Forum: F-22A Raptor

So, since the word has come down that 90th FS CO Lt. Col. Mike "Dozer" Shower did absolutely nothing wrong in his internet postings, I'm wondering, of all the outlandish, slanderous crap posted here about him in the past couple of weeks, who's going to step up and acknowlege, publicly, they were all wet regarding this issue?

Bear in mind some of the facts.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/ ... c_031408w/

The PP "brief" was generated AFTER OSI looked at Dozer's postings and found nothing wrong with them...and the unit that produced it was outside the initial investigation.

After he was "selected" (you all know how you get "vollunteered" in the AF) to be the first Heritage and demo pilot for the F-22, as part of his already massive duties, he was told.....not asked....told, by his superiors to become the "face" of the raptor program. As I've mentioned before, the F-22 program is not popular with the general public. It had been recieving massive negative press, and was being portrayed as unneeded and exhobitantly expensive. The program had already been slashed to a shadow of what it should have been, and the long knives in congress are always out. The raptor needed then....and still needs today, an effective PR campaign. The utter folly of the backwards thinking that led to the initial raptor cuts has been borne out by the fact that the eagle fleet is subject to being grounded.....for long periods....at any minute.

So, having been given his marching orders, Lt. Col Shower ventures out into cyberspace to do the bidding of the general officers who needed a positive, recognizable face for the jet, and educate the general public about the need for the 22 as a vital defense tool. Didn't do it on his own, did it at the behest of people wearing stars. Notice, he had never been on-line before regarding anything. Did I mention that this was on TOP of his preparing to stand up a squadron of the most complex warplane ever fielded, using tactics they are still developing? As if he really didn't have better things to do with his time?

He does a GREAT job talking up the raptor. People are impressed and for once, the AF looks like it knows what its doing. He answers all manner of idiotic questions about the "Kobra Maneuver" and external tanks, and the standard crap people ask at airshows. He gives interviews, he does promo spots, he go to aviation forums and gives speeches. Everybody is happy....except apparently some malcontents in OSI at DM. You know the rest.

Now, nobody, other than some unnamed power point snipers have suggested even remotely that he did anything wrong. Notice, he still retains his command, and the AF has now been forced to PUBLICLY state that he did nothing wrong, though doing it backhanded in the AF times is....typical.

BUNCH of people on this site, and others have called the guy every name in the book, and then some, based on nothing more than internet innuendo, and without the barest minimum understanding of the facts. This is a serving warrior....a combat vet with a MiG-29 kill on his resume, and SO well respected that he was given a squadron of 22s to command. In today's Air Force, do you really get to slander...slander a superior officer in public w/o repercussions? Several of the most vociferous critics are active duty.

I'm wondering how a lot of you would feel under similar circumstances? Did what you were told, made the best out of a less than stellar situation, did a great job, and now you get your name dragged thru the mud for it?

The entire episode is shameful, and its shameful a lot of what was posted here about it, and also that it was allowed to be posted about him.

There is NO defense, BTW, of what was said. You can't say "oh, well, he should have known better".......no....dudes with stars said "go on-line, talk the jet up to Joe Bag-o-donuts". Period. Didn't reveal anything the tiniest bit "sensitive"....you think they guy who probably knows the most about F-22s on earth doesn't know what's secret and not?

Anybody wanna go first?

F-16.net Sponsor

AfterburnerDecalsScott wrote:

There is NO defense, BTW, of what was said. You can't say "oh, well, he should have known better".......no....dudes with stars said "go on-line, talk the jet up to Joe Bag-o-donuts". Period. Didn't reveal anything the tiniest bit "sensitive"....you think they guy who probably knows the most about F-22s on earth doesn't know what's secret and not?

Anybody wanna go first?

Heh. This will really show you who's got integrity and who doesn't. Will be interesting to see.

VPRGUY wrote:

...a brief highlighting supposed OPSEC violations, in bold print and colored text none the less, seemingly sent to everyone with a military/defense affiliation? Seems a bit off to me. ...where do we draw the line when daddy Air Force tells you to promote the thing? ....

I'm not gloating. I promise. I'm thrilled that cooler heads prevailed; I am sure the individual who started all this had the best intentions, and was simply looking out for what they thought should be protected. The fact is, some people are designated to be the talking heads for a program, and are given the liberty to discuss things that would get the average A.F. Joe a stern talking too. Kudo's to the leadership for coming to the defense of their frontman.

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM Posts: 760

I think you should pass the plate around and almost everyone that chimed in on issue should have a serving of crow.

I feel each side had some merits of criticism, I also feel that each side also overstepped its bounds somewhat.

I feel that Dozer is likely the least to blame (if to blame at all). I feel that Dozer was probably just doing his job and basically was doing what he was told to do.

I feel it is Dozer's job to talk publicly, and he has hopefully followed his orders and hopefully has only revealed information that he was cleared to do.

I am uncomfortable with as much as Dozer says. However I suspect he is probably doing his job. I am uncomfortable with as much information that is cleared to be public.

I'm afraid that the military and government is between a rock and a hard place. I think they feel if they stay quiet that they won't get any more funding for their most advanced weapons such as the F-22, so I think they show boat the F-22 to try to help justify the high price tag of new technology. However this is a double-edged sword. The more that we show boat the F-22, the more that we are likely to plant one and cause an embarrassing PR incident. The other problem with showboating the F-22, is that it releases more information about it, that potential adversaries could use for development or countermeasures. Yet another problem with showboating the F-22, is that it might give our Congress and people too much confidence, and they might deny more funding and upgrades since we have such a super weapon. It might even limit the number of F-22's in the program or the upgrades for the F-22; because people might have too high expectations for the F-22. The other problem about showboating the F-22, is it might help promote an arms race by intimidation. Fear is also a double-edged sword.

I think the investigator was wise to investigate Dozer. However I feel his methodology was poor. It's somewhat reminds me of the Andy Griffin show. I feel he was somewhat a highbred between a manic well-meaning naïve Barney Fife threatening to arrest children for riding their bicycles on the sidewalk and the conceited bigoted state police that would snub the sheriff without getting to know the situation.

I think it was nice that people were quick to give defense to Dozer. However I feel the defense of Dozer was somewhat premature and blind. I would prefer to give someone like the Dozer the benefit of the doubt. However I think it is unreasonable and quite snobbish to think it is unreasonable to question him. I think is unreasonable for anyone to be above suspicion.

Like Reagan said. Trust but verify.

Though I don't think there's anything wrong with investigating Dozer. I don't like the way it was handled. I can't help but wonder if someone somewhere instigated this investigation because they had good intentions or an ax to grind or if it was an act of subversion. I suspect the investigator involved had the best intentions, however the methodology I am critical of. It would be interesting to investigate whomever instigated the investigation.

Yeah I am sure he's a good dude and a good fighter pilot, but he still talked too much. I am sure the AF said to be the poster boy for the Raptor, but I am equally sure that they didnt say to go to online sites and post info...even if everything was unclass. So I dont think anyone needs to eat crow, and I while I didnt originally write criticisms of his postings, I will now...they were dumb and he shouldnt have done it.

So, If Tech Sergeant Joe Blow from the same squadron said it instead of the guy who did, would things have turned out the same way?

The Power Point was distributed (copied e-mail) in mass to my entire ANG Wing, so I saw it last weekend. Somebody went to a lot of trouble to make this pilot look like a fool at best and double agent at worst.

I can see pointing out what not to post by using some examples, but this Power Point went way over the top. I hope "Dozier" suffers no ill effects and his career prospers.

Seems to me that this whole thing is much ado about nothing. The guy did what he was told to do. The OSI detachment at D-M ran an internal training powerpoint that they lost control of. THAT was the genie that got out of the bottle.

This whole incident just goes to prove that rumors can be extremely damaging and should be completely checked out for veracity before repeating.

Everyone who jumped on the bandwagon and badmouthed this pilot without knowing the facts should be shot with sh*t and hung for stinking.

Well having paid close attention too and even added in when I could, his postings on fencecheck, there in fact was NO harmful information shared by him, myself or others in the know. That being said, the Air Force in particular has always loved 'witch hunts' when it comes to 'forgiving' someone.

clown_shoes wrote:

Yeah I am sure he's a good dude and a good fighter pilot, but he still talked too much. I am sure the AF said to be the poster boy for the Raptor, but I am equally sure that they didnt say to go to online sites and post info...even if everything was unclass. So I dont think anyone needs to eat crow, and I while I didnt originally write criticisms of his postings, I will now...they were dumb and he shouldnt have done it.

Ok, which part of he did NOT "talk too much" is eluding you? He talked exactly as much as he was TOLD to....he did precisely what his job was. They did in fact tell him to push the jet on-line in aviation forums. It wasn't "dumb" in the least little bit, it was exactly what he'd been told to do. There isn't gray area here, its a complete, total, utter travesty....it just is, and doing the job one was ordered to do is noble....trashing a true warrior for doing it pretty much the textbook definition of what you just called him.

DAMN IT!!!!!!

I have a couple truck loads of T-Shirts and hats that say: "Free Dozer!"

Now what am I gonna do? Laughing

Afterburnerdecals scott...your opinion is noted. Agree to disagree, I still think it was dumb...

"Yeah, gee whiz General, ya know I'd love to do what you are telling me to, but nah, I'm gonna have to say nuh uh, count me out.....sounds dumb, but thanks for thinking of me!"

You mean dumb like that?

I have to admit, there are times when I'm just not in the mood for PR, so next time when the chief calls and says "hey Brown, go do the dog and pony show at the rotary club Tues." I'll just decline 'cause I think its dumb.

I didn't realize orders from General Officers were optional.....learn something new every day.

I'm sure that general officers told a squadron commander to get on an online forum and discuss the Raptor. And sure, the AF said that he said nothing that was classified, but when posting online, the concept of "need to know" also comes into play. Did those posters need to know the answers to those questions? (I am speaking to the more specific technical questions that were asked). Again, people hide behind the "well its not classified so I can say whatever I want" wall, but its just not that cut and dry. I know everyones wishes that it was that way, but its not. So yeah he didnt say anything classified, and yeah the AF may have "publicly" stated that nothing was class, but I would bet that behind closed doors he got verbally reprimanded...as any officer is when they do something dumb.

Forum: F-22A Raptor

Crow is kinda bitter tasting...