Air Force Question

My friend keeps telling me that the Air Force is going to drones and UAV's. He says if you go into the Air Force, you will be more likely to be a UAV pilot than an actual pilot. Please tell me that my friend is a douchebag.

They are bringing out more drones, that is true. Now turn to your friend and say, really is that why we just bought the 22 and the 35?

I think they stated this because now we have pilots in flight suits flying UAVS and it is all over the media. As an "old" AF wife, I remember when Jeannie Flynn came in and everybody thought that now the fighter world would be 50/50, almost 20 yrs later you can still count with one hand (and have fingers left over) the amount of women in a squadron or lss than 10%.

Maybe one day when your child goes to the AFA that may be true, but right now a drone can not do air to air, refuel a jet or transport anything, so he is wrong.

Finally, the name you used maybe cool as a guy, but it is offensive to women, so please be cognizant that you have female peers. In the AF world it is called SA (sit. awareness). You never know you can become a cadet and there might be a female cadet who calls you out on the bus for that word.

...

Why is the word douchebag especially offensive to women? Just because they might use it, doesn't mean it's offensive. If you called me a condom, it wouldn't offend me, just as much as it wouldn't offend a woman if you called her a condom. So why would a woman be offended if I called some guy they don't even know, a douchebag? And also I was just playing around, I don't really think he's a douchebag. Loosen up a bit.

I'm going with PIMA here.
It's offensive and nasty and demonstrates your lack of vocabulary. Would you use it in conversation with your girlfriend's mother? I hope not.
By arguing about it with PIMA shows that you are one.

Your only response should have been "Yes, Ma'am. My apologies, Ma'am".

Zak,

Let me see if I can put it a little differently from Pima and JAM.

I grew up in the UK, but my family is from the "Old South." There are words, phrases, "colloquialisms" that I grew up with that in conversations with folks from those regions/country's "don't mean nuthin..." but to many OTHER folks are offensive.

Why?

I have NO idea; it's probably something in their eyes or point of view, BUT...its not my goal to offend unintentionally. Mind you, if I want to "offend" or "go beak to beak" then I will and with a full weapons package! But in a "day to day" conversation? Nah.

So I avoid them simply to avoid an innocent situation turning ugly. Your use of that word, while understood to be simply a comment and a way to say "I'm going to show him he's wrong..." isn't the best choice in mixed company.

I think a better response to Pima would have been more of: "Wow...I didn't mean anything by that, its just something we say...I'm sorry it upset you." I've not met Pima but I think I can tell the type person she is from her comments here in the forums.

It would have died there.

She's correct: "Situational Awareness" or "SA" is the lifeblood of an aviator; and in truth, of an officer/adult in the world. You're still developing it.

BUT...to get back to your original question: The AF is in need of a HUGE number of UAV pilots. We are trying to build more and more of the MQ-1 and MQ-9 aircraft and to get them in theater as quickly as possible. And that means we need more pilots. Yes, you could get assigned to one out of pilot training.

NO, we're not getting rid of manned fighter/ground attack/support aircraft. They're crucial to a warfighting mission. However we are moving more and more missions to the UAV. Do I foresee a day when UAV's will outnumber manned F/A/R (fighter/attack/recce)? YES and it won't be too long down the road.

But there will still be plenty of cockpits available in the future.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

You ladies need to calm down. It's just a word, noise, not even noise in this instance. Don't let a word bother you so much. I'm a teenage boy, and I am gonna talk however the hell I wanna talk, especially on a forum where I'm never even gonna see you people. So why don't you just take a deep breathe and go do something besides trying to teach me manners over the internet. Do you understand what I'm saynig, Ma'am?

haha zak, you're funny man. If it was a random forum I'd understand your point. Just know that if you do get accepted into this place, people will find out who you are and teach you some respect

take it easy bro, im from new york too but im a little smarter than that lmao.

-C3C

zak09115 said:

You ladies need to calm down. It's just a word, noise, not even noise in this instance. Don't let a word bother you so much. I'm a teenage boy, and I am gonna talk however the hell I wanna talk, especially on a forum where I'm never even gonna see you people. So why don't you just take a deep breathe and go do something besides trying to teach me manners over the internet. Do you understand what I'm saynig, Ma'am?

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Well I'm assuming you want to join the military. Respect is the most important thing in the military and I think you need to develop that soon!

Anyways, I read an article that in 2013 for every manned aircraft pilot there will be three unmanned aircraft pilots. Just my 2 cents.........

zak09115 said:

I'm a teenage boy, and I am gonna talk however the hell I wanna talk,

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Of course, you tell 'em.

Who the hell are they (the wife of a former 20-year F-15 WSO, the mom of a current West Point cadet, an active duty USAF fighter pilot who is now an Academy Liaison Officer, and two current USAFA cadets) to tell you, a future military academy hopeful, how to act on a military academy forum.

After all, you are a teenage boy! No one will EVER find out who you are on this forum!

Keep that attitude, I see a hair net, a drive-through window, and a cash register in your future.

zak09115 - If you are the same zak09115 that I spotted on both miltary gaming forums and a "college chances" forum...here's my advice: Turn the games off and start studying.

tpg said:

I want to be fair to you and wish to allow you to change your ways to include your behavior. Failure to do so will force me to use that button.

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Ah, what do you know, you're just a US Marine war hero with a Silver Star, a Legion of Merit, and 3 Purple Hearts (among many others) - what can you possible tell a teenage boy about the military.

zak09115 said:

You ladies need to calm down. It's just a word, noise, not even noise in this instance. Don't let a word bother you so much. I'm a teenage boy, and I am gonna talk however the hell I wanna talk, especially on a forum where I'm never even gonna see you people. So why don't you just take a deep breathe and go do something besides trying to teach me manners over the internet. Do you understand what I'm saynig, Ma'am?

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You did take it a tad far with that one..... I'm a teenage boy too, but I don't want to sound like a disrespectful one. Sure you have your thoughts, I have mine, she has hers, just do what I do:

If you're talking to a girl/woman, talk to her like you would talk to your mom/ grandmother.

If you're talking to a man, talk to him like you would want a teenage boy to talk to you.

If you're talking to another teenage boy such as myself in a private message or whatever, it's something else, but on the forum where all different kinds of people, with all different kinds of opinions can read it, follow the rules and respect them.

...BAHAHAHAAA!

Wow. Look, you need to realize the military is a heirarchical organization that takes MANY things seriously. One of the biggest is respect. You used inappropriate language, and were called out for it. Then, you attacked those who pointed out your mistake. That is a good way to fast track yourself out of pilot training, the academy, or the military as a whole.

Making a minor mistake is tolerable. Refusing to admit you were wrong and trying to attack those who are there to help you...yeah...that's not going to fly!

raimius said:

...BAHAHAHAAA!

Wow. Look, you need to realize the military is a heirarchical organization that takes MANY things seriously. One of the biggest is respect. You used inappropriate language, and were called out for it. Then, you attacked those who pointed out your mistake. That is a good way to fast track yourself out of pilot training, the academy, or the military as a whole.

Making a minor mistake is tolerable. Refusing to admit you were wrong and trying to attack those who are there to help you...yeah...that's not going to fly!

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^ agreed with Raimius. A mistake is acceptable; but not fixing your mistake is a behavioral problem. Big difference. Especially in the eyes of the military.

OKAY OKAY! I apologize. I was rude and I feel bad about it, can we please drop it? I think I may have learned my lesson by now.

I agree with zak, let's drop it and go back to the OP.

IMHO he meant no real harm, and is just a kid that didn't realize how offensive the comment was. We all have said things as a teenager that we wish we never stated. Maybe he watched Top Gun too much and thought that every fighter guy spoke like that. In honesty, back 20 yrs ago, that would be true, especially when they sang their songs at the club and did Canadian rodeos

If anything that comes from this is that it showed him that the military is a class act and even our future leaders will do us proud grooming their brethren.

Now back to the OP question...


Your friend is wrong.

Until they can figure out how to lift an army brigade, refuel a fighter mid air, do air to air or CAS, then we will still have pilots. The reality is pilots are flying UAVs, but if it helps to calm your nerves, our friend left the AF back in 01 to fly a commercial bus in the sky. Needless to say he heard the call that the AF would take him back, and now this x-fighter pilot who went to ENJJPT and flew for 14 yrs will now be stationed at Nellis as a UAV pilot, this allows the younguns to get actual operational experience while he will do the UAV thing. IMO that is a good match, because his experience will be more beneficial than those that never did combat. Forgot to say he was in Gulf I.

Good luck zak...remember AIM HIGH...ABOVE ALL!


PS...I am from NJ, so I am use to that language, but more importantly as most of these posters will attest I am one of those wives, who has a very thick skin, afterall, I know all of the words to Dennis Leary's song I'm an A**hole, and a cool enough Mom that taught DS1 crud (men's rules) and the lyrics to the song. I do draw the line, for example the S &M man can never be sung in front of me. NEVER!

zak09115 said:

OKAY OKAY! I apologize. I was rude and I feel bad about it, can we please drop it? I think I may have learned my lesson by now.

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You will soon realize that everyone here wants you to succeed!

Listen to all the advice you get and you will do very well. Please continue to post and ask questions. There is a lot of great advice for you here and we will be rooting for you.

ok man,

Respect the authority on this site. This doesn't mean much coming from me, but the people that you are talking to are some pretty cool people that you may want to get to know. Fleiger and Pima have been so helpful to me and I really appreciate it, I bet they will be willing to do the same for you if you show a little respect. Just my 2 cents, but if you are willing to give a little to this site, you will receive a lot.

Later,

Brian

Just_A_Mom said:

I'm going with PIMA here.
It's offensive and nasty and demonstrates your lack of vocabulary. Would you use it in conversation with your girlfriend's mother? I hope not.
By arguing about it with PIMA shows that you are one.

Your only response should have been "Yes, Ma'am. My apologies, Ma'am".

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But leave ma'am sandwiches out of the air force!