AFCS_Actuator

The BX at Barksdale sells a wide array of handguns, shotguns, hunting rifles, and even a couple AR-15s. They carry Glock, SIG, S&W, Berreta, plus a few more in the handgun case. The Glocks seem pretty reasonable, around the $500 to $600 range.

I grew up not too far from Edwards and have been there many times. Definitely try to get base housing. The local "community" around Edwards consists of a few trailer parks and a mini-mart. The closest towns are Mojave (about 20 mins NW of the base), which consists of fast food, seedy motels, and gas stations, Adelanto (45 mins away), and Lancaster (about 30 mins from the center of the base). The gates are literally several miles from the actual base complex. Your best bet is base housing or Lancaster. It is really out there in the boonies, but the hottest new jets are there too. You're about 3 hours from Las Vegas, 2-3 hours from Los Angeles, 4 hours from Mammoth Mountain (awesome skiing). Final thought: Edwards is a nice base, but the surrounding area sucks! PM me if you have more specific questions about living in the Mojave. I spent the first 20 years of my life there! [ 14. December 2006, 17:23: Message edited by: Goin2UPT ]

Tertle, even if your intentions are good, which I'm sure they are, it just looks bad if you go spend time "unsupervised" in the region of the world we are more or less at war with. Stop being so SNAPish and accept the answers you're given without getting all asshurt about it. You wanted honest answers and by and large you're getting them. Just because it's not what you wanted to hear doesn't mean that it is wrong. In fact, many here have gone above answering your question to actually giving you suggestions about how to get what you want and not screw things up (ie go with AF sanctioned programs). Big Blue decides what is beneficial and what isn't. If they want you to go to the Middle East to study they'll send you. Otherwise, you'll be popping up (sts) on the wrong peoples' radars. From all of your comments it sounds like a flying career is not on top of your priority list, in which case you should probably stop considering flying an option, period. Go ahead and live it up in derkistan. However, don't come back here whinning about how you didn't get picked up for pilot or nav if you do. EDIT for spelling. [ 30. November 2006, 13:18: Message edited by: Goin2UPT ]

Jazzdude is correct. You only get the training ribbon and NDSM at commissioning. You're supposed to get the GWOT medal after 30 days. I got mine in its original box during my in-processing with MPF. Personnel Records lady: "Does anyone not have a GWOT medal yet?" I shit you not.

There was already an agreement because I was not the first person to blaze that trail. It shouldn't be a big deal. I didn't have my ROTC grades transferred to my community college transcripts. When I started at the university my CC grades were merged with my university grades, which included ROTC stuff. There really wasn't much of a formal agreement as far as I know. Your det should be happy as long as your CC is accredited and you'll be able to transfer to your four year school.

The best thing for all of you guys who are interested in ROTC would be to go talk to the unit admissions officer and the detachment you're looking at. There is no 'miniumum' time to be in ROTC, other than what is required to finish the program, to be considered for a slot. Dan, community colleges don't have ROTC dets. Only four year universities will have a det. I did two years at a community college and commuted to my ROTC det. After two years I transferred to that university. You alluded to the fact that there is a CC that has ROTC. Out of curiosity, what school is it? I did a project when I was still in school that involved every AFROTC det and none of them were at a CC.

If you live off base you shouldn't have to keep them in the armory.

I have some more "new Lt" questions. I PCS to my first base (Barksdale) at the end of Septemeber. I have this checklist for PCSing from my TMO that is telling me to contact my Finance Office for details on TLA, BAH, and advance travel pay. I don't know what TLA or advance travel pay is exactly. I'm not sure I will get anywhere if I call the FO at Barksdale because I'm probably not in the system. Does anyone shed some light on this stuff? PS - WTF were they teaching us in ROTC when I needed to know how to move and how to get paid?

I recently commissioned out of ROTC with a pilot slot. I found out both my casual base and UPT base (subject to change) in April. My casual is going to be about 11 months long. I don't have orders for ASBC, but who knows, I could end up there at some point. Good luck.

Once you get your wings you incur the 10 year commitment. So, with the long casual periods and a year of UPT you're looking at about 12 years of service before you can leave the Air Force. If wash out of UPT you could possibly lose your commission and be given the boot. [ 21. July 2006, 19:31: Message edited by: Goin2UPT ]

My fam ride in a T-6 at Laughlin. There were lots of cumulous in our MOA, it was a CT sortie with no objectives for the IP, and we were the only aircraft in the box. Instead of "surfing" the tops, we went "canyon running" looking for holes or narrow sections betweeen clouds to punch through. It was 50 of the best minutes of my life.

The Seiko Flightmaster is a pretty nice looking watch. It has a flight computer on it that works, but isn't useful. It looks pretty sweet though. I got mine on eBay for about $100. It's a $350 watch. I like the high end G-Shocks as well.

Two great books about what Green Berets have been doing in OIF/OEF: Masters of Chaos The Hunt for Bin Laden

Are we supposed to buy the ribbons ourselves, or is ROTC issuing them?

Chuck Norris is real, Jack Bauer is not! I thought the Chuck Norris doesn't jink line was the best too! :beer"

I was a CAP cadet too. It taught me a lot about what bad leadership is. I saw it in cadets and I saw it in the overweight senior members. CAP can be a good program if you can get with the right people (sts). Some really do care about the mission. There are a lot of washed up hitlers out there too, unfortunately. It is an outlet for their small-minded power trips.

FT is retarded. I pretty much hated every bit of it, except JETO (which got canned) and CATM. Playing sports was ok. Most of the rest of it was gay. On the flip side, like some of the guys on here have said, you have to take it seriously. It does count for quite a bit in the quest for getting a slot or getting some other job you want. Go there, try to have a good attitude, and be in great physical shape before you leave. FT is much easier if you're in good shape. Good luck.

Thanks for the info guys. Anyone ever live on base at Barks?

I RNLT 4 Oct to Barksdale for casual status. Is there anyone on the boards here that can give me some ground truth when it comes to apartments in either Shreveport or Bossier City. Is it better to live on the Bossier City side of the river for commuting purposes? Any info would be great. Thanks. PS- search function used!

There is a 25k unsecured loan availible now. Its called the Career Starter Loan. I took out the loan. It is 25K for whatever you want to use it for. USAA makes you open a checking and savings account when you take out the loan. Loan payments will automatically be deducted from the checking account. The first payment is due 90 days after you commission. Yes, that's right, payments are deferred until you are (hopefully) on AD. Monthly payments are about $440 for 60 months. I opened up one of their high-yield savings accounts, which earns nearly 4% interest (more than a bunch of their CDs). So I am basicially earning double the interest of the loan. Several guys at my detachment have taken out this loan. It's a good deal any way you look at it.

I set up a class for my det at Beale last summer. The best way to set it up is to 1) find out where the closest chamber is, 2) have one of your cadre contact the NCOIC of scheduling at the aerospace phisiology training flight and request the informatio required to set up a class. It will probably consist of some kind of memo saying who/how many want to go and a selection of availible dates. They should get back to you. Then just show up when you say you're going to. I know at Beale they require a minimum of eight students to conduct the class. It is a really cool class. Hoser is correct in that you only need chamber cert for rides that go over FL180. The only thing is that a lot of sorties do go over FL180, so without certification your chances of getting a ride become limited.

I concur with ShortThrow and WHAP. Get out there and get smart on whatever it is you're interested in. Work you butt off. Be a team player. I have noticed a tendancy among ROTC cadets to be ridiculously competitive with each other to the point of breaking the team concept. There are a lot of big egos in ROTC. Be a leader, but don't be a tool.

Flyboys is a good read. It will piss you off though.

FL10.5 in a Cessna 150.

Wow. That was awesome. Thanks.