Toro
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Posts posted by Toro
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Anybody can apply, but generally only those who are truly qualified will do so. The applications are collected within the squadron semi-annually and the squadron weapons officer (a WIC grad) will review them for recommendation and push them up the chain as necessary.Originally posted by Ragansundowner:Do you apply for USAFWS like you would TPS, or are the best pilots assigned to the training from a certain squadron?
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I don't know if that's written anywhere, but I side with MajorMadMax - stand up when someone higher ranking is talking to you. It's not being 'jumpy' and it's a sign of disrespect if you (especially as a cadet) are sitting down talking to a higher ranking officer. This definitely goes for commanders, which are primarily going to be O-5s.Originally posted by Gonads:Rule is O-6 or above.
Totally disagree. Not being in your chain has nothing to do with military customs and courtesies. I've saluted Marine, Navy, and foreign officers whose rank I was unsure of - going by the motto, "When in doubt, whip it out" By the same token, I had 2nd Lts salute me as a 1Lt, I've had 1Lts call me "Sir" as a captain, and I've had CMSgts stand from their desk when they talk to me - I just shrugged off the salutes, told the Lts not to call me sir and told the chiefs to sit down. There is no harm in showing military courtesy when it may not be necessary, but the one day when you blow it off because somebody is "not in your chain of command" or you don't think he deserves it is the gonna be the guy who is a complete hardass about it (Get a room of Army guys together and the first thing they do is figure out everybody's date of rank so they know who to address as "sir").I know you are supposed to come to attention for your cadre, but these guys were obviously not in your chain and were ops. Good lesson to know when to draw the line. -
Q: What's the difference between a pig and a fighter pilot?
A: A pig doesn't turn into a fighter pilot after six beers.
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Having just done a PCS, here's a couple suggestions-
- Stay on MPF about getting your orders. As soon as you get your RIP, MPF should start working on cutting your orders. There are a lot of things you need to do (SATO, billeting, movers) that cannot be arranged until you have orders. Myself and a couple guys were essentially ignored by MPF until we got our squadron commander involved. After two weeks of nothing from MPF, one call from him got us our orders in a couple hours.
- MPF should give you a checklist for outprocessing that covers all the base agencies you need to outprocess with. Get the checklist done ASAP so you're not running around in the last couple days trying to get letters from agencies like the Education or Transportation office.
- Along similar lines, contact all the appropriate utilities people about a month out to find out what you'll need to do to shut everything off and pay your final bills. For a temporary forwarding address, most bases have general delivery where you can receive mail. Others have PO Boxes that you can get as soon as you have orders.
- Get a sponsor where you're going. The squadrons I've been in had one person in charge of tracking the inbounds and assigning sponsors. Still, they sometimes don't get assigned, or sometimes the sponsors don't get in touch with you. If you're within a month of getting there and haven't heard anything, call the squadron and tell them you're inbound without a sponsor. And if you don't have a sponsor (or even if you do)...
- Contact the Family Support Center at the base you're going to. They can provide you with a SITES package that tells you all kinds of information about the base, local community and advice for the transition. The FSC at your current base can generally provide this is well, and you can usually get the SITES package on line.
- I've never had a problem with movers - a couple broken things every move, but after a little bit of paperwork the Air Force will reimburse you for its value or repair cost. You could have them remove everything from your drawers and pack it, but unless you want 6,900 individual items wrapped up, I suggest you self-pack all your small items in a container. Realize that if you pack it, they're not responsible if it breaks in the move. Videotape everything and inventory things like books, movies and CDs. They will inventory your stuff, but only to the extent of "200 CDs". Don't have them pack anything with high personal value, expensive jewelry, or important documents. If you have kids, get a babysitter for the day - they'll only get in the way.
That's just a few things, I'm sure other people have plenty more for you.
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SOAPBOX SWITCH ON - Dude, you're under 21. If you're under 21 and get pulled over after drinking and driving...first off, you're an idiot, second off, you're damn lucky if you don't get your a$$ thrown through the wringer.Originally posted by Jason4638:I had a few drinks a few hours before hand and I was perfectly capable of driving. Remember, if you are over the age of 21, you cannot get a DUI because there is no such thing. You would simply get a DWI if you were proven to be intoxicated.
SOAPBOX SWITCH OFF - No matter where you are in your life, if you have any run-in with the law and it goes on your record, investigators can find a record of it...expunged or not. Will this have any effect on you getting an ROTC slot? Can't say, but if it was the minor deal you make it out to be, I would say no. If your DUI/DWI doesn't hinder your ROTC slot, it won't hinder your pilot slot. Whatever you do, DO NOT lie about it - disclose it to whoever asks.
You're talking semantics. I've you've been drinking and you drive, nobody cares what the hell it's called - you will have a drunk driving mark on your record.Keep in mind that people over 21 cannot get a DUI in Texas and only get DWIs -
The only thing I would suggest is to kindly query your security manager or the security forces guy to check on the status of the application. I recently had to redo my TS and it took nearly a year and a half from the time I got my interview.Originally posted by Joey:Is there anything else that I can do to speed this along?
It depends on what you're doing. If your TDY doesn't require any clearance (I can't think of many pre-UPT casual jobs that would), then you're fine. There are plenty of people in the AF who have an interim or no clearance.Also, with just an interim secret, can I still be involved in any TDY type jobs until UPT begins? -
Don't know if it's true, but I was always told you put one in your boot and the other around your neck in case you're blown apart - they could identify you by either your lower or upper body.
Don't know about the heavies, but fighters don't wear them in their boots (or around their neck) while they're flying. Most guys will put them in the arm pocket.
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Like Thebobgoat said, there is a radius designated at each base. From Columbus and Laughlin, I remember it being within a 4-5 hour drive (Austin was included for Laughlin, New Orleans and Atlanta for Columbus). It's basically a distance that you can drive safely and be able to return with enough rest time for the next duty day.Originally posted by Jordan:how far can you go away from your UPT base on a weekend without taking leave, provided there's nothing going on that weekend?
You don't need to take leave, but you're supposed to tell your flight commander for accountability sake.If you want to leave Friday afternoon to visit your family 3 or 4 hours away and get back Sunday night, do you need permission? -
The standards are the same, but since it's based off a percentage of your body weight, that generally equates to a lower weight required.
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I only wish Animal had been my class leader. Wait...nevermind, his open bar tab would probably have led to my downfall - Animal, do they have double vodka Red Bulls at CBM?
Seriously, the role of class leader/SRO is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it's an asspain burden. Everything that the class f***s up is essentially your fault. After the flt/cc gets done reaming the class, he'll tear the SRO a new one...even if the SRO was nowhere in the vicinity of whatever ridiculous crime the class committed.
On the other hand, it can be a blessing. Class leader is a huge responsibility - they put the senior ranking guy in charge because they want somebody who has some experience with the AF and knows what's going on. To that effect, almost every class leader I have seen go through UPT finished near the top of his class largely due to a very boosted flight commander ranking.
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Ask your resource advisor/NCOIC about authorizing a rental car on your orders. If you are authorized a car on your orders, then you'll get reimbursed when you file your travel voucher. Otherwise you can try, but you'll possibly be SOL.
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To be considered married by the Air Force, your spouse needs to be registered in DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System). To do this, you'll need to take a marriage certificate and your wife (or her applicable info) to MPF. The DEERS info is what goes to Finance, Tricare and (I believe) housing for proof of marriage.
To answer your second question, yes you would be considered single if you are not legally married. You won't necessarily have to live in the dorms - they only require non-married guys to live in the dorms when they are occupied below a certain percentage (I want to say 85%). If the dorms are filled more than that, you're free to get an apartment off base. In terms of getting a house on base, it's not likely, but like Air Guardian mentioned, it's possible. The caveat to base housing I've seen single guys get is that they were doubled up with roommates.
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You get plenty of days of in UPT - They're called Saturday and Sunday. Other than that and holidays that may fall on a Monday, you won't get any days off. There will be a transition period, it's not like you're sitting in class one day and then you're strapped into the cockpit. You'll have plenty of P-missions (academics on various new subjects), but it's not time off by any means.
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Are you talking auto insurance or life insurance? Proof of vehicle insurance is required to get your car/bike registered to drive on base. Life insurance is covered by SGLI (Serviceman's Group Life Insurance) if you choose to take it. It's like 15 bucks a month.
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I got one - UPT class 97-10. Big piece of bulky FOD. I never wore it, think I gave it away.
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I don't know about the FARs, but in the military world, the option definitely includes a low approach. The option is great for flexibility, but not as great for ATC and pattern spacing. If you know you are not going to touch down, don't request the option - request a low approach; when you request the option the tower controllers must provide the most conservative spacing - required runway separation from the guy in front of you and the guy behind you under the assumption that you will full stop. It's not really a factor in most places, but if the pattern fills up, you may get sent around from an intended low approach or touch and go.
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I'll disagree there. I've flown into all classes of airspace, CONUS and OCONUS and I can say that it has a lot to do with the type of airspace - which will generally have a higher traffic load - not just whether you're IFR. I also went into Andrews once and after they tried to send me to the opposite end of the field to fly a star, we declared min fuel. No response (it won't get you traffic priority, but we tried). We waited until we were no kidding going to be emer fuel before we said the word. You have zero priority when you start getting into airspace with a lot of commercial airliners flying - it gets extremely expensive for them to be be vectored off course or (God forbid) broken off an approach.Originally posted by Jer105:If your IFR it doesn't really matter what class the airspace is. I just flew an Army C-12 to Andrews AFB, within 15 min of a ramp freeze for the president and it was the same as flying to a class D airport when your IFR.
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Generally the IPs would suggest places to go and the students would get to choose from those available options. Occasionally you'll get the student who suggests something out of the way - I remember one class that made it to Vegas from Columbus. They had to double turn Friday and fly once Saturday to make it there, then trip turn Sunday to make it back (didn't get a whole lot of training either). As long as you're within decent range and can get 1-2 guys to go with you, most IPs don't really care where you go.
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Take your pick, but the two stories I've always heard have to do with the WWII idea about the headset crushing the hat and the "fighter tuck" where guys with a bunch of hours do it.
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It's been a while since I was there, but it was extremely laid back (compared to UPT). More than likely you'll be in billeting, but I know of guys who brought their wives and got apartments off base (it's only a couple months, so I don't know exactly how they managed it). As far as pay goes, you'll get whatever the San Antonio TDY Per Diem pay is. If you're not sure, contact your base MPF and they can tell you.
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Every time you deploy you should get a SERE briefing with respect to the area you will be in. Both times I´ve been to the desert we got them. Included were escape and evasion techniques for that particular area and life support briefings...what´s in your equipment. In addition to that, I actually went through my survival kit and vest to see what was in there and where.Originally posted by C-21 Pilot:Another thing, a lot of guys have never seen a cold weather seat kit. A seat kit in North Carolina is packed a lot different than a kit from Alaska or Aviano, Italy. There is a lot of shit in there!!!
To this day, O´Grady is used by survival instructors as an example of what not to do in an E&E situation. I can understand not remembering some stuff you learned many years before, but running towards a bunch of Marines with your gun drawn is just stupid.
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Actually, the XL on the tail codes came from when the base hit it's fortieth anniversary (XL is the Roman numeral for 40). The tailcodes were changed at that time to XL. It wasn't until a few years later that a different wing commander changed the theme to "eXceL". I was there when it happened, and the extent to which they went with that theme made you want to throw up -- you had to have an 'eXceL" card on you at all times similar to a coin...absolutely retarded.Originally posted by ChuckFlys17s:XL is from the 1970s or something when the base commander changed it as part of the whole 'XL'ence theme that is all over Laughlin.
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You will very rarely have different aircraft in the VFR pattern at the same time. Generally a pattern and the groundtrack references are built for the predominant MDS at that base, and they've got priority. If a C-17 showed up at my base will there were F-15s beating up the pattern, there's no way the tower controllers would let him in. In addition to him flying different airspeeds, you need to have increased runway separation when he lands, as well as wake turbulence separation.Originally posted by stu:1) enhancing traffic separation by having different a/c types flying different patterns
It is, but again that's not the reason we do it. When you go into your initial break (depending on how fast you're going), you can bleed from cruising speed (~300 knots) to gear limiting speed (~250 knots) at mid-range power in less than 90 degrees of turn.loading up the turns at idle power seems like a good way to quickly bleed energy
This is true as well, but it's not the reason we do it on a day to day basis. In combat you would do what's called tactical initial - two aircraft with one mile lateral spacing at 10,000 feet that do a ~40 degree nose low sliceback in idle to the base point, where they throw down their gear, continue another 180 degrees and land. You're not likely to get that approved at your average CONUS base.better margin of safety/survivability with the jets traversing potentially hostile terrain while in the approach phaseThe reason for the VFR pattern is because it allows for a greater volume of aircraft like Metalhead said and more training with less gas. We could practice all our landings from the radar pattern, but staying in a more confined visual pattern saves us time and gas.
[ 20. April 2004, 01:45: Message edited by: Toro ]
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Yes I was a FAIP, but I don't really have any all-encompassing information except to say enjoy the time you've got with him now. He may put in long days, but his TDYs are pretty much limited to cross country flights over the weekend...no trips to the desert just yet. If you have any specific questions, feel free to fire me a PM.
Flight Suit Questions
in General Discussion
Posted
Concur with the vote to turn it in, but if you can't get a new one, try a cleaning product called 'Goof Off'. I've never tried it on oil, but it takes damn near every other type of stain out of fabric.