M2

God bless Ted Nugent!

The answer is "it depends." I did see a USAF first lieutenant cross-commission into the Navy as he was trying for a SEAL slot. I think he retained his rank but lost his TIG, or something like that because, oddly enough, it was way back in 93! It can be done, although it is rare and tough to do. Of course, much of it matters on which service you are transferring to. The Army had a Blue-to-Green program during the Air Force's recent "force shaping," but they would have had to immediately promote me twice to make me even consider it! Cheers! M2 p.s. The Army has more on Interservice Transfers here...

The backpedalling begins... Cheers! M2

Yep, I gotta add that I was quite impressed with Hacker's employment of the term...but was it correctly used? Cheers! M2

Well, in response to Champ's post, I will throw in my 2¢ for AMU. All online, and both 8- and 16-week course (I've tried to take more of the former, as although they are a bit tougher, getting the credit in half the time is nice). Classes are a mix of exams, papers and online exams; the course I am in is nothing but discussion groups so you write a 1-2 page submission then a critic of someone else's work and either a defense of your own work or other comments in another posting. No exams, no paper, just the discussion group work for this class. The downside is that every class I have taken has a heavy reading load. I mean several hundred pages a week, up to 400-500 during some weeks. And since I am a meticulous note-taker, I go through the material slowly, so it means a lot of time in the evening reading. But usually the family is watching TV, and I am close by and just put on some headphones to drown out the noise and listen to some Yahoo Music station (Chill Out works for me, as does Smooth Jazz). But since I am being company-sponsored for this second masters, I am not sure it USAF TA covers it. Classes are $275/hr, and if I recall the cap is $250/hr; so much like Troy it will cost you more, but this time a mere $75 extra per class. Plus it is all online, and since it is a military-based school the professors understand that things happen and they accommodate those situations easily. I had to go TDY during the final week of a course, so I emailed the professor and he game me a month extension to get a paper in. I got it done in less than a week, as I wanted it finished before the next semester started; but those kind of extensions are common. And if you wonder if the degrees are marketable, just consider that my company was willing to pay for a second masters for me. Of course, I incur a one-year "ADSC" for each, and it is a reimbursement after the course is finished and not the tuition paid up front like TA, and I still have to buy my own books; but figuring it is almost an additional ten grand they will be paying me to go to school, it must be worth it to them! Cheers! M2

Most of my first masters was in the classroom, for my second one it is all online. Honestly, I preferred the latter. As such, ERAU or AMU would be my choices. The University of Phoenix is another option, but it is expensive... Cheers! M2

Chairborne Thanks for the input, I was wondering if one of these--Magazine Finger Grip Extension for the Kel-Tec P3AT--would help with the grip... Cheers! M2

Yeah, I've found mag extenders on eBay for about ten bucks; that'll be a necessary addition if I buy it. I am leaning towards doing so as I think it is a good BUG/throw-away gun, something I don't mean leaving in the car when I got places I can't carry. Now, tell me about that great deal on a Python! I love the .357 Magnum I have, but as it is a "family heirloom," I keep it displayed more than taking it to the range. Cheers! M2

Y'know, UTFSF doesn't just apply to posting in this forum....

OK, an opportunity arose today and I am looking for some opinions in addition to the one I already have. I was riding back from a company meeting with a colleague and I mentioned I was looking for a small pistol for the wife. He said he had a Kel-Tec P3AT he was looking to sell. He said I could borrow it for a while to see if I wanted it, so I picked it up from him on my way home. I have shot this pistol before, only a few rounds but I remember I wasn't initially thrilled with it; but as most of you know I am a diehard .45 fanatic so anything smaller really doesn't whet my appetite (except for my late father's pre-Python Colt .357 Magnum, which is an excellent revolver to shoot!). Yet, since I've been handling it this afternoon I am thinking it would make for a great pistol for the wife or even a BUG for myself. On one hand, I can't get over how small and mousy the thing is. I mean, it is about half the size of a M1911 (or even smaller); but on the other hand, it weighs only 11 oz empty and is only 3/4" thick and can easily be carried almost anywhere (such as in a pocket). It has no safeties but only holds 7 rounds. The guy is only asking $215 for it, and it shows a little wear but I don't think it has more than a hundred or so rounds down it. So, if anyone has any firsthand experience with this particular gun, I'd like to hear your thoughts. Cheers! M2

Looks like UAS technology is spreading across the DoD... Pentagon reveals new Unmanned Spokesdrone Cheers! M2

More reporting from the AFA... Cheers! M2

From today's AFA Update... Cheers! M2

Which is why you need to buy your own gun and shoot it more often! Cheers! M2

Just heard about a manufacturer’s recall of hollow points, the news video of which can be viewed here... Cheers! M²

Interesting... Cheers! M2

My bad, maybe we need a [sarcasm] [/sarcasm] code to impart the desired effect! And the more I grip an XDm, the more I like it. But y'all know I am a .45 Auto fan, and until Springfield produces an XDm in that caliber I will never seriously consider getting one. I just hope I find the Webley I am looking for before that happens, as contract renegotiation is going on and I am beginning to wonder if I am gonna have a job by the end of next month when this option year is over. Then again, if I have to take a contractor position in Afghanistan, maybe that'll give me a chance to legally convert my M70AB2 to full auto! Cheers! M2

Probably just me, but I consider all of that stuff marketing hype. For the vast majority of shooters, it won't make a difference; but they think it will because the have a "match barrel, match trigger and match grade slide." And I am not the only one who thinks this way... I shoot as well with my 1911s that have matched barrels as I do the ones without, and I am more accurate with my XD than all of them (probably due to the fact that I have a thousand or more rounds through it than any of my 1911s). My XD is a nail driver, and as dependable as a hammer. It makes for a better handgun than anything the USAF ever issued to me! Cheers! M2

Grab it, that's the best price you are going to find on a new XD45. There's been rumors of the XDm in .45 since the XDms first appeared. I think it may be out in the next year, but other than it being narrower at the top of the grip, and the fact that the grips are replaceable; there really isn’t that much difference from the original XD other than cosmetics. With the .40, there was a considerable increase in capacity; but I don’t think they will be able to squeeze more than a round or two if any into a XDm 45. And of course there is the additional $100 in price… Cheers! M2

To use an old axiom, it's not the rank boys, it's the man! If you let some enlisted puke challenge your rank, they will do so and you deserve the embarrassment. Instead, get it in your fucking head right now that you are an officer in the USAF, and the days of the AFROTC or OTS bullshit are over! Man up and grow a pair! Maybe it's because I was prior, but I would not take any bullshit like that when I was a butter bar. Neither should anyone else. Don't be afraid to use your rank and/or authority, it is why you were given a commission. Cheers! M2

Good grab then, and proof that there is ammo out there! Cheers! M2

Sounds like something you get when you win a wrestling title... (I was looking for a pic of some WWF bozo with a belt, but saw this one and had to use it!) Cheers! M2

It's the same all over. But the last gun show I went to there was a vendor who had ammo at WalMart prices. By the way, were the WWB 50 or 100 count boxes? Cheers! M2

Go JSTARS; because if this decision isn't fucking obvious, then you don't belong in the Herc.... Cheers! M2 p.s. Oh, and no offense to the E-8 bubbas out there...

Dang, who does this belong to? Cheers! M2