General Discussion

Guard member, PCSd from HOR to UPT base in Feb 2015. Got paid for PCS in April 2015. October 2016, I get a nasty gram in the mail from DFAS saying they paid me twice for my PCS, and are collecting the debt. No phone number or person to call, just DFAS mailing address. I also got a 'Travel Voucher Advice of Payment' online, showing a travel voucher debt. Jan 2017 they collect the 'debt' from my paycheck. The AF never paid me twice.. I have all the bank statements to prove. When I submitted my voucher, I believe finance modified the voucher to remove UHaul insurance, and refiled it. I went to local Guard Finance... they said I'd have to go over to the ac…

Has anyone gotten their Master's through CCU? I recently heard about it from a buddy and it sounds like it's what I'm looking for (quick/easy/no credibility on the outside whatsoever/accredited). I'm currently a few classes into a National Security Studies M.A. with AMU, and though it's interesting and might make me sound smart one day when I'm a Fox News contributor, I'm through with devoting that much time and reading to a Master's if there are paths of lesser resistance out there to the same piece of cheese. CCU sounds extremely military friendly and I have about a year and a half to get this completed. Also, I'm not what some might refer to as "academically inclin…

Once again we've pulled off a pristine pirate-killing, hostage-rescuing operation. Awesome! https://news.yahoo.co...-063438091.html US military raid in Somalia frees American, Dane By ABDI GULED and KATHARINE HOURELD | Associated Press – 53 mins ago MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — U.S. Special Forces troops flew into Somalia on a nighttime helicopter raid early Wednesday, freed an American and a Danish hostage and killed nine of the kidnappers in a mission that President Barack Obama said he personally authorized. The Danish Refugee Council confirmed that the two aid workers, American Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, were freed and "are on thei…

Hey everyone, I just recieved my appointment to the academy which I am very excited about. I was wondering if there was anyone on the board here who has been through the academy that had any insight or good information they could share. Thanks for the advice.

https://www.af.mil/news/airman/0107/top10.shtml My favorite is 7 & 9.

Pilot ejected safely

"new" ISR platform coming to a theater near you. Probably making it harder to stay in your current flying job. //exerpt// For the Air Force, congressional approval would bring $197.9 million to buy intelligence systems like seven Hawker Beechcraft-manufactured C-12 aircraft, which, the document said "supports the [secretary's] initiative to put more ISR capability in the war fighters' hands immediately." Another $61.6 million would go toward integrating new imaging and defensive systems on those C-12 planes. The remaining amount intended for the air service would buy other items, including training systems, software, sensor packages and other aircraft modifications. …

Please baby Jesus...bring some justice to this douche canoe.

Here we again, another person to say the era of fighter jets are over. I just wanna hear what the real pilots here have to say about this? https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/28/elon-musk-says-the-fighter-jet-era-has-passed.html

I have heard that the blue logbooks with the wings on the cover are not recognized by the airlines. I'd like to start logging my flights not only as a backup to my flight records but to have something to pass along to my kids. I'm not sure that I am interested in ever going to the airlines but if I did and I'd logged my hours in the AF logbook would I have to copy the entries to another format? Does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks.

We invested a shitload of money in a shithole, and "Surprise!"... we get kicked out. Again. How badly is this Admin gonna keep screwing up? It appears we operate(d) two bases there. The linchpin of the U.S. military’s archipelago of bases in North and West Africa, Air Base 201 consists of a 6,200-foot runway (composed of 1.1 million square feet of asphalt), aprons, taxiways, massive aircraft hangars, multistory living quarters, roads, utilities, munitions storage, and an aircraft rescue and firefighting station, all within a 25-kilometer “base security zone.” U.S. troops eat in a 13,000-square-foot dining facility, work out in a gym, play on …

I don't know if this question has been asked, but after looking at Riddler's pics, I realized how small the DA-20 actually is. I head to Pueblo at the end of July and my question is: any tall guys have problems fitting in the airplane? I'm 6' 4" and 205 pounds and was wondering if I will be able to fit in the cockpit! Anyone have info on this? WxMan

A while back, I seem to recall reading a "noise complaint" letter from a guy who lived under a low-level route. The basic premise was "you guys aren't training right--you need to be lower and faster!" Anyone know the letter I'm talking about? If so, can you post it or direct me to it? Apparently my search skills are not as good as I thought. Thanks.

Can anybody recommend any schools online?University of Phoenix is just to expensive. Thanks

I am currently a college student and I want to get a private pilots license before trying for a pilot slot with the ANG (since it will speed up the training process, and increase my likelihood of selection). However, due to my families recent financial situation, I will have to do it with my own money (which is lacking being the stereotypical college student). This summer I will have an Internship that will pay me a decent amount. If anyone has any tips on how to get a license on the budget of a college student, it would be very welcome!

Anybody know the guy who bombed the chopper?

https://www.pcmag.com/news/345702/ai-program-wins-dogfight-agains-usaf-fighter-pilot So basically strap a Raspberry Pi in an F-35 and we're all out of a job...

Gotta love politics (and fear tactics) in action... Cheers! M2

I just discovered the trailer for the Korean film R2B (English title "Soar Into the Sun") on the Aviationist. It looks like pure cheese, and it's drawing the inevitable comparisons to Top Gun: https://www.latimes.c...,0,303239.story And speaking of "Top Gun," has anybody seen the 1990 Japanese Top Gun knockoff "Best Guy?" My JASDF buddies were telling me about it; apparently JASDF F-15s were heavily involved in the filming. It tanked at the Japanese box office.

I talked to quite a few AD guys and they all said they would have gone to the reserves over AD.Can any AD guys tell me if you would have gone that route instead.Is the reserves that much better?Thanks

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2012/05/air-force-tacp-silver-star-afghanistan-battle-050512/ Fvcking amazing. Final score - 270 Taliban dead, 0 US/Coalition casualties. My favorite lines from the article... and It's easy to get cynical with the gayness that mother blue perpetuates everyday, but to think there are men like this on the ground who we have the privelage of supporting puts it in perspective. 'Merica.

Does anyone know what the requirements are for shipping personal firearms to AK? I'm on my first PCS and have a bolt action rifle I want to take with me. Am I supposed to have TMO move it, or do I keep it on me and just put it in check baggage on the plane? I also considered having some family FedEX it to me once I find a permanent residence. I have a TDY enroute so I don't know if that will make a difference or not. The main point is: I'm not driving and want to know what's the proper way to move my rifle. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Good morning aviators. I had an idea that crossed my mind about investing in a flight sim. Items including stick, throttle, and rudder pedals (https://shop.thrustmaster.com/en_gb/t-16000m-fcs-flight-pack.html), and some kind of good reviewed/ not too expensive pc and monitor to play Microsoft Flight Simulator, and DCS. I have the money to pay for something like this, so I am not too worried about the damage, but I was looking for some input. Do you think buying, and playing a sim is worth it? ex. improving pilot skills; getting familiarity with jets that could possibly help in phase 2 & 3 of UPT (possibly practicing t-6 and t-38 maneuvers, for example formation …

Thought I would upload a good selection of images I shot on a recent trip to Kabul and Kandahar. Afghanstan Images

Anyone care to share his most memorable experiences in mock air to air fights? This could include a simulator fight as well I think. Could be the time you took on the most challenging or most reputable opponent. Any humorous, dangerous, or accidental moments during or around training? If not your own, do you know a story of another, or perhaps a famous story from another era? Also how did a day of mock fighting go? What was your first engagement like? Did you go out with an instructor all day? Did you go up against several different people in one day or was money so tight that flight time was limited? Did you ever challenge anyone outside of your squadron?