Sympathy for the recently furloughed

[RueterF16]

ExNav,

His brother must have been in my squadron... he made O-5 and was put on the commanders list... what a joke... I think Rome fell this way too...

 

[rapidD]

Guys

I really hate responding to flame bait, but I also can't resist! I can't agree more with all of the replies, with the exception, of course, of Major Mason. I agree, he must be some unknowing malcontent or a young, ignorant one with the lacking experience and perspective to be commenting on something of this nature. My two cents worth: I am a retired USAF lieutenant colonel who also finds himself on the furloughed list of a major carrier. I left the service after 20 wonderful years of both flying and serving my country in staff jobs. I was fortunate enough to have actively flown in the Grenada invasion, Panama, Somalia, DS, and Bosnia. Flying not for the weak hearted, as I flew transports with no ability to shoot back. I left the USAF because I was fed up with what it took to be successful....and I was one of them! Two BPZ promotions and a White House tour. I think I'm qualified to speak from either side. Bottom line: too few good guys, too many horrible aviators who made rank in less rewarding and non-contributing ways drove me out. I'm proud of my time wearing the flight suit and I'm equally proud to be on the furlough list at Delta waiting for my recall. Nobody should feel sorry for us. Yet, nobody has the right to make gross generalizations about the goals and intents of anyone who wears the uniform unless they can step up to their own accomplishments openly. Those of us who left the service, regardless of at what career decision point, served our country and made the conscious decisiion to move on. I respect that a hell of a lot more than those who throw jabs from the outside. If I could go back today and make a contribution to the boys fighting the war, I would. I'm also happy, however, to be associated with all of my brothers and sisters who had their dreams and family fortunes shattered by 911 and the economy. To Major Mason, I say, get a life. To all of you ex-military who also find yourself in dire straits and waiting for the opportunity to fly people and boxes safely around the world, I say "keep the faith" We shall return.

 

[DaveGriffin]

I believe Matt may actually have a valid point.

I never liked or respected the unhappy, short timers (4-10 year mini-careers) who readily accepted their training and paychecks, and then bitched and moaned the whole time about how f****d up the military is. They actively discussed and sought higher paying civilian opportunities, springboarding off their "earn-while-you-learn-best-in-the-world" training, doing everything possible to lower unit morale while they were in. When these guys don't have things work out on the outside (as will often happen with this ungratefull and unhappy personality type) it is difficult for their former shipmates to welcome their return to active duty with open arms.

That is quit different from the career soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who served their 20 or more and then go on to their second career. It is also different from the short timer who served willingly and happily, without complaints, and then moves on to civilian life.

 

[bssthound]

I recall a lot of folks being "furloughed" from the military back in the early '90s. A lot of good folks who wanted to stay in were unable due to the drastic cutbacks. In the Air Force, those who remained could look forward to spending a lot of time in Saudi Arabia. Military members saw firsthand that the service wasn't the secure job we'd all thought it was. As a result quite a few bolted for the airlines as soon as they were hiring. They'd seen the govt's definition of loyalty and didn't want to be stranded when the next RIF was announced. That and not have to worry about spending months in a God-forsaken sandbox.

I don't for one second begrudge anyone who left the military for the airlines. He served his time and honored his committment.
That's a lot more than the vast majority of this nation's citizens, who think we all live in barracks and get up at 4:30 when Reveille sounds. The system isn't set up so we all can serve 20, some of us will have to do less. I'm less than five from my 20, I've bitched most of those 15, bitched yesterday and today, and plan to go to my Reserve Squadron tomorrow, where I will bitch long, loud, and vehemently. However, if called to serve I will unhesitatingly go. I will be BITCHING the whole way there and back, though. Good luck distinguishing me from my squadronmates, however. As hard as I might bitch, they usually run circles around me. Let Dubya call us up, though. We'll all be there. Bitching.

Anyway, this "Mason" fellow sounds like someone who is bitter because military pilots have the option to go to the airlines or else he's a kid who saw the words "Reconojet" and "Space Sled" on his cereal box and ran to his computer so he could pontificate coldheartedly on a lot of good people who are naturally concerned about supporting their families.

 

[RMI]

My roomate in college used to tell me there was a saying in the army his dad (a sergeant major) had told him : "a bitching soldier is a happy soldier". If we weren't complaining about this stuff, we would most assuredly be finding something else unproductive to waste energy on. Just because people complain about the vagaries of the SYSTEM doesn't mean they are not passionately commited to the IDEALS of the service.

 

[Woodstock 58]

He's not for real...

I could be wrong but there's another message board I belong to that has a Matt Mason show up out of nowhere to post insanely inflammatory things and then just disappear.

The coincidence seems too great. Sorry for those who don't know me... I lurk on this board but I'm not a pilot (my husband is). I just had to post that when I saw the name Matt Mason. I almost knew before I read his post that it would be flamebait.

<back to lurking>

 

[Spectre]

Listen Matt,

I'll be one of those furloughed pilots in January. I'm sure the furlough will be shortlived though. I did my share of combat flying over Bosnia. However, if my gunship squadron called me back to do some more shooting, I'd be back in a heartbeat. The reason pilots get out of the military is usually not money related. If that was so, I would have taken the $250,000 bonus the military offered. Most leave for quality of life issues. I wanted to return home and have my family grow up like I did--the same house, same village, same church. My next assignment in Japan would not have offered that. I was proud to serve my country and enjoyed every minute of the military. I still serve today in my state's air national guard. I'm glad in my 10 years in the military, I only met great people and never met one the likes of you. You sound a little bitter. Maybe you are a military pilot too, but none of the airlines would hire you.

 

[bssthound]

I interrupted my bitching at my Reserve Squadron today long enough to log onto the LAN. On the Air Force Global email there is no Major Matt Mason. Of course, someone entrusted to fly the formidable "space sled," or "reconojet" would certainly be in some secret capacity to which we mere mortals would not be able to access his email address.

Let's let it rest. He's just some idiot who decided to get us all
riled up. Besides, I've more bitching to do.

 

[Seeniner]

True.

Man I miss flying with you Navs.

 

[MAJ Matt Mason]

I just want a little editorial balance here. I am not referring to reserve officers. Before examining the present situation, however, it is important that all you people achieve your potential as human beings. You may balk at this, but since you realize my opinion was the truth about yourselves, most of you just want to post a large number of thoroughly warped extravagancies, inconsiderate, and, above all, the most uncompromising opinions against everything that I hold most sacred and most dear. I wonder what would happen if we really did allow the malcontents back in the services. There's a spooky thought. As a parting thought, maybe it’s most of your opinions that are steeped in mephitic atavism.