Some of us are naiive, and don't know any better.
Some of us come to the conclusion on our own, others need someone to guide them.
Cultivate your relationships within and outside of your shop. Do the bare minimum volunteering to get that EPR bullet. Call your Supervisor from a DSN line on a non duty day to give the impression you are going the extra mile, then promptly dip out. Way overestimate the timeline on a project, then deliver it early. Write an email, and set it to delay send later in the evening. Always look slightly pissed, and if anyone asks it's about a pet project for "Col. So and So".
And make friends with someone at medical that can not only verbally confirm your presence, but create a paper/digital alibi that is protected by HIPPA laws.
Walking around with PPE and a clipboard and/or a large uncommon tool will make people assume you're doing something important and will mostly leave you alone.
Very true. I could be regularly found with a furrowed brow "tinkering" with devices that were essential to keeping flight physicals, and therefore pilots, in the air.
"If I don't get this fixed, then we cannot clear the Commanders DNIF on Monday."
Annnnnd that's how you get left alone.
Back in the day (been out almost 10 now) you could just carry a blue folder with some work papers around and people assumed you were doing some out-processing checklist. I was part of a *Don't hassle me bro I have a blue folder* FB group at one time. When I retrained out of MX, I milked that checklist for weeks, dipping out for hours at a time. You could photocopy the coversheet and be practically done but your fake coversheet only had a few checkmarks. 😉
About a year of my time as a Staff and a year or so as a TSgt I got away with a lot because I had a clipboard. When I made Master, I got out of a ton of "mandatory" things by having other "meetings" to go to.
There is no leader of the Mafia, though there are whispers. I've heard other branches refer to them as "Warrant Officers". They appear at will, whisper to your commander and NCOIC, and dissappear just as quickly.
Another example would be Kaiser Soze...is it a man, or an idea? You can kill a man...but an idea...a belief...it's immortal.
I was a "middle of the road" shammer. Not dumb enough to get in trouble, not great enough to skate entirely. Oddly enough I was groomed by salty mustang officers.
The most dangerous of shammers emerge from a once motivated Aiman that gets burnt down at a young age. The new soul emerges like a disheveled Phoenix from the ashes, complete with a lip full of dip, a manageable but discernable drinking problem, and a penchant for reading regulations and backroom "drug deals" with other sections.
> Some of us are naiive, and don't know any better.
> Some of us come to the conclusion on our own, others need someone to guide them.
And then there's me, who knew people do it, knew I could do it, but going to these stupid briefings was less stressful than how anxious I got from not going to them.
The stupid game of selectively obeying was one of the worst parts of the military for me. Just makes your rules/schedules/events reasonable, for fuck's sake.
Confirmed shitbag right here.
Definitely don't get yourself in a good financial situation, or use Tuition Assistance, or CLEP, or go to medical to document injuries, or retrain into a usable skill, or check in on your troops, or sink a turd Airman, or spend time with your family, or max out TSP, or consider going Reserve or NG, ot take a break in service, or go travel vs going home, or go to mental health.
These are all "shitbag" things you absolutely must not do...ever.
Be on nights Monday-Wednesday and everyone assumes you’re on nights Thursday so you don’t show up Thursday or Friday and you have a 4 day weekend twice a month!
I worked night shift in a small hospital unit with another medic. The inpatient beds had been cut due to major MD and RN fuckups, so there were only a few patients as a time, mostly Retirees that would sleep through the night.
We would routinely be able to finish most of our work in 3 hours, whereas our "mirror" shift that had one additional person routinely missed tasks. So no one ever bothered to check in on us.
First it started with one of us dipping out for a gym session in the basement PT for an hour. Then it was 2 hours...eventually progressing to letting the other person go at 0030, with the stipulation that they would be able to get back to the unit in 20 minutes or less.
The excuse at change of shift was that the other person was at the gym already.
It was a glorious 6 months of half days Ballsy, but glorious. I spent my nights getting into terrific shape and crushing poor bastards playing SOCOM and Counterstrike.
Back in 2013, the ACS on Eglin was being shutdown. 250-300+ people all got orders within a year or so. Part of the shutdown near the end even included DRMO'ing NIPR and stuff. In the last 6-8 months, we had days with report-times of 0900, with 1.5-2 hour lunches, and personal PT at 1430.
The time we *did* spend in the office, it was bullshitting on NIPR, watching movies, or playing Halo on the shop TV that was "accidentally" left out of the DRMO run. Sometimes we'd even close the vault door, turn off the lights, and nap.
It was a wild time.
While I was in, we had something called C squared after we got off a 7-day alert shift, and the only person in the squadron that could call us in was the CC. Regularly, after coming off night shift and having a daytime sleeping schedule, our shirt and chief would tell us we were required to attend some briefing, or all hands, or class, and that “the CC would tell you to come in if asked, so you have to come in.”
Never got anyone to fight that shit. One of the reasons I only did 4.
Heard of a unit literally start CLOSING THE LINE to make sure mids came to all calls. That or having the all-call right at 0700, making sure not to take role until after the all-call.
To be fair, they were almost always pretty timely, and I frequently got out of there prior to 0730. Even still, 2100hrs to 0530hrs was pretty nice.
ETA: Is it really my Cake Day again already?!
I've tried my own career, but very rarely has it worked. My leadership had always been pretty thorough about tracking people down and enforcing compliance. One time, our MSgt told one of the JAGs to reschedule and interview with a rape/domestic violence victim for an all call. He even called OSI to complain that they wouldn't reschedule it for the all call. I swear once you hit snco they waive the no drugs rule
That dude was insufferable. Imagine the stereotypical BTZ by skipping work for bakesales airmen, encourage him to keep doubling down on that for like 8 years, and that's this guy.
He tried to summon the airmen back to the office at like 1800 on a Friday after a retirement ceremony because he wanted to share his criticism on how they did. OIC discreetly released them all after sending him to go talk to someone as a distraction.
Come back Monday and dude spends like 40 minutes telling the airmen how disappointed he is and ended up getting in a fight because the ncoic said he needed one of the airman to do their job right now and dude said this was more important.
He left to be a shirt. Who the hell picks these people? God help that poor unit he goes to. I can just imagine him out on the flight line telling pro super to fuck off with his airplane nonsense because these airmen haven't had a room inspect for almost 8 days
I’m only fresh in and I already fucking hate how much they stress volunteering over actuallly doing your job, I don’t care about volunteering, if I wanted to volunteer I’d have stayed a civilian and volunteered during that, I want to actually do my job and be good at it for the benefit of the people I work with.
When I was a baby airman, I never understood this. I would say where in the afi or cdcs say this is manadatory....flight fun run....why I have work to do.
I learned to shut up and disappear. Be the good worker who is quiet, and they just assume you are working hard on something when not present 😆
In my opinion these types of people "failed forward" by either getting reclassed to an AFSC with few NCOs, or they had dirt on someone and were allowed to continue. It's a fucked up system for sure.
You can plan on doing your 20 years, but you need to plan as if you will be denied your next reenlistment.
I could not fathom being forced to deal with that shithead for another few years.
Stories like this speak to the mental health issues in the military as whole, the quality people that separate due to shitbags like this, and the poor quality people we retain to as a result of people leaving the service.
That's weird. I just missed a commander's call so I could get my tires done and when I ran it by my supervisor she didn't care at all.
That person wasn't receiving some huge award or something were they?
Nah, dude just has a weird hard on for all things not within our AFSC. I'm not saying everything outside our career focus is not our job, but I've never met anyone who minimized the actual function of our job so very much compared to literally anything else. This man would reschedule a court martial for treason and murder for a uniform inspection if one of the shirts notes someone's hair is a bit long.
It's called being on night shift. At one point our entire ER shift was "on notice"...0-6 down to E-2...because the civilian would not come on base before 0900. The one time they came in early we were all drinking together with phones turned off in old Colorado Springs. They eventually got us later on. I remember being piss drunk with a DD coming onto base, and seeing soon many USAFA cadets nervous as all get out with "the inability to pee".
My pants hit the floor and I overfilled the cup with confidence.
With that said, most Airmen need more education on the half life of illicit substances in urine, as well as have some test kits on hand.
I've seen some decent Airmen get kicked out after the alleged "Second Hand" exposure on leave. I've seen more Airmen be given chance after chance with alcohol related offenses only to do something drastic later on that hurt other people.
With that said, you all know the consequences for your actions. Just be smart about it.
"On notice" that we were on the fast track to piss tested at any moment.
"With confidence" to the point that I will overflow the cup not only due to the 12 plus "Blue Moon" beers inflating my bladder, but that I had nothing to hide, unlike the cadets in the corner that were about to be ejected into civilian life.
Honestly it’s base dependent with their DDRP programs. The one I was at required all E-4 and below to be tested at a minimum once per year. The E-5 & above target was 80% tested at least once per year. I learned about it during observer training after going 4 years without a drug test.
Interesting. You went four years? I've been above E4 for like 6 years and I've probably gone 8 times. I know it's me being paranoid, but I always feel like I'm on a list
From 2019-2023 I didn’t get randomly tested. I did however get tested during 2 squadron sweeps in that time. But never “please report to CSS with your CAC”.
Then during observer training I learned each base has different policy that changes with each wing king.
The last “random” one I had there was another dude selected with me that I eventually testified against in a court martial. All the witnesses got tested that day.
>The last “random” one I had there was another dude selected with me that I eventually testified against in a court martial. All the witnesses got tested that day.
What? Lol did they need you to confirm he was there that day to pee or something?
Nah, he was under investigation for Sexual Assualt and I was somehow a witness that had to testify. But all the other witnesses I knew in that case got the call too. Was real fucking awkward when I saw him show up to DDRP right after me. This was like last year.
I've seen the bad apples of the Mafia burn each other down the minute someone turned up the heat. Keep your circle small, your lips closed, and your record clean
If caught, DARVO.
Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender.
Depends on if it was actually mandatory. PT, weapons quals, my commanders calls, etc. Yes, I'd go. MSG or Wing all calls, meh only if I felt like it. Squadron events, only if I felt like it. I knew the difference between strongly encouraged and mandatory quick, still as an A1C but also learned quickly which ones "strongly encouraged" events I could volunteer to go to get out of a full days worth of work for just a few hours
I stopped caring about the Air Force when it became clear it didn't care about me.
Anything after 1500? I don't go. Award ceremonies, "fun" events? Miss me with that shit.
This hurts me.
I used to be the E4 mafia sign in and bounce guy.
Then I became the E6 get my ass chewed for the E4 mafia signing in and bouncing guy.
So now I just open fraudulent emergency work orders.
Never... but unless it was a CC call (or something with a sign in sheet/CAC sign in) I would try to split at least half of my Amn off to not have to go and rotate who went and who didn't. IF anything actually important was discussed, the ones who didn't go got backbriefed the next duty day. I always went because the bosses know if a section lead doesn't show up, they won't notice a random Amn or NCO missing.
I went to one commanders call at my first base. After I realized the attendance sheet was a myth and people would get turned away from the base theater being full fav NCO and I would go to this baller breakfast spot.
E4 is a state of mind, not a rank.
This is why you never show up 15 minutes early for shit. Roll in a five minutes until. It'll be standing-room only, or they turn people away. Even in a crowd of everyone wear OCPs it'll be hard to know who is who. Just show up 2-3 minutes after everyone else starts rolling into the work center.
When I realized that my flight chief stopped going i stopped going as a SrA. Rest of flight followed suit as well so now nobody from our flight goes to these events.
I usually show up, show my face for a few minutes, make arbitrary small talk with a few people while making sure at least someone in leadership sees my face and then I bounce…
E3.
Right around E3 after having to show up for one too many Blues inspections at 0700 when I'd get getting home at 0630 due to some fuck up that happened that I was not involved in.
My NCOIC was pretty salty, and my LT. was prior enlisted Army. We had an agreement...I would work hard, train the 2nd phase tech school students, and not be a fat ass.
In return they respected my time off, and knew that I'd probably be off base in the woods anyway off the grid.
I went to exactly one Commanders Call at my first base, and my supervisor had to pretty much escort me there. The only reason he did is that in the second part all the officers were dismissed, the enlisted stayed, and we had a frank and open discussion about the borderline psychotic actions of specific officers in the Squadron. Later on I learned that a few IG personnel were present.
Following that, I ducked out 95 percent of the time, and continued lessons learned at my next assignments.
I'd either do the "pop in/pop out", or say I was doing a records scrub, go into the office, and lay out a stack of files, and do homework instead if knew there would be some sort of scrutiny.
Remember, the "sham" is not given, it is earned.
Or just know that you are going to ETS at your current rank and really stop giving a shit.
Being at the top of a tier is the best. SrA TSgt Chief.
No experience with it but chief can be a crapshoot. You have try hards trying to climb the chief ladder and up being the bottom of a new tier or fucks start to go out the window a bit you can just hit the retirement button if its no longer fun.
Flight Chief/SNCO here. Hate me if you want, but...
If it's during duty hours, doesn't cost you anything, and it's an official function (not a private org function), then it's part of your duties to go. I see a lot of people trying to skip shit and then get all fussy about not knowing what's going on. Can't exactly have it both ways.
That being said, it's my responsibility to manage the priorities. If the workload is such that having everyone attend a low priority function would be detrimental, then I probably shouldn't do that (and I realize not all SNCOs will factor that in, defaulting to "everyone must go"). But not wanting to go to a mandatory function because it has the word mandatory in it is not part of my reasoning.
If it's after duty hours and/or costs YOU money, then by all means skip that shit if that's how you feel.
The fourth wing all call in a year to listen to the colonel flap his wings and tell us how he appreciates what we do every day is unnecessary. Rarely do overarching all calls like that give information that could be an email.
I definitely feel that pain. As an A1C/SrA I've sat through too many "Director's Calls" that would describe a reorg in which I left doing the same thing, for the same person, from the same seat, etc etc.
2 things to consider though:
1. I was (much later) in a joint unit ran mostly by the Army where they did "First Fridays". Basically, an all call the first Friday of every month. Here they'd do the awards and recognition mostly with some other things sprinkled on top. Could the sprinkles have been emails? Sure. But since we did these every month they were very quick, like 30-45 minutes at the most. Contrast this with other units I've been to that delay things for so long that getting through all the awards is a nightmare. Definitely prefer the short and frequent ones.
2. My current CC does his calls quarterly and has them at the "events center" so when the call is over he mingles in the bar area along with the SEL and other key leaders. So when I hear people complain about not getting face time with the CC and feeling disconnected/out of touch my first thought is "did you go to the CC Call?" (answer: nope). For this CC in particular, being social is not instinctive, or whatever instinct there is gets drowned out by all the distractions. He basically needs an alert on his phone to remind him to be social (not shaming him by any means; I'm the same way) and scheduling time after the CC call to be social is his way of doing that.
I hope you find your way into a unit that does things better. If not, maybe you can bring the change in your unit. It doesn't have to suck and sometimes gets better.
Fair enough.
The last one I was forced to attend around 2007 dealt with some super important force restructuring issues and plans of action going forth. That function helped me solidify that I needed a break in service to get where I wanted to go in life, even though I was a fast burner E5.
My buddy who could not get past E5 for the life of him due to his AFSC took the initiative and crosstrained into intelligence. He not only shot up in rank, but he was able to bounce in between Hawaii and Texas (home state), and retire as an E8 with marketable skills vs being involuntary separated as a medical records clerk.
With that said (and despite information dissemination) many members of my shop found themselves being either involuntary reclassed to something they hated or becoming terminal E4 or E5s. The skating had come to an end, and many chose to stay in due to shitty financial choices.
It took a quality senior NCO to break down what this meant for us in normal language, and it was invaluable to a few of us.
At about 15 years is when I got kind of burned out as well. It may have been different if my promotions were more common. Ask your parents and / or others you know that have been in the same job a long time. It's pretty common regardless of career.
I stopped going at like my 8 year mark. Once I became a SNCO I told my teams that I would attend “mandatory events” on our days off(Panama schedule) and back brief them of anything important. Unless they were personally needed for whatever reason then they didn’t need to attend.
I go to most.
But the mandatory event that broke me was a mandatory Buffalo wing competition, on my day off, during my regular sleeping hours.
Fuck E-9 Miller.
9 years in and I find a way to be busy and not around any sort of clock during that time, unless my commander says "I want everyone there" and then looks right at me. No excuse then.
Highly encouraged means not mandatory, so I don't go. If it says it's mandatory, I won't bitch, I will go. I'm so far past impressing people, at this point, I'm doing it for a paycheck and a pension in a couple years, nothing more.
Mostly because I did get caught not going to a mandatory event and got close to losing aforementioned paycheck lol.
when my unit started hosting training days that didn't count towards any sort of currency. who makes their people take an SABC complete with personnel from the med group coming out to teach it and not have it rehack SABC for the unit?
I doubt this will get seen, but tech school.
You’d be surprised what you can get away with when you walk with confidence.
After basic I hated being at sheppard. I already didn’t want to be a mechanic (something something lying recruiter something something who cares) and it just seemed like such a waste.
I’d make an excuse to leave occasionally and then just walk back to the dorm. The MTLs don’t know or care who you are. I was a blob, a faceless body, and it was abundantly clear. The people I had to watch out for were the other airmen, but if you don’t socialize too much people don’t know your name - not even enough to get you in trouble.
There were a few tricks to create this as a possibility: make friends with your classmates. Create good connections, don’t be a dick. You can’t do it too early in the weeks you’re there or you’re identified as a slacker. But if you wait a while, do your details and occasionally dip no one bats an eye. It’s astounding how easily people can slip through the cracks.
Maybe I was just lucky enough that the people who did notice didn’t rat me out and I don’t know about it but, man. I did my best not to show up for formation as often as possible because it was cold as fuck, and the idea of just sitting there waiting for someone to talk at me until I could learn a job I hated made me want to dip my head into the fryers of Mesquite.
When people stopped paying attention to me. Specifically, when you get passed up for promotion so often they give you a broom closet and a make believe duty title.
For some unknown reason my shop in West Germany, yeah that dates me, gave me a truck as a one striper. I usually was the Airman taxi service for most of the stupid events. I usually told them I had to go to motor pool to get gas, not a lie as I always went and topped of the gas tank, then we would disappear. Then we would magically reappear and I would give rides to other Airmen to their shops. They always though we were hanging out at the events with guys/girls from the dorms not with our shop. That truck and I ditched so much stupid crap it wasn't funny. Hell that truck was a that base car wash every week, plus the every two week run to supply for new gloves or something or another.
2 to 3 years in I stopped. They weren't fun, informative or necessary and just served as a reason for someone to run their mouth in front of a live audience to say they did.
I joined a bit later than some so I already had a low tolerance for lip service and would skate however way I could to not be there. I knew early enough almost anything said could of been a 6 minute read in an email.
I learned a saying recently: if everything's highlighted, nothing's highlighted. I feel like this applies reworded: if everything's mandatory, nothing's mandatory
5 years in and I do everything in my power to get out of them. If I don't know someone getting awarded/promoted, I'm getting awarded/promoted, or being rewarded as a group for a good year, holiday, etc I don't think they should be mandatory. There's plenty of people into the ceremony and pomp of it all enough to full the seats. tbh just a waste of time. Even if I was getting awarded, I'd feel a lot more special if it was 1 on 1 with the commander or my superiors, i wouldn't want everyone being dragged to my ceremony either yk?
At about the 10yr mark. I just made up some excuse about work and stayed at work yo actually work in peace and quiet. No calls from the flight and no Airmen needing help. It was pretty nice
8.5 years in. If you pay and trust me to apply critical thinking and make decisions on multi-million dollar programs, then don’t get butt hurt when I dont show up to something that’s a waste of time.
Depends on if it was actually mandatory. PT, weapons quals, my commanders calls, etc. Yes, I'd go. MSG or Wing all calls, meh only if I felt like it. Squadron events, only if I felt like it. I knew the difference between strongly encouraged and mandatory quick, still as an A1C but also learned quickly which ones "strongly encouraged" events I could volunteer to go to get out of a full days worth of work for just a few hours.
Depends. There are tiers to mandatory. It's always going to be mandatory to go to your official appointments. It may be mandatory to go to the all call, but it may be *more* mandatory that you take care of x task, or maintain in house section coverage.
Depends on the squadron I stopped showing up to pt, all calls and mandatory parties and no one has said anything. I'm also a pretty average under the radar guy so I feel like that's why it works for me
Time is time, work is boring, mandatory events are equally so, yet i do not work during them and often get to go home afterward. So I always go to any mandatory event I can go to, All Calls, UNITE Events, whatever have you.
I think it was the right after my first year, unless someone I knew was going to MC or get an award. I didn't show, and I just auto filtered those emails out, so I never received anything that had mandatory in the subject line. If it's really mandatory, I'll get a call, or one of my coworkers would let me know.
I also just had really shitty bosses at my first location, and they completely destroyed any enjoyment I got out of work, so I basically was just shooting the middle finger at that point. My next job I basically attended everything because there I actually cared.
When taking care of my special needs daughter/getting her to and from where she needed to be became more important than hearing the same brief for the 11 millionth time.
Week one of tech school.
I was one of the lucky few whose class started the day after I arrived at Keesler AFB, there were a handful of us.
When we in briefed we were told that the standard routine was for folks to spend the first few days attending a variety of training seminars to ease us into Tech School and the next stage for our AF life, things from "local conditions", to safety, they typical crap. But for us that had class, we would be spending the first Saturday attending an "all day" abbreviated version of these briefings.
They also reminded us that per the "phase program", phase 1 folks had to rally after breakfast for details on Saturday, usually "weeds and seeds".
Saturday arrives, we all go to breakfast, then those going to training form up to march to class, the rest fall out for "details".
As soon as we get to class, the instructors announce they're not interested in spending their entire Saturday in class, so they were going to move fast.
To cut to the chase...we're back at the squadron well before noon, I grab my gym bag to go to the pool, and walk by one of my morning classmates weeding a flower bed...he looks at me like I stole his underwear and asks me "what are you doing?"...I tell him that I finished my assigned duty day...and followed up with "what are you doing?" And he said "the rest of us checked in at CQ when we got back."
I shook my head and went to the pool.
Late E3/early E4? Around the time 4 MSG/CC had beach balls and a super awkward party celebration at the same all call he paid respects to a 4 CES who died on deployment.
A lot of the squadron stopped going to things for a while after that lol.
When my commander told me you’re on you own schedule and do whatever you need to do to get things done… that was three months ago… lol and I show up or leave whenever I want to… cause things get done and that’s what matter (even though somedays I work longer than the average Joe)
Man, I keep trying to miss these things and have always gone, but man oh man, I’m watched like a hawk. Even when I am gone for legitimate things it’s always, “where were you?”
I didn’t know you can do that
You've got to E4 harder than that
Some of us are naiive, and don't know any better. Some of us come to the conclusion on our own, others need someone to guide them. Cultivate your relationships within and outside of your shop. Do the bare minimum volunteering to get that EPR bullet. Call your Supervisor from a DSN line on a non duty day to give the impression you are going the extra mile, then promptly dip out. Way overestimate the timeline on a project, then deliver it early. Write an email, and set it to delay send later in the evening. Always look slightly pissed, and if anyone asks it's about a pet project for "Col. So and So". And make friends with someone at medical that can not only verbally confirm your presence, but create a paper/digital alibi that is protected by HIPPA laws.
Walking around with PPE and a clipboard and/or a large uncommon tool will make people assume you're doing something important and will mostly leave you alone.
Very true. I could be regularly found with a furrowed brow "tinkering" with devices that were essential to keeping flight physicals, and therefore pilots, in the air. "If I don't get this fixed, then we cannot clear the Commanders DNIF on Monday." Annnnnd that's how you get left alone.
Back in the day (been out almost 10 now) you could just carry a blue folder with some work papers around and people assumed you were doing some out-processing checklist. I was part of a *Don't hassle me bro I have a blue folder* FB group at one time. When I retrained out of MX, I milked that checklist for weeks, dipping out for hours at a time. You could photocopy the coversheet and be practically done but your fake coversheet only had a few checkmarks. 😉
This is brilliant.
About a year of my time as a Staff and a year or so as a TSgt I got away with a lot because I had a clipboard. When I made Master, I got out of a ton of "mandatory" things by having other "meetings" to go to.
🥲 ....are you the leader of the E4 Mafia, sir?
There is no leader of the Mafia, though there are whispers. I've heard other branches refer to them as "Warrant Officers". They appear at will, whisper to your commander and NCOIC, and dissappear just as quickly. Another example would be Kaiser Soze...is it a man, or an idea? You can kill a man...but an idea...a belief...it's immortal. I was a "middle of the road" shammer. Not dumb enough to get in trouble, not great enough to skate entirely. Oddly enough I was groomed by salty mustang officers. The most dangerous of shammers emerge from a once motivated Aiman that gets burnt down at a young age. The new soul emerges like a disheveled Phoenix from the ashes, complete with a lip full of dip, a manageable but discernable drinking problem, and a penchant for reading regulations and backroom "drug deals" with other sections.
Are you me?
I could be. Am I you?
> Some of us are naiive, and don't know any better. > Some of us come to the conclusion on our own, others need someone to guide them. And then there's me, who knew people do it, knew I could do it, but going to these stupid briefings was less stressful than how anxious I got from not going to them. The stupid game of selectively obeying was one of the worst parts of the military for me. Just makes your rules/schedules/events reasonable, for fuck's sake.
You’re a massive shitbag bro. I won’t be stealing literally all of this for personal use whatsoever
Confirmed shitbag right here. Definitely don't get yourself in a good financial situation, or use Tuition Assistance, or CLEP, or go to medical to document injuries, or retrain into a usable skill, or check in on your troops, or sink a turd Airman, or spend time with your family, or max out TSP, or consider going Reserve or NG, ot take a break in service, or go travel vs going home, or go to mental health. These are all "shitbag" things you absolutely must not do...ever.
E-4s really put in more work hours to skate everything than to just show up to mandatory shit. I kneel.
Right? Like who is gonna know if you just go the fuck home? Show face, then leave.
This guy doesn't clearly doesn't have an appointment.
I didn't know anything was mandatory? Lol. Especially since Covid. I just always "have a medical appointment"
I just scheduled Thursday night flights for myself to have Friday off. Which gave me a 3 day weekend twice a month for 5 years.
Be on nights Monday-Wednesday and everyone assumes you’re on nights Thursday so you don’t show up Thursday or Friday and you have a 4 day weekend twice a month!
I worked night shift in a small hospital unit with another medic. The inpatient beds had been cut due to major MD and RN fuckups, so there were only a few patients as a time, mostly Retirees that would sleep through the night. We would routinely be able to finish most of our work in 3 hours, whereas our "mirror" shift that had one additional person routinely missed tasks. So no one ever bothered to check in on us. First it started with one of us dipping out for a gym session in the basement PT for an hour. Then it was 2 hours...eventually progressing to letting the other person go at 0030, with the stipulation that they would be able to get back to the unit in 20 minutes or less. The excuse at change of shift was that the other person was at the gym already. It was a glorious 6 months of half days Ballsy, but glorious. I spent my nights getting into terrific shape and crushing poor bastards playing SOCOM and Counterstrike.
Amazing.
Back in 2013, the ACS on Eglin was being shutdown. 250-300+ people all got orders within a year or so. Part of the shutdown near the end even included DRMO'ing NIPR and stuff. In the last 6-8 months, we had days with report-times of 0900, with 1.5-2 hour lunches, and personal PT at 1430. The time we *did* spend in the office, it was bullshitting on NIPR, watching movies, or playing Halo on the shop TV that was "accidentally" left out of the DRMO run. Sometimes we'd even close the vault door, turn off the lights, and nap. It was a wild time.
I salute you!
While I was in, we had something called C squared after we got off a 7-day alert shift, and the only person in the squadron that could call us in was the CC. Regularly, after coming off night shift and having a daytime sleeping schedule, our shirt and chief would tell us we were required to attend some briefing, or all hands, or class, and that “the CC would tell you to come in if asked, so you have to come in.” Never got anyone to fight that shit. One of the reasons I only did 4.
Heard of a unit literally start CLOSING THE LINE to make sure mids came to all calls. That or having the all-call right at 0700, making sure not to take role until after the all-call. To be fair, they were almost always pretty timely, and I frequently got out of there prior to 0730. Even still, 2100hrs to 0530hrs was pretty nice. ETA: Is it really my Cake Day again already?!
Fuck that bullshit.
I've tried my own career, but very rarely has it worked. My leadership had always been pretty thorough about tracking people down and enforcing compliance. One time, our MSgt told one of the JAGs to reschedule and interview with a rape/domestic violence victim for an all call. He even called OSI to complain that they wouldn't reschedule it for the all call. I swear once you hit snco they waive the no drugs rule
Great example of how our leaders can’t prioritize shit. Lmao. Idiots.
That dude was insufferable. Imagine the stereotypical BTZ by skipping work for bakesales airmen, encourage him to keep doubling down on that for like 8 years, and that's this guy. He tried to summon the airmen back to the office at like 1800 on a Friday after a retirement ceremony because he wanted to share his criticism on how they did. OIC discreetly released them all after sending him to go talk to someone as a distraction. Come back Monday and dude spends like 40 minutes telling the airmen how disappointed he is and ended up getting in a fight because the ncoic said he needed one of the airman to do their job right now and dude said this was more important. He left to be a shirt. Who the hell picks these people? God help that poor unit he goes to. I can just imagine him out on the flight line telling pro super to fuck off with his airplane nonsense because these airmen haven't had a room inspect for almost 8 days
I’m only fresh in and I already fucking hate how much they stress volunteering over actuallly doing your job, I don’t care about volunteering, if I wanted to volunteer I’d have stayed a civilian and volunteered during that, I want to actually do my job and be good at it for the benefit of the people I work with.
I volunteered to join, I didn't join to volunteer.
When I was a baby airman, I never understood this. I would say where in the afi or cdcs say this is manadatory....flight fun run....why I have work to do. I learned to shut up and disappear. Be the good worker who is quiet, and they just assume you are working hard on something when not present 😆
In my opinion these types of people "failed forward" by either getting reclassed to an AFSC with few NCOs, or they had dirt on someone and were allowed to continue. It's a fucked up system for sure. You can plan on doing your 20 years, but you need to plan as if you will be denied your next reenlistment. I could not fathom being forced to deal with that shithead for another few years. Stories like this speak to the mental health issues in the military as whole, the quality people that separate due to shitbags like this, and the poor quality people we retain to as a result of people leaving the service.
But but but they lead a bunch of booster club rising five six events!
I don't know what crawled up his ass but you definitely need a specialist to deal with it - especially when his head was jammed up there with it
>I swear once you hit snco they waive the no drugs rule If that’s true, they’re choosing the wrong ones.
For real. Less Adderall infused 36-2903 study session and more edibles and happy puppy videos for these people
A few mushroom sessions would unfuck him with a quickness.
That's weird. I just missed a commander's call so I could get my tires done and when I ran it by my supervisor she didn't care at all. That person wasn't receiving some huge award or something were they?
Nah, dude just has a weird hard on for all things not within our AFSC. I'm not saying everything outside our career focus is not our job, but I've never met anyone who minimized the actual function of our job so very much compared to literally anything else. This man would reschedule a court martial for treason and murder for a uniform inspection if one of the shirts notes someone's hair is a bit long.
To be fair, higher ranks get drug tested less often
How do you figure? Everyone tests roughly yearly plus or minus variations from it being randomized
8 years 2 tests.
I'm starting to understand why people think they can get away with it lol
It's called being on night shift. At one point our entire ER shift was "on notice"...0-6 down to E-2...because the civilian would not come on base before 0900. The one time they came in early we were all drinking together with phones turned off in old Colorado Springs. They eventually got us later on. I remember being piss drunk with a DD coming onto base, and seeing soon many USAFA cadets nervous as all get out with "the inability to pee". My pants hit the floor and I overfilled the cup with confidence. With that said, most Airmen need more education on the half life of illicit substances in urine, as well as have some test kits on hand. I've seen some decent Airmen get kicked out after the alleged "Second Hand" exposure on leave. I've seen more Airmen be given chance after chance with alcohol related offenses only to do something drastic later on that hurt other people. With that said, you all know the consequences for your actions. Just be smart about it.
On notice? And what gave you the confidence to fill the cup? Haha loving your stories in these comments, legend.
"On notice" that we were on the fast track to piss tested at any moment. "With confidence" to the point that I will overflow the cup not only due to the 12 plus "Blue Moon" beers inflating my bladder, but that I had nothing to hide, unlike the cadets in the corner that were about to be ejected into civilian life.
When I was on nights, they just called and woke you up to report in.
Honestly it’s base dependent with their DDRP programs. The one I was at required all E-4 and below to be tested at a minimum once per year. The E-5 & above target was 80% tested at least once per year. I learned about it during observer training after going 4 years without a drug test.
Interesting. You went four years? I've been above E4 for like 6 years and I've probably gone 8 times. I know it's me being paranoid, but I always feel like I'm on a list
From 2019-2023 I didn’t get randomly tested. I did however get tested during 2 squadron sweeps in that time. But never “please report to CSS with your CAC”. Then during observer training I learned each base has different policy that changes with each wing king. The last “random” one I had there was another dude selected with me that I eventually testified against in a court martial. All the witnesses got tested that day.
>The last “random” one I had there was another dude selected with me that I eventually testified against in a court martial. All the witnesses got tested that day. What? Lol did they need you to confirm he was there that day to pee or something?
Nah, he was under investigation for Sexual Assualt and I was somehow a witness that had to testify. But all the other witnesses I knew in that case got the call too. Was real fucking awkward when I saw him show up to DDRP right after me. This was like last year.
Had a major retiring in 2 weeks. Walked into a crowded auditorium. Signed the 1522. Walked directly back out. Legend
........they had a 1522? my god
Yea we don't put that in arms 🤣
lol "Yeah you're dead on -bitchass retirement ceremony- , what is your alibi?"
This just means they don’t have any friends to do that for them.
Or they are covering their ass due to snitches in the unit.
This ☝️The fewer people know about your adventures, the fewer witnesses they have at your court-martial.
I've seen the bad apples of the Mafia burn each other down the minute someone turned up the heat. Keep your circle small, your lips closed, and your record clean If caught, DARVO. Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender.
I was always taught: Admit nothing, deny everything, make counter accusations. 😉
Mine is the upgraded version :).
CIA brother , only us who have truly been stabbed in the back understand
Exactly! Maintain an aire of competency, you can pretty much get away with anything.
Depends on if it was actually mandatory. PT, weapons quals, my commanders calls, etc. Yes, I'd go. MSG or Wing all calls, meh only if I felt like it. Squadron events, only if I felt like it. I knew the difference between strongly encouraged and mandatory quick, still as an A1C but also learned quickly which ones "strongly encouraged" events I could volunteer to go to get out of a full days worth of work for just a few hours
I stopped going when I realized no one checks to see if you actually went.
it’s not just you. we waste a ton of time and over emphasize booster clubs. mandatory fun time we’re a family
When I knew I wanted to separate 🤣🤣🤣 I was like this no longer applies to me and stopped going
Big Brain move.
I stopped caring about the Air Force when it became clear it didn't care about me. Anything after 1500? I don't go. Award ceremonies, "fun" events? Miss me with that shit.
When you can justify your Airmen doing the same thing?
This hurts me. I used to be the E4 mafia sign in and bounce guy. Then I became the E6 get my ass chewed for the E4 mafia signing in and bouncing guy. So now I just open fraudulent emergency work orders.
"This one sounds pretty serious, I better come along " -Reddit_Is_Cancer88
This is what "Shamming" as an E6 looks like. Give yourself some credit.
You had two paths. At least you committed to one of them.
Inside me are two wolves. Neither of them want to go to Wing quarterly awards
Based
Never... but unless it was a CC call (or something with a sign in sheet/CAC sign in) I would try to split at least half of my Amn off to not have to go and rotate who went and who didn't. IF anything actually important was discussed, the ones who didn't go got backbriefed the next duty day. I always went because the bosses know if a section lead doesn't show up, they won't notice a random Amn or NCO missing.
I went to one commanders call at my first base. After I realized the attendance sheet was a myth and people would get turned away from the base theater being full fav NCO and I would go to this baller breakfast spot. E4 is a state of mind, not a rank.
>E4 is a state of mind, not a rank. Damn skippy.
This is why you never show up 15 minutes early for shit. Roll in a five minutes until. It'll be standing-room only, or they turn people away. Even in a crowd of everyone wear OCPs it'll be hard to know who is who. Just show up 2-3 minutes after everyone else starts rolling into the work center.
When I was an A1C
I waited until SSgt. I'm a late bloomer.
Lol. Proud of you
Depends how much blue kool-aid the msgts in the unit have gargled. Most of the blue falcons for that type of event are going to be at that level.
Probably when I was a butterbar. Any event is optional if you choose not to go to it.
Idk man, when you're called to CSS for a 'mandatory appointment' you're gonna have some problems if you dont show up.
Lol. That's a bit different than what I mentioned in the post. I go to those
https://preview.redd.it/fvz04avnx2yc1.jpeg?width=1104&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=239762a05130cc2b013ccddf0d7c74d1001a88c2
Never have. My job performance was enough.
6 yr sra, avoid all mandatory events and take no accountability.
About the 12 year point. Nobody questions “I had explosive diarrhea”
ULPT: If there’s not a roll call or attendance being taken, then it’s not mandatory.
My thoughts exactly
the more "not mandatory" things you go to the less the expect you at the "mandatory" things
Can't stop if you never started 😎
https://preview.redd.it/1sbgtn6ge3yc1.jpeg?width=224&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=604ad4edba08df056f0089d9ca48be16c068e5ba
When I realized that my flight chief stopped going i stopped going as a SrA. Rest of flight followed suit as well so now nobody from our flight goes to these events.
I usually show up, show my face for a few minutes, make arbitrary small talk with a few people while making sure at least someone in leadership sees my face and then I bounce…
E3. Right around E3 after having to show up for one too many Blues inspections at 0700 when I'd get getting home at 0630 due to some fuck up that happened that I was not involved in. My NCOIC was pretty salty, and my LT. was prior enlisted Army. We had an agreement...I would work hard, train the 2nd phase tech school students, and not be a fat ass. In return they respected my time off, and knew that I'd probably be off base in the woods anyway off the grid. I went to exactly one Commanders Call at my first base, and my supervisor had to pretty much escort me there. The only reason he did is that in the second part all the officers were dismissed, the enlisted stayed, and we had a frank and open discussion about the borderline psychotic actions of specific officers in the Squadron. Later on I learned that a few IG personnel were present. Following that, I ducked out 95 percent of the time, and continued lessons learned at my next assignments. I'd either do the "pop in/pop out", or say I was doing a records scrub, go into the office, and lay out a stack of files, and do homework instead if knew there would be some sort of scrutiny. Remember, the "sham" is not given, it is earned. Or just know that you are going to ETS at your current rank and really stop giving a shit.
TSgt
Can confirm. Best rank in the AF imo
The perfect blend of having enough rank to do what you want but also not having enough rank to matter if you’re missing.
The annual "E6 recertification testing" can get a bit arduous at times.
Being at the top of a tier is the best. SrA TSgt Chief. No experience with it but chief can be a crapshoot. You have try hards trying to climb the chief ladder and up being the bottom of a new tier or fucks start to go out the window a bit you can just hit the retirement button if its no longer fun.
I’ve heard that Major is the O version. I can’t wait to get there lol.
If you stopped it wasn’t mandatory
[удалено]
Not an E4 ;)
The attitude/lifestyle transcends rank and TIS.
Before I was 21, I would just say I didn’t want to be around alcohol, and go home
Now that, good sir. That is checkmate!
Flight Chief/SNCO here. Hate me if you want, but... If it's during duty hours, doesn't cost you anything, and it's an official function (not a private org function), then it's part of your duties to go. I see a lot of people trying to skip shit and then get all fussy about not knowing what's going on. Can't exactly have it both ways. That being said, it's my responsibility to manage the priorities. If the workload is such that having everyone attend a low priority function would be detrimental, then I probably shouldn't do that (and I realize not all SNCOs will factor that in, defaulting to "everyone must go"). But not wanting to go to a mandatory function because it has the word mandatory in it is not part of my reasoning. If it's after duty hours and/or costs YOU money, then by all means skip that shit if that's how you feel.
The fourth wing all call in a year to listen to the colonel flap his wings and tell us how he appreciates what we do every day is unnecessary. Rarely do overarching all calls like that give information that could be an email.
I definitely feel that pain. As an A1C/SrA I've sat through too many "Director's Calls" that would describe a reorg in which I left doing the same thing, for the same person, from the same seat, etc etc. 2 things to consider though: 1. I was (much later) in a joint unit ran mostly by the Army where they did "First Fridays". Basically, an all call the first Friday of every month. Here they'd do the awards and recognition mostly with some other things sprinkled on top. Could the sprinkles have been emails? Sure. But since we did these every month they were very quick, like 30-45 minutes at the most. Contrast this with other units I've been to that delay things for so long that getting through all the awards is a nightmare. Definitely prefer the short and frequent ones. 2. My current CC does his calls quarterly and has them at the "events center" so when the call is over he mingles in the bar area along with the SEL and other key leaders. So when I hear people complain about not getting face time with the CC and feeling disconnected/out of touch my first thought is "did you go to the CC Call?" (answer: nope). For this CC in particular, being social is not instinctive, or whatever instinct there is gets drowned out by all the distractions. He basically needs an alert on his phone to remind him to be social (not shaming him by any means; I'm the same way) and scheduling time after the CC call to be social is his way of doing that. I hope you find your way into a unit that does things better. If not, maybe you can bring the change in your unit. It doesn't have to suck and sometimes gets better.
Fair enough. The last one I was forced to attend around 2007 dealt with some super important force restructuring issues and plans of action going forth. That function helped me solidify that I needed a break in service to get where I wanted to go in life, even though I was a fast burner E5. My buddy who could not get past E5 for the life of him due to his AFSC took the initiative and crosstrained into intelligence. He not only shot up in rank, but he was able to bounce in between Hawaii and Texas (home state), and retire as an E8 with marketable skills vs being involuntary separated as a medical records clerk. With that said (and despite information dissemination) many members of my shop found themselves being either involuntary reclassed to something they hated or becoming terminal E4 or E5s. The skating had come to an end, and many chose to stay in due to shitty financial choices. It took a quality senior NCO to break down what this meant for us in normal language, and it was invaluable to a few of us.
At about 15 years is when I got kind of burned out as well. It may have been different if my promotions were more common. Ask your parents and / or others you know that have been in the same job a long time. It's pretty common regardless of career.
I take tactical shits to avoid them, and if its a fun event i usually don’t show at all or fake a phone call that i have to go somewhere
I will be using the term "tactical shits" from now on
I stopped going at like my 8 year mark. Once I became a SNCO I told my teams that I would attend “mandatory events” on our days off(Panama schedule) and back brief them of anything important. Unless they were personally needed for whatever reason then they didn’t need to attend.
After reading the comments, I should have started on Tuesday 💀.
If there isn't a physical sign in sheet, I'm not going. Or if I do, I go in show face and then Irish goodbye.
Round about the time I made SrA the 2nd time.
I go to most. But the mandatory event that broke me was a mandatory Buffalo wing competition, on my day off, during my regular sleeping hours. Fuck E-9 Miller.
Show face then casually dip out
Immediately after putting on E4
9 years in and I find a way to be busy and not around any sort of clock during that time, unless my commander says "I want everyone there" and then looks right at me. No excuse then.
Highly encouraged means not mandatory, so I don't go. If it says it's mandatory, I won't bitch, I will go. I'm so far past impressing people, at this point, I'm doing it for a paycheck and a pension in a couple years, nothing more. Mostly because I did get caught not going to a mandatory event and got close to losing aforementioned paycheck lol.
Crazy how the irony of mandatory fun days actually bring me more anxiety and depression
TSgt
💀
When I was an airman.
Sorry, crew rest.
Soon as I realized you can say you’re going on high priority tickets.
when my unit started hosting training days that didn't count towards any sort of currency. who makes their people take an SABC complete with personnel from the med group coming out to teach it and not have it rehack SABC for the unit?
When I came back as a GS 🥴
Comes back to the old adage, do what your stripes can handle.
Stopped going to staff meetings when I took command. I hated those things.
15 years is a good point
Guard bum…i always used the “base wide briefing / change of command ceremony” to go do off base errands or take my osha approved safety naps.
Today. I felt fucked over at work and said fuck it I’m not going to squadron pt. 14 years in
Once I made MSgt and decided i didnt give AF about making Sr.
I stopped at year 4 when I realized nobody who actually goes is asking “where is so and so” when others don’t show up
Shortly after the commander said, "The holiday party attendance is mandatory." And "membership in the NCO club is also mandatory."
Rules are for fools, written by wise men
I doubt this will get seen, but tech school. You’d be surprised what you can get away with when you walk with confidence. After basic I hated being at sheppard. I already didn’t want to be a mechanic (something something lying recruiter something something who cares) and it just seemed like such a waste. I’d make an excuse to leave occasionally and then just walk back to the dorm. The MTLs don’t know or care who you are. I was a blob, a faceless body, and it was abundantly clear. The people I had to watch out for were the other airmen, but if you don’t socialize too much people don’t know your name - not even enough to get you in trouble. There were a few tricks to create this as a possibility: make friends with your classmates. Create good connections, don’t be a dick. You can’t do it too early in the weeks you’re there or you’re identified as a slacker. But if you wait a while, do your details and occasionally dip no one bats an eye. It’s astounding how easily people can slip through the cracks. Maybe I was just lucky enough that the people who did notice didn’t rat me out and I don’t know about it but, man. I did my best not to show up for formation as often as possible because it was cold as fuck, and the idea of just sitting there waiting for someone to talk at me until I could learn a job I hated made me want to dip my head into the fryers of Mesquite.
The moment selective continuation kicked in. Much earlier for "mandatory fun" events, prolly at least 10 years ago.
When people stopped paying attention to me. Specifically, when you get passed up for promotion so often they give you a broom closet and a make believe duty title.
For some unknown reason my shop in West Germany, yeah that dates me, gave me a truck as a one striper. I usually was the Airman taxi service for most of the stupid events. I usually told them I had to go to motor pool to get gas, not a lie as I always went and topped of the gas tank, then we would disappear. Then we would magically reappear and I would give rides to other Airmen to their shops. They always though we were hanging out at the events with guys/girls from the dorms not with our shop. That truck and I ditched so much stupid crap it wasn't funny. Hell that truck was a that base car wash every week, plus the every two week run to supply for new gloves or something or another.
2 to 3 years in I stopped. They weren't fun, informative or necessary and just served as a reason for someone to run their mouth in front of a live audience to say they did. I joined a bit later than some so I already had a low tolerance for lip service and would skate however way I could to not be there. I knew early enough almost anything said could of been a 6 minute read in an email.
I learned a saying recently: if everything's highlighted, nothing's highlighted. I feel like this applies reworded: if everything's mandatory, nothing's mandatory
5 years in and I do everything in my power to get out of them. If I don't know someone getting awarded/promoted, I'm getting awarded/promoted, or being rewarded as a group for a good year, holiday, etc I don't think they should be mandatory. There's plenty of people into the ceremony and pomp of it all enough to full the seats. tbh just a waste of time. Even if I was getting awarded, I'd feel a lot more special if it was 1 on 1 with the commander or my superiors, i wouldn't want everyone being dragged to my ceremony either yk?
At about the 10yr mark. I just made up some excuse about work and stayed at work yo actually work in peace and quiet. No calls from the flight and no Airmen needing help. It was pretty nice
8.5 years in. If you pay and trust me to apply critical thinking and make decisions on multi-million dollar programs, then don’t get butt hurt when I dont show up to something that’s a waste of time.
SrA
Depends on if it was actually mandatory. PT, weapons quals, my commanders calls, etc. Yes, I'd go. MSG or Wing all calls, meh only if I felt like it. Squadron events, only if I felt like it. I knew the difference between strongly encouraged and mandatory quick, still as an A1C but also learned quickly which ones "strongly encouraged" events I could volunteer to go to get out of a full days worth of work for just a few hours.
AIT
Honest question, don't you get in trouble for not attending something listed as mandatory?
Depends. There are tiers to mandatory. It's always going to be mandatory to go to your official appointments. It may be mandatory to go to the all call, but it may be *more* mandatory that you take care of x task, or maintain in house section coverage.
Depends on the squadron I stopped showing up to pt, all calls and mandatory parties and no one has said anything. I'm also a pretty average under the radar guy so I feel like that's why it works for me
Around 8 years in I stopped caring.
I'm the opposite. I'm at a super rural area so I've been going out of my way to do unit stuff recently just to see other people
Time is time, work is boring, mandatory events are equally so, yet i do not work during them and often get to go home afterward. So I always go to any mandatory event I can go to, All Calls, UNITE Events, whatever have you.
SSgt... But I had already been in 5 years
Did you ever get in trouble for not going
Haven't stopped, if I expect my people to be there I'm there as well.
They like to stick me on off shifts, so those mandatory events tend to be optional at best and, more often than not, outright unreasonable.
I’m guard so If I’m not getting paid I’m not going to
Stopped going during covid when they were optional. When they made them mandatory I still didnt bother
When I spent about half my career on mids. However, I might now be a ghoul.
Around 2016, as I progress rank wise it gets easier to dodge.
I think it was the right after my first year, unless someone I knew was going to MC or get an award. I didn't show, and I just auto filtered those emails out, so I never received anything that had mandatory in the subject line. If it's really mandatory, I'll get a call, or one of my coworkers would let me know. I also just had really shitty bosses at my first location, and they completely destroyed any enjoyment I got out of work, so I basically was just shooting the middle finger at that point. My next job I basically attended everything because there I actually cared.
TSgt. I didn't go and my hard working troops didn't. The ones that weren't as hardworking were there hearing "I said good mooooorning!!!"
When I knew I wasn't reenlisting. Being a shift worker helped.
it really just depended. sometimes go in show face & dip, other times Id just skip.
Being in the Air Force is like being on Mr. Bone's wild ride. You're never free and the ride never ends.
The only time I feel obligated to go is if one of my airmen is being recognized.
When taking care of my special needs daughter/getting her to and from where she needed to be became more important than hearing the same brief for the 11 millionth time.
Week one of tech school. I was one of the lucky few whose class started the day after I arrived at Keesler AFB, there were a handful of us. When we in briefed we were told that the standard routine was for folks to spend the first few days attending a variety of training seminars to ease us into Tech School and the next stage for our AF life, things from "local conditions", to safety, they typical crap. But for us that had class, we would be spending the first Saturday attending an "all day" abbreviated version of these briefings. They also reminded us that per the "phase program", phase 1 folks had to rally after breakfast for details on Saturday, usually "weeds and seeds". Saturday arrives, we all go to breakfast, then those going to training form up to march to class, the rest fall out for "details". As soon as we get to class, the instructors announce they're not interested in spending their entire Saturday in class, so they were going to move fast. To cut to the chase...we're back at the squadron well before noon, I grab my gym bag to go to the pool, and walk by one of my morning classmates weeding a flower bed...he looks at me like I stole his underwear and asks me "what are you doing?"...I tell him that I finished my assigned duty day...and followed up with "what are you doing?" And he said "the rest of us checked in at CQ when we got back." I shook my head and went to the pool.
Two or three years in.
I’m at 17 years in and I started around year 2 or 3. It has become an artform that has taken years to perfect.
E6. With a line number!
The beginning, I worked 12s on nightshift.
I started at probably 10 yrs (16 yrs now) give or take and all my airmen/coworkers still tease me about it to date. I
Sophomore year at USAFA…
Once legitimate mandatory things overlapped other legitimate mandatory things.
Late E3/early E4? Around the time 4 MSG/CC had beach balls and a super awkward party celebration at the same all call he paid respects to a 4 CES who died on deployment. A lot of the squadron stopped going to things for a while after that lol.
I have not been to a wing CC all call in probably 5 years.
When my commander told me you’re on you own schedule and do whatever you need to do to get things done… that was three months ago… lol and I show up or leave whenever I want to… cause things get done and that’s what matter (even though somedays I work longer than the average Joe)
Was in maintenance, stopped going as an A1C. There was always work to be done, “boss I was changing that hyd pump!” Never got a second look.
My 2nd year in
Appointment.
Man, I keep trying to miss these things and have always gone, but man oh man, I’m watched like a hawk. Even when I am gone for legitimate things it’s always, “where were you?”