I have a new guy to my squadron, motivated, bushy-tailed, bright-eyed, go-getter. Day 1 he gets in shop, he says to me "I want to deploy." So I give him a list of requirements and say "get after it." He did, man, he absolutely killed it.

Well deployment orders dropped. AFPC doesn't really see how people do on an individual level and the CC is doing his best, but we're an operational squadron, and has to look at a lot of factors when selecting individuals to go. I gave my recommendations to the CC but I don't make the final call.

This poor guy came in, dressed, deployment bag ready to go, and didn't get selected. The issue is, so did the other guys who got selected. Everyone is ready to go. Now, the guys who were actually selected, they didn't have all their CBTs done. That's not a huge deal. That's like...1 day of work.

But this poor guy was in tears because he didn't get selected. I get it man, I do. But clicking a few extra buttons on the computer doesn't magically make you more qualified.

So to my bright-eyed young Airman, I'm sorry. But sometimes, you gotta wait your turn my man.