General Discussion

In light of the other discussion, this dude warrants his own thread. And possibly a statue cast in bronze. A warrior in every sense of the word. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2012/04/air-force-blinded-airman-awarded-bronze-star-040612w/

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Osan lost a jet today. Pilot ejected safely. https://www.osan.af.m...sp?id=123294664

So I got a negligent driving, second degree ticket this summer (before I started ROTC) and put it down on the list of infractions when I was filling out the paper work. Well, just last week one of the cadre asked me to fill out this paper explaining exactly what happened. I'm just curious if something like a negligent driving ticket will ruin or lessen my chance at a pilot slot. I took the ticket to court and it was dismissed. I'm just hoping I didn't shoot myself in the foot by getting that sort of ticket. I know it's not a felony or anything, but it is the highest traffic violation.

Yep, I am a terrible runner, always have been. The only time I would run before ROTC was sprinting for baseball or the occasional mile run for P.E.. I am still very athletic if you can picture that, although some may not consider me athletic since I have a hard time with a mile run. But you get the idea. To give you a sense on how poor my endurance is, I have ver difficult time with the 1.5 mile test. I can usually run at a 7-8 minute/mile pace for about .5-.75 miles, then I hit a wall and either drop back dramatically or hurl, yes I know pathetic... The Cadre has been lenient with me because I am a newer cadet with no background in running or running sports. Also …

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17110079 Partial quote: The Nato commander in Afghanistan has apologised over reports foreign troops may have burnt copies of the Koran. Announcing an inquiry, US Gen John R Allen said any "improper disposal" of religious materials was inadvertent. Reports suggest the books were taken from prisoners after the US uncovered a secret Taliban message system. Rumours that a Koran had been burnt led to protests outside the US base at Bagram north of Kabul. One man was hurt when Nato troops fired rubber bullets. President Hamid Karzai condemned the reports that the Koran had been burnt, as did the Taliban who said the incident would…

~~~~~~~~~~~Please share the message next under~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On March 20, 2012, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will expand their trusted traveler program known as Pre✓™ to Service members flying out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Service members, active drilling Reservists, National Guardsmen, and members of the Coast Guard, who present a valid Common Access Card (CAC) at security checkpoints will receive expedited security screening. To participate, members must go to the TSA Pre✓™ lane at the security checkpoint in terminal B (gates 10-22), and present their CAC to a TSA officer who will scan the card…

Does anyone know if anybody sells the screw-in NVG Battery Pack counter weights? I've only been able to find counter weight bags...

Come this fall, there will be a new and extremely powerful supercomputer in Afghanistan. But it won’t be in Dave Petraeus’ headquarters in Kabul or at some three-letter agency’s operations center in Kandahar. It’ll be floating 20,000 feet above the warzone, aboard a giant spy blimp that watches and listens to everything for miles around. That is, if an ambitious, $211 million crash program called “Blue Devil” works out as planned. As of now, the airship’s “freakishly large” hull — seven times the size of the Goodyear Blimp’s — has yet to be put together. Full article: ISR Blimp

Are the pilot jobs at this squadron for TPS grads only? I'm unfamiliar with their mission other than what can be found online. Thanks for the help.

Pretty neat bird! https://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavy/6836386475/sizes/o/in/photostream/

It appeared in the inbox today - but links to a .org address...but it's not like they ask you about the Raptor OBOGS. It uses an individual PIN, so forwarding isn't going to work.

If you own a house in Florida, filed a homestead exemption, and have been deployed in the last year to OEF/OIF/OND, read this: https://srcpa.org/. Florida approved an additional tax exemption on top of your homestead exemption proportional to the days in 2010 deployed. Looks like it'll be every year from now on, too, so keep it in mind next time you get non-vold to Balad. If you're home right now, you should get something in the mail, so this is more for guys that are deployed or instinctively throw anything from the Taxman's office in the shredder. Here's the application. https://srcpa.org/dr501m.pdf

I am at a GSU to a GSU currently, and was wondering if anyone here knew what this year's DP allocation rate was for the LAF O5 board. Thanks.

The Wall Street Journal has a subscribers' only article about the Afghan Air Force using aircraft to transport drugs. Here's Reuters' take: https://www.reuters.c...E8270DU20120308 Who knew that the Afghanis had C-5s?

Fucking SHAMEFUL! https://news.yahoo.com/remains-274-us-troops-dumped-landfill-report-081234306.html

Came across these articles while while doing some thesis research, thought i'd share. Cliff Notes: 1. Beijing asking Russia for Su-35 Super Flankers due to an inability to use the word engineer without using reverse in the same sentence: https://the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2012/03/04/china%E2%80%99s-sukhoi-submission/ 2. China's fighters suck and will get their ass handed to them by the USAF (surprise!): https://the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2011/03/10/chinas-fighters-wont-match-us/

Story developing on CNN. Fox actually has a little more detail... Shots Fired at Bus Carrying U.S. Soldiers in Germany

All, I am married to a German citizen who only hold German citizenship and I won't ask her to change that. Our daughter holds dual US/German citizenship. She would like to apply for an ROTC scholarship or an academy appointment. As a prospective officer, does she have to give up her German citizenship to make these things possible?

"Air Force Official Says 9/11 Remains in Landfill Did Not Include Shanksville Victims" https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/01/us/air-force-official-says-9-11-remains-in-landfill-did-not-include-shanksville-victims.html?_r=1&ref=us

Greetings, Anyone in or around HRT/AFSOC hear a rumor about the 1 SOW OG/CC recently putting a CV-22 into the trees about 200m short of the LZ, then throwing the copilot in his seat, jumping off the bird while the crew continues the mission, and then handing out Q3s to everyone for it all? Plus, we haven't heard anything about it at any safety meetings. Im sure I dont have all the facts but it sounds pretty lowball to me.

Link I hear that you'll need to be masters' and PME complete to be competitive... </sarcasm>

Don't know any details. Nose gear collapsed, ended up in the grass.

Looks like all the canucks made it out safe https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1135032--fire-breaks-out-on-military-aircraft-all-nine-crew-evacuate-safely?bn=1

I remember hearing that if you get stationed at Mildenhall or Lakenheath you have to put your pets in quarantine for X number of days/weeks. Is this still in effect? What's the story on this? I'm hoping to get stationed at Mildenhall, so I'm curious as to how this works (I've got 2 dogs). [ 09. April 2004, 18:39: Message edited by: backseatdriver ]