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Opinions on C-17 v KC-10 (as well as bases?)


Rake47

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Pallets of street justice & kinetics you can't talk about? You must have done the super spec ops C17 fighter pilot upgrade, sorry for questioning you Dr. Badass.

Tried to make a joke. I missed the mark. Community standard. My apologies. My point was I'd rather deliver something, whether it's cargo for a MAF pilot or bombs/bullets for a CAF pilot. Tankers support both the MAF and CAF for those actions.

I didn't say too much did I Tonka?

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I deliver lots of things: fuel, people, MWDs, bombs, bullets, engines, vehicles, and the list goes on. I can carry more, farther, and faster without a fuel stop. Sure, it can't be as tall or on more than a two-pallet train, but that's what FRED is for.

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I deliver lots of things: fuel, people, MWDs, bombs, bullets, engines, vehicles, and the list goes on. I can carry more, farther, and faster without a fuel stop. Sure, it can't be as tall or on more than a two-pallet train, but that's what FRED is for.

But i can refuel in flight...wait a sec, so can you.

In all seriousness, I think of the C-17 as a cross between the C-5 and C-130. A little strat, and a little tac airlift. We can't carry as much as the FRED (or the -10 for that matter), but we can sky hook it halfway around the world (longer legs than the -130) and deliver direct to the guys on the ground who need the stuff, whether by airdrop out airland to an LZ. That's why i wanted to fly the C-17.

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Before the inevitable threadlock...

To the OP- you need to take a look at what you consider is more important: mission set or location. Whichever way you go, remember that your assignment is what you make of it. And don't forget the name of our (MAF) game is support-we're not the headline show, but there are others counting on us to do our job so they can execute theirs. The closest I'll ever get to killing bad guys is if i hit them with a bundle.

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Tried to make a joke. I missed the mark. Community standard. My apologies. My point was I'd rather deliver something, whether it's cargo for a MAF pilot or bombs/bullets for a CAF pilot. Tankers support both the MAF and CAF for those actions.

I didn't say too much did I Tonka?

not sure if in jest or not... my point was when your posts garner responses like:

It fell apart when C-17 bubbas started throwing the word "tactical" around.

Then your posts are no longer helping your community...

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It fell apart when C-17 bubbas started throwing the word "tactical" around.

Actually, it started (post #22) when some of the Herk sheeple on this forum started chiming in yet another C-17 discussion like a freckle-faced middle child. It's as if they were oblivious to their own record of touching down 2,800 feet short of an airfield in Kuwait or overshooting final in Toncontin and coming to rest at highway interchange...Isn't there some thread here about a -130 carrier landing in Afghanistan that had to be scrapped recently?

There is no sense in dangling this kind of stuff over the -130 community, or any community in general. I have many bros that are stellar Herk drivers and even they know that what they fly doesn't define them.

There is plenty of good information so far in this thread and elsewhere. My .02, pick the plane based on the mission you think will be most gratifying to you. Most people really enjoy their first assignment regardless of the location which is due, in most part, to the awesome pilot (and USAF) community you will soon join. You will also be surprised how little control you have on your next assignment/location/airframe.

With the exception of your parents, no one really gives a shit what plane you fly or even the fact that you are an 11X. This includes the non-rated AF and those hot old high school flames you are probably still trying to impress...

Edited by WAG
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Actually, it started (post #22) when some of the Herk sheeple on this forum started chiming in yet another C-17 discussion like a freckle-faced middle child. It's as if they were oblivious to their own record of touching down 2,800 feet short of an airfield in Kuwait or overshooting final in Toncontin and coming to rest at highway interchange...Isn't there some thread here about a -130 carrier landing in Afghanistan that had to be scrapped recently?

There is no sense in dangling this kind of stuff over the -130 community, or any community in general. I have many bros that are stellar Herk drivers and even they know that what they fly doesn't define them.

There is plenty of good information so far in this thread and elsewhere. My .02, pick the plane based on the mission you think will be most gratifying to you. Most people really enjoy their first assignment regardless of the location which is due, in most part, to the awesome pilot (and USAF) community you will soon join. You will also be surprised how little control you have on your next assignment/location/airframe.

With the exception of your parents, no one really gives a shit what plane you fly or even the fact that you are an 11X. This includes the non-rated AF and those hot old high school flames you are probably still trying to impress...

75% of the officers in my MQ-9 squadron agree with this statement.

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But i can refuel in flight...wait a sec, so can you.

We can't carry as much as the FRED (or the -10 for that matter), but we can sky hook it halfway around the world (longer legs than the -130) and deliver direct to the guys on the ground who need the stuff, whether by airdrop out airland to an LZ. That's why i wanted to fly the C-17.

Yeah but we get to go to http://www.thecottonclub.ca/

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Like the AWACers?

If you notice, thats a NATO wacker, those guys are even bigger clowns than ours are.

The closest I'll ever get to killing bad guys is if i hit them with a bundle.

Until you get creeched...

I can def. see the argument for picking on location for your first tour, because of the previously mentioned lack of control on your second one. Putting that second PCS to Hickam on a pedestal seems pretty silly if/when they send you to preds or back to Columbus/Enid/Del Rio...

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I'm definitely aware of the lack of control on my second assignment. I'm about 99.9% sure that it won't be a C17 based on my circumstances. (No, its not mishap driven-i put the gear down and land at the right airport without crashing)

Whichever way you choose, mission or location, just don't pick Charleston.

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just don't pick Charleston.

That was my first assignment eons ago, and while the head-smashing idiots were not fun at times I really enjoyed living there (of course it was really a small community back then)... I'm pretty surprised it has gotten that bad for people to warn others not to go there. Usually downtown living, the beach, and hot southern... cooking were enough to overcome anything at the office (of course those things require you to actually be home to enjoy).

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Whichever way you choose, mission or location, just don't pick Charleston.

downtown living, the beach, and hot southern...

Whatever's happening down there, it sounds like a real shame because hot southern...cooking... should be enough for a single LT to be more than happy with a first assignment...

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Whatever's happening down there, it sounds like a real shame because hot southern...cooking... should be enough for a single LT to be more than happy with a first assignment...

Truth

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I really appreciate the info from everyone. I'm thinking my final list will be:

KC-10 : Travis

KC-10 : McGuire

C-17 : McChord

C-17 : Charleston

Unless anyone has a sudden burst of insight they wish to share? : ]

The 10 is a great airplane. Travis is awesome. Gotta say though, I wish I were home more to enjoy California... Deployments will be quite frequent and trips aren't happening like the stories you hear from the old crusty aircrew members around the squadron... We actually joke that we are TDY to Travis/McGuire and home station is where we deploy, but there is some truth to that.

I've been to over 150 countries in ten years in the C17. I've done airdrop in three continents. Oh and if Travis and McGuire are what float your boat, we are there too. Comparing 10 and 17 bases who cares? If you want to burn holes in the sky and support everyone else's mission, good for you. Somebody has to do it.

Completely agree. You can be the tip of support or the shaft. I'd rather be closer to the tip, STS.

You F-17 guys are funny :airforce:

On a more serious note to the thread, take note that both 17 and 10 guys are saying that while the locations may be good, quotes like "(of course those things require you to actually be home to enjoy)" Should hopefully make you realize that you will be gone a lot. Choose a plane and mission you want to fly, because that's what you'll be doing with the deployment/TDY ops tempos in both of these airframes.

Edited by Infamous
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