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Admiral "reassigned"

Scoob

Scoob

If you gotta problem, yo, I'll be part of it.
pilot
Contributor
Brett327 said:
It will be interesting to see the extent to which the IA/GSA thing goes away (or doesn't) as OEF winds down. I'll say this, if we're still giving up bodies by the time Hook 2014 rolls around, I'll be addressing that issue with the flag panel and I recommend others do the same.
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In the latest CTF-IA newsletter, RDML Scott indicates that IAs are being transitioned to all reserve fills - my NE relief is indeed a reservist.

KBayDog said:
1. Taken literally, I agree - this indicates that an IA "should weigh equally." However, which officer is better for the long-term health of the community/service: The one who spent a year hoping his 'Stan counterpart doesn't put a bullet in his brain, or the one who spent a year gaining/maintaining qualficiations and tatctial proficiency in his community?
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I realize its a generalization, but very few IA Naval and Marine officers are serving in billets where you "spend a year hoping your 'Stan counterpart doesn't put a bullet in your brain". And since when is gaining/maintaining qualifications and tactical proficiency in your community relevant beyond a first operational tour? The IA is the epitome of "well-rounded" experience.

IAs have just had piss-poor personnel management from conception, to the wrap up we're seeing now. I went on one in 2006, well after the program's initiation - NIACT was god-awful, Army in theater had no idea what to do with sailors, and everyone was being remissioned and forgotten about by their parent command. My career is now terminally "non-standard" because of it. I'm on a second IA - NIACT has improved considerably, the Army finally has a little bit of an idea of what to do with sailors, but they still run a CJIATF like its an Army command, MOST remissioning is gone, and the Navy still wastes the opportunity to fully utilize the growth sailors experience serving outside the box, and as close to the fight as you can get, by refusing to make it a priority for advancement.

Bottom line is they were implemented to stay relevant and secure funding (and a spot as the CJCS), with little to no thought, consideration, or care for the individuals on whose backs that would be provided. They need to go the way of dress khakis - another great idea from the same mind.
 
BackOrdered

BackOrdered

Well-Known Member
Contributor
HueyCobra8151 said:
Not necessarily directed at you, but this line of thinking seems kind of ridiculous to me.

You are now maintaining that the guy who went to Afghanistan and actively participated in the conduct of military operations in a tactical/hostile environment is less "tactical[ly] proficient in his community" than the guy who stayed home and simply trained to conduct military operations in a tactical/hostile environment?
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Surely you have heard the phrase, "Walking the golden path"?
 
K

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
Part of this is the difference in our services and their respective IAs, as well as how the IAs are doled out.

Scoob said:
I realize its a generalization, but very few IA Naval and Marine officers are serving in billets where you "spend a year hoping your 'Stan counterpart doesn't put a bullet in your brain".
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A bit of a generalization, for sure, but not by much (in the Corps, anyway). I have known far more guys go on "transition teams" in Iraq and Stan than be watch officers in Bahrain or Qatar. Again, much of this is due to the differences in our services.

And since when is gaining/maintaining qualifications and tactical proficiency in your community relevant beyond a first operational tour? The IA is the epitome of "well-rounded" experience.
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The problem is that far too many of these warm bodies come from the "0-4 (+1/-1) " model. When the MAG gets tasked with filling IAs, the operational squadrons are the ones coughing up the bodies. Since 0-4s are (thankfully) few and far between in Marine squadrons (and usually filling 'important' billets), the -1 always prevails. What captain is going to leave the squadron? The senior one who just joined the squadron as an 0-4 select and is on tap to be AOPS or something? Hell no - it's going to be drawn from whomever else is left. Thus, these IAs limit someone from gaining/maintaining quals and proficiency in their community during a first operational tour. (Anyone here who was in VMFAT-101 between ~'06 and '08 know this all to well...some of those guys just graduated from -101 (after years in flight school) and were immediately sent on 1-year IAs.)

The IAs for 0-4s already serving on staffs? I can't speak much about those, but they seem to be a little more "neutral" (especially if you get that all-important "Joint" ticket that we love so very very very much punched) than the ones our JOs are filling in their first operational tours.
 
HueyCobra8151

HueyCobra8151

Well-Known Member
pilot
My buddies regiment was gutted of officers to go serve on training teams. I'm betting that's a trend across the board.

KBay: I agree with you, and I definitely get that it would fuck your career progression. I was just pointing out what I see as a pretty ridiculous situation that the system has led us into - where somehow someone who actually engages in combat is less tactically credible than someone who stays back and gets their CAS code repunched for the 10th time at 29 Palms.
 
PropAddict

PropAddict

Now with even more awesome!
pilot
Contributor
HueyCobra8151 said:
My buddies regiment was gutted of officers to go serve on training teams. I'm betting that's a trend across the board.

KBay: I agree with you, and I definitely get that it would fuck your career progression. I was just pointing out what I see as a pretty ridiculous situation that the system has led us into - where somehow someone who actually engages in combat is less tactically credible than someone who stays back and gets their CAS code repunched for the 10th time at 29 Palms.
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"Goddamit! Maybe if there weren't all these trees in the way, we could find that forest!"
 
Flash

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
HooverPilot

HooverPilot

CODPilot
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Concur the source isn't credible - I just had to post it for the sheer entertainment the article & comments provide.
 
Brett327

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I was discussing something to do with the military a while back on FB and someone cited this same Iranian site as a credible source of info on the US military. I pointed out it was an Iranian propaganda site, but the guys didn't seem to get it. Kooky.
 
scoolbubba

scoolbubba

Brett327 gargles ballsacks
pilot
Contributor
Similar issue with my hipster, unemployed 26 year old cousin. She couldn't understand why a Russian state owned news channel wasn't a credible source for an article about drone strikes.
 
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