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If you're set on fighters, the advice given by @EvilEagle is probably the best insider info you can get for rushing fighter units with your age and scores. And, not to be too callous but, while I'm sure no one would fault you for leaving Navy OCS due to a health issue with your pregnant wife, quitting a program and not returning will likely give units pause, even if the reason was one most would understand is legitimate. Coupling that with your age, it'll probably be hard to convince them to go for the waivers. All of that said, if you're dead set on flying fighters, you shouldn't let anyone else dissuade you. Until each unit you'd fly for tells you "No," anything is possible, right? Time isn't your friend, though, so you need to get on it, if you're going to try. However, if you aren't locked into only flying fighters, your scores are decent and a solid packet will likely get you a foot in the door at heavy units. They're much more willing to do waivers. Source: I've just graduated OTS and PCS-ing to UPT next week having just turned 37 last month; thanks to the hard work of a Reserves heavy unit working an ETP for me. So, you've just gotta decide if your interest in flying military, whatever the airframe, outweighs your preference for fighters.

The reason most fighter units don’t go for age waivers has very little to do with the hassle of doing the waiver or the likelihood of it being approved (it’s high). Most dont go after them because the track record for people who start training late in life to become fighter pilots is very poor. There are exceptions to everything but in general starting after 30 has increased likelihood that you’ll struggle as a FP. Units have to want to take a gamble on you in favor of someone with comparable or better scores and is younger; it’s an uphill fight IMO.

Duck, I already mentioned I am in the middle of a nasty divorce. Here is one more piece to look at that I did not see mentioned - Taxes. I have not lived at the house all last year because she refused to let me come home (I voluntarily left because she felt that was needed to "work on our marriage," I tried to come back after a while). I did not fight her on this to protect the kids. Well she dose not work - actually she went back to school for a second degree (she has one and is fluent in Spanish) and she is claiming food stamps. I don't know how this is possible. So I go to file my taxes today turns out she has claimed all the kids as dependents and I paid for everything last year. So when you get the Temporary court order also out line taxes. I went from a refund to a debt owed. Not all is lost because the IRS will work with you and understand these situations (so their website says). Now I have another time waster to add to my to do list.

I think you're overly optimistic about the timeline. I'll have 14 years in June. I'm past my third look for school (happened last year) and this year is my IPZ to Lt Col. If guys are going to get multiple BPZ promotions and in-res school slots, it's going to have to start NLT year 10.

You’d be surprised at how little aerodynamic/CG thought goes into load plans at freight operators. It’s usually based on what needs to come off the airplane first. I’ve seen some seriously eyebrow raising stab trim settings as a result. Never seen anything blatantly out of CG but fuel savings is pretty much a joke the way the airplanes are often loaded.

You think cargo loading is hard, you've never tried refueling: http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/transport-m/c141/pics02.shtml

Since most people like to reference the proverbial "made-man", I can attest that the opposite is also true. I.e. I have seen cases where someone with DG's from every level (USAFA/ROTC, UPT, SOS), #1 strat's at the sqd/grp/wg level, high-level awards, selected 1st look for school to a highly competitive fellowship program loses out, on BTZ promotion board to O-5, to a pretty decent "average" officer sans all the glitzy stuff mentioned above because the average guy was an exec for a GO just before the promotion board. These examples highlight that the "made-man" theory is less about DGs/strats/awards than it is about who you know and when you knew them. Bottom line: I believe a lot of our frustrations can be traced to a mismanaged meritocracy. However, I have a hard time believing it could be less subjective in the civilian sector.

PME in-res exists across the services and not unique to the Air Force. In peace time, this is simply a rat race (as an example, no derogatory insinuation intended). At the maze's exit there is an O-10 billet waiting for the lucky rat. To get there, the rat has to successfully complete various tasks, DO, Sq/CC, PME in-res, various levels of O-6 command, exec tours, joint staff tours, inter-agency tours, SLS, Pentagon, MAJCOM command, COCOM command and etc. For most in the Air Force, PME in-res and Sq/CC are the "pinnacle", but really they are just entry level objectives in the grand scheme of things. So while you don't need PME in-res to be a Sq/CC, but you are likely to need at least one of the two PME in-res to be a GO. Knows the rules of the game before you play. Or to quote WarGames: "The only winning move is not to play."

What may be the issue is the forward belly freight. When the load team doesn't communicate well, they may end up with freight on the main deck aft of the CG. The guys unloading the forward belly (forward of CG) do that too quickly and eventually gravity wins. I've seen this happen a few times. I was working at another cargo carrier (before FedEx) on a layover in Anchorage. My Captain called me and said "turn on Fox News". So, I do and there's the aircraft we're supposed to take to Taipei in 18 hours at LAX looking just like that 747. "Ah..yeah, I guess our ANC layover just got a bit longer." 6000 lb pallet of stuff that was half-way to the door rolled back during the tilt and almost killed a guy who dove out of the way plus did big time damage to the aft bulkhead and a/c structure. Most cargo outfits have a tailstand, a weight cart attached to the nose gear or a strap running through the nose gear anchored to eye-bolts in the concrete during loading/unloading to avoid this. The 777F has the main deck door aft of the wing, so all the main deck freight is loaded and unloaded from front to back. Pretty much impossible to put one on the tail doing it that way (but you'll still never see one of ours without a strap or weight cart).

Here's a couple things to check that may give you some legal leverage on the property (your house splitting negotiations/Florida AO); Check your Florida - County Property Appraiser website and see "owner information (Grantee/Deed info)". If you are listed as the sole owner - you have a chance/if the house is listed in both your names - you're toast. Same goes for who's name is on the mortgage/loan documents and did all the funds used to purchase the house come from your personal account or a joint account. FYI, For folks just getting married (newlyweds/particularly military members) - a good realtor "hopefully" will give the purchaser (GI) of a new house a wink wink nod nod on this subject and steer you in the right direction. I got divorced in Florida (Okaloosa County), I had a great realtor (friend) that provided this savvy advice when I purchased our house, and when the smoke cleared I got 100% ownership of the home and the X didn't get a penny (note; no kids were involved).

I’d describe mine as more of a “sexual tyrannosaurus” mustache.

I was so pissed by the time that movie ended I wanted to dig Johnson and Mcnamara back up and kick their ass just for good measure. As many of them pointed out, that was a complete shit-show from the beginning. Respect for the men who fought with their hands tied behind their backs! I became an AF pilot because of those men who fought in Viet Nam. In 1973 as a 10 year old I got to sit in an F-4 (18th TFW deployed) at CCK Air Base in Taiwan and speak with one of the pilots and it was game on from there.

Watched last night. Excellent. Had a family member's name listed in the Roll of Honor at the end. If you haven't seen it, do so.

I’ve seen some pictures coming out of RF 19-2 of 35As with external weapons mounted. Anyone have SA on this becoming a regular/more frequent thing?