On a slightly different note, I'd like to add another perspective on my observations of the massive political problems that is plaguing the military at the O4 level and above. I'm currently on my second deployment to AFG and the things I have seen over the past 5 months make me want to throw up because I look around and all I see are politicians, not military leaders and most definitely not the Marine Corps I read about.

I was pulled away on a IA from my fleet tour to be a FAC on a police advisor team in 2012. Having completed my first deployment as a pilot in 2011, I could see the writing on the wall in terms of bend over and take it in the A$$ ROE and our "leaders" bounding our hands while throwing us into the fray. Needles to say, when I was pulled for this IA, I knew those idiotic rules would only be stricter and place us in an increasingly dangerous situation. Some of you may have read through the various SOPs that apply to OEF but as I read through them, I see nothing but pages and pages of everything we CANNOT do. At this point, it almost makes no sense to even have a TACAIR presence because the approving authority is so far away and disconnected from the fight that someone will die before any request is most likely refused. What is even worse is when I see messages like "Ensure ANSF success" as a mission statement knowing that if **** hits the fan, you actually cannot to jack squat for them or yourself. The same idiots shoving these absurd incapacitating rules down our throats are the ones generating these loony mission statements and yet, I see no one speaking against it. All I see are Majors willing to bend over for a juicy FITREP at the expense of common sense and doing what is right. To add to that, the indecisiveness I see in our "leaders" clearly illustrates to me the peril we will face if we don't correct the path we are on. This doesn't even mention the waste and abuse that is rampant here on our end alone. Ideas such as ISR platforms for the Afghans and are actually happening here and someone, somewhere is going to get a great FITREP out of it.

Of course, this just barely scratches the surface. A part of me always dies inside when I hear my team lead give us "talking points" for reporters who come here for vacation because God forbid anyone hear the truth. Every aspect of our military is so politically driven at this point that it will lead us to failure. It is just a matter of time. Needless to say, once my commitment is up and I don't see flying orders, I'm GTFO.