of Staff T. Michael ‘Buzz’ Moseley is concentrating on something he truly understands.

Changing the Air Force uniform... again.
But lest you believe that’s the only item on his failing, incoherent agenda, T. Michael has also created new badges for Pentagon staff officers to wear. Not knowing what to do with critical issues like morale, over deployment and aging aircraft, he and his Yes People have chosen to concentrate on superfluous fluff.

The Pentagon Service Badge.
Can anyone think of anything less impressive and more downright ludicrous? Is there any clearer statement from this latest Polyester Pretender about what he considers important in an officer’s career - Pentagon service?
A cheap piece of enameled tin symbolizing... what? The ability to be a non thinking drone? The capability to nod your head ‘Yes’ at an amazing speed and frequency? This latest absurdity sends a clear, unequivocal message to young officers everywhere. Not to mention our current and future enemies. The American military, especially the Air Force, considers upwardly mobile staff officers more vital than combat officers.

Nice going T. Michael.
​

[/SIZE][/FONT]
​

 

[AlbieF15]

Well...the part about some officers bailing for the ANG is 100% right.

Also--the ANG has done a LOT of the workload since 2001. Those missing warriors are still out there--just busy at Bagram and Balad and not at Andrews or the Pentagon....and perhaps wearing a different patch.

 

[KC-10 Driver]

Amen... Just on the ground at Balad a few days ago. Those guys are working hard over there -- lots of Guard and reserve.

 

[scoreboard]

Well...the part about some officers bailing is 100% right.

and perhaps wearing a different patch.

Yep, like Southwest Airlines.

 

[Huggyu2]

I heard a guy joke that the Core Values have become:
- Situational Integrity
- The Appearance of Excellence in All We Do
- Service Yourself

 

[Andy]

I'm currently in a joint assignment as a Reservist. The best officers are Marines, #2 is Army. Air Force and Navy ... well, I'm not impressed.
I bow my head in shame while I watch my fellow Air Force officers get wrapped around the axle about a stupid performance report or PRF.

 

[Gorilla]

I'm currently in a joint assignment as a Reservist. The best officers are Marines, #2 is Army. Air Force and Navy ... well, I'm not impressed.
I bow my head in shame while I watch my fellow Air Force officers get wrapped around the axle about a stupid performance report or PRF.

You are correct. The answer is quite simple... The Marines and the Army tend to actually promote men who know how to fight wars and get the job done. The current incarnation of the Air Force has a bizarre system whereby true warfighters (not paper "warriors') are left as road kill in the mad scramble to the top. "Not fit for O-6" is the usual recommendation for men that know how to fly and fight. But the administrative, butt-kissing political weasel makes O-6 below the zone, and once at the top, this same guy looks for like-minded weasels to join him.

A critical mass was reached about 25 years ago. True warriors began to retire; they were replaced with weasels. The balance of power shifted.

The heros of old are no more. Billy Mitchell, Doolittle, Bong, Jabara, Olds - all would have been RIFed and flying for SWA.

 

[HoursHore]

Alot has to do IMO with the way the AF is set up. O's and E's are basically seperated, due to the seperation of Maint and operations. So you have the Support on an equal footing with the operations, which is a mistake, as well as 50 O's and 15 E's in an operational squadron, and 4 O's and 100 E's in the MAint squadron.

 

[Benhuntn]

Today's 25 yr Col has probably spent 15 yrs in schools making himself more promotable. That is why he/she is not a warrior. Most of them have troubled families or are on a second wife. I noticed a lack of integrity in the senior officers way back when I was a 2lt. It isn't a new thing, just more condoned. I remember when an officer could cash a check at the BX, commissary or the O'club, not anymore. The officers did a poor job of policing themselves and now those losers are running the shop. I doubt things will ever change for the better. Only the uniforms, ensignias and mottos will change, because the AF doesn't life traditions.

 

[CobraKai]

got to sit in on a OG staff meeting a couple of months ago, 2+ hours to give a 5 minute brief on aircrew training. Of that two hours there was the five minutes for my brief, about 10 minutes and two slides on what aircraft/crews were flying what missions and their status, and the rest of the time was spent on OPR/EPR and awards and decs.

 

[Slice121]

The AF also differs from the other services in that the enlisted send the officers off to war(for the most part) which is the opposite of the Army and Marines. I think that has an effect on the O + E relations as well.

 

[Benhuntn]

Slice that is a very narrow view. There a several positions in the AF that go to war that aren't "O". Maybe you didn't see the video of the combat controllers in Afghanistan calling in air strikes on their own position to stop the Taliban from overrunning them.

 

[milplt]

Let's not forget that it is these leaders who have created an operational environment where they literally have a JAG sitting at their side in the CAOC QC'ing operational decisions. They are literally unable to make timely/critical - and most important, correct - decisions. Leadership by committee. Could we find another Gen Patton or LeMay if we had to? These current crop are also the leaders who have taken to preferring criminal charges for mistakes made in combat - and I am not talking about raping and killing of civilians, I am talking about honest mistakes made in fog/friction of war. I spoke personally with an ETAC at the battle for Haditha Dam in Iraq that had to kick F-16's out of the battle because they would not drop on the target for fear of violating the ROE. Of course, this is while the Rangers were taking direct fire from the very target - thereby removing any ROE restrictions. Troops in contact should equal dropping the bombs - guilt by association used to apply in warfare - so don't stand next to the guys shooting guns if you don't want to be collateral damage. And it is not strictly a USAF problem, just ask Lt Pantano - although we are probably the biggest violators. It isn't even a strictly military thing - as evidenced by the two border patrol officers facing 20-yrs in prison (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51417).

There is an overall lack of leadership and integrity throughout our system. Thankfully, we still have individual soldiers who win wars despite the leadership, cops who still patrol despite the politicians, etc

 

[Slice121]

Slice that is a very narrow view. There a several positions in the AF that go to war that aren't "O". Maybe you didn't see the video of the combat controllers in Afghanistan calling in air strikes on their own position to stop the Taliban from overrunning them.

That's what (for the most part) meant. I'm not discounting PJ's, JTACS, etc. But when you look at AF percentages as compared to other services it's obvious and in my opinion negatively affects O + E relations. Too many shoe clerks on both sides of the fence these days.

 

[Mamma]

Another slap in the face....in uniform at the BX or Commissary and having to show your ID card to buy a pack of gum or can of dip. Who came up with this great idea of having an officer in uniform show an ID card at the BX???

 

[pkober]

Every aviator officer in the ANG can tell you stories about the admin guys who went to AMS/OTS with them and were promoted years ahead of them. They go to drill once a month and never deploy and are O-5's in the min time while the ops guys get stuck as an O-3/O-4 for the max time. Though we in ops and mx can silently sit with the saticfaction of knowing that we are putting ourselves in harms way while other climb our backs for promotion.

 

[414Flyer]

One of my friends in the Viper community picked up Robin Olds for a speech Old gave. Olds ripped current AF leadership a new one in this speech, for how the biggest threat to a USAF officers career is no longer the enemy, but from the USAF.

 

[pkober]

Don't forget all the guys running over each other to get bronze stars in OEF/OIF.

 

[Deuce130]

Don't forget all the guys running over each other to get bronze stars in OEF/OIF.

All you have to do is be a "mission commander" for about 30 days. I'd say 90% of operational 0-5's at Hurlburt have bronze stars. Multiple for all squadron commanders. Add some NCO's and maintenance/support 0-2 and 0-3s to the list and it's astronomical. Of course, aircrew just does the flying and gets nothing. Except for the occasional inflated DFC or Silver Star. Of all the DFCs out there, probably only half are legitimate. DISCLAIMER: I don't have one.

On a separate note, just heard today of an officer getting the coveted job of "WING COMMANDER EXECUTIVE OFFICER." Part of what's wrong with the AF is that somehow they feel answering phones, doing busy work, and keeping up with the wing commander's schedule qualifies you to lead men and women into combat. It's also funny how most people in that job are not school selects on the 0-4 board. Thus, they get the job b/c they "need" it for school. They then "go to school," get picked for SAAS, get a joint HQ job, go to another school, get requalified in an airplane they haven't flown for 5 years, become an ADO or DO until they find a squadron for you, make you a commander for another 12-14 months max, send you to another school, send you to the pentagon, bring you back to an airplane for requal that you haven't flown in 4 years, and then make you an OG! All because you had a mediocre flying career for the first 6 years and didn't get picked up as a school select you end up as a group commander leading (sending) men and women into combat.

 

[pkober]

Duece,

What in the world do you know about command? Okay, you have flown combat missions. But have you ever felt the true pressure of getting the power point slide just right for the CC? Have you ever been the CC schedule pressure cooker? Have you ever felt the strain of having to get the CC car clean in time for the general arriving? That is all it takes to qualify you for command. Combat means nothing but making sure the #2 pencils on the little round thing on the CC desk are sharp is the real deal.

As far a fake medals go. We have an ASOS unit. About twice a year we have a commanders call where some of them get real bronze stars. You know the ones with "V". I always wonder what the "I have a certain rank so therefore I deserve this medal" bronze star winners think when they see these true warriors get the medals they earned. I know I would be a little embarassed.

 

[B767Inst]

That's what (for the most part) meant. I'm not discounting PJ's, JTACS, etc. But when you look at AF percentages as compared to other services it's obvious and in my opinion negatively affects O + E relations. Too many shoe clerks on both sides of the fence these days.

Slice,
I'm with Ben on this one. If I remember correctly there were more Enlisted aircrew killed in the first gulf war than "O's".

But to comment on the theme of this thread, the lack of integrity in AF leadership is a large reason why I retired at 20. As a SNCO, it got real old having squadron leadership lie to my face, violate regulations at will, and screw people over in the guise of "Air Force Necessity". At the same time have the balls to chew my ass out because one of my troops was wearing a t-shirt that was not "regulation". I still remember a Wing Commander we had who used to chase guys down in the parking lot to see what kind of socks they were wearing. IMHO, it all changed sometime in the 80's when good Captains and Majors were getting passed over and rifted, while the really great "managers" were promoted.

 

[HoursHore]

IMHO, it all changed sometime in the 80's when good Captains and Majors were getting passed over and rifted, while the really great "managers" were promoted.

I think it changed when Power Point was invented.

 

[B767Inst]

I think it changed when Power Point was invented.

You may be right. I forgot about the birth of the Power Point Warrior. Most obnoxious program created.

 

[RampFreeze]

OK, I’ll bite since no one else wants to. You all make excellent points except that you are forgetting one thing. The job of today’s squadron commander is not to lead his troops into battle anymore. (Which is a shame, but for better or worse, the days of flying/leading large formations over enemy territory are gone.) The CC’s job is to work the “system” to get as much money as he can for his squadron (to improve your quality of life so you are not working on 286 computers, etc.), to get his people good assignments when it is time to leave (assignments either good for the Air Force/your career or good for the individual depending upon who you ask and what their definition of “taking care of you” is) and finally to work with other agencies on base/in the USAF for the good of his people. (i.e. to pick up the phone and work with CE to get the leak in the roof fixed, family support to help out the family of a deployed guy, etc.) In order for a CC to be able to do that, you’ve got to have a guy who has knowledge of how the rest of the USAF works and how to manipulate the system to get things done. Unfortunately, the way guys learn about the rest of the base and about how things are done to “support” the mission is by going through a painful process of being a wing exec or similar.

Having the phone numbers for only base ops and the crew bus in your rolodex doesn’t do jack for solving the infinite number of problems your guys face when dealing with the rest of the base/non-flying world. Ideally, a Sq/CC could just stand up in front of his squadron, display the Patton, Doolittle, (you pick it), style of leadership and his men would be charging out of the briefing room with their fangs hanging out. While that type of leadership is still vitally important, there is more to it now days than just that. (unless all of the pilots would be unmarried, never have to interact with the rest of the base, never get paid, etc.) The support side of the USAF doesn’t answer to the flying side anymore. (this is the true heart of the issue IMHO). Ever since pilots became “just another member of the USAF team” we’ve totally lost our ability to direct the “support” side. (How many different AFSCs get leather jackets now days?)

Way too many geek pilots who can write good reports end up moving up because no one else wants to take the bull by the horns. (Let me see, give up flying full time so that I can answer a phone and fly once in a blue moon – are you kidding?) If we want some sanity to return to the flying squadrons, the respected guys with good hands have to suck it up, learn how to write and answer the phone (as an exec) and become CCs so that they can fix the problem instead of just b!tch!ng about it. If the good guys all bail out because all they want to do is fly (and not accept the responsibility of command), then I say shut up and accept the bed that you made. You’re handing the keys over to the spineless geeks.

Not all of the commanders you meet are the slime you describe above. (Although unfortunately way too many I’ve seen fit the mold) I’ve never been a CC but have a lot of respect for a good number (definitely not all) of the ones I’ve had. The guys I respect were not only good pilots, but they called a spade a spade, waived the BS flag when the “support” guys were adding additions to their empires but also pointed the finger right back at his own guys when they screwed up. The world we live in today is just plain different than the days gone by that we all dream of…

A squadron commander who sits in his tent and gives orders and does not fly, though he may have the brains of Soloman, will never get the results that a man will, who, day in and day out, leads his patrols over the line and infuses into his pilots the 'espirit de corps.'

— Brigadier General William 'Billy' Mitchell, USAS.​

 

[71KILO]

You guys didn;t get the briefing at SOS or ACSC? Its the "don't get any crap on me" managemnet style. Basically it's do what you can to keep out of trouble to include lieing and not taking resbonibility for any actions unless you might get a medal. It's right up there with the "someone craps his pants and the commander puts everyone in diapers theory." The Air Foce is led by the last man standing leadership grooming policy. Everyone that is worth a pant-load gets out for the civilian world ASAP. Even when the USAF tries to kick out a loser they still get back in. My unit's chief pilot was kicked out of the USAF as a captain for failure to promote. Basically he's lazy. After being thrown out, he spent two years in civilian life working for a railroad scheduler and tried his hand at teaching high school kids history. He failed at two jobs that barely require a degree. He got back in at my reserve unit when it stood up looking for pilots. He's still a lazy worthless opinionated bloviating loser. He's a Lt Col now with no where else to go. It's turned into a welfare program. My unit is full of these guys mixed in with hard working people that are kept down by excrement-heads like him. These are the people we promote. Do your PME and hang around long enough and you'll get your chance to screw things up as a leader.

 

[Deuce130]

Way too many geek pilots who can write good reports end up moving up because no one else wants to take the bull by the horns. (Let me see, give up flying full time so that I can answer a phone and fly once in a blue moon – are you kidding?) If we want some sanity to return to the flying squadrons, the respected guys with good hands have to suck it up, learn how to write and answer the phone (as an exec) and become CCs so that they can fix the problem instead of just b!tch!ng about it. If the good guys all bail out because all they want to do is fly (and not accept the responsibility of command), then I say shut up and accept the bed that you made. You’re handing the keys over to the spineless geeks.

Not all of the commanders you meet are the slime you describe above. (Although unfortunately way too many I’ve seen fit the mold) I’ve never been a CC but have a lot of respect for a good number (definitely not all) of the ones I’ve had. The guys I respect were not only good pilots, but they called a spade a spade, waived the BS flag when the “support” guys were adding additions to their empires but also pointed the finger right back at his own guys when they screwed up. The world we live in today is just plain different than the days gone by that we all dream of…

Excellent post. As I read your argument, I was asking why can't someone do both - be able to handle the queep of day to day command but also be able to lead and inspire. You hit the nail on the head. The good dudes need to "play ball" and stay alive in the game in order to one day be commanders. Hopefully enough of them can stay true to themselves along the long path to leadership. I've had the honor of having great squadron commanders, but haven't seen anything great from the OG on up. On the upside, two of my former commanders are OG/CC's now and I hope they continue to do good things. I wrestled with that thought when I got out - do I quit now or stay in and change things when it's my turn to lead? It's hard for me to complain too much when I walked out on my own opportunity. Again, well though out post.

 

[pipe]

I like to refer to it simply as promotion by attrition. Very prevalent in the reserves since 15 years ago technicians were paid next to nothing. The only people that stayed around were those that just couldn't get a good job on the outside (for obvious reasons). They wound up in some very high positions by continuing to breathe.

Those technicians are now at the top of the heap and have their own network of "peers" in charge to ensure that it stays that way. About 8-10 years ago, technician pay got decent, so I'm hoping that we are a few years away from an improved crop of leadership.

 

[bssthound]

B767Inst said: while the really great "managers" were promoted.


In addition to having an incredible avatar, I feel B767Inst hit the nail on the head. IMHO that one simple word, "management," is a big part of the problem. The military is NOT IBM, we're not GM, we're not a public utility. Having people in charge who call themselves, and their underlings refer to them as, "management" does all of us a great disservice. Hearing someone in uniform use that word is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I know it's just a word but I find it insulting and degrading and I honestly feel it's one of the symptoms of the problem we're discussing.

 

[JimNtexas]

When I did a staff tour at HQ ACC/DOO back in the early 90s I was totally shocked at the routine total dishonesty practiced by many of the general officers. I was also shocked at how much they cared about superfical appearence items compared to how little they cared about actual combat related problems.

Since I worked in electronic warfare I also know for a fact that many of the generals beating the drum for the F-22 know little or nothing about how radar works or what low observable technolgy actual is, or how it can be countered.

The Air Force is really wierd in some ways. The rank and file are some of the smartest and hardest working people in the world, yet many of their leaders are very weak and timid individuals.

 

[UHBlackhawk]

When I did a staff tour at HQ ACC/DOO back in the early 90s I was totally shocked at the routine total dishonesty practiced by many of the general officers. I was also shocked at how much they cared about superfical appearence items compared to how little they cared about actual combat related problems.

Since I worked in electronic warfare I also know for a fact that many of the generals beating the drum for the F-22 know little or nothing about how radar works or what low observable technolgy actual is, or how it can be countered.

The Air Force is really wierd in some ways. The rank and file are some of the smartest and hardest working people in the world, yet many of their leaders are very weak and timid individuals.

As a former Army SOAR officer, a few stories to show the current problem:
1. Trying to borrow hanger space at an Air Force base for a 3 week exercise. I go to the aircraft commander. He says he can't authorize it as he does not own the hangers. I go to the maintenance commander, and he says HE can't approve it. I go to the BASE commander, and she says she can't approve it. I am absolutely frustrated at this point... every one is afraid to make a decision. As I am walking out of the base HQ, the base senior NCO who was in the last meeting comes running up to me. Asks me the hanger number, then tells me he will take care of it. He was obviously embarased. It took a senior non-com to make a decision.
2. Another joint exercise. Air Force unit supporting the exercise only completed one mission, meaning they got the SOF on target, on time. At the debrief the Air Force commander gets up and says they had a 95% mission completion rate. The JSOTF (Joint Special Operations Task Force), commander stops him, and asks how he figures they had a 95% mission completion rate. AF commander says they launched a bird 95% of the time they intended to. JSOTF commander was very pissed, and pointed out that getting an aircraft off the ground is NOT completing a mission. Getting people or bullets on target is.
3. Another joint mission in South America. JSOTF commander tells the AF C-130 commander he needs some people and parts at an airport that night. This is the major airport in a capital city of a country. Air Force commander refuses, says it is too dangerous at night. JSOTF commander turns to the Marine reserve unit supporting us and asks if they can do it. The Marine pilot responds, "Well, I fly a 757 in and out of there once a month at night, I recon' I can put a C-130 in there."
Then, of course, there was McPeak. Man, we could go on for hours about him.