What would you ask a former Chief of Staff?

What is the status of enlisted pilots for UAVs? I know the army has this option and it was discussed in the past but I can't find any information on it

Gen Norton Schwartz thank you for taking time to answer our questions.

Sir, as a retired EOD Tech I miss the people and the camaraderie, and blowing stuff up. What do you miss the most about active duty and what would you change if you had to do it all again?

Thank you again for your time, and your honorable, exemplary service.

Gen Norton Schwartz thank you for your service to this country! Do you think that the retirement system for individuals like myself who have served over 37 years on (Active Duty, Deployments, Army National Guard, and the United States Reserves) consecutively be changed before we can start receiving those benefits (or) should there be grandfather clause for those of us in the "grey" area awaiting our 60th Birthday?

Sir, thank you for your willingness to answer questions from members here! I am a former 0-3 who came into the service after 9 /11 because I wanted to serve my country. I had to get an age waiver to do it and it took nearly two years to become commissioned. I'm sure other potential officers with great skills who want to serve our country who have had success in the civilian world gaining subject matter expertise would also love to serve their country. How can this process be made better for them or for individuals, like me, who want to get back into the service even if we are traditionally "aged out"?

General Schwartz:

Sir, you were the DCINC at USSOCOM when I was assigned to the Command Surgeon's office as the action officer for the training of our SOCMs with the Fire Department New York (FDNY) rescue units. I had the honor of accompanying you to New York City when you presented Mayor Rudolph Giuliani an award for FDNY's support of our 18 Deltas, HM SEALs, and PJ's. Shortly after our presentation, 9/11 happened and the world changed forever. I retired from the Air Force in 2014, but remember your kind act of recognizing the FDNY command staff, many of whom perished in the collapse of the towers. Hard to believe that was 14 years ago...

I am at a loss as to why the USAF fails to keep the tradition of those who served before alive. Having been in Security Police K9 in Vietnam during Tet 1968 I and those who served with me have much that we could tell to those current security force members...particularly those who suffer from the invisible wounds of war such as PTSD or moral injury. Why doesn't the USAF reach out to those who have served? I for one would be pleased to help.

There are four branches of service. The Air Force is an air arm of it's own.
The Navy has it's own air arm.
The Marines have their own air arm.
The Army is not allowed it's own air arm-- what would be so wrong with letting the Army revive it's own "Army Air Corps" and allowing us to have fixed-wing assets?

It would not be a challenge to Air Force air power supremacy if the Army were allowed to have its own fighters and close-air support aircraft. We could take the A-10, and other non-supersonic, close-air-support/short range aircraft to suit our needs, and the Air Force can concentrate on what they do best: supersonic, high-altitude fighters, strategic bombers, and other "fast movers". There are some great fixed-wing assets out there that the Army could really use, everything from C-130 gunships to A-10s to even Super Tucanos for counter-insurgency ops. None of these would detract from the Air Force mission and would in fact allow the USAF to specialize.

I admit we've got some pretty awesome helicopters... but payload and loiter time-on-target could be vastly improved with some airplanes flying close to the treetops.

Thanks for your consideration in this, sir.

Sir, with the introduction of the F-35 and the A-10's reduced role, do you think it is a viable option for the Army to take over part of the A-10 fleet to use as its own CAS to supplement the Apache?

Are there going to be changes in the current military retirement system?

As a retired EOD Team Leader, I found great passion and purpose in my career. I also found many obstacles and road blocks in the retirement and reintegration process that I believe could be avoided with better education and access to a proper post-military planning. Many combat veterans suffering from related complications seek self medicated means to press through; only to fall into worse recourse in the civilian realm. This solidifies the barriers between military and civilian culture, damages family structures, and has even criminalizes veteran behavior. Veterans will never loose the core values that were issued to them during their service. Yet they often feel lost without the uniform and their team, when they move on. Is there a way to pave a smoother path for those departing the military, that incorporates "team" and promotes a healthier transition? The current suicide rates and self harm measures are crippling an already wounded culture that should be held in high regard and respect. Civil liberties are being restricted and eliminated for many who fought to preserve them for others, due to disconnections and misunderstandings of military culture by the civilian social standards.

Lastly; service may not end with a DD Form 214. Are there further measures in place, regarding the safety of those families effected by the ISIS/ISIL "kill list" that was garnered and generated by that terrorist faction? Thank you sir for your attention.

V/R

TODD M. KUIKKA