Posted on 02/19/2020 7:34:00 AM PST by all the best
I worked with several of these guys in the early 1990s.
After the Soviet Union fell, the newly democratic Eastern European republics (Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria) offered to allow our military personnel to basically take apart and put back together several high-end Soviet jets and other armaments (fire control systems, missiles, some radars).
The US Air Force directly commission several PhD-level aeronautic and electronic engineers as O-3 captains. I led a team providing computer communications to their distant-end deployments at various former commie air bases in those countries.
One was a real a$$hole who “ordered” me to give him more bandwidth. I was a SMSgt (e-8). He had jumped all over one of my Tech sergeants and his crew. I politely told him to FO. We were using STU-3’s with X.35 modems. The best we could get was 1200 Baud. Hungarian phone lines in 1993 really sucked. The USAF didn’t want to provide the cash for satellite downlinking, so that was that. He complained to my CO, who asked him, “Well, did you do as the Sergeant said? (that is, FO)”
The rest were great guys who just wanted to get the job done and then the Hell out of there and back home.
Intel was easier for commissions then JAG especially in Reserves.
I agree, it is a mystery.
During the war we had surgeons with no military background report as Navy Reserve Captains (O6) for assignment to an active duty command! Many more as Commanders, O5. They were often very hard to deal with. I had to keep telling one doctor to button his shirt pocket, get his hands out of his pockets and get his cover straight on his head because this was the Navy not the Army. It became a game but he never got pissed. We had talked he knew it was my responsibility keep him squared away and I was always respectful. After he transferred to BUMED in DC, he came back to give us a brief on medical issues for returning Reservists. In the middle of the brief I leaned over told him to get the pen out of his shirt pocket and button the pocket. He told me latter he was so pissed at himself. He checked himself in the mirror prior to the brief just to make sure the Chief could not find anything wrong with his uniform.
My only experience was with a rear admiral who was part of the SALT II negotiation team. Mid to late thirties, expert in soviet missle capabilities - also PHD level stuff.
For my 30 min with him as his assigned driver, he was an ok guy.
If you look to the left of the block specifying the rank of “CAPT” you see a grayed out block entitled “Reporting Senior”. The rank of Captain corresponds to the individual writing LT Buttigieg’s FITREP.
Article is interesting. Buttplug joined the Reserves 2009 after all major fighting in Iraq had ended. By 2013, the Marine Corps no longer conducted major command rotations to Afghanistan and we were reducing our foot print in Afghanistan. I am smelling politics in his service. As the Mayor of a City, he could have gotten out of deployment the Navy Reserve is easy like that and there would have been plenty of people willing to take his place. Politically is was a very good visual and he was in a low risk billet. Still he deployed and he served so he gets some points there, but his life style, his lectures on what a real Christian is and his socialist tendencies far out way his service. I think he is not going to make it through Super Tuesday.
thanks...I see that.
Box 2 shows Pete’s rank as ENS.
block 25 says the CAPT is his CO...
maybe I read too much into the link?
Not sure why CAPT is in the link...they did label that link with everything and the kitchen sink.
I first thought it was the order in which things appear in the linked article, but it doesn’t seem so.
Navy LT = O-3 = AF Capt
That said, direct commission of certain professions beginning at a higher-than-entry-level rank is normal. The medical fields use it, and I think legal fields. I’m not sure who else, but I have come across a couple of captains and majors who were still figuring out some of the basic military stuff because of this.
How did a community organizer with zero experience become the democratic candidate. Like Pete that question is the deep state.
shows what losers McCain and Romney were (are)
first I’ve heard of that ...maybe things have changed...but the vet knows the distinction between being there and being there in combat.
those who have seen combat are awarded (in the Marines\Navy) a Combat Action Ribbon where evidence must establish the member engaged the enemy, was under hostile fire, or was physically attacked by the enemy. The service member’s enemy engagement must have been with honor to the United States and to the satisfaction of the Service.
The other branches have their own version which is a badge or medal.
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