Air Force One

[gk10002000]

Just thought I would write that while home in Florida this last January, and while driving over to the Outdoor Lion Safari with some relatives, we drove right by the Palm Beach airport and the Air Force One presidential airplane was quite visible.  It was parked relatively near the road and at the ends of the tarmac/taxiways there were bumper to bumper school buses, no doubt meant to block vehicles from getting through.  When I was active duty Air Force back in 1991 I was at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery Alabama going to Squadron Officer School, and that weekend the then president George Bush senior stopped by for a  political speech and a fishing trip.  A me and two other buys in my class (they were pilots) went out in our uniforms (they wore their flight suits) and we were able to get out on the runway, and could walk right up to the Air Force one and literally look right up the stairway.  The guard on duty did not say anything, and neither did we.  We just sauntered around the periphery of the Air Craft, acted as un-suspiciously as we could, pointed out the ECM and Flare pods, and then left.  I add that he spoke Saturday morning and of course the entire student body, and everybody else had to go to the gym.  So we went though the metal detectors and took our seats.  The president and some local officials were on the stage, General McPeak the USAF chief of staff was there and others.  I happened to be the senior ranking student (O-3 at the time) because I had the most time in grade, so I got the dubious honor of being in the front row aisle seat.  I was literally 20 feet from the President.  When the speaking was done, the entourage got down from the stadium walked down the aisle and the president shook my hand.  Something pretty neat as I do respect the office and George was OK in my book.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2020 by gk10002000

[JimGant]

9 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

When I was active duty Air Force back in 1991

Why'd you get out? Just curious, as I had my papers in as a 1st/Lt to get out (DOS papers -- date of separation). Fortunately, I pulled them just before the mass post Vietnam drawdown began. Thus, I had a great 20 years -- Hawaii, Japan, Thailand, and even the Air Staff (Pentagon) was a rewarding assignment. And the Thai Pan Am stewardess I met on my TDY from Narita to Honolulu has worked out nicely for 41 years. Wow, had I not pulled that DOS I'm sure I would have really regretted it (Air Force pension, inflation indexed, is also sure nice....) Anyway, any regrets? Just curious.

[Pib]

My only AF career regret was having to buy the new dress blue uniform McPeak ordered when becoming CSAF.  New blues that McPeck thought looked great, but the great majority of AF members didn't since they thought the new blues looked like something a steward on the Love Boat would wear.   Fortunately, the new dress blues only lasted about 3 years before the next CSAF dumped them within weeks of coming into office....the AF went back to a more traditional looking uniform.  McPeak was just weird in his uniform fashion.   And I also had to suffer thru McPeak's tenure as PACAF/CC just before he become CSAF.  Yes, I have a "I Survived McPeak ribbon with one oak leaf cluster."  ????

[JimGant]

Ah, yeah, uniforms. I loved the 1505 khaki short sleeved uniform, and wore it until the last day permitted. I think I was the only one, as I remember standing out amongst all the blue bowling shirts with epaulets. But, the Air Force, fortunately, didn't have a huge uniform mandate, like the Navy. Change of command at CincPac, the Navy had on their white chokers, with swords, passing out in the heat. The Air Force? Uniform of the day for special occasion? Oh, just wear your ribbons on your blue bowling shirt. Flight cap, of course, still standard (I never bothered to buy the service cap with farts and darts, and fortunately, never ever was required to wear it.) Yeah, the Air Force was more of a club than a service. Of course, with a mission where the NCOs sent their officers into battle, why wouldn't it be unique. But the quality of the folks attracted to the Air Force made it one helluva enjoyable 20 year career. Sure glad I pulled that DOS!

[gk10002000]

11 hours ago, JimGant said:

Why'd you get out? Just curious, as I had my papers in as a 1st/Lt to get out (DOS papers -- date of separation). Fortunately, I pulled them just before the mass post Vietnam drawdown began. Thus, I had a great 20 years -- Hawaii, Japan, Thailand, and even the Air Staff (Pentagon) was a rewarding assignment. And the Thai Pan Am stewardess I met on my TDY from Narita to Honolulu has worked out nicely for 41 years. Wow, had I not pulled that DOS I'm sure I would have really regretted it (Air Force pension, inflation indexed, is also sure nice....) Anyway, any regrets? Just curious.

I was regular commission after my first 4 years, made capt.  2 more years in I wanted to get a real MS degree.  USAF would NOT let me go get one.  I got admitted to UC berkely , BU, and applied for bootstrap program, but again USAF would not let me go to school.  I had no desire to get some crapy MS from golden gate university, chapman university et al.  So I came off active duty put my self through Graduate school at U Mass Lowell. Got my MS, thoroughly enjoyed going full time, teach assistant, etc.  Got back on active duty but one comes back as a reserve commission and not regular.  Was welcomed back glowingly. All was well so I thought. Guaranteed Major in a few years, then Lt Col.  However 2 years in they came up with the big RIF in 1992.  The catch was anybody that was reserve commission, and had 10 years service, was presumed to have failed to regular commission boards.  That was NOT true for me.  While I was now a regular commission I had passed the regular board.  So on a technicality I was put in the RIF category.  Had my congressman involved, the USAF IG, etc.  but they were not budging.  There were 3 officiers like me and we communicated but all got RIFfed.  So I did everything to improve myself, meet all their criteria, and got shafted.

 

  Now I get free lunch at Olive garden on veteran's day, and I did get my VA approval letter for no down payment loans.  However, as I get lazy, and if I keep my income below 50 k a year, I can get "free" VA medical.  It is actually a tricky process, and there would be copays but that is fine with me as I coast into medicare.  One first applies and they use last year's income.  Of course I made tons last year so the application will be rejected.  Then you submit the"hardship" form which is specificaly designed to show how your income is now dropped and presumably you get into the medical.

 

  Anyway, that is my story.  Over the years the military experience and security clearances have kept me employed in various capacities, and I really can retire, and that is without SSA.  So things are OK.  I loved the USAF but sheet happens.   Over the years I kept trying to get into some Government job because as you may know, one can roll over their Military years and get credit for vacation purposes.  And there is a formula for how much of a Government pension you can get if you pay in xxx amount.   Just never could crack open that egg.

 

And yes the class A uniform change was disgusting.  as was then being mandated to wear the wife beater under shirts.  McPeak no respect here

Edited February 8, 2020 by gk10002000

[JimGant]

gk, looks like switching to mufti has worked out well for you. The civilian world's gain is the Air Force's loss.

[gk10002000]

7 hours ago, JimGant said:

gk, looks like switching to mufti has worked out well for you. The civilian world's gain is the Air Force's loss.

Things would have been different no doubt, but things are OK.  I made it to past the millionaire mark, have plenty of passive income at 63 to retire if I want.  Social security not being used yet and that right now would start at 30.000 a year.  My ex company and Fidelity that manages the health benefits just totally screwed up my COBRA which was going to carry me almost right up to Medicare age, so this week hopefully that will get straightened out.  I made all the elections for 2020 last December when the new plans came out.  I selected the desired plan, got the bills, and invoices, started paying the bills and then last week the buggers on their own changed my plan to what they wanted and raised my monthly from 328 to 575!   Quite a surprise especially considering I did not change nor approve of any changes.  Homey don't play that game so by Wednesday they are supposed to fix things.  Keeping decent medical until I am 65 is about my only concern or issue.  If they insist on billing me for the nutty plan I did not choose, then I stop working and keep my income low and take the "free" VA medical.  I can chill for the next 18 months at my place in Florida, take 90 days SETV with extension a few times in Thailand and go from there.   My problems are just matters of degree and I have options. 

 

One of the funny things is shortly after getting booted out of the USAF on a technicality, I was on a plane and wouldn't you know that a col Benjamin Osler was sitting next to me, who was like the deputy for personnel!  We started talking and he got so mad about the situation, he got on the air phone, called one of his assistants and started an official review.  He said this is as dumb as a bag of rocks.  I said yep.  Of course his office was stymied and did get back to me about it.