SemperSicEm

My old man was a Tanker pilot and I was born at SAC base. God Bless the crew and their families. NKAWTG...N!

IBS if diagnosed is disqualifying for flight training. If it's in your records, you may have a battle ahead.

A terrible, horrible loss for XL. It makes no sense and it never will. Lt Col Koontz was a great officer, husband, and father. He and his family will be forever missed and remembered. There is no excuse for drunk driving and there never will be.

Roger, I was even thinking about e-mailing the POC who processed my waiver because I had all the e-mail traffic and paperwork to process it. He may ignore me, but at least I can ask instead of never knowing.

Being on a UPT base for a while now, I see quite a few studs walking around with shorter stature than I have...my guess is this is a common issue, but one the AF can work with. I talked to the flight doc when I got here and asked about my standing height waiver. It lists the airframes I am qualified height-wise for from the T-1 track to include the CV-22 which you can drop from T-1s. I asked about getting fit in the T-38, but since it was red from the get-go, he said there was nothing they could do to fight it. My question is, would it be possible to still track select helos from T-6s if I got "fit" in a UH-1 at some point before Oct, (I start training this month and I have heard some classes finish Phase II with a couple weeks to go before track select). I was never fit checked in a huey because my Det couldn't pay for me to travel or allow me to travel to a base with the UH-1 to get the paperwork signed off on before submitting the waiver. My focus will be on learning the T-6 and doing the best I can with that and when the time comes, work with my flight CC on what it would take to track helos if I want to go that route.

Really an incredible series, definitely opened my eyes. Utmost respect and pride for the Pedros. That last episode was tough, when they were folding my flags...I knew the ending would involve an American casualty. I can't even imagine what that's like to go through in real life and see. I would be so lucky/honored to even have that opportunity to fly the wounded to help and bring others home. I overhear a lot of APTs at my base wanting to fly helos now...I know I am humbled about that now, I hope some of my peers are too.

Prayers to Maj Knowlan's family. I hope his kids know their Dad is a hero for his willingness to serve his country.

I saw someone walking a dog through base housing yesterday that was clearly a pit bull. The dog looked like it had pumped some iron before going for some cardio, but anyway I don't feel the need to say something to housing because I have no idea who that was or where they live. Your pup looks like a boxer "mix" to me and that's it. I think you'll be alright and I am sure by now you are on base and good to go.

White coat syndrome...ugh. My Dad had it as a flyer and I when I found out then I began getting nervous because if he as a pilot was nervous...then me as a nobody cadet wanting a slot had a reason to be nervous. The saga continues. I'm going to try that holding my breath, but if you don't hear from me I passed out and smacked my head on the floor. Just kidding, but really I'll give it a shot. I'll try anything to get a regular reading.

What if I am on casual status and my BP at the dentist read too high so they referred me to my PCM? I can't seem to manage a low BP reading at the doc office before coming to my base, but I'm fine otherwise using the commercial machines or when they use a manual cuff. Am I going to get DQ'd because I am not on flying status yet? I definitely don't want meds because I don't need them. I'm an avid triathlete and follow decent dietary guidelines, I just get nervous every time I go to the clinic.

I was told today, if you have your PPL and close to 100 hours you can work an exemption from attending IFS. If you have no rating (no PPL at all) you cannot be considered even if you get one. You're not supposed to obtain any higher ratings either. You can still fly as much as you want. IFS it is for me!

I was told I had the last housing offer they could make at this time...but by March I am sure there will be openings. I was 22/22 or something like that...someone cancelled last minute for a CGO unit (not sure how that happens coming to Laughlin? Off base=not a good deal).

My point was, would they even let me go get my PPL before getting an RIP for IFS? If I don't have one, then yes I still have to go to Doss. I kind of thought that AFPC or whoever assigns IFS/UPT dates knows if you have your PPL from the rated boards so why would they assign them a date then? Seems like this new reg isn't tracking yet unless something changes when they show up for casual or a training weekend if they are guard/reserve and get told 'hey no IFS for you anymore!' Also, yeah it probably does suck, no doubt. I've been told. With that attitude though....I'm not sure how a pilot candidate will make it through UPT or any formal USAF training program for that matter. There are worse things ahead than Pueblo and worse things out there to endure in the military and I happen to be close to people that have endured worse. ShackIt--the going cost for my area based on the flight schools I have checked is over 5K per aircraft rental, instruction, and ground school. That's in a Diamond DA-20 or similar.

How can the AF be certain I would finish my PPL in time before my IFS date? Someone has to know what this reg includes, i.e. APTs that have their PPL BEFORE 1 Oct are exempt, those who get it after are not and must attend IFS? Also, shelling out 5 grand as a brand new LT coming out of a stupidly expensive university isn't going to be the easiest thing for me to do in the next six months, not impossible...just not ideal either. Don't get me wrong, becoming a pilot is my #1 priority and I would love nothing more than to spend every weekend on causal status flying my happy little butt off at a civilian school, but letting the AF pay for it (and if I can hack it) has been my plan of action all along especially because this news of holding a PPL didn't come into the picture for me until a day or so ago. Letting all these APTs run out and get PPLs might save the AF some $ most definitely, but it should not be the norm and I think there are still benefits to be introduced to military flying even if it is in the DA-20. I've had many friends that struggled through IFS and somehow made it happen and now are in fighter airframes and some made it through and still DOR out of UPT. I know I want to fly and I know I can do it, but don't feel like I need to run away from Doss and stay on casual until my UPT date by obtaining a PPL. I honestly hate hearing so many APTs talking about how much IFS sucks, (maybe mostly from the CSO peers I know) but seriously...just like Smokey said, there are WAY worse places to be in life. Spending a month in Colorado earning my pay and learning to actually fly the way the AF wants me to is nothing in the grand scheme of things to start the opportunity of a lifetime to earn wings.

http://www.c-span.org/Events/US-Air-Force-Holds-Ceremony-to-Swear-In-New-Chief-of-Staff/10737433021/ It would be nice to have something other than a tuxedo to wear as a service dress...not sure if this is it though or what the story is behind it.

I can't complain a whole lot. Sitting casual at Laughlin for six months isn't the best or worst scenario...but yeah Del Rio... I get more time to spend with my fiancé and it might set me up better for housing if I don't get an EAD until January/February because of my wedding date. I am starting my masters classes this month and will probably get six hours in by Decemeber if I don't EAD. I just wish AFPC would just say when the EAD would be in 2013 so I can track with that.

Del Rio was one of the best assignments my old man had a few years back. We'd shut down our street and have block parties almost every weekend. I am excited to go back...but I'll want a follow on assignment somewhere else...6 years total at Laughlin might be enough for me.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-Combat-Stryker-T-shirt/dp/B004OK7AZ0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Wish I had ordered this ahead of time for today... 'Merica

Here's my most recent scenario...EAD moved from 30 June 2012 to 30 September 2012. My NCOs found out on 24 May of the change and did not notify me until 2 weeks later after I sent an e-mail asking when I should get the EAD information request for orders. They acted like I was crazy that I was holding onto 30 June as my date and were blowing me off for a week with my question because they forgot the original date they told me. Really sucks trying to get a job for the summer and beat all the high school kids, but anyhow I know that's how this system works as an AFROTC commissionee and you just have to roll with the punches. This month they finally decided to send out a blanket e-mail to our new LTs waiting for dates. My question is...is 30 Sept even a real possibility? Why would they activate me the last day of the fiscal year? My IFS date is March 2013 and UPT June 2013. Would it be more realistic to expect January or February for an EAD date/orders?

Chances are someone's already gone through it and probably has some good pointers on how not to screw up too badly...

Reviving this topic...I've been reading through the replies and just want some brutal honesty or helpful advice. I'm in a steady relationship right now and want to aim for marriage in the not too distant future, but my question is: should I hold off on getting engaged (and ultimately married) until I legitimately start training at my UPT base? Right now I am supposed to head there around the end of June '12 time frame which puts me at about five hours away from my sig other. He can't move until the end of May 2013 because of his job which my actual UPT class date is set for June 2013. I've also explained that I can't live with him if I'm not legally married to him and the job prospects suck where I'm going to be stationed. I know being apart is the name of the game at times in the military, but is this type of strain going to be potentially jeapordizing in the UPT environment? I've grown up on a pilot training base and saw some relationships work out for folks, but I don't personally know the intensity yet and won't truly until I'm knee deep into training.

That's hilarious...and tragically fitting.

"The Government Duplexes" (located on Ciarfeo and Carlson)--the ugly brown houses on those back streets. I lived on Laughlin when I was a kid and those were still married officer housing at the time. I have no idea how I would find a roommate that is female and showing up with the same dates as me so it's probably a dorm when I EAD after billeting. I have some questions on that and the housing issue, but I'll post it under the Laughlin AFB information section.

You mean the housing on Carlson, i.e. the government duplexes? I really don't want to live in the dorms, but I have to take whatever they have available. I fine with doing any of those things if it means I get a paycheck and get to start my career sooner. Guess I will keep hoping for those orders to get cut on time and go from there. It's hard to plan to fill the time in between if it does get pushed back but...Semper Gumby!

Hokadet, what are your NCOs telling you exactly?