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


Rake47

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So pretty much don't live on base. Anything bad with living in or around Fairfield?

You have to be careful about Fairfield...anything south of Airbase is generally sketch. Vacaville is just as close & probably better. I think we had a few single guys living in Vacaville, but there is no social scene to speak of in either Fairfield or Vacaville. Walnut Creek is nice, however it'll cost you more $$ than Sac. Highly suggest looking into having a roommate(s) since you'll spend a good amount of your time the first few years in Dhafra.

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Sac is glamorous!?! Not much in the way of nightlife.

You have to be careful about Fairfield...anything south of Airbase is generally sketch. Vacaville is just as close & probably better. I think we had a few single guys living in Vacaville, but there is no social scene to speak of in either Fairfield or Vacaville. Walnut Creek is nice, however it'll cost you more $$ than Sac. Highly suggest looking into having a roommate(s) since you'll spend a good amount of your time the first few years in Dhafra.

Nightlife? Social scene? A university just minutes away with 66% females? You should really consider picking Charleston.

Oh wait... disregard.

See ya up there on the track!

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Guest LumberjackAxe

I'm not too into the whole 45 minute commute thing so I'd probably rather live in Fairfield or Vaca unless there's a significant enough reason to live further north towards Sac.

I told myself the same thing, but ended up making the jump to San Francisco after I realized how horrible the single life is up near base. It's expensive, but way more fun than Sac--and it has the same commute (~1 hour against traffic, unless there's a Giants and a 49er's game going on). A few of the flight safety guys/reservists I've talked to said that if they could do it again, they would've sucked it up and moved down there because you will never have that kind of opportunity again (young, single, no responsibilities in the squadron, chance to live large in San Francisco, etc...), so I made the jump myself. Plus, everyone down there works at facebook or google, so when girls hear you're a pilot, their panties drop so fast they come out in china.

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(young, single, no responsibilities in the squadron, chance to live large in San Francisco, etc...), so I made the jump myself. Plus, everyone down there works at facebook or google, so when girls hear you're a pilot straight, their panties drop so fast they come out in china.

FIFY

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I told myself the same thing, but ended up making the jump to San Francisco after I realized how horrible the single life is up near base. It's expensive, but way more fun than Sac--and it has the same commute (~1 hour against traffic, unless there's a Giants and a 49er's game going on). A few of the flight safety guys/reservists I've talked to said that if they could do it again, they would've sucked it up and moved down there because you will never have that kind of opportunity again (young, single, no responsibilities in the squadron, chance to live large in San Francisco, etc...), so I made the jump myself. Plus, everyone down there works at facebook or google, so when girls hear you're a pilot, their panties drop so fast they come out in china.

FIFY

I'm rolling haha. Ya I'm kinda trying to stay away from that whole mess to the S.W. if you catch my drift haha

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for all the replies! In the end I grabbed the KC-10 to Travis (my #1 pick!)

Anybody there care to share some newcomer's info?

Cheers! :beer:

Congrats! 6th or 9th?

I'm not too into the whole 45 minute commute thing so I'd probably rather live in Fairfield or Vaca unless there's a significant enough reason to live further north towards Sac.

What you'll see is that a lot of ppl started as single LTs living in Vacaville/Fairfield. Then the next year they live in Davis/Walnut Creek. Then last year they'll live in Sacramento/San Francisco... Theres a reason you see that... If you want to live close to work and have to drive a good distance to do anything, by all means live close to the base... But you're giving up a huge opportunity as a young single dude to go have a really good time in what will probably be the best location you'll have in your career... You have your whole life to live in a family friendly suburb. Your days of being a no responsibility LT and single are numbered... If you're into girls, they aren't in Vacaville/Fairfield... And the convenience of walking/$5 cab to go out bc you live where you play is worth it.

Definitely agree with the roommate thing. You'll be deployed or gone a lot and it makes sense to split the costs with someone and put more of that BAH in your pocket.

I'm rolling haha. Ya I'm kinda trying to stay away from that whole mess to the S.W. if you catch my drift haha

Have you even been to San Francisco? If you haven't, you really don't understand how awesome it would be to be a young single Air Force pilot there... It's easily one of the coolest cities in the country. Tons of hot chicks there and from what I've seen when I've been out there, it really is as easy as they say..

Disclaimer: I want to move to the Bay Area but am currently in Davis. The current drive has definitely been worth it. ;)

Downtown and mid town aren't bad at all. Granted you could live in Davis (a college town) and be closer to Travis and have better nightlife.

Better nightlife than Sac? I'd disagree after living in Davis for a year. But the drive is certainly better.

Edited by Infamous
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Live in Fairfield/Vacaville if you don't like nightlife, or you're a sober, responsible, and boring 23 year old who loves that his neighbors are ALL members of the extended Air Force family.

Vallejo/Suisun if having bars on your windows helps you sleep at night. (Go anywhere else)

Live in Davis if you regret having graduated college so soon. Cool place, but the scene gets old. Fast.

Live in SAC if you want quiet in the week and a decent party on the weekend. Closer to the snow, and lots of outdoor activities nearby.

Same for Walnut Creek, but much closer to all the to-dos of the Bay area.

Live in SF when it dawns on you that gorgeous women come here from all over the world!!! Easy pickings, especially if you're straight, not-a-hipster, and you don't regale everyone with your pilot training anecdotes. Different vibes in every district, and no matter your tastes there's a place here you can call home. For the sober moments the culture is amazing, the sights are unbelievable, and the chances of you ever living in as cosmopolitan of a city as this (with no responsibilities) are slim-to-none.

If that doesn't sound good to you, or if you're really itching to get through that long netflix/hulu queue... Enjoy Fairfield/Vacaville.

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Guest LumberjackAxe

How can you afford to live in SF proper? Rent for a studio is going to cost $2k a month.

I live next to AT&T park in a 2 bedroom apartment, I pay $1300 and BAH for a single LT is ~$1600. Monthly tolls are around $200, and I have a free parking and my roommate pays utils. I sublet my room out when I'm deployed (my roommate takes care of that), AND I have a sailboat down here in the Travis Marina. At the end of the month, I STILL come out well in the black, even with my drinking habit in North Beach/Polk/Marina and associated loans (student/USAA/car). So really, it is much more affordable to live in SF than you'd think. Plus, if you listen to audiobooks on the drive, it's like you are reading for two hours a day. And I'd rather have to drive to work than have to drive to play. Being able to come home and hang out with friends in a new bar each night of the week is totally worth the increased premium over the decrepit and boring life in Vacaville/Fairfield.

Of course my landlord just sent us a letter saying he's upping the rent by 25%, so it's time for me to leave, but at least I logged the downtown SF bean while I can.

Edited by LumberjackAxe
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