AwShoot1209

The wifey and I have made Intel/Pilot work for 4yrs so far. Every base that has non-AETC aircraft will probably have intel support, so there's your first assignment together. My platform has several options outside the ops unit to PCA around base: the initial training (IQC/FTU), instructor course (FIC), test squadron (TES), and weapons instructor course (WIC). Even if your ops unit's base doesn't have all those things, any base that has aircraft will have plenty of jobs available outside of the ops squadron: wing scheduling, various exec gigs, etc. I know some folks that have PCA'd around base for 8-12yrs, some without join spouse. You're doing different-enough jobs that it still shows progression, even if you never PCS. The Intel gig is different. The ADSC is shorter, and mastering the core competency of ops support relatively simple to master, that intel leadership wants their young CGOs to branch out quickly and gain experience in a variety of intel functions (DGS, ISR, AOC, etc.). My wife was able to work an ops-ops PCA because both units were on base and it was with different aircraft (and vastly different missions; tac airlift vs. CAF), but I hear that's generally a hard sell if it doesn't show any progression (such as doing ops support for one tac airlift squadron, then doing ops support for another tac airlift squadron). A short term separation will be SUPT and the Intel FTU at Goodfellow. Laughlin is pretty close to Goodfellow, so weekend visits will be easy. All this probably holds true for PA, LRS, etc...

I was an IP in the T-6 flight at CBM with the previously mentioned Blackhawk guy. He had something like 8-9k hrs in blackhawks and regional jets (civilian job), and was headed to a reserve or guard C-130 job. He didn't have to go to IFS, but he completed the entire SUPT syllabus. He did very well, as you can imagine, better than the CFI/CFII guys we'd get. On the HAPL demo I pulled his power in the middle of the MOA and took the radios; he did the rest and could have stuck the landing. His favorite game was pulling out TERPS regs and playing stump the FAIP. It was a good time. Expect the full SUPT syllabus, which should be a quick read through some AF regs and the Dash-1 for you. My .02...remain as humble as possible. You'll look older and have Army wings on your nametag, so no need to establish credentials. There's the standard harassment games, queep, etc so keep a solid attitude and you'll have a blast. You'll be learning two new aircraft, so enjoy the opportunity to fly without the combat focus. It's just pure flying (min queep for the students). Teach your fellow classmates as much as you can, and share stories. Most of each class has zero prior active duty experience, so your attitude will establish their expectations. Enjoy the SRO gig.

Someone back me up on the facts here: At our Wg/CC call covering FY14's plan, the 1-star said mothballing a base was a much easier option because it is under the full control of the AF. We can move everyone out, seal up the buildings, and leave a bare bones SF presence to deter trespassers. The drop in economic contribution from the base to the town hits just as hard as though the base were closed. This precipitates an eventual official closure since the congressman can no longer whine about how Clovis, NM will die if the base closes. Hold back the tears. Anyone know if this is under complete AF control, and congress only exerts political pressure; or does congress have actual power over aircraft and personnel assignment actions?

All the dates are from a slide showing 2014 month by month. I'll try to find it and post it. From memory, the dos for most programs will be dec 2014, but no one mentioned if that's an AF-directed deadline or just what afpc expects to happen based on the timing of the June/July notifications.

At the risk of reposting info... We had a wing/cc call yesterday to address all the reduction programs for 2014. We were told a total cut of 25,000 personnel: roughly 20,000 enlisted and 5,000 officer (which sounds proportional...mebe). I don't know where to fact check this, but the cc mentioned that's a 7-8% reduction in force. Kaboom. Other mentionables: cc's should be notified of their folks' eligibility 19 dec, and everyone notified of their eligibility on 20 dec. Eligibility = vsp, rif, early retirement, and a couple other programs I can't remember. All of these programs will run almost concurrently starting in January 2014, with board results for most programs out in June/July 2014. Check your records to make sure you got credit for organizing the sq Christmas party.

Dude, TP stalls are intense.

Got the official word from our cc yesterday: t-6 p-qual at the upt bases is coming back, due to be in effect summer 2014. I haven't heard about t1/38s yet. Basic idea: if you receive an assignment to instruct in the t-6, you'll pcs to the upt base for initial qualification in the airframe. After academics, a few sims, and 8-10 sorties you'll take a front seat checkride. Then you'll go TDY to pit for the mission/instructional portion. I'm not familiar with enjppt, but I don't think this will have any effect on their in house program. No word yet on redistributing personnel/sims/jets from Randolph to the upt bases.

http://killerapps.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/12/04/team_obama_changes_course_appears_to_accept_china_air_defense_zone

I forecast a flood of prior-enlisted intel workers finding civilian contract intel jobs in the next 6-9 months, and making a mint better than their current paycheck. http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/467611/45-afscs-removed-from-srb-list-as-af-gets-leaner-smaller.aspx 45 AFSCs removed from SRB list as AF gets leaner, smaller By Debbie Gildea, Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs / Published November 26, 2013 JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Forty-five AFSCs will no longer be eligible for the selective reenlistment bonus effective Dec. 5 with the advent of the new selective reenlistment bonus list, Air Force officials announced Nov. 26. SRB eligibility changes posture the Air Force for a smaller force driven by sequestration, said Brig. Gen. Gina Grosso, the Air Force director of force management policy. “The SRB program is a retention tool," Grosso said. "As the force gets smaller, skills that were under-manned are no longer short and we are adjusting the bonus program accordingly.” Critical and emerging career fields with high operations demands and low manning -- such as battlefield Airmen and cyberspace specialties -- still require attention, the general said, so some AFSCs will remain on the SRB list. As of Dec. 5, AFSCs on the SRB list will include the following: 1A8X1 Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst 1A8X2 Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operator 1B4X1 Cyberspace Defense Operations 1C2X1 Combat Control 1C4X1 Tactical Air Control Party 1N4X1A Fusion Analyst, Digital Network Analyst 1T0X1 Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape 1T2X1 Pararescue 1W0X2 Special Operations Weather 3E8X1 Explosive Ordnance Disposal AFSCs being removed from the SRB list will include the following: 1A0X1 In-Flight Refueling 1A2X1 Aircraft Loadmaster 1C1X1 Air Traffic Control 1C3X1 Command Post 1C5X1 Command and Control Battle Management Operations 1C5X1D Command and Control Battle Management Operations – Weapons Director 1C6X1 Space Systems Operations 1C7X1 Airfield Management 1N0X1 Operations Intelligence 1N1X1A Geospatial Intelligence Analyst 1N1X1B Geospatial Intelligence Targeteer 1N3X1 Cryptologic Language Analyst 1N4X1B Fusion Analyst – Analysis and Production 1U0X1 Remotely Piloted Aircraft Sensor Operator 1W0X1 Weather 2A5X2B Helicopter/Tiltrotor Aircraft Maintenance (H-60) 2A5X2D Helicopter/Tiltrotor Aircraft Maintenance (CV-22) 2A7X1 Aircraft Metals Technology 2A7X3 Aircraft Structural Maintenance 2A7X5 Low Observable Aircraft Structural Maintenance 2M0X1 Missile and Space System Electrical Maintenance 2M0X2 Missile and Space System Maintenance 2M0X3 Missile and Space Facilities 2T3X2A Special Vehicle Maintenance – Fire Fighting Vehicles 2T3X7 Vehicle Management & Analysis 3D0X2 Cyber Systems Operations 3D0X3 Cyber Surety 3D0X4 Computer Systems Programming 3E2X1 Pavements and Construction Equipment 3E3X1 Structural 3E4X1 Water and Fuel System Maintenance 3E5X1 Engineering 3N0X2 Broadcast Journalist 3N0X5 Photojournalist 3P0X1A Security Forces Military Working Dog Handler 3S3X3 Manpower 4C0X1 Mental Health Service 4E0X1 Public Health 4H0X1 Cardiopulmonary Laboratory 4N0X1C Aero Medical Service – Independent Duty Medical Technician 4N1X1C Surgical Service – Orthopedics 4P0X1 Pharmacy 4R0X1C Diagnostic Imaging – Magnetic Resonance Imaging 4Y0X1H Dental Hygienist 6C0X1 Contracting 7S0X1 Special Investigations Due to recent changes in Department of Defense policy, Airmen who are in an AFSC being removed from the SRB listing will no longer have 30 days to reenlist from the date the AFSC is removed. Instead Airmen in an AFSC being removed will have through Dec. 4 to reenlist and receive an SRB. Anyone reenlisting on Dec. 5 or later will use the new SRB list. In addition to these changes Airmen will no longer be able to request accelerated SRB payments. For more information about SRB changes and other personnel issues, visit the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil.

Boeing employees are also feeling a little burnout: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/24030715/boeing-747-mistakenly-lands-at-small-kansas-airport#axzz2lHbJkcoa A Boeing 747 jumbo jet mistakenly landed a tiny airport in Wichita, Kansas late Wednesday, raising questions about whether or not the plane will be able to take off. KAKE.com reports that the jet used to haul 787 Dreamliner parts landed at Jabara Airport instead of its intended destination of McConnell Air Force Base. A Boeing spokesman confirmed to The Wall Street Journal in a statement that the plane had landed on the 6,101-foot long runway and that "we are working to determine next steps."

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/11/05/hagel-says-cuts-to-pay-and-benefits-are-needed.html Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned Tuesday that troops and their families will be asked to sacrifice on pay and benefits to preserve readiness in an era of tighter budgets. Hagel listed politically-charged changes to compensation and personnel policy as one of his top six priorities in reforming the military following the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the department gears up to meet new challenges. "This may be the most difficult" to achieve among his six priorities, Hagel said of proposals to trim pay increases, overhaul TRICARE and review retirement benefits while adapting to cuts in personnel. ...anyone have any info beyond these vague comments?

I just got a B-1 assignment today in the FAIP drop. Anyone have any systems gouge, BF/OL, or radical videos to share?

Reply to the original post: All the pistols you mentioned are fine guns. I've owned all of them at one point: they were all reliable, easy to shoot, and more accurate me. I used an XD-40 in competition for a while and it was a champ. I liked it best in competition because mag changes with those stainless steel mags was very smooth. If you're limited to 10rds in each mag, the slight advantage of a higher mag cap in the Glock 23 or HK doesn't matter. When I carry, I use the Glock 80% of the time. It's slightly slimmer, has fewer catch points on the frame (it has never snagged on clothing), and, with some amateur gunsmithing, you can install a much better trigger. As a bedside gun, mounting a laser/light combo on the rail is a sweet way to blind anyone walking through the broken window. I use a Streamlight TLR-4 (my vote for best value) though I used a Surefire x400 on a 1911 for a while (not worth the extra cost). One thing to keep in mind: HK, S&W, Glock, Sig, and probably Springfield have military-only pricing. If you find a gunshop that sells these Mil/LEO models, you can save $50-100 off the pistol. Glock throws in a 3rd mag as well, which are going for $20-30 right now.

HEFOE-P...the P is for cockpit pressurization. The T-6 is pressurized, unlike its predecessor.