Just my 0.019543 cents, so please take it with a grain of salt.
Too many cliches?
Bird,
-Bull- is the new generation.
My wonderful DH, Bullet was 20 yrs ADAF, now at the Pentagon as an AF GS. He pinned on our DS's AF butter bars in 12.
I am guessing you were in the military the same time frame as Bullet. The military now is not the military the two of you entered 20 yrs ago.
-Bull-
As a spouse the best piece of advice I was ever given, was regardless of rank, if they spent 1 more day in the military than you, than embrace what they are saying. Give them that respect. He spent 22 yrs ADA, he earned it. To him you are wet behind the ears. You have yet to serve 1 day in the AD world.
His approach might have been offensive/brusk to you, but in the AD world as an O1, you will be the FNG, and IMPO, nobody cares about an O1's opinion as much as they care about the O5/O6's opinion.
Our DS got his own feathers up with his Dad as an AFROTC cadet when he too tried to give direction.
Now at UPT he calls his Dad often to ask advice. The point is, at least ADAF, it is a different world than ROTC, and bird may have been giving you great advice regarding ADA.
I want to stress that I am not taking sides for either poster. I am saying both have valid points. -Bull- has been an invaluable poster here regarding ROTC, Bird is an asset for their next step, and life experience in the AD military. (I am guessing their moniker Bird85, means they commissioned in 1985, and retired as a FULL BIRD).
Bird85 can be a phenomenal resource. I don't know their career field, but play the what if game. As a cadet that will commission in a yr from now and they were in your career field as an O6, wouldn't you agree they would be a great resource?
The military is not only what you know academically, but connections than can help you navigate the system.