The Air Force’s vaunted Thunderbirds jet fighter aerobatics team is not diverse enough inside the cockpit.
Brig. Gen. Christopher M. Short, commander of the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, said in an email last month that of 15 pilot applicants for three openings, 14 are white.
He asked fighter wing commanders to stir up more candidates who “don’t necessarily look like each of you.” He bemoaned the fact that, not only is there a lack of diversity, but the number of applicants to make the world-famous team has taken a puzzling drop in the past two years.
“I am asking for your help in finding the right pilots for next year’s Thunderbirds team,” is how Gen. Short begins his email.
We'll know the T-birds are truly committed to diversity when they start accepting Navigators and Missile Officers.
Note to self - do not attend air shows if the Thunderbirds prioritize diversity.
Rammmmmstein... ein Flammenmeer...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ5gMoKlqpI
Posted by: Hmmm | 03/04/2016 at 05:39 PM
I've had a shitty attitude towards the Thunderbirds ever since they made us land early at an airshow because they were getting ready to practice their walk-out for the next day. Our MH-53 was right in the middle of giving a short flight around the pattern to some Make-A-Wish Foundation kids and those assholes made us cut it short and only give half the kids (with terminal conditions, of course) a fam ride. I was pretty pissed and was ready to walk over and let those fuckers have it, but my mission commander calmed me down before I got out of the helo.
By the way, the same kind of situation arose the following year (it was at Offutt AFB in Nebraska, back in 2000) with the Blue Angles and they told that crew, "No worries, take your time, we can wait".
So fuck the Thunderturds, they can kiss my ass. Most useless group of douchebags ever assembled, bar none....
Posted by: Pave Low John | 03/06/2016 at 07:46 AM
" I was pretty pissed and was ready to walk over and let those fuckers have it".
John, I would have paid good money to watch that happen. That was a dick move on their part.
P.S. They specifically insist on more non-white applicants, and total applications go down. Short doesn't understand why. Short isn't very bright, is he?
Posted by: Casey | 03/07/2016 at 09:09 AM
But he is PC Casey. Mores the pity.
Posted by: ron snyder | 03/07/2016 at 02:11 PM
Put the USAF back under control of the US Army.
Paul
Posted by: Paul L. Quandt | 03/08/2016 at 08:10 PM