tac airlifter
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Posts posted by tac airlifter
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I'm sure your intentions are honorable but I won't be signing your petition. There is too much change for the sake of change in the AF now, and very little mission focus outside the squadron level. I agree that of all the changes I've seen to date, this one appears to be the most worthy (honoring heros) but I just can't justify the cost and effort of renaming the handful of bases that aren't already named for someone special. Additionally, I live on Hurlburt Field (named for a pilot killed in the line of duty) and every street here is named for someone who deserves it. I'll concede that the AF could be better about honoring current heros, but there are more pressing issues at this time. Thanks for your ideas, and good luck on your quest.
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Whatever...not what the thread is supposed to be about...here's what teachers should be doing:
Well played sir.
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Ginger, dude your way off. We're talking about manned platfroms.
Bro is that the Don Carnage air-pirate mother ship of Tail Spin? If so, well played sir.
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Just bought a Lewis Machine and Tool piston driven AR from gunbroker today, will try to post a review when it arrives.
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I'm finishing up at the school house this week at The Rock. Looks like I will finish a few days before my projected grad date. I will be staying here at one of the squadrons. Can anyone tell me what squadron indoc is like for a guy going to fly H3s?
I can tell you the 50th is a great squadron, but expect only about half your rides in the H3, all else is E's. INDOC takes anywhere between 1 and 5 months depending on IP availablity. I got a dude done in one TDY once, but thats not the norm. Also, expect some good TDYs, things have changed and they're back to the old days of good deal TDYs 4-5 times a month. Great DO!
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Just finished Jawbreaker by Gary Bernsten, lead CIA guy directing SOF and Northern Alliance against the Taliban for the frist 6 weeks of OEF. Great read, and if anyone wants to know exactly when we had the chance to kill OBL and didn't at Tora Bora, this guy has the details. Sad ending since we decided on our own to stop persuing the enemies, but great read by a real hero.
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Most seem not to mind spartan conditions - the problem is not so much with the external suck making life bad as our own leadership unnecessarily doing it. Many would probably rather work on a more spartan FOB which didn't have as many shoes with nothing better to do than make everyone elses life difficult.
Dude, spot on. 64 pages of griping about shoes making it difficult for us to do our job or unpleasant when we aren't actively doing our job. Not a single complaint about heat, bugs, shitty showers, bugs, rats...etc. My favorite deployment memories are all places out in the weeds where I could focus on my job and no one cared if my sleeves were rolled up!
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The ignorance and anti-technology of many (not all) legacy herk drivers disturbs me. Especially the ones that have never seen a glass cockpit, and want nothing to do w/ one.
Three questions: First, what evidence of "anti-technology" in legacy herk drivers have you seen? I'd appreciate first hand experience not third hand anecdotal evidence. No one I know prefered the E to the H3.
Second, what does your statement have to do with this thread about the cancellation of AMP'd legacy birds?
More specifically, do you think this program died because legacy guys didn't want the plane or because AF contracting couldn't get it's shit together to make it happen?
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Yeah you guys are probably right. It just makes me kind of concerened. Because the investigator never went and spoke with my parents about my character or even gave them a call. Which I fugure would be the best judge of character(however biased) still it is the strongest. I dont' know if that can be interpreted as a good thing or a bad thing. Thank you for the responses.
They never talked to my parents for my TS, so don't sweat it. These things take awhile, don't worry.
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I should have clarified, I'm speaking more specifically about the PJs in the RQSs. I can't tell you how many times I've seen PJs on alert wearing they're ACUs, MARPAT deserts, or whatever, then when they get alerted for a mission, or go on a training sortie wear a completely different uniform (usually nothing uniform or military about it). At the same time my FEs and Gunners are out preflighting, whatever and until a month ago couldn't wear 2 piece flight suits because they were an Army uniform. Is it jealousy, hell yeah it is.
On an only tangentially related note, I think this is only one symptom of PJs in RQSs drifting away from their core competency, actually rescuing people. Two CSARTFs in the last 6 months at Moody we've had live PJs at the start of the sortie (the only two times I've flown with live PJs in that 6 months by the way). Both times they wanted to do live infils to building take downs for the first half the sortie, then wanted us to fly home and drop them off before the actual CSARTF, you know, the rescue part.
I'm not saying these guys aren't bad ass, can't run farther than me, whatever you want to say. I am saying that they are ParaRESCUE Jumpers, and seem to think they're ParaSpecial Ops Jumpers. There is certainly a place for PJs in STSs, etc, and that changes they're mission set, but that's not every PJ in the AF.
Of all the truely jacked up and retarded things we experience in the Air Force, you choose what uniforms PJs wear as the appropriate place to take a stand and pitch your bitch? Foul. They can dress like friggen clowns for all I care, those dudes are operators hacking the mission and their cosmetic appearence doesn't take away from their professionalism and the awesome job they've done everytime I've been around them. Seriously bro, can't we just stick to complaining about finance (who stole 400$ from me this month) or SFS and let the dudes fighting the war get on with it unmolested?
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I like Dogfish Head's 90 and 120 minute IPAa over virtually every other super-hopped IPA on the market. Unfortunately, the stuff is somewhat over-priced.
You must be a hardcore IPA fan because that stuff is a little much for me.
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I'm enjoying a bottle of Sierra Nevada Torpedo extra IPA at the moment, and as a beer snob I have to say it's pretty damn good. Also, to whoever recommended Sol, I respectfully disagree.
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Perhaps this would be better posted in the "doing well in UPT" section. But since Noonin and sky_king and others have talked about this subject in this thread, I'll go ahead and post here.
I'm a new LT getting ready to start UPT soon, and I'm a little confused how to approach the year ahead. Is this a competition, where the point is to be the best in everything I do? Or are we all one big team, and my job is to do my best to help everybody succeed, no matter what it costs me? It seems to me it's the former, since the number of '38 slots is less than the number of studs who want them. But I've read here (and heard it from other pilots) that you don't want to be "that guy" who studies hard and tries his/her hardest to be the best. That's confusing to me. In HS basketball, I busted my butt in the off-season (and in-season) to be the absolute best I could be. Then I showed up at preseason and took care of business. Not to blow my own horn (sts), but my coaches didn't look at me and put me last on the depth chart because I wanted to be the best; they put me first because I was the best at the position I played (and was thus best for the team). I'm doing everything I can to get ready (I've practically memorized Danny Noonin's post 'cause I've read it so many times), and when UPT starts, I will do my dead-level best to help out my flight-mates (at least those who want to do well and are putting in the effort). But should I try to hide my intentions and act like I'm just happy to be there and that I am most concerned just that everybody in my flight graduates?? To me, it seems like I should approach UPT like I would basketball preseason: Either me or the next guy gets the starting role, and I will do all that I can (without stepping on him) to make sure that it's me.
If I need to knocked down a few notches, then let me have it.
You're golden bro. Help people who want to be helped when you can offer that help without detriment to yourself. Don't hide anything or be fake with anyone. You have the right to want whatever you want and the duty to try your best to get it; but your classmates will feel betrayed if you say one thing and act another. Thats not just whats expected in UPT, but for your whole career.
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Apparently I need reading remediation because I totally glazed over the date. Face slap accepted.
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How soon does this take effect? Can we sart the process immediatly?
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These comments were made referencing the memo in the Al Udeid thread. If you don't think it's a double standard to direct a US military member to avoid eating during a certain time so as not to offend another US military member, I don't know what else to say. I don't have a problem being nice guests in another country and not blatently disrespecitng them while they're watching. I don't have a problem with a memo advising me on how to be sensitive stateside should I so choose (although not having one for every religion is another double standard) to other religions holy days. I do have a problem with the Deid policy stating I should alter my behavior to accomodate the religion of other military members. The conversation moved threads halfway and so may appear a little disjointed.
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Yes, I have seen other groups singled out. The muslim faith is not always understood by the vast majority of Americans. Putting out an educational memo with suggestions is sufficient and helpful; it is still up to the commanders to do what needs to be done. I've seen similar e-mails about Hanukkah (sp?) and other more obscure faiths' holidays as well. It isn't a double standard and promotes communication instead of hiding your faith and then getting pissed when someone unknowingly steps on your beliefs.
I think you're a sharp dude in other posts but you are wrong about this. I don't care whther or not their faith is "understood by the vast majority of Americans." That is irrelevant, and certainly not the job of the military to fix. Do you think there will be a GO letter advising Muslims to bring small gifts to the squadron in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ during Christmas? Think I'm even allowed to say Merry Christmas on base? Last year my base said we should only say "happy holidays" when in uniform to avaoid the impression that the AF endorses any one particular faith. Now these guys get a month off PT and a special letter explaining the importance of this time of year? I work on Christian holidays but Commanders are "encouraged" to give these guys time off for their evening meal? A deployed aircrew should avoid eating in the daytime if a muslim on their crew can see? Dude, if you don't see the double standard I can't help you. Religion should not be an official discussion item period. Why the hell should the military be "promoting communication" about religion? Our job is to win wars, not social engineering. If someone unknowingly or knowingly steps on my faith I STFU and focus on the mission; how can I be offended when someone doesn't honor something they don't believe? This is a double standard and it's bullshit.
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I def agree as far as trying for the cv-22 and a 130 had better chances elsewhere, but more u28s and NSAs have been on the toner side. Let's say worst case, I don't get it. How hard is it to cross over from A non AFSOC MWS versus staying as a FAIP?
No one here knows the answer because that world is too fluid to know what will be available to FAIPs 4 years from now. The floodgates briefly opened but the mass push towards those airframes is over and I don't see it coming back since they have enough for now. The best that I can tell you is that if you do well at whatever assignment you are given you will have a very good chance to go where you want on your second tour; and I'm speaking from experience. No one really knows if you have a better chance as a FAIP or MWS dude to get your top pick, it all depends on timing, your boss and your performance.
Good luck, these jobs need guys like you who really want them.
Edited to add-- if you can go anything AFSOC do it over anything else. It's easier to move you around inside the MAJCOM and you'll like anything you get.
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I've spent several years trying to find the best glasses to fly with. Honestly, for night flights and especially with NVGs I actually like the issue glasses best. They are big and ugly and my wife won't let me wear them around her, but the truth is they fit comfortably under a helmet and I find the large dorky surface area of the glasses more functional when continuously looking through & under NVGs than a stylish pair of raybans.
For day flights it really depends. You don't want to wear a polarized lens, and you want a frame that sits thin and close to your head and ears but doesn't distract you by putting weight on your nose. The issue glasses are ok for this purpose, but their great fail (other than a style fail) is the light allowed to come in from the sides. Theres a huge gap between the side of your head and the lens; light coming at you perpendicularly will simultaneously create a bright spot for your eyes and reflect off the inside of the lens, projecting an image of whatever is 120 degrees behind you on your lens. Great for ninjas but bad for pilots. I know some guys who mitigate this by wearing clear issue galsses and putting a visor down on a helmet, but this isn't always practical. It may work at UPT or if you fly fighters, but it won't work if you fly with a headset, obviously. Also, my helmet won't fit a visor so I can't tell you how good this technique is. If you want to spend your own money on a pair of prescription sunglasses that don't look embarassing and also functionally keep light from the sides I recommend finding a pair of plastic frame raybans. I've tried several brands and found what fits me best. You can't have too much of a wrap for prescription lenses and you don't want the frame to bend; so with that criteria in mind I'd just go to lenscrafters and try several pairs till you find what you like.
So you know 202v3 says this about your question:
6.3.1. Spectacles. While performing aircrew duties, crewmembers must use only Air Force provided
spectacles and sunglasses. The Improved Aircrew Spectacle (IAS), including sunglasses, is ordered as
the Air Force Flight Frame. The HGU-4/P is authorized only if the IAS is unavailable.
which means that technically you are only allowed to wear AF issue frames. No one cares in the real Air Force, but if someone is going to say some shit about you wearing a pair you bought it will be at UPT. So be aware and do it anyway. Hope this helps.
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There are ALOT of musicians and bands in the States who would jump on the chance for a paid tour overseas to a guaranteed good audience with good pay and free publicity. The USAF does NOT need to be using its money on this bullsh*t, they should be paying born-and-raised professional (and struggling) musicians to do what they love doing.
I met the guys from Hollowell in Baghdad before their show at Ali, and they were a good group. Their story is common- traveling musicians in the USA have a tough life, and getting paid good money to perform for our guys and get loads of free publicity is a great move for them.
Leave the gov't paychecks to people actually hacking a mission, pay the willing civilians to do the rest. Oh, and put some young CGO's or Airmen in charge of the selection process- they know a helluva lot more about what the troops are going to enjoy watching than the 40+ O-6's.
This might be the best post in this thread, and I didn't want it lost in the pages of shittin on TIB. TIB deserves to be shit on, but your post actually has a solution to the absurd argument that troops (or anyone) wants to see TIB as R&R. There are tons of great groups with good music who would make full use of the opportunity to tour overseas to a captive audience, and conversly there are tons of dudes overseas who would love to see a group of real musicians who don't humiliate the Air Force by prancing around like faggots at burning man. Like a lot of problems in the AF, rated CGOs would fix this quick!
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This is good news for the fight.
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And the group of Glocks in the article above have been linked to bad ammunition. The agency had the first issue a few years before and the ammunition company took it all back but apparently some was still floating around in the agency's storage facility. Used the ammo again, gun blow up again. I personally think the 9mm Glocks (17/19) are the best 9mms on the planet - they are to 9mm pistols what AKs are to "assault" rifles. If I were shooting .40S&W I would buy a Smith and Wesson M&P. If I were shooting .45ACP I would think hard about the HK45 and M&P 45.
BF
+1 on the HK 45 or HKUSP 9. Both have been flawless for me. As for Glocks, I decided on the 34 which is like the 17 (9mm) but has a longer slide and barrel, and the accuracy after 1500 rounds is still equivolent to my HKs. I don't care for the grip angle as much, but their products have been reliable and accurate for me. I wouldn't compare them to the AK rifles, you can easu=ily put better iron sights on the Glock, but the AK leaves something to be desired from its irons. Overall the Glock 34 is a great weapon, cheap high cap mags, well built and never jams. I invested in a recoil buffer and Trijicon sights. I liek to shoot 9mm because its so much cheaper than .40 or .45 and I recommend every serious shooter does the same. hell I wish I had a .22 just so I could buy more ammo and shoot more.
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This reminds me of a great CGOC coup that took place at Thumrait back in 2002.
The CGOC there (yes, CGOC at a deployed location) was complaining about no having enough participation and were bitching a moaning about not enough participation from the ops units. Like they have nothing else better to do than support CGOC. The local aviation squadron there decided to send as many people as were available to the next meeting. It ended up being 50 dudes. They voted in one of their own. His first act to drain the treasury to take it down to the Brit bar and then they dissolved the CGOC. It was classic.
That is the single most awesome CGOC story I have ever heard. Well played sir, well palyed.
WTF? (**NSFW**)
in Squadron Bar
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Some people are so tactless they just need an ass kicking. Is it really like this in England? Link