Our previous post on Gen. Mark Welsh’s concerns that airmen are growing bored and considering leaving drew several comments from readers, but we’d like to get more of your thoughts. Specifically, we’re wondering what you think the Air Force should do to fix the problem.
E-mail me with your thoughts at slosey@airforcetimes.com. As always, your name will be kept anonymous if you like.
7 Comments
Bored? Maybe these bored airmen need to talk to some of the old-timers who served during the height of the Cold War to get a better concept of what boredom really is — such as working at the fringes of the world in inhospitable terrains and climates and doing so without any personal electronic connections or social media linked to the rest of the world. Still bored? Maybe pick-up and read a book so as to improve your mind.
@Bill
Read a book? They don’t read books.
Bill…during the Cold War I got so far from home I got closer again. Bored? We didn’t have the time to get bored. Fringes of the world? Been there, done that, got the T shirt.
Try filling the Airmens day with meaningful work. “Meaningful” is key!
Much of my time in the Air Force was “hurry up and wait”
Boredom is a part of serving as you wait for events to transpire and usually hope they do not
You either find things to do to alleviate boredom or get out
CSAF has more important things then being concerned for folks getting out due to “growing bored” if they are considering leaving for this reason then service life is not for them
Welsh must have been talking to the airmen at finance or the gym…there is no way a maintainer said they are bored. Another leader out of touch with reality.
“War is long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror.” This has been a truism for centuries, why people feel the Air Force today should be immune from it is beyond me. If anything, they should be grateful it is about boredom in the Air Force more than the sheer terror- it means we’re doing our job.