so.it.goes

I noticed that too... Maybe it's an homage to what drove him to the ministry: Chuck "Chaplin" films

I agree... SNL's garbage now. I just got back from another hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail a couple weeks ago. My brother had a canteen and other shit hanging off his pack, and it was making a racket (actually a good thing in bear country), and we both, almost simultaneously, said, "But be careful, there's quicksand!" Much lulz were had... What I always thought was funny was that such a great skit never actually aired.

Makes me want to tear my face off... My wife was on her niece's Facebook page wall last night, and this is, no joke, a verbatim replication of two posts on there: "Truf is ii love yuh to 2 death nd yuh kno that well ii hope so well yuh didnt txt me bac :( ii hope we together for a really long time nd yuhj shoould pot on.my wall well love yuh baby (: xoxo" "tbh idk yu real good but dat can change ig" - assuming this translates to "To be honest, I don't know you very well, but that can change, I guess" It's more than pathetic to me, I actually fear for the loss of language, and the nation in general sometimes. Anyone seen "Idiocracy"? On a lighter note, I love your name, Gus Chiggins, but "I'd be more worried about coyotes if I was you'er"...

Unfortunately it's already the name of a pretty gay band... Definitely a waste of a name, because it would sound way more awesome describing a bar of said capacity/function. My vote definitely goes to Mixture Rich and Class G... Those are both great.

"Yeah, well one is all ya need" - JB That's where I'm hoping to head after this next marathon... I would still love to work up to Boston, but don't know if I'll ever get there. I don't want to hijack a running thread, but any advice on a decent starter bike under about $500-600? I'm not willing to jump right in on the $2,000+ stuff until I know both what I want and what I'm doing...

That's the feeling I've gotten from all the former AD guys in my Guard squadron... I have become very glad and highly aware that I made the right decision to pull my package out of the AD hole (sts). As far as the pay comment, I've read through all the threads I could find looking for some hint as to what to expect in the financial area as a young C-130 pilot. Most of those threads concerned ALL airframes, so usually the answer was "it varies greatly". With this being a Herc thread, would some of you seasoned guys be able to speak to your experience with money as a new Guard pilot, or maybe even have some insight as to what I/we might expect on the frontside of this curve of "downsizing" and what that might mean? I can tell you that my wing expects new guys to bum for awhile out of school, if that makes a difference in someone's reply...

What would be his advice for a replacement exercise? I have always run a lot and have been doing high-intensity workouts (specifically the leg portions of P90X and Insanity) for about five years, but even at my fairly young age I'm starting to feel the wear on my joints and knees. My dad and granddad were both big runners, and paid the serious consequences when they hit the age of 45 or so... Doctors basically told them to cease all running and my dad almost had issues with his civilian flying medical because of his back. What would your OS friend say about bicycling as a substitute (as in road bikes or road racing)? I feel like it has to be better on your knees and back, and probably gives similar exercise gains compared to running?

I'm out of my element in this thread (Donny-style, with no frame of reference), but that's a great line. I hope you approve of me using it quite liberally in the near future...

Pretty interesting, and provides a glimpse at some of the reasons I like to support Randolph Engineering: http://www.goruck.com/news/randolph-engineerings-factory-randolph-massachusetts/

Anybody know anything concerning this info found on RE's website then? http://www.randolphusa.com/company/ 2000 – Randolph is awarded their first contract for the Frame of Choice (FOC) spectacle program which provides soldiers with an alternative to current standard-issue military spectacles for Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and NASA. 2012 – Randolph currently supplies the HGU-4/P to the US Army and Navy and allied Air Forces world-wide and maintains the Frame of Choice contract, now in its 3rd 5 year term. It's not that big a deal, but I'm planning to buy a pair regardless, so I'm basically just trying to see how to get the best price, and/or see if there's a deal through the AF.

Good idea... Thanks for the advice.

Thanks for that... It sounds like there's some time on Saturday to run around and grab extra stuff you may need if you show up early enough? I've copied and pasted a lot of the suggestions in this thread into a Word file, and will probably use a lot of the advice/items. Any more helpful tips on stuff to bring or things you wish you had done from someone who has gone through recently (maybe the past few classes even)? leave next Saturday, FWIW.

Read through all this, but didn't see the answer for which I was looking: What actually are the standard issue sunglasses you (are supposed to) receive at UPT? Some older retired guys my dad flys with said they were Randolph Engineering Aviators (which I've always liked and are pretty high quality in my book), but the comments I've seen on here about $7, cheaply-made glasses (maybe hyperbole?) make me think they're not RE's... Has the contracting company changed?

My coat came the same way... the official list from the AMS website says "Coat, Service, Wool/Poly w/epaulets with officer sleeve braid sewn on"... do you have the braid? I do not, after looking through everything issued to me.

Understood... So, a lot of burning rubber either way.

AMS or OTS?

When are you going, Miles?

It sounds like there is usually a good mix of different occupations outside of the flying duties, but is airline/cargo "usually" the full-time job for most Guard pilots? Meaning, I suppose, do the MAJORITY of Guard pilots choose to fly as both their jobs?

Understood, thanks...

Smokey, not sure if you saw my follow-up question earlier, but you seem to be the go-to guy concerning IFS stuff so thought I would push it back to the bottom... Any experience or knowledge of the quality or usefulness of this program?

Thanks for that, HiFlyer... Very valuable insight.

That makes me think that it absolutely HAS to be the pace and style of learning that throws off the experienced pilots then (like the guy I know who just went through and said he doesn't know how zero time guys make it). Definitely makes me feel better, since I'm one of those guys who loves school/academics, and has good study habits. Follow up question: I randomly bumped into a commercial pilot in a bar on a business trip recently and explained my AF situation to him. I told him about IFS and not really having the cash to add to my measly 12 hours, but that I was also worried about learning more before I got there. He mentioned I should check out this Program from Sporty's (http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/9559)... Said I would get a lot of practical info that would be useful, and that it would be the equivalent of several days of ground school and several hours of flight time. It looks like all this company's instructional videos get great reviews, but anybody know if it would be of any benefit to use as a little prep work before IFS for someone like me with minimal flying hours?

I've heard the above sentiment quite a bit. However, I've also read on here (and heard from a VERY recent grad) that IFS openly states that it is tailored for zero time candidates, but that this is not actually the case, and that it is actually a big disadvantage to have zero time... Are there still a lot of zero time guys even going through at this point or has the increased competition for slots over the past two years or so eliminated most from going in completely "cold"?

Coming from the opposite side of what Aerdale said on a previous post "I take umbrage at the implication that -young- dudes" would not get that joke. I saw this last year on some site, laughed until I cried, and sent it to several buddies who "got it" too... We have more knowledge and respect for old school music than you guys realize, I think. My folks are often surprised...