Boxhead

Bishkek will be awesome. Did you know that Bishkek is the mail-order bride capitol of the world? Manas AB does not let anyone leave base to go there not becasue of any threats...there is none. It is becasue they want people "war-focused"...not out there having an awesome time which is really easy to do there. The only danger there is falling in lust with Natasha and confusing it for love...which can lead to all sorts of bad things. You will have a blast unles the people running the show are DBs. Have fun!

Including MPF...when I tried to explain that my CAC was wrong becasue it specificly shows "Pay Grade" in addition to Rank, they said "No, it's right, you are a Capt, that is an O-3"...I told then that my Pay Grade was O-3E...and they...honestly...never heard of it... This was a SrA...wow. To thier credit, they did look in the PC, and the option was not on thier little ID card Database dropdown box...it literaly did not compute. Oh well, as long as finance gets it right...I really don't care about the CAC. :) damn, strayed into a different topic....my bad The communist idea though....no kidding, the military is the closest thing to a socialist state that exists in America..that is not new news! I have an awesome idea to fix the whole thing though....dorms/base housing for all. No BAH. Let's just spend the money up front...oh crap, Wait, I would have more sq footage than a single guy due to my dependents...that CAN'T be fair! I mean, I signed the line...I knew they would have to pack in my dorm room when I got married....there must be total equity in all things.... Single dudes can totally scam the system anyway...what is better than a DINK household? A QINK one, I have seen lots of dudes make the system work for them by going all in on a huge house and splitting the costs. Don't want to do that? But why, you CAN do it, you have the freedom to do it...is it not their choice just like it was mine to have a family? I have to go 12 year old for a second..."I make more money than you...ha ha ha" OK, glad that's done. This arguement is mind numbing, I feel dirty just being involved. Balad bordom makes you do crazy things I guess.

Mambo, what was the date on that rule, or better, when were you there. I carried in NM concealed each time I was there, and I know of a number of folks who are currently doing it...everyone I know including me thinks it is legal...I don't even have a NM carry permit, although some of them do, I have a TN one and TN has reciprocity with a bunch of states. http://www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/NMSL.pdf This one is from July 2006, but the NRA usually does a pretty good job of keeping things up to date on their website. Just curious, I gotta know if I need to be stealthy or not!

There is another painfully obvious route (well variation of the route) that no one has mentioned. Do 4 years enlisted...then just get out. Simple. No competition. Take as much college as you can while you are in...focus on GenED classes that will easily transfer. Pick a major you like and a school that has AFROTC. Get accepted at the school and join ROTC. Again, no competition. (well, usually) As a Prior-E, there are a few things you can statistically count on...you will do well in college, you will get an ROTC scholarship and you will be very high on the CC ranking. Granted, those assumptions are based on you not being a slug, brain-dead or un-motivated. (e.g....better shots at getting that pilot slot than the average straight-to-college person) Here is a few more nice things: You will get the MGIB...around a grand a month I think. You qualify for unemployment and can receive it as long as you are in ROTC 99% chance of at least a 2 year scholarship...that should be about all you need. O-1E Basically, you get 4 years of experience and maturity, then your college paid for and approx $2k a month in spending money for going to school full time. Just some thoughts. It's all technique though.

Man, if more than one segmant of that sentence is true at any given time....someone has officially made you their bitch...actually, a number of people. I hope it was more sarcastic. :)

I do a little part-time corporate flying. Long story....GREAT deal.

I am getting soooo excited to get back over there! I think I am going to keep a little log book of every time I see/hear/are involved with this stuff. Then I am writing a book. Retirement taken care of!

I just picked up some Ambien...I love the stuff. I don't have a sleep problem per say...I just work nutty shifts and if I want a full 8 hours of rest before one, the Little White Pill just makes me be able to do that. I only use it aobut once, maybe twice a week though.

Typicaly they will at least "pause" the contract. That's what my phne service does at least.

Just go ahead and get yourself a DUI right up front...in lots of states you then a fancy personal breathalyzer installed right into your car for free! What a deal! Then you never have to worry about it again. You are young, you can bounce right back.

Mess Dress at a wedding always made me wonder.... Most people I talk to would never wear a uniform, any uniform to any event if they had their option...Wear blues out to dinner with your family while on leave? Oh my God, that is just too gay. Not changing before going to the club, no way. Anything besides a bag at work, regardless of your flight schedule...unthinkable. Then, on what is possibly the most important day to your family life, the one where pictures are going to tell the story for years, they want to wear a uniform and slap "I'm in the USAF" all over the wedding album. I just don't get it. Are these guys wearing their Class A to their kids graduations? First Communions, etc....if so, great, and feel free to wear your uniform anywhere, anytime with no scorn from me. However, if it is just a one time thing, and the thought of a uniform makes you puke at any other time, I just think it is kinda hypocritical. I am not saying this instance is one of those negative times....the whole thread just made me think about the topic.

I agree with everyone else here...if you own, and someone else is going to live with you, make them sign a lease, or assume you are paying all the bills. And if that is case, you better be having sex with them on a regular basis. Since I would hope you are not having hot man love with your tenants, have them sign a lease. If they get helos or T-44s, the Military Clause you should have on their lease will release them just fine. No problems. Problems only occur with no lease. SOOO...Lease=Good. No Lease=Bad.

Ditto, my morning constitutional was more than a walk. I guess if minimalist camping is new or uncomfortable for you, then I can see the plugged up policy. FYI...I was a BDU guy there, mostly because I hate wearing the bag when it's hot. I was stunned to hear some folks think that the bag is cooler when its hot, but to each his own I suppose. Dry socks, drawers and t-shirts (Gore-tex if you have it). Power bars of choice. Everything else they give ya. I just wish we would go to the two piece flight suit the Army uses...I hear we "technically" can wear it now...it is just not issued yet. I did see one dude wearing it not to long ago.

For what it is worth....info from a very reliable source...nothing that is too cosmic: So for what it is worth...there it is. The FOIA stuff that was discussed is not a player until it is no longer an active investigation. So for the intimate details of what actually happened...you are all going to have wait until the 18 month med thing is over, then the investigation and re-evaluation to finish up...then the AF decision, then...maybe...it will be releasable. Maybe when my 2.5 year old goes into journalism in 16 tears, she can look it up. :)

First piece of advice...stop thinking about it. Just listen to IPs from different backgrounds, and study and do well at UPT so you can be in the position to pick where you want to go.....once you get to that choice. Honorable desire...however it has minimal to do with the airframe you pick. Marriage as "happy" and "functional" is up to you two. Good luck, it is important and awesome! Never? That is strong. A lot, just like lots of other airframes...a bit more accurate. Sometimes...depends who you are supporting What about V-22, PC 12, Talons, Shadows, hell even Preds? Lots of people support the special guys on the ground. And that is what they ALL do, support the guys kicking down doors. Sometimes they do other stuff, but really they are there to give those dudes support. Agreed, that is awesome stuff. Disaster relief....other airframes do that as well. Highly rewarding. Except when the Marines screw up the logistic and support side of a major relief operation (read: Tsunami in 04/05) Even with them tring to make life crappy, it was still awesome. Get started? Do well in UPT, and be that guy that is able to pick any track he wants. You will pick up the knowledge you need along the way. Don't stress about this stuff yet. Stress about having Notes Warnings and Cautions memorized! :) Good luck. :)

Yup.

I am going with Huggy on this one. The "SNAPness" is the whining about saluting...not the other way around. I saluted 1Lts when I was a 2Lt. An earlier post summed up my opinoin...when I was an Airman, that would have bugged me to see two officers that could not follow the most basic customs and courtesies. I would have lost respect for them as military leaders right there. I honestly never heard of this "tradition" until I got my commission. I usually don't correct anyone on this topic because it would be like going to Greece with a "Turkey Rocks" t-shirt on and trying to convince them that is an OK thing to think. If I focused on the little stuff that others do that bugs me, I would not have time for my job. I just do my part, do what is right and press. That's what non-SNAPs do. SNAPs whine about this stuff and try to justify their general lack of military bearing by saying that the issue is "gay" or whatever else they say to make themselves feel special. On the point of the thread, that guy was an idiot and is the other extreme that is just as bad.

I was referring to the "attitude" that was shown in one post...not their SOP The second part of that statement is like someone saying, "Hey you are a pilot, so you can go fly anything the AF has, right?" Both statements show a general lack of understanding of the thing they are talking about. That's s cool though, no one expects you to know everything. This is where we are going to have to agree to disagree. Now if you would have said "their Air Force job is to support the mission"....then I would totally agree. Aircrew's job is to support the mission, finance guy supports the mission, MX guy, WX guy, the cops, the....well the everybody has that same job. We all support the mission. We (aircrew) just get to be the last person to put it all together and apply that common mission focus into the effects that are desired by the commanders. Now, when someone gets all high and mighty in their little fiefdom and makes people "miserable while they are not flying", that sucks and apparently they forgot their job....to support the mission. Remember, if a finance guy gives you bad attitude, they are most likely giving that same crappy attitude to everyone, not just aircrew. Asses are asses and they are asses to everyone. In general. But to say they are here to support YOU? How is the weather up there on that huge horse you are perched on?

The plane belongs to the contractor, so it's the contractor's rules in the absence of any issued AF ones. That being said, in a unit move the troop commander can make whatever rules they want. It can literally vary from flight to flight. I don't think you will find an AFI.

lol, that attitude is why they smile as they place you prone on the tarmac. But hey, it's all technique.

Yeah cause aircrew would never whore themselves or their toys out to people who want a picture with military gear. Have you ever been to an air show? Especially one overseas where aircrew are charging almost criminal fees for sq coins, T-shirts and other stuff? People like to get pictures. If it keeps morale up, who gives a hoot? Now, if they are them lying to people about the context of said picture, well that is different, but just to have a picture for a keepsake?...who cares? And those pics are legit as far as the cops go, they are out there doing crazy stuff in the AOR...from the cheesy boring stuff like protecting you and your plane while you sleep to cool stuff like convoys and going after weapons caches and bad guys with some other govt agencies. Their buds are getting shot up just like any other ground unit. We just lost one from Nellis the other day. Are they special? Nope. Are they doing a lot of good and don't need to hear sh!t from other people? Yep.

Nope. The 11, 15 & 17 RS and the 42 ATKS are all up at Creech under the new 432nd Wing.

Just to clarify...Clovis is just a future site for the 3 SOS...all other AD Predator units are staying at Creech. I think the Clovis thing is a few years away anyway. Then again, I am not to upset, I don't really want my daughter growing up in Vegas thinking this is normal life!

I think it is all about the mission. All the support folks share that mission with all of us. I think that has been forgotten. The medics, the finance folks, the basketball-hander-outers, whoever, they all have the same mission, to get the USAF's planes in the air so they can do whatever mission they are doing. When people start to think that their micro level job is their mission instead of the REAL mission that we all do, that is when things break down. Just me though. (my sociologist side coming out) I think the other branches (no so much the Navy) almost have it easier when it comes to heritage. Simple men are easy to admire. (that is not a bust) The USMC, for example, has historically low entry requirements (remember, "hey go to jail or the USMC")...then they go through basic and AIT, develop that brotherhood and willingness to lay down their lives for God, country and Corps, and viola...all kinda heritage and esprit de corps....they want to hold onto that tie, it defines them as a person and shapes all (well a lot) things about them. Now, let's look at AF warfighters...we are the back wards branch, the "educated" ones are the front line fighters (OK, except, PJs, JTACs, some cops, etc...) With that, look at the socio-economic backgrounds of your average ground pounder and then of your average pilot. In general, the pilots are white, upper middle class who went to pretty good high schools and colleges. Not a horrible thing, but the point is they have had lives that don't need that kind of validation and don't require someone to force things onto them, as a matter of fact, when USMC style rules are forced on us...you can actually watch the panties get into a bunch. They (we) are used to being at the top of whatever food chain we came up. That comes with a large dose of individualism. It actually surprises me that we (as a group) have as much esprit de corps as we have. Now before people get all worked up, I know that there are some pretty large generalizations in there. But this is not just my random thoughts, there are plenty of military sociology research papers out there that support the same things.

I hear lots of folks saying "Well the Army/Marines are different. True. However, the AF is allowed to go out and booze up in blues whenever/wherever they want. Now, they are not allowed to "bring discredit to the AF"; and in BDUs, they are not allowed to go to a place that PRIMARILY serves alcohol. But TGI Friday's and a couple of beers...BDU away if you are into that kinda thing. Now do most AF people ever really do that...nope, it is just not in our culture. The other services have that type of esprit de corps about their service. I just wanted to note that the differences (in reference to bar wear) are more service specific folkways, not regs.