Herk Driver

I am replacing my previous post. Latest conversations indicate that they may attempt to implement the memo as is. There is some question of whether it is enforceable in its current form but that is the latest.

Not your posts he's following...just your mom when she gets back to the house.

You can blame the AF for a lot of things but politicians are a whole different complaint department. For this one, I give it to the services for actually putting up a fight...they haven't won yet and it doesn't look good but give credit where credit is due.

IIRC the AF didn't pass this. This was enacted by Congress against the objections of all the services.

Lots of good words and philosophically, I don't disagree. However, the first page or so of the JTR says that the JTR is administrative but has the "force of law". I would argue fail to follow it at your own peril. Additionally, schoolhouse Commanders have the ability to set what per diem rate is followed etc. 18x guys should follow the rules to the max extent. If they don't want to live on base then refuse on-base quarters and move along. Bitching rights are fixing rights.

Thanks for the Schoolhouse Rock version of how a bill becomes a law... Seriously, though you do a great job of breaking these things down and staying on top of the latest. I think most ppl here realize that this is not law yet, but still a concern and will continue to be for years to come. Hell, we won't have a budget until well past 1 Jan...and probably a CR when it does get passed and signed.

Maybe I'm being too optimistic but what I read said limited to the cost of housing. It doesn't specifically say utilities or not, but rent is specifically called out with respect to advances etc. How to calculate "housing costs" will be left to the services, I am sure, but nothing in this changes the idea that BAH is meant to pay for a set percentage of rent and utilities in the CONUS. IIRC, the local surveys that help to determine BAH numbers includes a provision for utilities so this doesn't change that part. I think it will be even more difficult and more work for the finance guy and the individual to show what is paid out each month. Either way, I think I just found another reason why it is time for me to retire.

Where is that sarcasm emoticon when you need it? I don't disagree...what I am saying is that you have to convince the powers that be to throw the logic behind this study out. 24 year is the primary look for GO, in order to groom a guy for CSAF with all the requisites that entails, we have to make you a GO by that point. In order to make you a GO at 24 years you need x, y and z. These are many of the reasons that the A1 community does everything that it does...it all revolves around this jacked up reasoning. Funny that other services make Chiefs of their services without the 24th year being the magic year. And for all of our planning and grooming, we (the AF) still compete poorly with the other services.

But then you would have to disregard the RAND study that told us we had to make the pole year at 24 years. And that in order to be competitive that you had to be a graduated or sitting Wing CC. How else do you get there without being a BTZ guy?

F the supervisor. CC's approve or disapprove PTDY. Submit your paperwork to your CC and if he asks, tell him you have not signed a lease, etc.

While in training, you only get training reports...no OPRs. Only after you have finished training (normally that includes your FTU) do you start getting OPRs. The more pieces of paper you can put on top of any potential "referral" TR, the better off you will be.

IIRC, a referral is no longer a mandatory thing, but your training report will more than likely have a remark if you do not/did not have a passing score by close out. Once that referral is in your record it will be there forever. Lots of good advice above. My comments assume that you are a Lt but some are applicable either way. Don't fail another PT test, get an OPR on top before your Capt promotion "process" (board) meets. I have seen a 1Lt get passed over and picked up APZ because of something exactly like this. If you have an option to deploy in your MDS before your next promotion board then do that and get some real credibility in your weapons system documented and you will easily make this a non-event, but time is not on your side. Agree with what was said above about prioritizing your schedule around gym time etc. As for it only being in your record for two years that is flat out wrong. I can see every PT score for every test that I have ever taken and so can my CC.

Nothing new here...pay for other programs on the backs of hard working military members. This and other changes are reason enough to start considering my options for getting on the other side of the "fence".

Here's to the crew of Torqe 62...and all the other Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines that were lost this past year in service to our great nation.

Oh, you're one of those anti-sarcasm guys. Fear, sarcasm and ridicule are very effective techniques. You obviously just don't know how to use them the right way. Now take the opportunity to sit back and listen versus talk about shit that you know nothing about.

So is mine. Answer up or go away.

State quals. Otherwise STFU.

Standard. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

http://katv.com/news/local/small-plane-crashes-at-nlr-airport

I know this has been talked about somewhere and my apologies if already posted. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-to-automate-mq-9-takeoffs-and-landings-424975/

Apparently the word is out and you are correct.

By whose pilots? The article avoids the subject.

There is not much different about the back of the J than an H. In the past several incidents occurred with a 25K loader and forklift that resulted in tail damage. Some people started doing this in order to prevent such damage. Current policy is that if a forklift is used to place additional pallets onto a 25K that the 25K must be bridged with a second 25K loader or the loader must be backed outside the 25 foot safety circle. Unfortunately there is no real need to hold the elevator out of the way.

Oh, shit. Now I have to be careful what I post? Damn!

I started to comment yesterday and decided against it, but a couple of things to think about. In a larger aircraft when you do a flight control check as a pilot, your flight controls have been checked by someone (in the H it's by the FE and crew chief) physically and visually to confirm correct deflection during the -1 preflight. That is the last time that proper deflection can or will be checked without working outside of established procedures. Once that is done, every other flight control check is to check for binding and/or free movement. Presumably that would have helped in this case...maybe not. They may not have noticed that the yoke was not going full forward. There definitely would not have been binding of the controls due to this issue. Additionally, the pilots checked the flight controls prior to the initial takeoff. The way that Herks operate there are normally multiple stops (average of 3-6) on one mission without ever shutting down engines. Some of those stops are for 5-10 minutes (some are for much longer) and you only opened the crew entrance door and dropped off one guy and taxied back out for takeoff. The primary reason for accomplishing a flight control check when loading/downloading cargo is due to the fact that you have MHE in close proximity to two major control surfaces and it is possible that something was hit or bent by a forklift and/or pallet without anyone noticing or speaking up. However, as has been stated, it is always a good idea. Gearpig, yes, the HUD in the J model is considered primary instrumentation and certified for IFR flight. There is no other PFD required and with limited screens there are other more important items to display. The yoke blocks part of the screen directly in front of the pilot to begin with. The little bit of additional blockage of the one MFD was not likely noticeable at night on NVGs and multiple attempts to recreate it in the sim also went unnoticed by the crews. This is a tragic event that could have been avoided and we all need to learn from it. It seems to me that in my corner of the world that most have learned the lesson. Sounds like multiple other platforms and people already knew it and good on them. Don't let your brothers in arms die in vain. Take whatever you can from their tragic accident report and apply it to your flying career and avoid doing something that writes the next one in your blood. I have been flying the same airplane for nearly 22 years and read lots of SIBs and AIBs and heard about some things that I thought I would have never done. You never know what will happen until you step to one particular aircraft on one particular day. God bless the families of those that perished on Torqe 62. Good luck to all you guys as you continue on your way in your AF career.