[scrounge]

I think this was a very good addition to what I think is a fantastic mechanics manual, which has improved over the years every single year. Sure, there are points here and there I disagree with, but it has been an enormous benefit in standardizing and improving mechanics across the board, especially in a state that had such different operating cultures before this (three large and different metro areas, another style in NW Ohio, a REALLY different style in the rural SE area, etc).

I'm filling in for a crew as LJ in week one in what was an open date for our regular crew. I'm normally a BJ but have done significant time at wing, so no big deal. With this, I just have to study the LJ mechanics and I don't have to worry about how this particular crew - whom I've never worked with - does pre-snap checks or how they signal or where to be, etc. I *know* because they use the same standard operating procedures. We can use our pre-game on other things instead of spending an hour on the basics. What some call 'micro-managing' I call having a standard, uniform procedure to create a platform for common understanding and continuous improvement. Just like when I was in the Army and we had detailed procedures just like this - I didn't have to wonder which pocket ammo vs med equipment was in on someone else, I knew because we specified it. I didn't have to tell the 1st tank driver he had the job of outpost watch when we came to a long stop, he knew and he knew what to do and what to take, etc.

Bigjohn, I don't know if you're in Ohio and conducting a passive-aggressive whining campaign or outside and just have a gold book fetish, but I find this 'drive-by' posting of what I think is an excellent article of tools and philosophies with a pejorative title and no specific criticisms to be kind of pathetic.

And by the way, if you noticed the footnote, most of the content in that article was borrowed - with permission - from Hawaii.