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Toro

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Posts posted by Toro

    Whats the funniest thing you've heard over the radio?

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    Student went to key the mic, forgot what he was going to say and left the mic keyed. After a few seconds, you can hear the IP in back yell "get off the f'ing radio!"

    In the realm of cussing on the radio, I've been lucky enough not to get caught up to this point, but I had a wingman who wasn't so lucky. During a Lakenhell Tac Eval, we were cranking our jets when we heard a call over for the C models to scramble. Basically this means they jump into the hot-cocked (sts) jets, taxi to the closest runway (even if it's not the active) and takeoff. The only thing they need to do is call ground for taxi and tower for takeoff - from start to takeoff is a matter of minutes.

    No kidding 6-9 seconds after that call came out, I could hear my wingman doing his starting checks. Being hot mic on the ops (aux) frequency would have been bad enough, but he was on ground freq. For the next minute or so guys were yelling "hot mic" into the aux radio, but you can't hear the aux when you're talking in the main and the WSO either wasn't paying attention or had his radios turned down/off. I told my crew chief to disconnect, run to his jet (until a couple hundred feet away) and tell him he was hot mic. My chief ran up to his chief and yelled into his ear. A couple seconds later I heard my wingman on the radio, "What? Hot mic...what the f*** is he talking about, how does he know I'm hot mic?" He looks over at me and I'm holding up my left hand to key an imaginary mic switch.

    Brief pause, followed by hot mic being unkeyed.

    C models: (extremely pissed off) Ground Eagle 1 request scramble taxi!

    Whats the funniest thing you've heard over the radio?

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    Didn't hear it but Maj Weeks from the T-Clones said a few curse words to a McConnell boom when he gave her a correction while refueling her.

    "I don't fucking need to come up dumbass."

    Another T-Clone may or may not have gotten her call sign by saying, "F***ing idiot, F***ing idiot" (over the radio or in a sim is disputed).

    Change it to Arabic and it's the Saudis flying in weather - they are absolutely terrified of IMC. And speaking of Saudis, here's my input from a recent sortie. RTB from the area and the weather is getting bad - down to 4 miles of vis!

    Me: I'd like an ILS approach for a formation landing

    Saudi ATC: Field is IMC, VFR pattern is closed, state intention

    Me: Uhhhhh....I'd like an ILS approach for a formation landing

    Right about this time, I turn on the TACAN and am getting nothing. I tell my wingman, who is also not receiving anything.

    Me: Approach, the TACAN is inop

    ATC: Copy that, proceed inbound and intercept the 12 DME arc, you are cleared for the ILS.

    I guess they had a tough time translating 11-217.

    Same ATC, next day. We took off from runway 06, which only has a TACAN approach.

    Me: Approach, Snake is RTB requesting TACAN to 06

    Saudi ATC: Runway 24 is the active runway

    Me: Okay, copy that, we'll take the ILS to runway 24

    ATC: There is no TACAN on runway 06

    Me: WTF? Are you on 06 or 24?

    ATC: (pause) Runway 06

    Me: Okay, then back to my original plan, I'd like the TACAN to 06.

    You haven't dealt with dumb until you've dealt with these guys.

    ROTC Class/Commander Ranking

    in ROTC & OTS Lounge

    Posted

    Right but the DET is over an hour away.. so your saying if I cant volunteer much at the det.. then just do good at like GPA and do what i can at the university?

    Yes, but do what you can at the Det - you don't have to be there for everything. I was a comm major (proof positive that college majors do not matter) and editor of our university paper, so I volunteered to do a Det newsletter. It was just a single-page letter that got put out every other week with general AF and aircraft info, upcoming Det events, and pictures from recent Det events. I was crosstown from my Det and did it all back at home, then brought it in to be printed.

    You could also volunteer for things that require more phone/email coordination than being in place (organizing events, for example).

    In absence of something like either of those, just do well in the Det and keep your GPA up. Your PAS know your situation and surely won't expect you to travel outside of the scheduled requirements (especially with gas prices).

    Flying Scarf/Scarves

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    This remins me of Gen Handy's uniform guidance years ago. Anyone who worked at the Group or Wing was told to wear blues to work unless you were flying. They tried their best to get everynone to comply to no avail. Leadership quit trying after three days.

    We got the same thing at Lakenheath while Dic Fogels...I mean "He who shall not be mentioned" was USAFE/CC. Our Sq/CC thought it was BS and told the schedulers to put all aircrew who weren't scheduled to fly on 'standby' to fly and therefore they would need to wear their flight suits. Our sister squadron's DO - not do be outdone as the biggest douchebag - suggested via mass email to both squadrons that even if we were on standby we should were our blues, bring our flight suits, and "look for the nearest phone booth for a Superman transformation!"

    Scarves

    :rainbow:

    Free USAF language training (Rosetta Stone)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Anyone know of a program with no wait where I can get Rosetta Stone at a discounted price. I just got an assignment in the SOUTHCOM AOR in a couple months and I don't know much Spanish beyond cerveza and chi chis. I don't mind shelling out the cash, but would like to save as much as possible.

    Try e-Bay. I got Rosetta Stone German for about 40 bucks.

    Information on PCS/moves/moving (DITY, TMO, DLA, storage)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    For PCS moves, are expenses involved with changing your address (drivers license, FAA, post office, etc) reimbursable?

    Post office change of address? Isn't that's like a dollar? Seriously? At any rate, all of those expenses are assumed to be covered by your DLA - Dislocation Allowance. From the DoD perdiem website:

    The purpose of DLA is to partially reimburse a member, with or without dependents, for the expenses incurred in relocating the member's household on a PCS, housing moves ordered for the Government's convenience, or incident to an evacuation. This allowance is in addition to all other allowances authorized in this Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR) and may be paid in advance.

    That link also has a DLA calculator.

    College Savings Advice

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    We use American Funds for a 529 plan called College America. You can contribute up to 24K a year, earnings are tax-free and withdrawals for qualified higher education expenses are free from federal tax. If necessary, you can change beneficiaries and you control your assets (you can decide when to make withdrawals and can move your assets once a year or when you change beneficiaries).

    You have to use the service through a financial advisor. I don't know if USAA qualifies, but we use AXA.

    You can download a program description pdf file here.

    Capt Malinda Hammond IS My Hero!

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    Did anyone that e-mailed Senior Master Shoeclerk Kost get a reply from him?

    I would discourage emailing the guy for several reasons.

    First off, he is a SMSgt and probably set in his ways - enough so to write in to a national publication to share (i.e. try to enforce) his opinions. The fact that a Captain with half his time in service emails him is probably not going to sway his decision.

    Second, if this guy is a big enough douche to write in to AF Times to call out somebody about a morale patch, he's probably a big enough douche to find your commander and dime you out for going out of your chain of command and/or being unprofessional...regardless of how professional your message may be.

    Last, yours likely isn't the only e-mail he's going to get. Let me tell you from experience that when do something that is seen by many, people have feel the need to call or e-mail you about their opinions on the subject. After a while you just start to ignore them.

    Continuing education for spouses

    in Military Spouses

    Posted

    I am wondering if anyone has more information about continuing to a masters degree while the hubby is in UPT. I am considering on line programs but would really like to stick to a traditional classroom.

    I don't have any experience or info other than Embry Riddle, but I would recommend you contact the nearest base education office (Google any AF base, get the base operator number from their web page, then ask for the education office). I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that dependents can use the education office for general info and to register for classes (the main advantage you won't get is tuition reimbursement). If nothing else, they can tell you what options are available at the different bases and get you in contact with those offices (there are only four).

    Are there universities/colleges driving distance from any UPT bases?

    For Columbus, Mississippi University for Women is in town and Mississippi State University is in Starkville (next town over, about a 30 minute commute).

    Leadership at the 'Deid

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    BTW - if you want to get his attention just shout out "How do you like that? Big Boy!" next time you see him. He'll think it's funny so don't worry about him getting pissed.

    Good call. And if he happens to get angry, just tell him some guy from the internet told you to say it.

    G (Gravity) Forces/Strain

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    It's pretty akro capable and we were doing some steep turns with 90 degrees bank and we were pulling 3 gs according to the accelerometer.

    First off, it's acro...not akro. You don't need to G-strain (in the typical sense) at 3Gs, but if you're not used to pulling Gs, a modified version might help. If you're in decent shape, you should be able to do it fine.

    Anyway, I tried the g-straining maneuver which as far as I understand is just kind of flexing your abs and it helped a little

    Sort of. If you were doing a full-up G-strain, you would take a deep breath and tighten up just about every muscle in your body. The main muscles are your quads and abs - imagine what you would do if somebody was about to punch you in the gut and that's what it should feel like. There's a breathing cycle (quick releases every three seconds), but at 3Gs you don't need to worry about that. All you're doing in a G-strain is preventing blood from being pulled from your brain to your lower extremities. If you tighten up your muscles you should be fine.

    but what do you guys do, and can i get better? I go to the gym 3x a week and work on lifting weights, running, squats and crunches, is there anything else I should be doing?

    Not trying to come off as a dick, but 3Gs is nothing. If you can pass a PT test (or even if you can't) you can pull 3Gs - we generally don't even strain until we hit about 4Gs. If you are in decent shape, there's nothing you need to do to increase your tolerance for flying a taildragger -- you just need more flying time so your body can get used to it.

    Information on PCS/moves/moving (DITY, TMO, DLA, storage)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Reference the JFTR, you need to search for “Personally Procured”, not “DITY”, which will provide you the following excerpts. Bold are my emphasis, italics are references from other spots in the JFTR.

    U3110 REIMBURSEMENT FOR PERSONALLY-PROCURED COMMON CARRIER TRANSPORTATION.

    A. General. Except for PCS transoceanic travel, when a specific transportation mode is directed, a member, who must procure transportation without benefit of using a CTO/TMC, may be reimbursed for personally procured transportation NTE the directed mode cost.

    Translation – You are always authorized DITY if you PCS CONUS. Transoceanic = OCONUS = Hawaii = need to dive more into the JFTR to get the answer you're looking for.

    U5116 PCS TO, FROM, OR BETWEEN OCONUS POINTS

    C. Transoceanic Travel

    1. General. When transoceanic travel is involved between PDSs, the usual means of accomplishing travel is to use Government or Government-procured air transportation for personal and dependent transoceanic travel. Reimbursement is authorized for:

    a. Personal travel under par. U5116-A; (member traveling on a PCS authorization/order that neither directs a transportation mode nor specifies that the member is to travel with other members with no/limited reimbursement, to, from or between OCONUS points)

    b. Dependents' travel under par. U5207 (3. A dependent is not required to use Government air transportation.); and

    c. POV delivery to the loading port/VPC for shipment under par. U5413.

    2. POC Travel

    a. General. When transoceanic travel ordinarily would be involved but POC is authorized by the AO as to the Government’s advantageous and is used by the member for the entire distance between duty stations, reimbursement is on a ‘MALT-Plus’ basis (Mileage and Per Diem) for the member (and dependents if applicable) for the official distance involved. Reimbursement is authorized even though it exceeds that authorized in par. U5116-C1.

    Translation: They don’t normally allow DITY OCONUS, but if your orders do not direct a transportation mode or if you can get them to state that DITY is allowed, you’re good. If you read further into section 5116, there’s more info on entitlements on reimbursements.

    So it sounds like you're both right - TMO is correct in that DITY to Hawaii is not normally authorized, but you are correct in that it can be done. My neighbors just did that exact same thing.

    Deid Accomodations

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Whats the situation for catching games from state side?

    Its been a while, but I recall the Deid having pretty much all the available AFN commercials. As far as what you'll see, it's nowhere near what you'd get stateside, but you'll see the most popular stuff. AFN Sports will hit the major events (Wimbledon had been on for the last couple days, Sox and Yankees were on this morning), AFN xtra usually has some events and you'll occasionally get stuff on AFN prime and AFN spectrum. If you want to get an idea of what they show versus what's on stateside, you can check here - AFN schedule.

    Unknown what the current internet status is for catching the games.

    Yet Another... Fighter Pilot Poser?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I rolled over to check him out and it seems like most of the people there are skeptical of him. At any rate, the last post is a month old, so while it's not completely dead, I didn't feel like reviving it just to call him a fake. Besides, it would appear that you actually need to be a WoW player to make an account, so...well...I'm out.

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