General Discussion

Morning All, Making this easy for everyone. We have just launched the new VIP area for our new website Kia Kaha Media where we have downloadable PDF files for HeliOps (Civil helo ops) and Cleared HOT (Military helo ops), as well as our other magazines such as P1 (Motor Racing). Anyone here who would like access to the VIP area just do the following: Click on https://www.kiakahamedia.com At the very top right there is a button titled VIP Login, click on that. Then on the right hand side it takes about 30 seconds to fill in the form. We then approve you and you can log in to the VIP area and download all the mags. Once you have access to the VIP area there its g…

Anybody got time to kill and feel like doing some interesting reading? It will probably open the your eyes into some realities that you haven't given too much thought. First, read this Congressional Research Service Report for Congress on the security issues facing Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. Read between the lines. Next, read this recent article from The Atlantic. Read between the lines. My opinion only, the real reason we are in Afghanistan is a convenient excuse to keep a foothold in the region so that we can keep tabs on Pakistan's nukes. From the Atlantic article: “The single biggest threat to U.S. security, both short-term, medium-term, and long-term, wou…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15640104 Bad luck...

Rebalancing the Rated Pipeline: The Air Force needs to boost fighter pilot production to 278 pilots a year as it works to rebalance the rated training pipeline, wrote Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz in a letter to Air Force major commands and members of the Air Staff. Schwartz said this will be accomplished primarily through the new active associations with reserve fighter squadrons. Specifically, the Arizona Air National Guard at Tucson will support "significantly more" B-course students each year and reduce the number of foreign military sales students. Air Combat Command will reduce the F-16 flight training unit syllabus. The A-10 crew ratio will increase and more …

Just wondering if Creech guys are still getting incentive pay? I know it's spelled out in the 36-2110, but I had heard a rumour that congress had unfunded it for FY12. Before anyone goes aggro I did try the search function, and I'm trying to find out how big of a former pornstar mansion I can rent.

Hey guys, Goto Postgazette.com right now ( a pittsburgh newspaper website) and they have a photo on their front page of a "former" marine. Am I the only one finding something strange with his uniform?

Report says so: https://www.smh.com.au/national/us-marine-base-for-darwin-20111110-1n9lk.html

Sent on behalf of SAF/FM ALCON, After more than 46 years of service, Maj Gen Alfred Flowers is retiring on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 as the Air Force’s longest serving active duty member and the longest serving General in U.S. military history. For those unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be broadcast live via Defense Connect Online (DCO) webcast. Please join us for this historic event! Date: Wednesday, 16 November 2011 Time: 1000 EST Location: https://connect.dco.dod.mil/mgflowers When prompted for your guest name, please enter your name (First, Last, Office Symbol). Thank you!

https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123279851&channelPageId=s6925EC1356040FB5E044080020E329A9&programId=tA1FBF31D25AE0DF20125FF41AF4B0E56 Cool stuff, 70 guys going for a camp is no joke. Wonder how surprised they were to have those bombs dropped on them, and if the bad weather was part of their plan of attack.

https://www.wtkr.com/news/military/la-fi-bunker-buster-bomb-20111117,0,7519435.story Pretty cool, but by my math that's over $15M per boom. I hope we're getting more than just 20 for our money.

And the pendulum swings again. https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123280212

I just received notification that my US Standard Issue (Oakley's military program) account needed to be renewed. As a part of that process, I was instructed that a copy of my military ID card was required... I informed them that photocopying U.S. Government identification cards is a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code Part I, Chapter 33, Section 701 and punishable by fine and imprisonment. And asked for instructions on how to renew my account without this requirement. Then I started wondering if everyone on here--especially some of the younger crowd--was aware of this, so I am posting the info here. From what I have been told, there are exceptions f…

Interesting. Any A-10 drivers out there up for this? "The U.S. military’s veteran A-10 Thunderbolt II is built for battle: a titanium-armored cockpit protects its pilot from explosive projectile hits, and it can carry weapons like a 30-mm nose-mounted cannon to take out enemy tanks. Now the National Science Foundation (NSF) plans to arm a retired Thunderbolt not with bombs, but with scientific instruments, and use it to study the inside of violent thunderstorms—where winds, hail, and lightning would take down lesser planes. The NSF recently awarded a $10.9 million grant to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., a to refurbish a retired Thunderbolt fo…

Anyone have the 411 on this gig?

https://www.airforcet...g-block-112111/

Fuckers!

Don't know if this is a continuation of the Libya doctrine and should therefore be posted there but here goes (if it needs to be moved, a little help mods?): So this https://dailycaller.c...tensions-flare/ combined with this https://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/11/23/un-and-turkey-increase-pressure-on-syrias-assad/ makes me think this doctrine is taking over.

So, who here knows what precipitated the FCIF from ACC regarding lack of flight dicipline?

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

Just saw it on the local nightly news. No news on any casualties. My prayers go out. -Hawk 4 killed. 2 injured. *Update

I just got a a T-6 PIT flying job - moving this summer. Looking to see if there are any folks there in San Antonio who can give me info on where to live, schools, etc - the normal stuff. Right now, we're looking to rent in the Stone Oak or Canyon Springs area, but looking for opinions. Thanks

Just thought I'd remind everyone that the new BAH rates came out today. Got a nice increase (almost $300) for my duty zip code duty station. Here's the direct link to the calculator. https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bahCalc.cfm

Gents, I am not a flyer. I am a comm guy (that's "cyber operator" in today's Air Force...). Long story short, I am writing the AFI that addresses how you pay for gas away from your home station (e.g. AF 664s), turning in those docs when you return, and how the WRDCOs get the bills paid. I've spent lots of time talking to WRDCOs since they are the focus. I've also talked to couple of pilots, but no boom operators. I'd like down low on how/what actually happens when you have to refuel away from your home station - both on the ground and in the air. I'd also like to know what happens to the 664s and 791s when the mission is complete. The older Air Refueling …

Folks, I got the text from my work account, but be on the look out for an article running in the AF Times regarding the force management stuff included in the latest NDAA. I will try not to violate the copyright, but some of the highlights I remember -15 year retirements - VSP - Early Retirement Incentive Pay The two bits of commentary in the story stuck in my memory 1. The author mentioned that the NDAA was rolling out force management options not seen since the post Cold-war Era drawdown 2. A congressional aide was quoted (under anonymity) that law makers said that the services were not planning for large drawdowns...but it seemed quite s…