General Discussion

Hey there folks, I am one of the earliest members of BaseOps, I think I was member number like 70 something back in 2002 , when we had the old format, hoping to find some of old friends like MajorM2, Bishop, etc... Got deployed, got into flight school etc, I lost touch with most and now realized my account got deleted due to inactivity ... So drop me a note if you remember me, I am going to try to be more active here now that I am an officer too :) Happy 4th of July...

Does anyone have experience dealing with getting continuation after a DNP? Some NJP is in the picture from a few years ago that I thought I had recovered from, but that still played into a DNP for my first look at O-5. I’m assuming it’s not going to change next year. I’ve assumed I would get double passed over, but I was expecting a Promote at least. Does a DNP likely mean a DNP next year and how does that affect continuation? Thanks for any experiences.

Got an e-mail recently that you can no longer get cold hard cash from finance in the AFCENT AOR. The only exceptions will be in an emergency and if it is signed by your commander. However you are free to and encouraged to use your Eagle Cash Card at all on base locations. Also, there is still no tobacco at one particular "undisclosed location in southwest Asia." Welcome to the fight!

So I've heard some good stories, but was wondering what the best tricks are that you have seen a student pull to get back into the flight room after a solo?

The GAO report (https://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08388.pdf) on the F-35 program that came out this month is hitting more headlines as people start doing some simple math. $300 billion (The GAO total cost figure that they think is more realistic) divided by the expected total buy of 2,458 aircraft comes out to around $122 million per copy. A Defense Acquisition Board meets today to give it the go ahead for low rate initial production 2. Should we be surprised if they give a pause until the program office recalculates its projected cost with more up to date and realistic numbers like the GAO report recommends? And would the following affect their decision? - Cost p…

Finally, justice has prevailed... Now, can we get Fogelman back? Cheers! M2

A couple of the flyers I’ve talked with have recommended Touro U for an online program to get an MBA. From what I hear they are very flexible with deployments and will also meet the rest of the cost that TA doesn’t provide. Has anyone gone through them to get your MBA? How did it work with deployments and TDYs while you were doing the classes? Would you recommend their program? Thanks for any help you can provide.

All, As many of you know, the C-21 is getting phased down - and eventually out. Congress approved a reduction by 50% a few weeks back. Here is the "unoffical" listing from a buddy of mine who works Chief of OSA/VIPSAM Planning at AMC. Andrews 13 to 6 WP 13 to 5 C.S. 10 to 3 Scott 14 to 9 (to include school house aircraft) Keesler 5 to 0 School house will move to Scott and be assumed by AMC. AAFSA will move to OKC. Ramstein 14 to 8 or 9 Yokota 4 to 3 The rest of the aircraft will probably go to the Navy as trainers, TC-21s and fly out of Randolph and Pensacola. All of this will happen by the close out…

Another well-deserved recognition in line with the 2d Lt receiving an AM (as opposed to a finance troop and the BSM). https://www.spangdahl...sp?id=123305486

I have to give a briefing about active duty at LLAB but the problem is I am still a cadet and know very little. Listed below are some questions that I have received from cadets around my detachment. I was wondering if anyone could help answer some of these. Any information is appreciated and beneficial. Thanks. 1. What are steps that we should be taking now in order to prepare for our transition into the Air Force after graduation? 2. Are there any websites or helpful resources that we can use to research bases and other information on our own? 3. Will we receive a mentor/sponsor once on base or are we on our own to figure out what we need to do? 4. When do you rep…

Vague article on AF Times to them...too many recently.

Ouch...

I've heard that the F-117 has been flying since it's retirement. Pics prove it. Now here's an explanation. https://intercepts.defensenews.com/2014/11/we-now-know-why-the-f-117-is-still-flying/

I signed a 3 year ADSC in order to get back into the cockpit before retirement. I hit 20 years in May of 2015. My ADSC commits me through Dec of 2015. Is it possible that an 11B can get a waiver to retire at 20 (6-7 months short of my ADSC)? If so, what's the process? Thanks. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk HD

I thought I'd start a thread on USAF policies that don't make a heck of a lot of sense as a place where people can go to discuss "genius" ideas from leadership and ideas that aren't so bad. This is not meant as criticism of leadership, but as a place to discuss solutions to problems. To start things off: Bad idea: Reorganizing the Maintenance units under Operations (Ops guys don't need to focus on wrench turning and wrench turners don't need to focus on planning for a strike. It's the Wing Commander's job to balance the two while the Group Commanders can focus on accomplishing their marching orders) Good idea: Rethinking this and keeping the units the way they curr…

Violence intensifies after the shooting of 40+ protestors, Yemeni Generals join revolutionary forces (along with deploying their soldiers/tanks in the capital), President Ali Abdullah Saleh fires his cabinet before they can resign. Looks like our Al Qaeda fighting ally in Yemen is on his way out - https://theweek.com/article/index/213378/a-military-coup-in-yemen Did a search, didn't see it posted anywhere else. Verbally berate me/delete if I'm wrong... Edit - Speeling

It is with great sadness to tell you that we have lost a Special Tactics Warrior deployed from 21 STS yesterday in Afghanistan. TSgt William Jefferson (WJ) was killed when the vehicle in which he was riding was struck by an IED. TSgt Jefferson is survived by his wife Kristy and daughter, Tyler. I ask you to join all of us here at Hurlburt and our deployed locations as we come together to provide support and love for the families, friends and teammates of our fallen warrior. Will was a great CCT and true Patriot. Blue Skies.....

https://www.ktnv.com/news/nellis-air-force-base-helicopter-crashes-on-training-range

I'm about 5 weeks away from track selecting and torn between T-1s and T-38's. I've been told I have the grades and skill to make 38's, but not sure of what I want... I have a few questions for fighter drivers: 1) When does the studying end? How much time are you spending in the vault for the first few years? When does the studying let up (if at all) 2) What's the possibility of flying a UAV tour? Have any of you flown one yet? Do they suck? 3) Is it true that UPT studs who can't hack 38's are cut loose instead of moving into the T-1? 4) Is anybody on this forum over 6'2" ? I'm a bit worried about pulling 9 G's considering our mighty T-34 maxs out at +4.5 …

Maybe now they'll quit bugging us for pics of the inside of one of them... Cheers! M2

https://www.kadena.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123427236 Yeesh... Word is they were taking pictures of the storm and 4 got washed into the sea. One made it back to shore, one was found by the coast guard and pronounced dead, two are still missing. Prayers to them and their families, friends, co-workers.

Jetmaker MiG Displays Latest Maverick Engine On 5 August, the latest version of the MiG-29, the MiG-29 OVT, was demonstrated at Zhukovsky with a new all-axis thrust-vectoring nozzle. It is this version of the MiG-29 that Russia will be offering to India in a tender for 126 fighter jets later this year, MiG chief Alexei Fyodorov said. Discuss. Cheers! M2

I was a little off on my prediction on how long they would be held before they were swapped back. I said a month. It looks like it will be less than two weeks. A Russian named Igor Sutyagin is coming over to the US, and part of his trouble was in co-writing a book I bought on Russian strategic nuclear forces. It's a very interesting read if you can get through 700+ pages of technical writing.

I'm gonna start traveling here in a few weeks. What size bag will fit into a travel pod? Any suggested bags that are good for taking all your shit downrange?

SEOUL, South Korea — Search crews recovered the body of one of two pilots of a South Korean fighter jet that slammed into a mountain Thursday while flying home from a mission. https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/s-korean-f-15-crashes-body-of-pilot-recovered-search-for-co-pilot-to-continue-1.520517 Fly safe - this spike of incidents is troubling.