VIABLE SQUADS

[shrapnel]

As for squads not being able to compete due to lack of numbers well, again, why should I stick my neck out?

Well I've tried very hard over the last couple of days to tell myself that I should not continue to stick my neck out but I cannot live with it. I need to say more.

If AirAttack is important to you, if USAAC is important to you, if being in competitions is important to you then this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

USAAC currently has five squads registered:
USHA
RAVENS
BBC
BSS
ACES (TEA)
Only USHA and BBC have been able to enter the upcoming 4 squad league. RAVENS, BSS and ACES are unable to enter because they cannot guarantee to have enough pilots show up for each match. So now there are pilots who would have liked to compete in their own squad but cannot and their only choices are to:
not compete:
join another squad or:
fly as guest pilots in another squad.
Any of these alternatives will weaken the existing small squads even more than they already are. All together there are probably only enough pilots to make up three viable squads but which three? Obviously each CO wants to have his own squad and, to a lesser extent, each pilot, has a preference for which squad he belongs to. This is further complicated by the fact that those presently controlling USAAC do so by virtue of being squad CO's. They want to continue having a voice in USAAC but can only do so if they maintain their squads, viable or not. {see footnote} If you think that USAAC is important to the game {I'm not sure that I do} then you have to take a hard look at the qualifications for being a member squad. I think that for the sake of the community and the pilots who want to compete USAAC should only register and continue to register competitively viable squads. But this is the point at which you all need to put your heads together and produce something other than wood splinters. I don't even pretend to have all the answers but I'm confident that together we can come up with some kind of plan. It will, however, require some dampening of personal egos and aspirations. Frankly I don't give a damn who the "big bananas" are in USAAC, who runs what squad or even what squad names are as long as someone does the work that needs to be done so that every pilot can find a squad home from which he can compete in competitions.

[footnote  (I made this a footnote because, though it may have a bearing on the forming of squads, it's too big a subject and would distract from the immediate issue of trying to get squads into competition.)
Frankly I think that far from being useful, USAAC as an organization is a distraction from the real purpose of strengthening the game and providing competition for those who play the game. Why is it a distraction? Well it leads to people wanting to form squads just so they can be voices in USAAC and this then requires a whole bunch of rules and protocols to justify the appearance of being a democratic organization and to provide a platform for the politicians amongst us. The UK people seem to have a simpler approach in that somehow or another they appoint a club captain, a league manager, fun event manager and a couple of forum moderators. These people are then left to get on with their functions. and none of that seems to affect the make-up of UK based squads. Though part of the club they are not governed by the club. I'm not suggesting that USAAC tries to emulate UKAAC but if there's a lesson to be learned there then let's learn it because right now there are too many people who think that USAAC stinks of politics and bureaucracy]

[Vipor]

Shrappy,

I am not sure of the exact reasons for sqds not merging. If you recall, I had suggested this for a previous league and it did not go over well. The old saying too many chiefs, not enough Indians comes to mind.

As for the reasons these sqds and their C/O's want to have some say or power here at USAAC, it is delusional at best and I do not think this is totally true. But I do not know all C/O's personally.

If I gave a rundown of the 5 sqds mentioned it would go something like this...

USHA- Viable and entered in 4sqd with plenty of active pilots. Should have no issues with 7 to 10 pilots each match.

Ravens- A good core group of pilots that I feel with the addition of a couple of reliable pilots will be competitive in any league or venue they participate in. I feel Raven should fly in 4sqd and go recruit a couple of pilots!!

BBC- Another Viable sqd and entered into 4sqd. Great leadership and they have good enough numbers to field at least 7 each week. They could use another pilots or so to ensure 8 to 10 for matches.

BSS- As I rarely see any BSS pilots flying, I am not sure they are viable to fly in 4sqd. My suggestion would be for any pilots form BSS who would like to fly in 4sqd to ask permission from their C/O and be a guest pilot for another sqd.

ACES- An old sqd getting vamped up again. This is becoming ever so hard to do anymore yet I fully support any effort to help ACES become Viable in the future. Until then, any pilots wishing to fly in 4sqd should also ask C/O if it is ok to fly as a guest pilot for one of the 3 sqds here. (I say that bc it wouold not be in best interest of USAAC to go fly with any other sqd not listed above.)

Shrappy, If I may be ever so bold, if I were you I would concentrate more on Ravens and its future/viability instead of the USAAC. Like I have heard all my life, Taking care of yourself and home front and getting your own home in order is vital before you can reach out and help others. Now go use all of your knowledge and land a couple of good pilots and throw Raven's hat into 4sqd!!! I love your energy and persistance in seeing this game/site thriving!! Kudos mate!!!

Please know this is just my observsation of the mentioned sqds and I could be way off base on any or all. If so, I apologize for offending anyone.

[Tbar]

[ Post Moved from Agenda Recommendations. Reason: No Recommendation Found within Post ]

[shrapnel]

Deleted due to me being an old fool and getting my posters mixed up.
Apologies to anyone who read it before I deleted it.  

I allowed my prejudices to rule my brain...what's left of it.

[_TAC_ONE]

I would look at 4 sqd as an entirely different issue then an enough pilots deal, 4sq does not seem to be a popular competition on the USA side of things. 

On a side note Shrappy I really do not care how the "GB" side handles things on their end. There is a reason why I live in New England and no longer Old England.
I have no problem with being different then the others in Europe, now only if a certain person in a big white house would feel the same 

[Temper]

I read it before you deleted it!!! HA!

Of course, I'm an old fool too and I can't remember what you posted.  

[j69o]

Now this really old fool is wondering what is the realitive conundrum is here?
There many thriving communities here with this group included, one must keep in mind this whole game is truly world wide, the US, much of Europa and Asia are here working together to keep this wonderful game going.
That said I am going for a beer!
J

[smokin64]

jeez, will you quit worrying over who showed and who didn't,  who can and who cant. no wonder i quit flying.for christ sake this is a game meant for us to have fun with friends.  if they don't have numbers for a match look for some in open arena's if none are available just divide up even and have fun with that. you guys are making to much of this problem , thats probably partly why people arnt showing as much. well that and life (family work ect. ect.)just have fun, the rest will come out in the wash.

[skullbonz]

    I believe I have an explaination that might shed some light on why the USAAC has dwindled numbers. Every once in awhile I plan to have events at a time that US and GMT time zones can join the fun together. Not too early for US,not too late for GMT. I have been told that I should not be worried about other time zones,just the US time zone,and plan things accordingly. I may be opening a wikileak file with this but it has to be said. Although I agree that the USAAC should be taking care of their own as the main objective,I also feel that international relations need to be addressed. I have noticed that a lot of US pilots have defected to squads outside of the US borders making our squads smaller. I feel that by improving these relations,working with other time zones and dumping the us v them attitudes our game will survive. If we can not learn to do this our demise will come sooner rather than later.
    I believe international relations are key to the survival of the game. This is why along with donating all the time that I can to the USAAC fun events,I am branching out a bit with the newest event plan that includes Mrs Mutley,the UK Fun Event manager. Together I feel we can put on a Fun Event extravaganza that will cover most time zones at a Holiday special where both sides might put aside their differences for at least one day and come together once again to have FUN. By doing this I am not saying we abandon the USAAC's main objective,just that we have to broaden our scope in order to survive. I am willing to do this,Are you all ? 

[ACE_Farkas]

 

Hello there M8s
Well what might help USAAC squads
1.When people join air-attack have SQUADS more appealing to them to enter and to join.

[shrapnel]

Once in a while someone in here says something sensible. Today it's Bonzy's turn. I'm with you buddy.

Hi, Smokin, long time no see my friend.  In all fairness to those of us who seem to get worried about nothing you gotta realize that, in the overall scheme of things everything in here is unimportant other than the entertainment it offers. Many of us who post do so, not because it has much effect on our real lives, but because we have entered into the spirit of this largely make belief world.

In other words I can get mildly worked up about something in the forums and write passionately about it, then shut down the computer go talk to my wife or the dog and within a few seconds I'm back in reality with the cyber world completely out of my mind. That's the reality of the cyber world; it aint real. The folks to be concerned about are those that are unable to separate this from their real lives and allow things to get out of proportion to the extent that they can't sleep at night. We're kinda like a bunch of frustrated authors entertaining ourselves and each other. When we bitch about squad numbers and argue about how the game should be played etc. it's all part of the entertainment. The important thing is not to let it affect your real life. I constantly tell my wife that this cyber world is my escape when I have nothing better to do (which these days is too often) but that, if she wants to do something, talk to me or go somewhere that will immediately take precedence over the cyber world.

But gettin back to what Bonzy had to say I agree that our game and in fact the entire internet is international; it doesn't belong to any one nation over another.  Recently we've seen outbreaks of posting on the CLP forums on topics other than help calls. People who want to air their feelings about the game, suggest improvements, argue about rules etc have attempted to use the CLP for this. Why? Well it's the first place you see when you are about to enter the game and it's seen by everyone who plays regardless of what part of the world they come from.  While the Admins. have shown a degree of leniency over this they do remind everyone from time to time that the CLP forums are only for help requests and that they should discuss anything else in the community forums. That seems to me to be pushing everyone into this insular national attitude that Bonzy talks about.  I say broaden the CLP forums to include discussion about the game. I'd agree that discussion of things like politics, religion or anything of national interest can be the province of national communities.

Every individual every nation can learn something from each other be it good lessons or bad lessons. Only good can come from kicking down the barriers and coming together. So I repeat; I'm with Bonzy on this. Anyway my wife wants to go shopping so you can all go to ....

[smokin64]

yea i gess i can see your point . shrap i remember running the BBC web site for a time i got all caught up in it . (no offense bbc ) im glad i left it . if and when i fly again im just going to do it for fun and no more . bonzy good post bud maybe sombody should set up  a forum on the CLP so everybody knows whats up world wide.

[_TAC_ONE]

 I say broaden the CLP forums to include discussion about the game. I'd agree that discussion of things like politics, religion or anything of national interest can be the province of national communities.

To extent Shrap there are other places on the net for one to talk about politics and religion. Those are an individuals issues  
more or less bar/shop talk, if we have a pilots lounge/ officer club to talk about such things great, but it has no relevance or should not have any influence on the  structuring of USAAC as an organization/command base for its pilots and squadrons.  

[shrapnel]

To extent Shrap there are other places on the net for one to talk about politics and religion. Those are an individuals issues  
more or less bar/shop talk, if we have a pilots lounge/ officer club to talk about such things great, but it has no relevance or should not have any influence on the  structuring of USAAC as an organization/command base for its pilots and squadrons.  

What you talkin bout Willis? 

[_TAC_ONE]

To extent Shrap there are other places on the net for one to talk about politics and religion. Those are an individuals issues  
more or less bar/shop talk, if we have a pilots lounge/ officer club to talk about such things great, but it has no relevance or should not have any influence on the  structuring of USAAC as an organization/command base for its pilots and squadrons.  

What you talkin bout Willis? 

Religion and Politics are an Individual/person's issue "bar/shop talk" things like that are not a reason to have  USAAC. Those issues have no relevance to the game, nor would things like me talking about my dog or showing pictures of my car.