New generation of USAF officers

[HarryShadow]

Check out the 11 Sep edition of the Air Force Times and the opinion section (last page), the one written by MGen Charlie Dunlap, (Deputy JAG, HQ AF)…“High time for a lesson in professionalism”. This opinion piece really got my blood boiling!!! (Not to mention the 9/11 edition makes no mention of the five year anniversary…but hey, I’ll read anything on the pot). Maybe I’m making it more than it is, but he is ranting about not being saluted one morning as his “driver” drove him through the gate. Granted, courtesies in the military may be dwindling and this could be a worthy topic, but hear me out. Next he touches upon the blended military (mix of active duty and contractors) and what it has done “to our professional ethic across the board?”…”some of it not good.” He does recognize that most of the “blended military” are “thoroughly professional”, but that “we cannot allow the influx of non-combatants to imprint a generation of young warriors with the wrong role models for the profession of arms.” Are you kidding me??? Non-combatants???

Here’s what I wish he would have wrote:

“I didn’t get saluted at the gate…so I had my driver pause and I saluted the young troop until she got the point and realized her mistake. It’s a courtesy that can flow two ways.”

“As far as the blended military goes…I am thankful for the contractors who are deployed to OEF/OIF, putting their lives on the line to ensure the fight continues. It may be a pain in the @ss to get them to stay late when the job requires, but hell…we signed the contract and I appreciate their continued service. After all, most are former military that understand the traditions and values of our service and chose this difficult deployment to continue to serve (and make a little more coin).”

“Lastly, I’m not a warrior and I will not give a lesson in professionalism or warriorship to the men and women who lay it on the line in a manner I cannot understand!”

A few truths about officership that I learned from my father…retired after 32 years in the AF…6 as an E, 26 as an O:

1) Always be a mentor…sometimes you may have to mentor up the chain…have the b@lls to do it!
2) Customs and Courtesies…you should never have to counsel another on this…it’s expected they comply! Just be the example and the rest will sort itself out
3) Never be afraid to make the right decision regardless of the outcome. If it means you don’t get promoted then so be it. If it means you lose your command, you still did the right thing. If it means you p!ssed off your boss…then you still maintain your integrity, did the right thing, and you got to p!ss off your boss, which can be fun!!! People respect the right decisions…not the wrong ones!
4) Always take care of your people…regardless of the cost!

I think we need more of #3 and #4 in the AF…

 

[milplt]

See, the thing there is that "HE" didn't get saluted at the gate, not that respect for rank and the obligation of it are diminishing. Have you noticed the re-appearance of the white-topped staff car (there is only one reason for that - and that is to make sure that the boss gets saluted everywhere on base) and the commander's badge - but the gold stars on the sleeve disappeared? It isn't about making sure nobody stands out, it is about making sure the correct people stand out.

I absolutely agree with Shadow's fix of the Gen saluting to get the point across to the guard - I have commented before about how many officers let junior members (sts) walk by without saluting in the BX parking lot and don't correct the situation.

And I really don't care about the salute, what I care about is how the junior officer's have been stripped of any authority and responsibility. Many officers have no ownership in this USAF. "He doesn't work for me, so what can I do?" You are a line officer, of course he works for you, correct him on the spot. If need be, get his name/numbers and contact his supervisor. The great thing is that we still have a large number of outstanding first shirts, all they need is to be informed of an issue - no matter what it is. Hell, I can't even submit a travel voucher without our enlisted admin troops "approving" it. The issue is that if we stop treating our officers like officers, they will stop acting like officers unless their is a concerted effort to fix it.

 

[71KILO]

Dude - chill. There was no underhanded comment whatsoever, and I don't define myself by my airplane, nor do my peers from what I know of. I was strictly referring to the fact (as I'll say again) that guys with "issues" in their respective ops units usually have those issues arise early on in their UPT classes - T-37's, T-38's, and/or T-1's.

For the college thing - Heck, I don't even know where you want to college anyway. For me, I'm proud of the fact I went to the zoo...if you've got an issue with that, I'm sorry. Never once have I said anything to substantiate that I define myself by that institution, other than my avatar (and that's because I like to root on the football team).

Not sure why, but something tells me you are not liked at your unit.

 

[Deuce130]

Check out the 11 Sep edition of the Air Force Times and the opinion section (last page), the one written by MGen Charlie Dunlap, (Deputy JAG, HQ AF)…“High time for a lesson in professionalism”. This opinion piece really got my blood boiling!!! (Not to mention the 9/11 edition makes no mention of the five year anniversary…but hey, I’ll read anything on the pot). Maybe I’m making it more than it is, but he is ranting about not being saluted one morning as his “driver” drove him through the gate. Granted, courtesies in the military may be dwindling and this could be a worthy topic, but hear me out. Next he touches upon the blended military (mix of active duty and contractors) and what it has done “to our professional ethic across the board?”…”some of it not good.” He does recognize that most of the “blended military” are “thoroughly professional”, but that “we cannot allow the influx of non-combatants to imprint a generation of young warriors with the wrong role models for the profession of arms.” Are you kidding me??? Non-combatants???

Here’s what I wish he would have wrote:

“I didn’t get saluted at the gate…so I had my driver pause and I saluted the young troop until she got the point and realized her mistake. It’s a courtesy that can flow two ways.”

“As far as the blended military goes…I am thankful for the contractors who are deployed to OEF/OIF, putting their lives on the line to ensure the fight continues. It may be a pain in the @ss to get them to stay late when the job requires, but hell…we signed the contract and I appreciate their continued service. After all, most are former military that understand the traditions and values of our service and chose this difficult deployment to continue to serve (and make a little more coin).”

“Lastly, I’m not a warrior and I will not give a lesson in professionalism or warriorship to the men and women who lay it on the line in a manner I cannot understand!”

A few truths about officership that I learned from my father…retired after 32 years in the AF…6 as an E, 26 as an O:

1) Always be a mentor…sometimes you may have to mentor up the chain…have the b@lls to do it!
2) Customs and Courtesies…you should never have to counsel another on this…it’s expected they comply! Just be the example and the rest will sort itself out
3) Never be afraid to make the right decision regardless of the outcome. If it means you don’t get promoted then so be it. If it means you lose your command, you still did the right thing. If it means you p!ssed off your boss…then you still maintain your integrity, did the right thing, and you got to p!ss off your boss, which can be fun!!! People respect the right decisions…not the wrong ones!
4) Always take care of your people…regardless of the cost!

I think we need more of #3 and #4 in the AF…

Well said. What a joke, a JAG lecturing about non-combatants! All they do is sit by the JFACC and shake their heads "no" when a good target comes along. That and wills. I guess they're good for wills.

 

[Deuce130]

Not sure why, but something tells me you are not liked at your unit.

I think Scraps point is that most of the people with problems have had them thier entire career, to include the short time spent before UPT, the time during UPT, the time during RTU, the time spent as a wingman/copilot, the time spent as a 4 Ship lead/Aircraft commander, etc. Every unit has got the one or two guys who probably shouldn't be flying, much less leading or commanding. As far as identifying people during UPT, he's probably right that most of the guys who have trouble don't make it to the fighter track. Not to say they don't have problem children, sometimes it just takes a little longer to ID them. We've got three guys in the MC-130P community that I know of personally who should not be let anywhere near an airplane - yet the different squadrons keep passing them on to other units. Those guys need to be Q-3'd early and often until they get the point - they're dangerous to themselves and others.

As far as identifying themselves by the plane they fly, yes it does happen. More often in the fighter community than any other community. But, in the end, an a**hole is still an a**hole, he just might be an a**hole who flies fighters. A good dude is still a good dude. The key to respect is remaining humble. Unfortunately, sometimes it take young fighter pilots a while to realize that. Some never get it and are left scratching their heads why they weren't picked for Weapons School.

As far as the zoo - I'm proud to be from there too. KTP '95.

 

[Scrapdog]

Not sure why, but something tells me you are not liked at your unit.

Kilo - I've tried to disregard your personal attacks against me, but yet you seem to continue to throw them out. What in the f**k is your problem man?? As far as being liked at my unit - well, I like to think I am liked. I get along with EVERYONE that I fly with, am friends with three quarters with them, and probably close friends with at least half. I think I've made a descent reputation for myself as an aviator as well. From what I know, the OG/CC says things are going well, and [knock on wood], I'll be able to continue to fly for my unit for many moons to come. And certainly, above all else, whether I'm liked at my unit or not, I HAVE NEVER, AND WILL NEVER crap on any of my peers on flightinfo and call them fat and a disgrace, no matter what the circumstance.

Take that last comment however you want dude. I'm done talking to you, if you want to continue personally attacking me, by all means be my guest.

Peace out - Scrapdog

By the way Deuce - thanks for the input...that was EXACTLY the point I was trying to make. Never were my earlier posts aimed at a specific community, airplane, or particular person on here - it was solely pointing out the issues that tend to arise early in UPT.

 

[pkober]

Scrap,

The USAFA has a football team?!?!? Just kidding.

As a ANG pilot yourself I would have thought you would have agreed with my comment about ANG generally doing better in UPT. That was my point.

Agreed on the personal attack sh*t.

CLAMABKE

 

[Scrapdog]

Scrap,

The USAFA has a football team?!?!? Just kidding.

As a ANG pilot yourself I would have thought you would have agreed with my comment about ANG generally doing better in UPT. That was my point.

Agreed on the personal attack sh*t.

CLAMABKE

PK - I didn't notice that when I went through UPT. It was actually pretty even...however I went to Sheppard and all the ANG guys in my class were going to fighters. We had 3 in my class (I was AD at the time), 2 F-16 guys and 1 A-10 guy. The F-16 guys did fine (average) and the A-10 washed out after his second checkride in Tweets. But we also had a few AD weak swimmers too. Pretty much break even across the board.

As far as USAFA having a football team - let's only hope. They were pretty strong in the mid to late 90's...however these past few years haven't been too stellar.

Thanks for backing me up on the personal bullsh*t - there's just no room for that crap.

And last but not least...hook a brutha up and help me get on with CAL.

 

[pkober]

If I could I would but I'm struggling to get some one hired right now.

Good luck

 

[Deuce130]

And last but not least...hook a brutha up and help me get on with CAL.

Dude, I KNOW you got some bros that fly for Fedex! Tell them to hook you up with them, too.