Non-rated general selected for command slot:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/17/air-force-command-nominee-is-1st-woman-non-pilot/

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/17/air-force-command-nominee-is-1st-woman-non-pilot/

From the article:

quote:

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Gen. Robinson is not a career pilot. Her military profession is air battle manager. She has served aboard the Air Force’s surveillance aircraft, the E-3 AWACs and E-8 JSTARS, and she was nominated for a promotion amid a drive for more diversity in the Pentagon.
A retired pilot said there is a reason the Air Force historically has put a pilot in charge of large combatant command Air Forces.

Enlarge Photo

“It is because you make operational decisions that require the understanding of what you are going to ask pilots to execute in combat where the wrong decisions mean the difference between life and death,” the retired pilot said. “Now her vice commander and director of operations will be rated fighter pilots, but still she makes the decisions.”

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I TOTALLY agree with that opinion. I am a retired non-rated AF officer (wx weenie, retired 1991).

I don't think she should have been the ACC Vice either, for the same reason.

I enjoyed my AF career and am proud to have served. I never for a minute questioned the fact that rated folks should lead combat units.

There are plenty of rated females now (bomber/fighter/transport/training command). Maybe they aren't far along enough to compete for four stars and command a MAJCOM, but give it more time.

I am disappointed, but not at all surprised, that Obama/Hagel would pull this kind of crap.

Ask any Marine how an aviator in charge of the Corps worked out. I assume you'd be similarly pleased.

Your point is well taken. Excellent post!

[This message has been edited by NormanAg (edited 7/18/2014 7:57p).]

This is pretty common in private industry. Idiots think you only need to know how to be a CEO to lead a company. Wife was in a smaller oil company (still big, just not a major) when they set up a former salesman as CEO. The "thought" was that he only needed to have management skills, and it wasn't necessary to actually know the oil business.

For that matter, education philosophy has been the same. Teaching teachers to teach has been deemed more important than having them know WTF they were teaching.

Looney tunes.

My service was as an EM in Corps of Engineers (my 1st exposure to Aggies - virtually every officer in the Bat was and Aggie)but even I knew the first lesson in leadership 101 was not to ask your underlings to do anything you could not or would not do.

Canyon - I like your point about educators.

ABM is a rated slot and has been for 15 years.

http://www.tyndall.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123120051

quote:

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When ABMs became rated officers in 1999, they became eligible to become ALOs.

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Also ABM now receives wings upon completion of training.

http://www.tyndall.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123238176

quote:

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Prior to this achievement, graduates of the Undergraduate Air Battle Management Training course would receive only a weapons controller badge--no wings, no aeronautical rating.

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quote:

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My service was as an EM in Corps of Engineers (my 1st exposure to Aggies - virtually every officer in the Bat was and Aggie)but even I knew the first lesson in leadership 101 was not to ask your underlings to do anything you could not or would not do.

Canyon - I like your point about educators.

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4-stars are not telling any tactical-level worker bees to do anything. 4-stars establish policy and then campaign on the Hill for money. Does anyone think the AMC commander really knows anything about materials engineering? 4-stars are literally light years removed from the tactical and operational action. What a non-issue

Blue star for Tango Mike.

All she is doing is directing strategy and doctrine. She's not developing anything nor is she telling pilots how to do their jobs.

If anything seems like an ABM would be better for that anyway.

The USAF is much bigger than flying planes. Pilots just don't like to see their monopoly on top leadership positions slipping away IMO.

From first-hand accounts from people who have worked with her, this General appears to be more than capable to lead PACAF.

She was an Air Battle Manager. She is probably a weapons school graduate and from her time in AWACS she learned fighter tactics and controlled fighters. It's not like they promoted a personnel officer to that position.

When I was at Offutt we had an Intell officer who was the first non-pilot in charge of the 55th Wing. He did fine and the OG got him up to speed.

Consider this military career:

Sports injury in college, almost failed to commission because of it.

Was barely in top 40% of class

Assigned infantry (Ft. Sam Houston)

Assigned tanks, was set to deploy, but conflict ended before deployment

Assigned transportation corps

Assigned to arsenal

Nearly court martialed, dismissed and imprisoned over recieving housing overpayment

XO of Panamal Canal Zone

XO of Buffalo Soldier regiment

Assigned American Battle Monuments Commission

Aide to Asst. SecDefense

Aide to CoS of Army

Staff positions

Regimental XO

CoS 3rd Infantry Division

CoS IX Corps

CoS for commander of Third Army

Chief of War Plans

Asst. CoS of Operations

Commanding General, European Theater of Operations


Yep, Eisenhower. One of the greatest Generals in American history, before 1942 never commanded a soldier in combat.


Point, I guess, is that being a general officer is not necessarily the same as being a warrior or pilot.

The head of United States Forces - Korea was an Army Aviator.

The head of the 101st Airborne was an Army Aviator several times...one went on to be the Vice Chief.

Move on.

AFSOC Commander is a navigator (rated, but not a pilot). He's got a very impressive resume.

A little trivia - he enlisted in 1974 and started out as an F-4 avionics tech.