MTI Love - Ep 620

0:00One, 20! One, 20! Go! So you guys are going into special warfare assessment selection. It is an attributes-based selection model. What does that mean? Guys, are we running right now to get better with practice, everybody? Practicing! Right, I can't. So there's a holistic picture that we're looking for. The instructors are giving you input, and we're expecting an output. And everything is for a reason. If you guys haven't heard my spiel yet, everything that we do, every single exercise, has a connection to the job that you're trying to do. We don't want people at Indoc, special warfare assessment selection, whatever they're going to call the new course, when it inevitably changes, somewhere down the road. I don't care what they call it. What I need is you to show me the raw materials for the things that I want to build you into. Just like everything else, it's a crawl walk run. I can ride a key, sir. Just like this.

1:01I'll be waiting! GT It Never Quid! All the way to the GT It Never Quid! Hey, everybody. Welcome to the ones ready podcast. It is Trent today with a new haircut. It's not new. It's just shorter on the sides. It looks a little more professional. It looks a little more closer to the way I looked when I was active duty. You know, I shaved a couple days ago, so I still look almost. I still look almost. Almost shaved. And then you might be wondering, Trent, why are you dude? Why are you talking about your haircut? We'll get to that in just a second. First of all, I just want to thank you all for being listeners, or for being members only, or for being whatever it is that you are to the podcast, whether it is your first time listening, or your long time supporter. We really, really do appreciate it. At least I do. You know, Jared probably does an Aaron. Who knows? Who knows what's going on with that? He is somewhere right now with his shirt off, and he might be thinking about how much he appreciates our listeners and supporters. But with the ones ready podcast, we do have a few things going on. We have, you know, the regular ones ready podcasts. We have members only, and we have outside the wire.

2:01We've talked about a few times. So we decided that we needed a separate thing to talk about non-air force-ish things, non-military things, right? So the ones ready podcast, you know, specifically focused on getting relevant and current information out there about the Air Force special warfare pipeline. That is some of the stuff that was missing for a long time, and just helping people be prepared, right? So that's kind of where the OTS came from, the upper training summit, is one of our goals, one of our, you know, one of the things that we would really like to do for the next however many years we do. It is help prepare the next generation to be successful in our forced-luxer warfare, because that's what we came from. And so that's kind of the focus. So we have the outside the wire thing. So when we talk about, you know, the guys covered that lady that killed her kids, whose name I'm still not going to say the other day, and a few other things, right? So outside the wires where we get a branch out and talk about, you know, anything that's not military related, and it is a lot of fun. And we're going to get better at that as we go along and see how spicy we want to make that,

3:01and then save most of the really spicy, you know, team room, team room talk for the members only. Members only is not super expensive. We're trying to keep, you know, just like with OTS, we're trying to keep our price points as low as possible. None of us are becoming to billionaires off this much to our delight of our wives. But it's pretty inexpensive and, and, you know, expectation management. It's we talk about a lot of the same stuff that we talk about on podcast. We just might go further to depth and share another level with the, you know, a lot of the words that we try not to say on the regular podcast about things that are happening, whether it's special warfare or otherwise on the numbers only. It's a good time because we can just kind of like, you know, talk the way that we used to talk and feel, you know, relive our glory days. So to speak. All right. Appreciate y'all, no matter what level or whatever you are. Thanks for being here for the podcast. I got a haircut today because I'm heading to Washington, DC this weekend. And you may be tracking that the Air Force Association, the AFA, whatever it is happening next week in Washington, DC,

4:05where, you know, the Air Force, we're inside this giant convention center. There's the industry folks, the military industrial complex or whatever you want to call it shows up and is a big to do, you know, like the, the CSAP and the SIM staff and all the highest ranking people, there's going to be boards and people asking questions and speeches and all that other stuff. And I am going to be there. And I thought I would warn everybody that I'm going to be there because, you know, you're going to, you're, you might be going to a F A to have a good time. I see Trent from once ready who shares opinions that maybe you agree with them. Maybe you don't. But the reason I'm going to be there and the reason I want to talk about this is, is, is a couple things. First of all, I'm going to be there for work and I need to focus on work. And it's not that, you know, I really do appreciate when people come up to me and the recognizing the way I say hi. I would like I said that's why I started with we really do appreciate everything. But I am going to be doing my job, my day job while I'm there. I'm going to be at the second Air Force booth as a contractor. And one of the things I really want to talk about with this too is, there's an opportunity to talk about not really the specific things that I do for my job because, you know, I try to be kind of vague about it.

5:13When we bring MCIs on here that I might see around the place where I work. And obviously I work down around BMT and all that other stuff. I try not to be on those podcasts. I don't want to like mix the things too much. But that's what I'm going to be. I'm going to be the second Air Force booth and they're highlighting the basic training stuff that a lot of people have been working on. And I mentioned this to say and then the reason I talk about how I appreciate everybody and I'm going to do my day job is I don't want to focus ever to be on what the focus should be on. Right. And there's a few things that I think, first of all, I want everybody to come by the second Air Force booth. I'm going to be super rad. I think you're going to see some things. And if you keep an open mind and you really care about the future of the Air Force and about basic training, being eventually what it could be right or as good as it could be in a given iteration for the next generation, which is like I said, it lines up perfectly with what we do with one's ready in the OTS right. It's like kind of like the dream job for me is to work on next generation stuff and try to make things better.

6:15But you know, as you go there with an open mind and start looking at this stuff, there's going to be some active duty folks there, right. And like I'm pointing out, like I'm a contractor. So I really, really, really don't want to be the center of anybody's attention. I'm more than happy to say hi. I'm more than happy to interact with people like that's my job when I'm there is to talk about some of the stuff that we've been working on. But I shouldn't be the first person that you talk to when you get there because I'm, I'm not the person doing the job. The people doing the jobs at that BMT, where the rubber meets the road and I focus on this a lot, I think during the podcast on the podcast is or the MTI's like the MTI's are the people job in it day in and day out and then over the years. You know, we talk about BMT on this podcast and it's always the same. It's when we went through what was easy. And it's in you know, for for the population of the folks going to special warfare physically, basic training, US Air Force basic training should not be a big deal. It doesn't mean that it's not going to be uncomfortable. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't learn anything basic training. You should come out of there with a good understanding of what you're getting to as far as the Air Force and the basic standards that everybody should graduate with from basic training and an appreciation for not just what you're going into, but the service as a whole.

7:36It's done historically and what it continues to do this day and how you're going to continue that legacy right like that. I think that's a big part of basic training is you should be. I'm sorry uncomfortable and you should you should gain an understanding of the legacy that you're trying to uphold by putting on that uniform. And it says US Air Force on all right like you graduate basic training. You're an airman now. What does that mean? So all that to be said like where the rubber meets the road is is the MTI's. And I'm saying like we've always said that that BMT is what it is. It's not physically demanding and it's not that hard. That's not the MTI's fault. And I want to focus on this too because I want you guys when you when you come over to the booth. I want people to come over and start talking to the MTI's and understand that through every variation of basic training, just like over and special warfare through every variation of it. No matter what paper work is thrown their way, no matter who the boss is, however many echelons above them, whatever they decide that basic training should be for this next generation, you've always had a core of MTI's there doing the best that they can.

8:38Right. And they're not going to do that job if they don't believe in it. You know, I talked to a lot of these folks and we've heard some of these stories on the podcast. I go, I got nonvolved to go do something. I ended up picking MTI. I showed up. I didn't really want to do it. And then they get into the job right and then they're like holy crap. I can affect the next generation of airmen or I'm going to affect regardless. If I'm an MTI pushing flights, whether I'm good or I'm bad or I'm neutral, right? Like if I just do the bare minimum or if I really try my hardest, it's going to have an effect on a huge number of future airmen, a future in CEOs, a future chiefs and even officers, right. We get a ton of officers that come out of the enlisted core. And that's a huge responsibility. And then these folks, they don't take that lightly. And I know that we've tried to change the rules to curb some of the, when I say we're going to do that, I mean, the air force writ large over time, right. Like some of the, they tried to mitigate how many hours MTIs can can be on the line at a time and all the other stuff. But I'm telling you just like any other job. So the baseline for MTIs is a ridiculous number of hours a week.

9:49And then there's the, these are the rules. You can't work that many hours. And I'm telling you guys not that they're breaking rules on purpose. But these, these folks, the vast majority of them are doing whatever it takes to make sure that the people that they graduate are the right are worthy of being airmen that they understand the legacy that they're up hold, you know, through all the different, you through COVID through controversy, through all this other stuff. They will always find a way to do their best to put the best product into the air force. And, and I think it would just be a miss. I'm like, if you're going to AFA or anytime if you're around Lackland or anytime you see someone with an MTI hat on, I think it's an opportunity to really show some appreciation. You know, when we go to DC next week and you know, there's all the big wigs there. You know, and I know that a fair number of, you know, chiefs and I'm going to be nice about everything. I know I go after rank a fair bit on the podcast too. But there's going to be a bunch of chiefs, command chiefs, kernels, Lieutenant kernels, general officers, even if if you're not one of those people you're a senior even or, or, you know, or a major man.

11:02I'm going to put it out there. I want you all if you're going to be there. And, and if you come across MTIs in the real world. I want you all to, but especially this next week, take the opportunity to be a real person. Take the opportunity to stop by and to recognize the people that have taken on the responsibility of producing the next generation of airmen, you know, and it's not everything, but they are the single link in that chain. While during that seven and a half weeks between the Air Force, the entire Air Force and these people and the students, there's, there's one person or two people at most at any given time in between the Air Force, the Air Force legacy, everything that we expect them to do, understanding the changing environment that they're dealing with overseas right now. And being able to project out what these, these young people are going to have to deal with in their career, potentially things are chaos right now.

12:03Man, that's a, that's a huge responsibility that we, we love you on these folks. And, and I'm telling you, I've been around it. I can be cynical sometimes about certain things, but I've never been higher on the Air Force than doing this job. Being around basic training, being around the MTI's and everybody else is there. And I know that there's a ton of people involved in basic training that make it happen. But everybody knows, like, like, you're going to have the opportunity when you see someone with that hat on when you see an MTI, you know, especially if you're a person that has that, you know, a rank that can make a difference, you know, if you are one of those people that I mentioned, like the chiefs, the colonels, the Geos and all that other stuff. Understand that like we talk about your responsibility or right, your obligations and all this other stuff that comes along with your rank. And when we give some, but some unsolicited advice on a regular basis. But yo, this is, this is your opportunity to be a real person, to do that thing where, where, where you might not think that you saying something to one of these folks.

13:07And this isn't just the MTI's, but like I'm focusing on this, but any of the NCOs or arm and that you're going to see around. You might not think that like, hey, I'm, you know, my name is just, you know, Linda or Ted or whatever your name is, right, like how you view yourself as a human. And it's going to be a F A and there's going to be a lot of other people around and your boss and their boss and their boss, right. Everybody except for freaking Congress is going to be there. But if you see one of these MTI's, please, I'm asking you, let your guard down a little bit and show them some appreciation. You know, it doesn't take much. If you have that kind of rank and time in the Air Force behind you, it doesn't take much to really change or potentially change. You know, how someone is going to do their job for like the next few years or just how they view the last few years, if they're an MTI and they're about to not be an MTI, right. Like it might be just the right time for them to get some appreciation from some high ranking person that they don't even know.

14:09But I, I'm just asking you, if you come by the booth, focus on the MTI's. There's the project you're going to have questions and all this other stuff for what we're trying to do. If you have the ability to be helpful for the next generation of BMT and all this other stuff is going to be super rad. But, but if you see me, I'd love to say hi. I'd love to, you know, snap into ones ready Trent for like three seconds and say hello. But I'd much rather talk about the work. I'd much rather talk about the future of the Air Force. I'd much rather talk about these, you know, these MTI's that are getting their hands on. Not not actually their hands on anybody, but like they're there. They are responsible for changing these, these young civilians that have done the scariest thing, imagine will and signed up to be in the military today and turning them into airmen. The airmen that are going to protect our country and and do anything that we ask them to do. For the next four to 30 years. And it all starts, you know, it all started with the recruiter.

15:09But like their first introduction to really the Air Force is going to be through this MTI. So please take that opportunity and then, you know, writ large, right? Like you're going to be there. I don't care, you know, who you are, what your rank is. If you see some in CEOs, you see some young ramen. Man, I remember being an AFA a few years back. And it is kind of cool when some of these people walk up to you. You know, like I'm a pretty. I don't care who you are, what your rank is and blah, blah, blah. But it is always nice no matter what to feel a little, to feel appreciated, you know, to have curious people ask you about your job, to feel like you're making a difference. And you have this opportunity to tell the MTI's that they truly are making a difference. And they're trying their best and they are doing their best and they're crushing it. So please stop by, say hi. And let's show the MTI's some love this next week. Don't tell them I said this because it's embarrassing and I don't want to talk to them at work. But I thought it was important to put this out there.

16:10So yeah, that's it. That was Sharton Sweet. I'll see y'all next week or I won't like, subscribe, all the things and we will catch you next time later. We chase the lights. We're the final whistle. We'll leave it when we say we never settle. We chase the lights to the final whistle.

17:10We'll leave it when we say we never settle. We did it, we did it, we did it. Oh.