General Discussion

Does anybody have any experience as a school alternate? When were you notified of your selection (or non-selection)? Did your CFM communicate with you at all during the wait?

I'm about to retire at the end of the month. Off the top of your head, can you remember anything that you had to sign up for in terms of benefits that was time critical? Anything you would have done differently or forgot to do? Thanks and happy holidays

https://taskandpurpose.com/marine-aircraft-crash-off-japan/ Haven’t seen anyone post this yet. No words on the crew but a total of 7 to be involved. Hope they all made it. 🍺

Has anyone ever successfully received an exception to policy letter after receiving an SRB for OTS? I am in a situation that I have one shot for OTS (November 2019 board) before I have to re-enlist. I think that I would be stupid to not take the bonus as I have no guarantees of ever getting an OTS slot, but it's tough to know I will have to wait 2-3 more years for my goal of an officer slot. Does anyone have experience with this or any advice?

https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/usafserials.html I’ve randomly perused this guys stuff for almost 10 years. He digs up some interesting data on these war machines and didn’t see him posted on here before so I thought i’d share. He catalogs most if not all public military aircraft bureau numbers and their associated history. It’s pretty thorough (imo) and is updated regularly. On a cautionary note...i’ve literally “wasted” hours of my life on this site because i just kept going down the rabbit hole. It is a deep one... Enjoy.

Random question/probably not uncommon situation I just got picked up for OTS to be a pilot (hooray!) and my soon-to-be-wife is leaving for OTS to be a pilot in a couple of months as well. We’re both Prior-Es. We’re very optimistic we can both get the same base for UPT, so that’s not the issue, and even if it were, not the end of the world. More importantly, in all of yours guys’ experience, how does Join Spouse work for two pilots starting out? She’ll be ahead of me in the pipeline about 6 months. We’re *hoping* she gets an aircraft and then I can just get that same one at drop night 6 months later, but I’ve been in the Air Force far too long to get excited abo…

Yep, you read that right. I have been a Guard Pilot for about 7 years and I am wanting to make a lifestyle change and transition to Active Duty. I have sent a lot of emails and made a lot of phone calls and for some reason keep hitting walls. I was told by AFPC, to paraphrase: Nah, that process doesn't exist...it might at some point, but it doesn't now. Have a nice day. Given that there is an explicit and often used process for interservice transfers, I am really surprised to find that there is not an easy way to transition from the ARC...especially with all the TFI they constantly cram down our throats. The Active Duty is in a Pilot shortage crises (as we al…

We lost a great one this weekend, Chris “Hook” Dupin. He was a board member here (although not active for awhile). Hook was a an F-15 WSO, TPS grad, and about to separate to the Reserves (I don’t think it had been finalized yet but I could be wrong). He owned a flight school in Destin and was really building it up, which was one of the reasons he was separating. Hook was flying with a student in his RV-12 (I actually flew with him in it the day after he bought it for the company) and crashed shortly after takeoff. He survived the crash but succumbed to his injuries a few hours later. I’ve been at a complete loss for words since I found out a couple days ago. I didn’…

https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/new-mexico-dairy-concerned-about-air-force-contamination/1605588769 CE - "It's not our problem." Who hires the people in CE?

Damn.

I’m a reservist and I don’t know where to look... What was the FY 2018 Aviator Continuation Pay (pilot bonus) take rate? Is the take rate broken down by MAF, CAF, AFSOC, etc? Thanks, Merle

SEAL charged with killing an insurgent that was being treated medically, steroid use, obstruction of justice. https://taskandpurpose.com/navy-seal-war-crimes-charge-sheet/ Two SEALs and two MARSOC Marines charged with killing a Green Beret, obstruction of justice, hazing, and burglary. https://taskandpurpose.com/charge-sheets-seals-raiders-green-beret/

Surprised this hasn't been discussed yet... Nice (fake) pic!

Does anyone fly with an automatic (mechanical) watch? Specifically in a high-g airframe? Did the timing get thrown off? Usually I fly with a quartz watch but it’s in for servicing and looking to fly with a Bremont instead. First world problems...

Hoping someone knows some history of the USAF PJ community and might be able to help shed some light. I met someone at a party who says he was an officer PJ, essentially, back in the late 80s and early 90s. The time/location/atmosphere of the discussion didn't really allow me to pin down much in the way of specifics; he said he had been a USAF doc attached to JSOC at Ft Bragg, and had done the same training that the PJs did in terms of Airborne school and some Navy diving school, but he was quite clear in saying, "I wasn't actually a PJ, though." He described being part of a couple of SOF-type adventures abroad, pretty entertaining but seemingly humble storyteller.…

Anybody here had one of the accompanied assignments at Al Udeid? If so, I had a few questions about family living in Doha.

With all of these programs to build the pilot population and pilot training cranking out high numbers of pilots yet we are still looking for more pilots, why doesn’t the Air Force reinstitute aero clubs at bases? I know there are a few remaining. But they are the exception. Thoughts?

I separated active duty (12 yrs), went guard in 2014, and may retire at the end of the yr. I did not initially file for disability because I thought it would hurt my chances getting picked up with a unit or transferring units if I had a rating (WRONG). So I am filing right now. Went in for my initial appointment and he said since it has been over a year from active duty I am required to provide NEXUS statements for everything in my active duty medical records. I thought those were black and white? Has anyone filed after the year point of separating from active duty and had to do that? Any issues you ran into or key wording I should ensure the doc puts in there? …

Discuss... https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/24572/russias-dry-dock-accident-could-have-far-larger-repercussions-than-a-damaged-carrier

Found out I'm going to Columbus AFB for UPT. Is it worth looking for a place to rent/buy off-base or should my wife and I just live on base? No kids, no pets, just us two. Buying would be more for the real estate aspect, so any info on the market down there would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

Anyone have experience with a good VA rep they can point me to? I'm in Pittsburgh, but if I need to travel somewhere to sit down with someone who knows what they're doing, I will. The one I had in Columbus, OH was pants-on-head stupid, so part of my claim was denied. I'd like someone who knows what they're doing to help me with the appeal. Thanks in advance

A nickel on the grass... F-15C Eagles from the 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard from Fresno are participating in Clear Sky 2018. Additionally, a C-130J Super Hercules from the 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Calif., has arrived at Vinnytsia AB, Ukraine, to participate in the exercise.

https://news.clearancejobs.com/2018/10/15/dods-defense-travel-system-hacked-employee-credit-card-info-stolen/ We can add DTS to that long list of breaches. Everyone has my SSN now and a great credit score so it's okay. In June 2015, the United States Office of Personnel Management announced that it had been the target of a data breach targeting the records of as many as four million people. This story came from my Google news feed. Damn you Goolgle, your algorithms know me too well. Can your algorithms find women?

Part of the reason I’m able to work the transfer from the Navy to the Air Force is because of the need for pilots. Where does the Air Force plan on getting dudes to fill these squadrons? https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/09/17/air-force-calls-for-74-more-squadrons-to-prepare-for-possibility-of-war-against-major-power/?utm_source=clavis