What's the deal on Guard?
 

First, I'm far from being a "Guard Hawk", and I've got a reasonable sense of humor (I think).....but in the last six months, I've heard more inane, immature "stuff" over guard than I have in the previous 25 years of flying to the point it's getting in the way of normal communication.

I was asked to call another a/c on guard and transmit a frequency to a crew who missed a handoff.....the whole time, we were interrupted by a guy who was obviously making fun of "Guard Nazi's", by snickering and saying "You're on Guard!....then a response "you're on Guard too!"...."no.....you're on Guard!"

I mentioned this to the pilot I was flying with in Miami two days ago, and he shook his head and said "I've heard the same"...Now we're not talking about the occasional funny caustic comment when someone makes a whole PA over Guard, or the like. Now he is all of about 35, but he said it is all the "young guys/gals" coming up who have "no sense of professionalism". He said it was rampant where he came from. (He's been flying since 15).

Not 5 minutes later, we hear "Hello"...."hello"...."hello"....."Hello"...ma ybe 10 times with a good 10 sec break between the calls....finally someone says "You're transmitting on guard"...simple, unemotional, just data transfer.....the the response comes "<snicker>...there he is...I found him...'The Guard Nazi'".

Meanwhile, folks calling for push and taxi clearance couldn't get a word in edgewise on ground it was so busy.

Later, same flight, someone pops off with "Livin the dream!" in the same voice from the youtube video. Two weeks ago, I hear "work, work, work, contract, work"...also from the video.

The only thing I can figure is that with the advent of social media, some of our "professional" brethren are treating guard as a "twitter post"....trying to be funny over guard to untold masses in an attempt to get social validation in return.

What disturbs me even more is that either they are Captains or the Captains they are flying with condone this behavior. We can make this job fun in the cockpit....but the childish behavior is going to bite us in the rear sometime.

I figure this post will nominate me for "Tool of the day"....I guess the benefit of being an old crusty guy (50) is that I really don't give a %#$#.

For the record, that essay that circulated about the guy monitoring guard with the quivering toothpick in his mouth was hilarious and I wish I had a copy.......but the baiting and nonsense has really gotten out of control lately.

You're gonna get bashed for this but I agree with you. I'm in my late 20s and love memes as much as the next guy but the guard crap is ridiculous. At my previous regional, I flew with a captain who always talked on guard as one of the guys who's always having to comment because he thought he was being funny. The people who do it must be semi autistic because they look at you for a laugh as you roll your eyes away. These guys that do it honestly think they're hilarious and it must be from sheer boredom.

I've stopped monitoring guard east of the Rockies now.

The living the dream guy really got that movement going. While the video is hilarious and I hope he makes more, that got a lot of it going.

Pro athlete to rookie - "act like you've been here before."

I am in the right seat at a regional. The only individual I have ever witnessed engaging in such shenanigans was the guy occupying the left seat at said regional. I refuse to participate in anything on guard unless necessary for an emergency or by ATC request.

I can relay to you one story from GA flying on the matter: Flying up the coast at low altitude I picked up a weak ELT signal and reported it to ATC. ATC calls up a couple of airliners in the area and asks if they hear anything "negative". I lost it... but got it again, it was still there behind the squelch. I turned around and went back, it got stronger, and kept after ATC about it since no one else could receive it. It turns out it was the weak 121.5 signal emitted by an EPIRB. A fishing boat had sunk. I read the next day, a couple were rescued, one not so lucky.

If that's not a sufficient reason to cut it out on guard (both the immature stuff, and the 'guard nazi' behavior the Lego movie was satirizing), I don't know what is.

I agree, especially east of the Rockies, the juvenile behavior on guard is completely over the top.

Gentlemen,
It is our industry to police. I am in no way a dour individual with no sense of humor. But, the buffoonery that is taking place on guard by wannabe semi truck drivers is disgusting!

From one that has actually used the guard frequency to ask for help during an emergency......, please let that frequency be used for what is is meant to be used.

There is a frequency where you can be as stupid and immature as you like..., by all means..., use that one instead!

If the "guard police" take a chill pill and understand that after one or two miscalls on guard the pilot will figure out he needs to hit the switch button the unnecessary banter will slow down. We're all guilty of the miss call, heck long night after a red-eye no-one is perfect. Chill out "guard police" and the frequency will get back to what it is meant for. Just saying. Of course the "guard police" are perfect aviators.......cough.......

I think this hits the nail on the head.

Too many folks engage the unprofessional behavior and validate it's perceived humor, thus amplifying the originators feeling of self-worth.
I'm not calling out an entire generation, but the need for instant feedback and praise, whether it be "likes" or "retweets", is changing the way people behave, pilots being no exception. There needs to be professional role models who are not tool bags who are capable of policing this, starting with flight instructors. It's not a difficult concept.