B-52 Nukes Were Headed for Iran: Airforce Refused, page 8

reply to post by drakeman

Everybody always jumps on the Air Force backs.

Why? Because the AF is not publicity hounds like the rest of the military. They don’t like having the news know everything about what they do and how they do it. Why is this? Because it gets people killed. The USSR spent millions of dollars and millions of man hour poring over US newspapers and magazines. In fact most US technical magazines where considered classified in the USSR. Just having some US magazines was considered grounds for imprisonment. Other countries do the same.

The other branches used this as a form of recruiting, but the AF never had to do this. They always had more people trying to get in then they needed. This lack of publicity hounding has caused some negative feedback over the years. People outside the AF have not had the look inside like in most the other branches. When was the last time you saw a movie or TV show about the AF? I’ll tell you, never. The only two movies that the AF has ever allowed to film active bases or gear in the past 25+ years is the movie Red Flag and Air Force One. The only TV show ever to get active AF support was Stargate SG1. Any other “AF” show or movie you have seen was actors or the Israeli Air Force (they have provided lots of footage to include the Iron Eagle films.)

The fact is that it would be much more difficult to pull something off in the AF then in other branches. The AF integrates it personnel much more and at a lower rank then any other branch. The enlisted in the AF have much more input and control over day to day operations then in other branches. Why is this? A couple of reasons. One is that the AF has a lot less personnel then the other branches. Another is that there are no “space” filler jobs like the other branches. What do I mean by space filler? I’m talking about the grunts and the seamen. The Army and the Navy depend on these non-technical jobs as their backbone. The infantry and deck crew of the Army and Navy make up a large part of their manpower. Now don’t get me wrong, these positions are not the dumb grunts of the past. They do require much more technical training then at anytime in the past. What they don’t require is a large view of the overall picture. The AF does not have this “grunt” force and its people are much more integrated into the planning and operations. The more technical the job the more need for detailed information in order to do that job. I have spent time in both branches and have seen this first hand.