Dude--those SAME type guys you mentioned were my bosses in combat during Desert Storm. There were some sharp ones, but there were a LOT like you describe.

The problem is we make ALOs political prisoners to the Army to prove we will support them. A cadre of professional Air FACS should be developed without worrying about them "paying dues" as a ground FAC. The jobs are similar, but the be a GOOD airborne FAC takes a long time to master.

TTOFAC for those that remember...(hint: it was AV penned on my OV-10 canopy...)