brabus

Weird. My experience at Tyndall...I got a FAM ride in a 1v1 HABFM. All of it took place over the Gulf...I do not have water survival (however, maybe it was illegal and the Top 3 et al just didn't realize). My other experience was at Luke...they were also FAM rides and I was merely thrown in an empty back seat, i.e. defintely not an incentive ride set up just for me. How we did it was just call down to the OSS, get some paperwork from them, our cc had to sign a permissive TDY, and that was it. From there, we just walked around to the various sq's, talked w/ their schedulers and see if there were any back seats available...if there were, they'd throw us in. That was it. The only INCENTIVE I got was JETO at FT. So for ROTC/casuals, usually you'll have to set it up something like we did, thus being a FAM ride. The only incentive flights you will ever get will be on a ROTC PDT, or maybe if your casual at a FS and they're really cool to set up a flight just for you, but more likely you'll just sandbag (which is completely awesome anyways). Toro...a guy I know who just got here was casual at SJ, and it sounded like all of his rides were just sandbags. He said none of them were flown "just for him"...so wouldn't all those be FAM rides? You might as well man...it will at the very least save you some ass pain. The times I've gone, EVERY time we would have been turned away w/o alt cards. You don't want to make a trip to a base just to get shut down for not having an alt card. And if you can get it relatively easily, you might as well. [ 04. December 2006, 10:02: Message edited by: brabus ]

FAM is the more restrictive...I was told incentive is a ride solely for you...i.e. Amn of the year gets a ride. FAM is a mission profile that was being flown anyways and just happened to have a back seat open. Obviously they're not going to change the mission profile just b/c Lt joe blow doesn't have an alt card. Basically, if you don't have an alt card, you cannot hop in any back seat for a FAM ride that goes above 18k. I would say the majority of profiles in 15s/16s involve altitudes greater that 18k; thus anyone w/o an alt card will just have to sit and wait for a profile that can/is going to be flown under 18k the whole time...not that great of a chance (especially if you're hitting a base for 3 days or so hoping for FAM rides). Every ride I've gotten, the OSS and the SQ had to have copies of a couple forms AND my chamber card...it was definitely a no-go w/o one (this was at Luke and Tyndall). Just my experience.

Depends completely on base, wing king, etc. Last I talked to casual dudes at Luke, they were getting 2-3 rides a week if they wanted it. Dudes casual at the PIT squadrons at Randolph were doing the same. But if you're at Vance, it's an unfair advantage (riiighhttt). So, it just comes down to where you go casual. If you go to a FS, good chance you'll get at least a couple rides. If you go to a FTU, PIT, IFF squadron, there's a good chance you'll get more than that.

Really, the only rides you're going to be able to put together are FAM rides. Incentives just aren't going to happen. Thus, as Evil said, you're pretty much SOL w/o an alt card...unless you get lucky and get a FAM ride like Hoser was talking about. Your options are much wider w/ one than w/o...plus, where are you planning to go to get rides? It might just depend on which a/c, base.

As long as you do a univ sanctioned program AND run it by cadre first, then there will probably be minimal security effect. Your original plan of just throwing together some 1 year sabbatical/take a few classes was much sketchier than a semester long, univ program. The latter will most likely be fine. If you still really want to fly, be absolutely sure this WILL NOT hamper your future flying career. It would be ideal to do a semester program the Fall semester of your senior year...that way you'll be done w/ pilot selection (hopefully), can get brooks out of the way, etc. all before you leave. Shoot for that and you'll be good to go.

No man, I was referring to whitman's friend.

Well I think the bigger point is he would rather do some fast track career bs than be in the cockpit...F that.

EASY...you put Intel as your AFSC choice if you should lose your pilot slot for med reasons (on Form 53 after you are given a pilot slot). Then, if something happens and you can't fly, guess what...AF automatically puts you as an intel officer. Exact thing happened to a dude who graduated with me. Intel is not hard to get...its a backup that will work if something happens and you can't fly.

"Some of you might say that I should do everything in my power to get that slot and not worry about anything else, I'm just not that kind of person" "It's definitely what I want" Those are conflicting statements. It's definitely what you want, but you're not willing to give 100% to make it happen? Dude, figure out what you really want. I think most will agree w/ me that it sounds like you half-ass care about getting a slot. If you want intel, you'll get it...it's not competitive. Just do that and stop thinking about flying, you have not displayed the right attitude for it. You can piss and moan all you want over that comment, but no matter what, it's true. If you don't want it to be true, then do a 180 and start focusing on getting your ass in gear to get a slot and stop thinking about some dream study-abroad, jerk eachother off in derkastan program. It's one or the other...choose what you want, but the way you're going, you're not getting both.

Well finally some provided info on that part...that's good it'll happen after the boards, but Dactyl brings up a good point on being at your Det to take care of med stuff, paperwork stuff, etc. There's shitloads of it. You still have to go to Brooks. On a second note, you must graduate/commission in the FY year you are given a pilot slot...so going abroad for a year after getting your slot is not going to work (no way you can just show up 2 weeks before commissioning and say, "lets go!").

What countries...Libya, Morocco, Egypt? - All with terrorist activity. What about Qatar? Guess they're the most "American friendly" out there. Despite the massive amounts of security problems that can and probably will arise b/c of this, you still need to think about how bad you want to fly. A whole year after FT w/o cadre interaction is a knife to the throat when it comes to getting a pilot slot. Have you thought about that aspect at all? Quit complaining and sack up...that's the attitude that has overtaken/is destroying all that was good in the AF.

That about sums it up...agreed.

Well sure, you'll be studying...so it's not a vacation in the common sense. How bout "adventure." Does that better describe what you're wanting to do? You yourself even used the term "sabbatical." If you're going to go abroad, don't do it for a whole year, just do a semester. If you're away for an entire year, that's an entire year that cadre will have to forget about you, not be able to judge your ability and then when you come back and say, "hey, I want pilot"...they'll say, "hey! Go sit in a hole, but don't worry, you can still be cool and wear a bag!" Much higher chance of something like that happening if you go abroad; magnified 10 times if you go for a year. THAT is what you really need to think about hard before making this decision.

Wait, we can't put up christmas lights on base? Those fvckers.

No, they appear backasswards because you seem to have no problem putting your officer/flying career in huge jeopardy for some vacation. If you could take it or leave it with the AF/flying, no big deal if doesn't work out, etc....then by all means take your trip (and on a second note, just stop even thinking about going for a rated slot IF that is your attitude). I'm not saying it wouldn't be a good experience, you would learn a lot, etc. I'm saying you think it's more important to go on some "cool" trip for a year than to become an officer and a pilot. You'll see plenty of the world later on.

1 semester is bad enough, go for 2...say goodbye to flying (most likely). What year in school are you? Are you talking about taking your junior year? Besides all the shit tons of problems you'll cause for yourself security clearance wise, you will SEVERELY hurt your chances at a rated slot. What's more important, flying in the AF (and getting PLENTY of derkastan "vacation" time) or paying out of your own pocket to spend a year in a bad part of the world (yes I know the culture is interesting, but so is living, get it?). This is definitely a bad decision if being an officer and a flyer is even remotely an important goal to you. Bottom line: You need to sit down and evaluate your priorities in life...sounds like you have them backasswards if a military career is what you truely want. [ 29. November 2006, 09:43: Message edited by: brabus ]

Bend the ribbons out just a bit (widen the gap that goes over the rack...sts). They'll slide on very easily and then you can kind of push them back in to make it a tighter fit (sts). Secondly, who really cares...just don't bother until you have some dbag shoes ***** enough at ASBC about your out-of-reg uniform and how it will single handedly lose the war on terror, then deal with it...that's what I did. [ 28. November 2006, 21:25: Message edited by: brabus ]

Ok, I actually read the thing real quick (the quote was just an email highlight)...it does say this only applies on duty. So, guess my scenario above doesn't apply. Either way, reflective belts off the flightline..WTFO?

The new Wing King's policy letters are out at Vance...here's my favorite: "You must wear reflective belts (or something similar) at night on and off the flightline." Great, so since I live on base, apparently I need to put on a reflective belt to take my dog out.

No kidding. At least that was one thing I got right!

Well shit, that's even easier. Then you can take your still-drunk ass to the cycle room and just ride a bike for an hour.

God, we did that at ASBC...I was just embarrassed for everyone there, including myself. That was definitely in the top 5 reasons why I wanted to shove a hunting knife in my gut and twist. "Cadet, why are you throwing up and weaving while running stairs?" "Uhhh, I'm working so hard at PT that I'm almost to my breaking point???" "Well good job then (while standing with hands on hips - getting shit done the personnelist way)." Whew, he bought it. We win again Jack! HA!

I've known I have a slight heart murmer since my DODMERB back in high school. That's the only time I've heard anything about it...same thing, "oh by the way, you have a slight heart murmer, no big deal." They didn't say a word at Brooks and I came back cleared to fly 1.5 weeks later, so obviously there were no issues. Don't sweat it, you're fine.

Yeah I guess that makes sense...though I've seen people get pretty screwed buying cars off ebay. Though I've also seen 2 good ones work out. In the end, just seems to risky to me from a buying standpoint...unless you can actually see the car/take it to a mechanic before buying it. But, that means having the luck of the car being somewhat close to you...a long shot on ebay.

I use(d) the same process as fuse. Pretty standard one...nonetheless, read the POH for guidance, it's good to use that and not 100% rely on what we say.