Deep frustration in the USAF, is it the same across all services?

2015-05-11T00:26:03-04:00

http://www.jqpublicblog.com/boiling-point-colonels-commentary-exposes-deep-frustration-among-airmen/

Response by COL Charles Williams made May 11 at 2015 12:30 AM

2015-05-11T00:30:15-04:00

The Air Force needs to adopt Lead by Example and Follow Me. The Air Force has a culture problem, and that is not a new. Be Safe LTC Private RallyPoint Member!!!

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 3:35 AM

2015-05-11T03:35:55-04:00

From my very little knowledge and experience with the Air Force I will say that organizationally it is incapable of operating as a military entity. It operates more like Southwest Airlines for lack of a better term. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking them, well maybe a little but, I have had my ass bailed out of not so good scenarios because of the great Air Force we have so I am very respectful of what they do.

It's just really night and day when you see how Air Force personnel operate on a daily basis. The NCO Corps of the Air Force is so vastly different than the Army or Marines you can really relate to what Col Grannan is talking about. There is a very different interpretation of what leadership is, the Air Force is much more technically/functionally driven to where the Army is much more personally/hierarchal driven.

The one thing about the Army that keeps it rolling along is discipline. The standards that are required to be a member of the Army are (mostly) highly enforced. Wear and Appearance of the Uniform, customs and courtesies, chain of command. I am not saying that the Air Force is undisciplined but, for example, if you look at their Wear and Appearance regulation it almost mirrors the Army's AR 670-1. However, the attention paid adhering to it and the NCOs attention to enforcing it are vastly different between the two services.

I don't think the culture can be changed, it would be detrimental to operations. Probably one of the reasons it branched away from the Army into it's own service...it just didn't fit the Army culture. That's just how I see it from my small perspective would like to hear from the Zoomies on what they think.

Response by PO1 John Miller made May 11 at 2015 5:15 AM

2015-05-11T05:15:46-04:00

3 failed PT tests within a certain amount of time in the Navy will result in the Sailor being drummed out.

For the most part I DO agree with PT standards. "This person is really good at their job." Well, part of your job is to maintain PT standards. I'm sorry if this sounds mean, it's brutally honest.

But every once in a while, injuries occur and people aren't able to pass their PT test. Ideally, they should be put on light duty (profile in Army terms) until they are healed. I have seen rare cases where a person is injured but still forced to take a PFA (Physical Fitness Assessment). At least in the Navy, while one is on light duty they may not have to PT but they still have to maintain height/weight/body fat standards. I already know that certain medications will cause uncontrollable weight gain but ultimately it is still the member's responsibility to maintain standards. Work with your doctor, go on a low car/low calorie diet, use a medical weight loss program, but do something (considering it is healthy) to keep the weight off.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 9:32 AM

2015-05-11T09:32:53-04:00

This sounds like poor leadership. Everyone has a bad day and it sounds as if that's what this NCO did. They need to relook across the board at there Senior Leaders and fix a major problem before it becomes virul.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 10:26 AM

2015-05-11T10:26:01-04:00

During my travels in joint areas there does seem to be many morale problems, and just as many of them seem to be tied to leadership issues. Lazy leaders, weak leaders, and even the good leaders whom are usurped in their abilities to lead by too many cumbersome meetings and responsibilities for social work rather than action.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 10:42 AM

2015-05-11T10:42:31-04:00

I have to say, I tend to agree with this. It is not necessarily that base commanders don't care about their Airmen, but they are mandated to be strict on the smallest of things & are so inundated w/ other tasks that they cannot be a present as they may desire to be.

However, I agree w/ COL Charles Williams when he said that the AF should adopt Lead by Example & Follow Me. Just because we spawned off of the Army does not mean that we need to spurn away everything that they use...ESPECIALLY if it is successful in developing good airmen & officers!

Response by SrA Edward Vong made May 11 at 2015 10:58 AM

2015-05-11T10:58:07-04:00

I am one of those Airman that the Air Force lost, not so much because of PT, but other reasons which lead me to not reenlisting. I was able to, and given the option, but I chose to separate.

I have seen some unlucky Airmen who have had minor set back, improved without a doubt, only to be handed the boot later.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made May 11 at 2015 11:00 AM

2015-05-11T11:00:33-04:00

An NCO failing a PT test, say it ain't so. Perhaps fitness means nothing in the air force and leading by example is a quant but antiquated notion. An NCO in the Marine Corp failing a PT test would have more immediate consequences (at least it used to).

I find it hard to believe the NCO failed one PT test and only one and every other one he passed with solid scores. The only possible excuse might be an injury which was not mentioned. The story is a little light on details.

Leadership isn't just being good at turning a wrench or being technically proficient. You need to do a lot of things well, set the example in every way etc. (not perfect but not failing either). The AF PT test is about as easy as they get.

The colonel that wrote the article sounds like he is part of the problem with the culture. When standards slip, everyone is hurt. It is very easy to allow stnadards to slip. It takes no effort at all to go "eh, that is too hard, lower the standard". It requires leadership, discipline, motivation and other attributes to keep standards high.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 11:16 AM

2015-05-11T11:16:55-04:00

We are now a one mistake AF. Look at last years force shaping madness. No room for politics in war fighting.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 2:02 PM

2015-05-11T14:02:36-04:00

The Air Force's PT "program" is, for the most part a culling tool, pure and simple. The standards are known, published openly, and seldom change. Your due date is known. Is your due date during the middle of summer in an uncomfortable climate? No problem... take your test early during the time of year you prefer. The test is not difficult to pass by any stretch of the imagination unless all you do for physical activity is raise the beer to your inlet port.

The side benefit of the program- there are much fewer doughy Airmen in our ranks and the gym is busier than ever. There is a greater focus on physical fitness which has positive spins in a number of directions. Could the program stand to benefit? Could the AF PT uniform suck a lot less? Absolutely.

The article illuminates the real problem- lack of leadership. More specifically, lack of testicular fortitude when it comes to making the right call when it's not the popular thing to do. Until the AF reaches its personnel numbers goal, this sort of thing will probably persist.

If supervisors want to retain their Airmen, they should take an interest in their lives and accomplish practice tests early enough to make improvements to ensure a passing score. Every Airman interested in staying in should do this already but in a "do more with less" environment, it's easy to get overwhelmed.

Response by Capt Pat Thomason made Jul 2 at 2015 2:09 PM

2015-07-02T14:09:48-04:00

After 20 years in the AF, and interactions with all the other services, I can tell you the AF does indeed have some major problems, but so do all the other services. Most of our problems originate where many others do, with our politically correct masters on Capitol Hill. The AF is now almost completely devoid of leadership above the O4 level. I see no one who seems to understand what their oath really means, much less any willing to uphold that oath. Senior "leadership" now consists of box-checking careerists looking out for themselves. They are unwilling to take risks or rock the boat lest anything bad happen on their watch and put future promotions at risk.

Many I have talked to in the other services relate similar leadership stories, and similar examples of how political correctness is eating the military from within like a cancer. A Marine related to me the other day that in boot camp the DIs can't even use "knife hands" to point at someone anymore. They can't refer to recruits as "POGUES," or a whole host of other things that might hurt their feelings. I don't know if they still do this, but I remember news stories a few years ago where recruits were being given "stress cards" they could hold up to make a Drill Instructor back off if they were feeling "stressed."

What has become of us? The REAL mission of the military is SUPPOSED to be that we are ready, willing, and able to kick anyone's butt, anytime, anywhere, and in such a convincing fashion that no one is willing to be the next contestant. There is no room in that mission for political correctness, social experimentation, or worrying about hurt feelings. We are decaying while our enemies grow stronger. How long will it be before we are unable to dominate a battlefield? Has that day already come?