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Trapper John 11-03-2019 08:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM (Post 653855)
I figured that this fit here.

A LTC(R) Jim Hickman who knew LTC, then MAJ, Vindman tweeted about his experience with him on an training exercise in Europe a few years ago:



https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1...680634368.html

(He later tweeted a correction to Atlas Vison 13 instead of 12.)

What's going on in the officer corps?

Finest Kind post!:lifter Danka!

scooter 11-03-2019 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK (Post 653863)
Interesting, I was not aware of that as a career path.

By definition, I can see the position getting filled with people that are more political savvy than being CQB studs.

Subservient A$$-Kisser's just rolling off my tongue for some reason, but then I'm a VFOG with a mildly addled mind :munchin

You will see a lot of at-risk Majors flipping to the FAO functional area, as their files are not competitive for promotion and they run the risk of a two time non-promote and getting booted from the Army. There are a few that are really into that kind of thing....but most were marginal SOF officers that are looking for a lifeline and, at the recommendation of HRC, grab onto FAO.

TOMAHAWK9521 11-08-2019 21:39

So, what's the tariff of violating OPSEC/COMSEC for a field grade officer?

https://www.redstate.com/bonchie/201...histle-blower/

Is he going to get a pass because "Trump bad"?

PSM 11-08-2019 21:54

So many bombshells, yet no craters on the battlefield. There has to be a major backlash to this.

Badger52 11-08-2019 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOMAHAWK9521 (Post 653934)
So, what's the tariff of violating OPSEC/COMSEC for a field grade officer?

Privileged discussions between 2 heads of state are TS NOFORN for a reason. I would recommend a squad of 8 with 1 dummy round but that's too honorable. Judge Parker would've known what to do.

HoosierFolk 11-09-2019 08:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooter (Post 653866)
You will see a lot of at-risk Majors flipping to the FAO functional area, as their files are not competitive for promotion and they run the risk of a two time non-promote and getting booted from the Army. There are a few that are really into that kind of thing....but most were marginal SOF officers that are looking for a lifeline and, at the recommendation of HRC, grab onto FAO.

This isn’t true, and hasn’t been since promotion rates dipped 4-5 years ago. If you are at risk for promotion in SF, you will be within FAOs functional area as well and they are not going to take you. They will not take the risk, because they’ll need to send you to school — Academic Evals won’t improve your standing. Good OERs will. HRC and SF Branch would not recommend such a thing as a lifeline to save a career. Currently, there is not a two-and-gone system, SELCON gives officers an opportunity to continue their service in their current gradeplate.

Basenshukai 11-09-2019 08:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoosierFolk (Post 653939)
This isn’t true, and hasn’t been since promotion rates dipped 4-5 years ago. If you are at risk for promotion in SF, you will be within FAOs functional area as well and they are not going to take you. They will not take the risk, because they’ll need to send you to school — Academic Evals won’t improve your standing. Good OERs will. HRC and SF Branch would not recommend such a thing as a lifeline to save a career. Currently, there is not a two-and-gone system, SELCON gives officers an opportunity to continue their service in their current gradeplate.

This was my understanding as well. The functional areas also provided a venue to those officers not desiring to continue along the operations path, but likely had value and skills to contribute elsewhere.

During my deployments, former SF turned-FAOs were generally a tremendous resource.

The only negative I experienced with one of them was a major who had essentially gone "native" and would side with HN on just about everything. During an argument we had over something the HN had done, he told me "I'll take the word of the HN leadership over that of a team guy [SF] any day." That pissed me off and our conversation pretty much ended there.

Trapper John 11-09-2019 09:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM (Post 643753)
I don't think that was Kris. He was a helo pilot and a CPT who was assigned to teach at WP. He had gone to Oxford as an RS before the Army.

Glad you corrected JJ. Kris had a good rep in SF as a pilot. I had the opportunity to meet him and have a couple drinks together while on R&R. He impressed me as a really down-to-earth straight shooter. He had character and honor IMHO. ;)

JJ_BPK 11-09-2019 10:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK (Post 643749)
Yes,,
but WP has a sketchy history of ignoring their regs.
They have waved the commitment for Rhodes Scholars(Kris Kristofferson?) and foot ballers going Pro.

I suspect the skidds were well greased to make this happen very quickly and the OIC was told to make it happen with as little MSM as possible, to include avoiding any hint of UCMJ.

Apologies,, This FOG gets confused.

I thought Krist went to WP and accepted as a Rodes scholar, but confused the timeline :mad:


Quote:

Originally Posted by From his BIO
"I want you to know I'm an Army brat; I was a captain in the Army and my brother was a jet pilot in the Navy. So I support our troops; I identify with them. But I sure as hell don't identify with the bastards who sent them over there."

Kris Kristofferson is well-known for his country tunes and his talent on the silver screen, but if that isn't enough to impress you, his time in the Army might. Born to Mary Ann and U.S. Army Air corps officer Lars Kristofferson, Kris Kristofferson spent his early years shuffling around like any normal military child.

He obtained a BA in literature from Pomona college in 1958, and later earned a scholarship to Oxford.

After graduation his family finally pressured him into joining the Army and marrying his girlfriend from high school.,

Joining in 1960, Kristofferson became a helicopter pilot after completing Ranger School and eventually worked his way to the rank of Captain. During this time he continued to work on music and even formed his own band while stationed in Germany.

Kristofferson was offered a teaching position in Literature at West Point, but he turned it down to focus on music.


scooter 11-09-2019 14:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoosierFolk (Post 653939)
This isn’t true, and hasn’t been since promotion rates dipped 4-5 years ago. If you are at risk for promotion in SF, you will be within FAOs functional area as well and they are not going to take you. They will not take the risk, because they’ll need to send you to school — Academic Evals won’t improve your standing. Good OERs will. HRC and SF Branch would not recommend such a thing as a lifeline to save a career. Currently, there is not a two-and-gone system, SELCON gives officers an opportunity to continue their service in their current gradeplate.

Ah, I see I’ve dated myself. Thanks for the correction.

PSM 11-09-2019 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trapper John (Post 653941)
Glad you corrected JJ. Kris had a good rep in SF as a pilot. I had the opportunity to meet him and have a couple drinks together while on R&R. He impressed me as a really down-to-earth straight shooter. He had character and honor IMHO. ;)

When I was working in television in Tucson back in the early '70s, he was filming a scene for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore at a restaurant across the street from our studio. One of our Account Executives went over and ask if anyone would like to appear on our national feed during the Easter Seals telethon that night. Kris was the only one to volunteer. You're right, he was a real down-to-earth guy. Instead of staying 1 hour he stayed 10. We got on the national feed a lot that night because of him. Between sets he'd stay with us in the control room rather than out with our owners, Danny Thomas and Monty Hall.

Here's a link to The Rest of the Story: http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...36&postcount=4

:D

WarriorDiplomat 11-11-2019 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooter (Post 653866)
You will see a lot of at-risk Majors flipping to the FAO functional area, as their files are not competitive for promotion and they run the risk of a two time non-promote and getting booted from the Army. There are a few that are really into that kind of thing....but most were marginal SOF officers that are looking for a lifeline and, at the recommendation of HRC, grab onto FAO.

You are correct from my experience the "at risk" Majors/Captains that everyone knew were not highly thought of within SF were pushed towards the FAO world.....but lets be sure it is clear what at risk means, from what I have seen "at risk" are Captains/Majors not suited for SF as seen by their performance in contrast to the community expectations, I have never seen one who was given a below center mass OER get pushed that direction from what I have seen and heard from O's is the ones being recommended to FAO are those who will not have a command track and IOT qualify them for FAO instead of the below center mass disqualifier they are given the center mass, O's know how to get rid of undesirable O's that will not voluntarily give up their commission and leave the Army.....NCO's call it the velvet knife that allows them to move undesirable NCO's from their units to other teams etc.....without a blatant bad NCOER. I do not agree with the policy as I prefer honest non deceitful disclosure but under Obama and the military culture it was the thing that started to happen as we had a hard time getting rid of bad soldiers. So yes we as of my retirement still do this....caveat that with some are voluntary top notch O's leaving the regiment over the poor leadership while many just get out....not every FAO was bad but quite a few are not cut out for SF careers but flourish in other fields such as FAO. The question today after all the damage done under the fallen Messiah BHO is how do we know the 18A's being pushed away aren't the better 18A's given the weird values change in the community over what makes an SF soldier a good one?

Box 11-12-2019 08:05

I'm going to make the bold prediction that this LTC Vindman turd will quietly make full bird now that he has ingratiated himself to the gub-mint bureaucracy...

Trapper John 11-12-2019 09:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Box (Post 653969)
I'm going to make the bold prediction that this LTC Vindman turd will quietly make full bird now that he has ingratiated himself to the gub-mint bureaucracy...

BINGO!


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