loadsmith

Haven't been on here in some time but glad I checked back in. I am going to the allergy clinic tomorrow to have an allergy test conducted due to a reaction to a fire ant bite. I didn't have a full anaphylactic reaction but broke out in hives and had numbness in my face. I have been carrying the epipens since August and was told by the allergist that if I am found to be allergic to fire ants and start the Immunotherapy (IT) that my med records will meet a RILO, Records in Lieu Of which he explained as an internal review. He first mentioned MEB and I began to sweat so he clarified the process but I still have my fears. I am an enlisted flier, over 20 and trying to stay in my current unit for at least another 2-3 years. The allergist also said the IT would keep me from any deployments due to the shots which are given monthly for 3-5 years and the possible reaction each time. I will have to do some more reading in the above regs if it turns out I am allergic to something necessitating the IT. Best of luck to you Duck.

Your best bet would be checking out the Military Times Forums. There is a thread for your type of questions and it's 411 pages long. You may have to create an account and do some searching through the thread before posting a question. http://forums.militarytimes.com/showthread.php?1561151-Flight-Engineer-retraining&highlight=flight+engineer

Here's a link for the Safe to Fly Boot Memo: http://www.afpc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-130509-047.pdf I own the Belleville 693s and some bases have started to issue them as well. May be worth asking your supply folks if they can get something else from the list if it more suits your needs.

I have about 3 flashlights I fly with (C-130 LM) and my favorite is the Pelican 2360. It's white (LED) only so using it in a flight deck at night is probably out of the question. I am not a fan of the need to buy the Surefire batteries all the time and think anything that uses normal batteries is probably just as good. http://www.pelicanproducts.us/c.Pelican.Black.Knight.html

Navy pilots grounded after flight over Lake Tahoe SAN DIEGO - Two Navy helicopter pilots from North Island Naval Air Station were grounded over a YouTube video that allegedly showed them dipping the $33 million aircraft into Lake Tahoe. In the video taken Sept. 13, both helicopters hit the water and one seems to spin out of control and crash into the water before its pilot apparently pulls the craft back into the air. A Navy spokesman confirmed that the video was genuine footage of two MH- 60 Romeo helicopters from North Island's Helicopter Maritime Strike 41 squadron, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

First off welcome to the discussion, Secondly, spell check is your friend. If you want to come on here and gain any sort of credibility with your "shut up and color" rhetoric then I suggest you start reading this thread from the beginning. No one throughout this discussion has for one second ever discounted the sacrifices of those serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. I guarantee most if not all of us would rather be at one of the numerous bases in those 2 countries then here at the Deid. This thread is not about bitching, its about folks(leadership) losing focus when they should be figuring out how to better support and prevent the real warriors from being killed by snipers and IEDs. Spelling has been triple checked (thanks Jughead)

here is the link to the USAFCENT Awards and Decs folks. Read under "Directives and Policy." Hope this helps USAFCENT Decorations Page

I usually catch a glance of the TV at the chow hall during lunch and see the videos on continuous rotation. If you watch long enough you will see MSgt Blatchford, one of the 2 men that the BPC is named after. Out of curiosity I Googled him when I got back to work and read one of the most amazing stories. I think it should be mandatory reading at Shoeclerk University or wherever REMFs are born. Samuel N. Blatchford

Here is some more info on the one picture with the two army and one AF girl. They are all sisters, some dam good genes in that family. C-130 pilot one of two sisters in Afghanistan

We had a great idea last night to take some extra reflective belts that we had and to carry them to the chow hall with us for dinner to pass out if anyone we saw had forgotten theirs. Well we get to the DFAC and there is a big dry erase board as you enter that basically said “no belt, no service.” On one of the reflective belts I had wrote “services rental”, it was my plan to hand it out as deemed necessary. Upon seeing the giant dry erase I decided to hang it there in case someone needed it. No kidding, I was in there for a few minutes and in walked someone wearing my belt. After speaking to him later on I learned he was part of a C-17 transient crew and he had forgotten his belt, I explained my reasoning and he was thankful, even returned the belt so that it may be passed on another day. I actually saw the Services folks give someone a reflective belt so that they could eat, still puzzled as to why you need one to eat but I will continue to be a good “wingman” and help my fellow airmen out if they forget their belt.

I don't believe that wearing reflective belts and saluting is going to go away anytime soon nor do I see it as a major problem. My main problem is watching people being turned away from eating because of a lack of a reflective belt or being asked by the services folks who should be monitoring the TCNs or making sure the food is the right freaking temperature enforcing this policy. I am trying to find the legality and importance of the EFSS CC placing signs in his facilities stating that during hours of darkness "no belt, no service." This is not addressed in any reg that I know of. I have found the only 2 references I could find and unless you define "anywhere" as indoors as well then I am clueless to his logic. AL UDEID AIR BASE INSTRUCTION 91-1001 21 November 2008 Safety 15.1. All personnel will wear around their waist a reflective belt that is visible from 360 degrees any time they are outdoors during hours of darkness or reduced visibility anywhere on the installation, regardless of the uniform or civilian clothing being worn AUABI 36-2903 6.1.4. Reflective Tape, Belts, Jackets, and Arm Bands. For safety purposes, all members assigned to/transiting the installation will wear a reflective belt during all hours of darkness or reduced visibility to provide 360-degree visibility of member. When reflective belt wear is required, it must be visible at all times (not under clothing etc.).

sorry slacker, went to do some editing and deleted the dam post. Well here are the two articles that he has written during his last deployment and his current deployment. don't lose the bubble putting life in perspective 6000 miles from home

here is the email that I am sure was sent in response the "Croc incident" and now has the Services CC declaring war on all things not important: ALCON, Been getting a lot of the "I didn't know the rules changed" from our transients and new AEF personnel when correcting improper wear of the uniform etc. There really are no excuses. They're briefed at PERSCO upon arrival and at Right Start. We all need to play an active role in enforcing the Wg/CC's uniform policies. With that, personnel must be in proper attire to receive services in any EFSS facility. Would greatly appreciate any efforts to educate your folks and to help us enforce those standards when you see non-compliance around the base...

"My commander's policy does not allow me to serve you if you don't have your reflective belt during hours of darkness." I will bet my 3 drinks that his CC is the same guy from my BRA story. This guy is making friends quick.

So I am at the BRA last night to meet up with some friends who are passing through from A-Stan back to the states. One young enlisted fellow packed his sneakers in his checked baggage and was planning on wearing Crocs, they were legal last year when he served his 4 months here. He goes to the CC BX and is approached by the Services CC who asks him what the deal is with his choice of footwear. He tells the CC his story and that he will buy sneakers at the BX if that helps, CC says they don’t sell them there. Now young enlisted fellow is unaware that you can wear combat boots in PT gear which wasn’t suggested at the time by the CC but solved the situation later in the night. Well fast forward a little bit and we are drinking at the BRA. Turns out the Services CC saw him buying drinks and called him out again, after he walks out of the DEL some of our other guys are inside to hear CC tell the civilians serving drinks to call the cops if he comes back in because he has already been told twice about his Crocs. We eventually told him just to go throw on his boots which kept him from dealing with any other heartache or going to the firing squad. I love this place

From the AUABI 34-246 1 March 2009 Out-Processing. 2.4.1. “1+1” and Non Pre-Designated “1+0” Rooms. Outgoing personnel will inform BPC/LMO of their departure date no later than seven calendar days prior to departure. Outgoing personnel will conduct a room inspection with their squadron billeting POC; place clean linens in the room; and return room key to BPC/LMO on the day of departure. If member is delayed departing for any reason, member will be assigned a transient bed in CC through the Transient/LMO.

saluting in PT gear is finally here: 4.1.7.3. Personnel wearing the PTU will salute officers in uniform or officers they recognize. When actively participating in a physical training activity that does not allow free movement of the right arm, saluting is not required.

I believe this may be what you are looking for: so to speak so to speak as one might say; said a certain way, even though the words are not exactly accurate: John helps me with my taxes. He's my accountant, so to speak. I just love my little poodle. she's my baby, so to speak. so to speak this is one way to say it in a manner of speaking: My grandfather is 74, and he plays golf every day – it's a sport you can play even as you head into the sunset, so to speak. Even if New Yorkers obeyed all the rules, New York would still be, so to speak, an unruly city. Usage notes: used to suggest that some people may not think this is a good way to say something Related vocabulary: if you will

Air Force looks to cancel C-130 AMP program Staff report Posted : Tuesday Sep 15, 2009 17:13:51 EDT The Air Force has proposed killing the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP), aiming to replace it with a less expensive alternative, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told reporters Tuesday at the Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference. Calling the decision “largely an affordability issue,” Schwartz said service brass have pitched the idea to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Under that pitch, the AMP effort would be replaced with one that would fit airlifters with “stand-alone integrations” as opposed to the planned across-the-board avionics upgrades. Boeing had been the contractor the AMP program but was expected to compete against Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems for a new contract. Industry officials at the conference had little to say, noting the companies with a stake in the AMP program were only informed of the service’s proposed approach shortly before Schwartz talked with reporters. “The bottom line is we couldn’t afford it,” said Schwartz, whose flying career focused on conventional and special operations C-130s. He said OSD still must approve killing the AMP effort before the new plan is enacted: “No decision in this town is final.” The price of an installed C-130 AMP kit is about $9 million. Boeing was aiming to get those costs down to about $7 million, the air service’s desires price target, according to media reports. Boeing developed AMP and installed the cockpit overhaul in three planes in order for the service to evaluate the changes. The Air Force spent more than $1.5 billion over the past 10 years developing the AMP system as a way to extend the life of its aging C-130 fleet.

I just looked through a few regs and couldn't find any reference to the transient aircrew thing. From what I heard the new salute policy/shirts tucked in at all times memo is presently being passed around for final signatures and should be implemented here shortly. I attend "right start" in the morning so I am sure I will hear some good info there.

Just when I thought I heard it all....I was at a BBQ today in the local area and heard this story from a fellow Loadmaster from my Sq here at Little Rock... He was riding his bike home to base housing from the education center....he has one of those nice bikes with a speedo and everything...well he said there was no one around as he was hitting an area that goes downhill....he gets his bike up to 32 mph and low and behold a cop catches up to him and pulls him over.....he was in a 15 MPH zone....he said when the cop pulled up he had to tell the person he was on his cell phone with to hold on, guess that rule doesn't apply to them....he then asked my buddy if he knew how fast he was going and informs him that even bikes must obey all traffic laws just like cars proceeds to give him a verbal warning and sends him on his way

wrong again. if you are going to call someone out for being wrong then please fill us in on the correct version of the story.....I haven't heard any rumors of this here, just the updated speed limits in the Dispatch

greetings. Tevas are ok....I haven't reached the stage in my life where I wear socks with sandals but I am almost 100% sure you will be fine with socks to the chow hall.... no reflective belts as of yet..just in OPS town in ABUs/DCUs....they(persco) must tell the folks when they rotate in here something different becuase you can always see the new folks rocking the disco belts @ high noon not too sure about the gortex--haven't seen guidance on that yet--anyone else? and yes--no more hookas--outlawed by the OG/CC are you going to be in the OG here? if so I suggest reading a few pages back--interesting

I don't see the need to provide the whole force with a Nomex ABU. Sorry if I missed something ina previous post. The costs alone for that per uniform is going to be expensive seeing that a flight suits is $200 +. I could understand those types that live "outside the wire" on a regular basis but I will really find in unbelievable the day I see a finance person wearing Nomex ABUs.

I guess some if not all bases will begin their interpretation of "any combination" of blues. This came out friday afternoon: Little Rock AFB personnel will wear the long sleeve blue shirt with tie from 1 Nov through 31 Mar and the short sleeve blue shirt from 1 Apr through 31 Oct.