Shut up 'n color

Are they ever going to get rid of the .XFDL format so you can open them on a MAC? I heard the Army was moving to PDFs this year....that would make sense. But then again, I don't expect the AF to do things that make sense.

Anyone know what the pay package is going to be for VSP vs. RIF? I haven't seen anything official yet.

Any word on the pay for VSP that anyone has seen? I understand the chart that was published shows the VSP application window from Jan to April with a DOS in Sep 14. In the past, does AFPC inform all applicants at the same time after the window closes? Or do they do individual notifications 8 weeks after submission like the forms say? If I pull the trigger, I'm just trying to estimate how long I have from official approval to DOS.

Any word on how the DOS would be established? Is that decided upon by AFPC or the member?

My buddy went to his base wide force shaping brief. It was said there that this would be a first-come first-served basis. Can anyone confirm that? Because that contradicts the Force Shaping Question/Answer doc that was published last week.

Anyone know what the Tricare situation is for RIF and/or VSP? Does it just stop upon your DOS?

I'm curious to get some opinions and legal info about the following: There is an Ops Group that I'm familiar with that is going through the standard CUI awesomeness, and just as the last one 2 years ago, there is some uniform standardization arguments. Is it legal for a Commander to outlaw the US Flag patch to be worn, but still allow WIC, TPS, and Wing Patchs? I know there are discrepancies between fighter and heavy communities, but to tell someone they are specifically NOT allowed to wear the US FLAG, is that legal? Thoughts?

Trying to get some updated information along the flying side of ADSCs. Situation: C17 to T6 to C17 (AC Requal). I think I am understanding that the Requal will not extend me past my 10, however, down the road, when I do go to IP School according to 36-2107 I will get a 2 year ADSC, which can extend past the UPT commitment, correct? There is bound to be someone on here that has gone through this. Does IP school at Altus, extend you past UPT? If so, this could cause me to show my cards about 1 year earlier than desired, thus burning multiple bridges.

Our ability to focus on only what's important!

If anyone has any questions or wants info about T6 Nav training at PCola (not Whiting) as an IP, PM me. Currently YES you will go through the normal PIT syllabus at RND which includes mostly formation even though you won't fly it here. You will also do everything from the back seat at PIT even though the Nav stud sits there on every sortie.

I see alot of info about living in the BOQ as a student for CSO training...but does anyone have any experience or knowledge about living on base in family housing. I'm going to be coming down there as a T6 IP and am deciding if I should look to buy a house or if living on base is a good deal. I'm not sure what the conditions, size, upgrades, etc are in the base homes so any info would be great. Thanks!

Will you still get this TDY in and around mileage if you do NOT have a NON A? I would be surprised if you did, but am not sure.

So the train is pretty bad? We were going to use Vantage at Schertz, but we will have a 1 year old with us where a train might not work. I guess I'll need to look around more, but we are trying to find a place that allows 2 medium dogs (that doesn't charge absurd non-refundable fees), close to base and is still a good home for the family for 4 months. If anyone has any inputs please through them out there. C17 Pirate -- Did you get a Non A?

I have a friend that's staying in the apartment complex Springs at Live Oak. He recommends it but they only have 6 month or more lease, so he's paying out of pocket for over a month!!! I'm not sure how long T1 PIT is, but T6 is 4 months-ish. Most people use Court Furniture rentals too inorder to get the necessities for the time you are there. I'll be going there in Jan, so PM me if you have recommendations b/c I have been looking online quite a bit and calling a few places. The Vantage at Converse and the Vantage at Schertz are both apartment places that are cheap...new and look pretty good from what I can tell online. Plus they are really close to base which seems convenient.

Just like it was stated above....C17s are going nuts and the rumor is that it's going to last until August. But everyone knows it's going to be much longer than that. Personally, I think its going to last until the economy picks up and there are jobs for people to get out and go to. Until then, they are going to squeeze us dry because they know there is no where to go. As far as deployments, our schedule isn't too bad, 4 months every 15 months or so. But you'd never know it b/c when you are "home" you go on 15 day trips. For a new guy it's pretty good for a little while, you get a chance to have repetition and learn alot very quickly. However, no matter how busy you are, they will still push for you to get your SOS done as a LT and complete you masters degree the day you step foot on station. Bottom line, if you are interested in the mission and traveling the world, try it out. If you hated it, it's only 3-4 years then PCS to something different.

After recently discussing my future plans of possibly going to a UPT base for my next assignment, a friend of mine mentioned that he has heard people getting their PCS location changed while at PIT regardless of them having orders to that new base. Is this something that happens often? I know how the AF works by now and understand the "needs" argument, but I just wanted to see if people have any experience with this situation.

Not sure what the future holds for me as far as my next assignment, however, I did have some questions as far as going to PIT from an MWS location. Anyone who has done this could probably explain to me how things are usually run when you have a family and 2 dogs (assuming it's a TDY enroute). Do they make you live on base? If so, how does it work with the family and who do you argue to for funding off base, your losing unit or gaining unit? How often can you talk your way into getting a TDY out and back? I would imagine this is fairly a common scenerio, whether or not people bring their families may be the difference. Any info about this process would be great. Also, I'm not sure what the daily life of PIT students are these days and if the gayness of UPT is still there or not...if you could sum that up too it would make my decision making process easier. Thanks.

Anyone have any updated WiFi info from the Deid? I have heard rumors that they are going to strengthen the bandwidth and/or spread it out to the dorms around the CC. Any truth to that? I'll believe it when I see it. Has Skype video calling been working decently enough? How about the number of outlets avalible to plug in the computers...any increase in those around the BPC BRA and Del?

Does anyone have first hand experience on whether or not your global blackberry will get data in the Deid if you have the Worldwide data plan. I was just in Manas and I only got voice capability which led me to this question. I searched the coverage map but that was contradicting saying that voice works, but data may be avalible in some spots in the country. Just want to get confirmation from someone incase you can't cancel it once you are OCONUS.

Just like someone said above, you really need to consider location....at least that's what I did. You need to analyze your own way of life and the fact that C130 locations suck, that's no problem b/c you'll be deployed all the time anyway. Doing the "cool" tactical crazy flying is fun, but just like anything else, it gets old, and before you know it the main objective is to just not get Q3'd (for all UPT guys that means "hooking" a ride...any ride, not only checks). I personally think there's nothing wrong with flying from point A to point B using a stick and a HUD, traveling the world and seeing cool places. No matter what you fly you'll see the AOR, plenty of it. And not to get too political, but with our new POTUS select, I think we'll all have jobs as we "pull out of OIF!" Another thing to consider (not sure about C130 manning), but the C17 manning status is about 113% with efforts to shrink that to 99% sending people to U28s and RC12s. Chucktown and other bases currently has copilots PCSing b/c there is a push to fill these new airframes. So expect less C17s to drop in UPT if they havn't already. It may get to a point for a while where if you dont put if first you wont get it.

Heading to the Deid for the first time for a few months. Not sure what they have for electrical outlets. I heard somthing about 3 prong round outlets and 3 prong rectangle outlets. Not sure what i'm looking for and where to find them. Can you buy these adaptars there on base? Also, what's the internet access like out there? Can you get yahoo mail, Gmail, hotmail, etc. Or is it the typical gay restricted internet we have here at home.

You know how many people I asked and posts I made to figure out how to get leave after UPT. The bottomline answer was don't plan a wedding DURING UPT b/c you can request time off and if it's for YOUR own wedding, you should be fine. Granted I understand the word should, and never assumed things would run smoothly. I had to bite down and pick a date at sometime, there is "some" planning involved needing a specific date. We have been engaged 1 year and 6 months b/c we were trying to find the most oppurtune time to get this taken care of, and figured it shouldn't be too hard to get time off after UPT. So yes I looked into it, and did follow people's advice, but the bottomline is that now I need to slip my training date, somthing that also doesn't seem like it should be that hard, but who knows....AFPC doesn't seem to positive even though they read me my MFR on the phone showing they had it and ignored it. Any other advice?

Here's the story in a nut shell. I have been engaged a while now and have taken every effort to plan my wedding for after UPT graduation, but before any follow on training. I put in a special request with my Flt CC to ensure I could get a few days before my wedding and a few days after off of leave, and in hopes AFPC slots me in a class that goes around the dates I requested in that MFR and special request. Turns out, the phrase "nothing's a guarentee" is completely true. While I have been halfway expecting this, my RIP has come in and it sends me a SERE, then a couple days later I need to report to Altus 4 days prior to my wedding!!!! I have just spoken with my Flt CC and he's going to see what he can do, however, is there anything I can attmept at this time? Call AFPC myself? Try to see if they have recieved that special request? I imagaine there are tons of C17 training dates, that it shouldnt' be too hard to just put me in a later class, but then again this is the AF. Any ideas? How about if it doesn't change? What are the chances I can get there and immediatly take leave at Altus? Any help would be great, thanks.

Are the deployment #s anymore or less depending on the base you get assigned to? Ie: Does McGuire deploy less than Charleston b/c Chucktown is considered one of the c17 super bases?

Knowing basic switchology and ground ops is the best at this point. Maybe reviewing systems General Knowledge and any NUMBERS you can think of no matter how ridiculous you think it is....tire press, oil press, boldface/ops, etc. is good too. But seriously, as anxious as you are, don't burn yourself out too early. B/c you WILL get burned out and not like the T6 anymore, they make it that way....UPT is a marathon, enjoy the time you have in academics and just pick the stuff to stress about or you'll burn out quick. No matter how far ahead you think you are before even starting, you'll only have like one or 2 days advantage, people move quick and they'll catch up, so ask yourself if its really worth it.