General Discussion

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Hi all, I'm really hoping you guys can set me straight here. I was picked up for an AD pilot slot last year and am waiting to go to OTS later this year. I currently have a great finance job at Lockheed and they are literally begging me to stay. While I don't hate what I do, I've spent the last 4 years of my life wondering... is this really it?? Am I just going to make my way up the finance ladder, then retire and slowly rot away? That caused me to apply for a pilot slot, as it's something that I've always wanted to do and offers a meaning to life that I don't think I'd find in many other places. Now, a year after being accepted and waiting in the OTS pipeline... It …

Has anyone finished the new SOS i-c? Everyone in my unit finished the old easy version years ago or hasn't even looked into starting it. How quickly can you finish it if you put a lot of focus on it?

The BBC is reporting a Su-25 was shot down in Syria. They're saying the pilot got out but was killed by rebels on the ground. BBC: Su-25 Down in Syria

Just wondering if any AF guys on the board went through primary at Whiting w/ the Navy. One of my buds back from ROTC just got his orders today that he's going to start pilot training there. He was curious as to how easily you adapt to the AF way during phase 3, and how the track select works and what planes usually come out of a Whiting drop (specifically how many T-1s and -38s). Thanks for your help.

want to get in shape during your next deployment? this app lets you find popular routes at nearly every deployed us military location as well as other places. dont forget your fitbit/apple watch! https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#13.92/51.31611/25.12240/hot/all https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#14.97/36.99188/35.04879/hot/all https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#15.63/38.92630/36.26115/hot/all https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#14.41/-103.33138/34.39362/hot/all

Hi all, I am a recently separated ANG member who is doing some volunteer work with my church. Does anyone have a point of contact that I could contact for mailing several hundred pounds of donated items overseas? Thank you. BC memsecur@yahoo.com

I am currently in UPT and would like to start a Roth IRA. Those who have a Roth IRA, who did you go through? Good/Bad companies? USAA? I have no real experience working with investments/retirements and am looking for any information that I can get.

Saw a Gulfstream V today on the ramp at CWF on my student solo from Corpus. Wow! What a plane. Meticulously (go ahead spell check Nazi's!) maintained, plush interior and avionics like I've only seen in movies (I thought Tweets to C-12 was a big jump!). One of the pilots was nice enough to give us a tour and a brief rundown on the capabilities (Ceiling FL 510, etc..) Amazing. Just wondering if any of the active flyers have gotten the DV airlift assignment and what they thought of it? Seems like working with 4 stars could have some great perks and some pretty big drawbacks too.

I have a two-part question for you all: 1. I have heard on the enlisted side that there's an assignment swap program where you can swap assignments with another airman and you just have to pay for your moving expenses out of pocket. Does such a program exist on the officer side as well? Who would be the POC? 2. I have also heard that you can request a remote assignment to improve your chances of getting an assignment that's higher up on your dream sheet. How long do you have to remain at your current assignment before you can go remote? What are the remote locations? How long do you remain remote? I had heard roughly 18 months.

Anybody think its a ironic that the day the gov shuts down is the same day that our W-2's are available and myPay is currently unavailable? Or did we just simply overload the system with us all trying to get our W-2's so we can get our money back?

I'm just going to leave this right here.... https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2017/12/06/enlisted-combat-pilots-the-air-force-is-launching-a-test-that-could-lead-to-that/

Any guys on the forum flying for these guys? Is it a full time gig? I.e. are guys also flying for the guard / airlines? How's the quality of life? Looks like Draken has a location in Nimes France - anyone fly out of there? Thanks.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/us-shoots-down-syrian-bomber-for-attacking-anti-assad-force/article/2626344 https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/06/18/us-navy-fa18e-shoots-down-su22-over-syria.html

This is a pretty dumb question as far as questions go. Did any of you guys who have already graduated from UPT purchase "The Breaking of the Wings" from your base frame shop? (I know that Laughlin had it, I assume the others do, as well.) I never purchased a copy and have searched the internet to find the story about it. I would really appreciate if anyone who has this would contact me. I am trying to get a copy of the story in it. Thanks!

JFK Airport ATIS.

Pretty straight forward question: I'm prior Active, now currently CA Nat'l guard AMMO troop for the past couple of years. I was wondering what are the chances of being deployed in the Nat'l Guard if shit went down, like a war with N. Korea or some kind of conflict? And let's say if my unit doesn't get deployed during a time of conflict, can I volunteer to go active? Thanks!

Had an interesting conversation with an IP who has a friend "in the 'know'". This is basically third-hand information, so I apologize in advance if something was lost in translation if you happen to have more detailed intel. He mentioned the Air Force is "considering" standing up a program whereby recently separated military aviators who graduated from Air Force UPT or Naval Primary would be recruited to continue federal service as a civilian T-6 IP? Interestingly enough, he also mentioned that under the auspices of this program, "highly-qualified" civilian accessions 'might' be eligible too. The criteria for direct civilian IP accessions isn't set in stone, but he said t…

Need a little help. Had a trip pop up in the next two days a need an airline ticket. Being the holidays can’t get a DTS approval AND all the fund cites don’t have enough money in them. Don’t want to put it on my credit card because the OG/RA doesn’t reimburse personal cards. Any suggestions?

Who has the skinny on the F-16 RTU students who never flew in Phase III at SUPT and just did sims? I hear there are 2 at Kelly, certainly we have a UPT or Kelly instructor on here to verify. There is more to the rumor but it’s hard to believe. It certainly would increase production quickly.

The forum has been particularly active lately with several of the threads talking about the same, similar or tangents of the same topic: the current version of the Air Force is broken and getting worse. Symptoms of this are being discussed: pilot retention being abysmal, anecdotes of oblivious attitudes to operational support from different nonner shops, the somewhat desperate move(s) to change conditions outside of the AF or close off opportunities outside the AF to "encourage" retention, the threat of Stop Loss being publicly (if mistakenly) discussed and the indifference expressed by previous leadership, not really rebuked by current leadership, etc... If …

https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/12/18/richard-petty-bubba-wallace-sponsor-air-force/ "Different pots of money" and all. Gee, I wonder why all the pilots are getting out?

Hello folks, I'm a T-38 stud and my dream sheet is due next Friday. I wanted to ask for advice from some of the seasoned dudes around here who have experience doing the mission and know the ins and outs of combat aviation and what it really means to be an operational fighter pilot. There are a few things I know with absolute clarity: 1) I want to be a fighter pilot, period, dot , the end. 2) I want to have a kinetic impact on whoever it is we fight, i.e. rain hate on bad guys. 3) There is an incredible amount that I don't know that I don't know. Given those conditions, I want to ask the question, if you had to go back and talk to your ~24 yr old self about to fill out you…

The Air Force MARS Phone Patch Net has been operational since the Vietnam War. Hundreds of patches daily were handled through the early 80’s when bases starting closing their MARS stations. Today the net is tasked to handle DoD patch requests in support of transports, tankers, bombers and other aircraft and ground units handling routine weather, ETA/Customs, maintenance, etc. calls as well as emergency support. Morale calls are still happily handled. For more information see the website below. In the fall of 2014 the Chiefs of AF & Army MARS approved joint operations with AF and AR MARS stations participating. Chief Air Force MARS has approved a re-d…

Each service was given the opportunity to set their own bonus. It could be handed out at the 8-12 year mark and the amount could be anywhere between 2.5-13X your base pay based upon the needs of the service. Accepting adds a 4 year ADSC... AF finally released their details. You get 2.5X base pay for an additional 4 years. It will be handed out at the 12 year mark for all those who opt into the BRS. For the officers its: 2.5 X $7230 (Major over 12) = 18,075 After taxes approx $13,556 $3,390 per year LOL