xcraftllc

Just checked MyPers and as of yesterday, they are not taking applications anymore. Doesn't say anything about just going active the old fashioned way though (EAD). I wonder if that's still a thing.

Since we're all waiting on clarification about what's going on with the VLPAD program, does anyone here have any recent experience or info on simply going active from the Guard or Reserve? There's a bit of info on MyPers but not much more than simply how to apply.

I only knew him from here and PMs but I'll be in the Tuscon area then and will be sure to attend the service. A toast.

I'm about to sign up for another Master's class for my Master of Science in Aeronautics at ERAU. I heard SOS counts as some kind of credit toward most ERAU Master's degrees so I wanna make sure I don't take one that I'll get credit for in SOS. Does anyone know what it might count for?

I wonder if they're gonna troll us on SATCOM.

The Coast Guard will finally have someone to make fun of...

Well to my understanding, congress was pushing the Space Corps back in the day, and now they have the oval office talking it up, so it looks like it just might happen now. As long as it doesn't dip into the budget of our operations, it might help give our upper leadership a bit more focus on combat operations. I also agree that it would help the average Airman's image as more of a warrior than a shoe clerk. Real logistical and bureaucratic clusterfuck though. Basic training, officer training, PME, uniforms, etc etc etc. It probably won't pan out to have been worth it for about another 69 years.

Well good on you for sticking to your dream man. You should be fine in UPT with that attitude. I know of two 35-year-olds who went through when I was there and they had no issues.

Actually HRC told me no. At the time, the J-1 (think joint S-1) was an AF general so I made the bold decision to email her directly, explaining my situation. I don't know how much that helped but basically a couple days later my branch manager called and said if I could get a letter of intent from my hiring unit stating that I would be sent to OTS and flight school then they would approve it. I used the argument of promotion and career opportunity (as well as another 10+ years of guaranteed service) in my email to the J-1 which I think helped. I was too afraid to ask if that's what it was since frankly to this day I dont know if my branch manager even knew about that email. All I got back from the J-1 was a short reply saying that she would contact the Army folks under her about it.

Guard. To my understanding you still need the ADSO either way because I believe it is service-specific but that may be wrong.

In order to get out of an ADSO early you will need a waiver request sent up with your UQR addressed to the "Assistant Secretary of the Army - Department of Manpower and Reserve Affairs." This is completely separate from the conditional release which is what gets you out of your general military obligation to the Army such as IRR etc. The latter is typically signed by the HRC Army Aviation Branch Chief if I remember correctly. (I was confused about that difference for quite a while when I started the process). If you only need 6 months or so to ensure that you get to UPT before 30 it shouldn't be that hard to get. The 5 years of commissioned time doesn't seem to be a hard waiver to get. Not sure about the specifics on that. Age waivers are bit more rare but totally happen, especially if you're a current aviator who just needs a few months. Guard and Reserve fighter units are a bit more reluctant than others but it's always a possibility. As for the commissioned service waiver and age waiver, sorry man but I don't have the details on that. Maybe PM me and I can ask a couple of the guys I know who got them and see if they can help you. Haven't heard anything about that streamlined process but man I bet the other branches would put up quite a fight.

Anything new on the Maxwell thing? Man between that and the F-35, Montgomery might really get quite an economic boost.

Anyone have any new gouge on the decision timeline?

You should see what the Army is capable of, it's almost impressive in a sickening way...

I wonder if any of those companies have anything against you working for more than one of them. That way you can take whatever gigs make themselves available. That should help mitigate the relatively low and intermittent pay that you guys are mentioning.

So you're only about 27 now? How far into your ADSO from West Point are you, 3 years? It looks like if you were to start talking to guard and reserve units about one year out from your release, then you should be fine to get out and report to UPT ASAP before you turn 30 (I reported 4 days before my 30th birthday!) It's a long shot but as you get closer and you find out you need to get out a bit early, a short polite email to the J-1's office (currently Brig Gen Margret Burcham http://www.jcs.mil/Directorates/J1|ManpowerandPersonnel.aspx) regarding your situation may be warranted, simply mentioning that the AF is short pilots and you would like to transfer ASAP, that could maybe trigger the office to talk to the Army's manpower and reserve affairs office to let you get out early. That's how I managed to get out in time to start flight school without a waiver but it was already after I was told I was accepted by a guard unit so I had a statement from them that I sent up along with my request, and that probably helped build my case. Doing anything like that now would probably be putting the cart before the horse. I managed to get 2 years off of my Army flight school ADSO, and I know another guy who got 1 year off of his but man that's rare, and I think the J-1 email and the fact that a unit was already willing to hire me made the case. I was also going to be 31 if I had to wait for my ADSO to end, and you'll only be 29.5 and won't even have to go to OTS first so they might not care and tell you to just wait and let the AF figure out how to get you into UPT in time. Definitely take those tests sooner than later. I'm not 100% sure what the differences might be for someone who is already commissioned, but as as Warrant I had to take both of those tests in order to go to OTS. Not sure if you don't have to if you're already commissioned but they get pilot aptitude scores from both of them so I'd imagine you would still need to take them, if for no other reason than to show a guard or reserve unit's hiring board. They're not too bad but you should definitely get the study guides and take all the practice tests you can and time it. I'd say your time is something like: Take the test and get as high a score as possible, I think they're good for 3 years so be sure to take them at an appropriate time. Continue to build hours, preferably instrument time. Volunteer for a full SERE-C course (you're going to hate me for recommending that but it'll help you get hired and get it out of the way nice and early while you're young). It's something you'll have to do anyway if you want to be an AF pilot and it's quality training. I think it has a year ADSO so the sooner the better. Start talking to guard and reserve units (1-2 years from the end of your ADSO) about your situation and timeline and how they should be able to get you into UPT before you turn 30 if things are set up in advance but you'll probably need a commissioned service waiver (if over 5 years as a commissioned officer at the time of release) but those are easy to get, especially for heavy units.

I sure hope the T-X uses LOX. I haven't heard of any issues recently on any aircraft that uses it.

I'm not sure but what I can say is we lost one from my 38 class in UPT, one from my IFF class (about 5 months ago) and there was a washout in the IFF class before ours. Kelly washed out 2 B-Course studs a couple classes ago.

KAUS man, that's baptism by fire! You better learn them radios real quick son, we ain't got time to fuck around! Either say it right the first time or just put yourself in a penalty container for the controller!

Flew with Captian Barbour once, good dude.

Nope, I'm at Kelly now, not a thing yet. They're just talking about the prospect of there being up to 2 per class some time in the future. Lots of folks asking what it might look like and how they would do it if it were a thing.

Dear god yes, revise and consolidate everything as much as possible. It's like the damn U.S. Tax Code.

Who knows what they're thinking anymore these days. VRRAD...coming back for a year to fill a staff position? You just can't make this stuff up anymore...they spent $6.9 Mil and 6900 man hours on a study like that and their solution was something fit for The Duffel Blog.

A lot of Guard tanker units are working with situations like that right now. That's probably your best bet.

In short it's all perfectly legal, but here's my advice: I've seen some prior Navy and non-rated crewmember guys wearing both and it kinda looks dumb, the AF guys call any double wing wearer a "Dragonfly". I've seen some prior Navy and Marine guys wear AF wings mon-thurs and then their Navy wings with their callsign patch on Friday, which I think is a much more tactful way of doing things. I spoke to a pretty chill wing commander fighter type at my B-Course and he basically recommended waiting until I was officially named and then get Army wings on my callsign name tape if I want like the Navy guys do. In UPT I started with nothing and then wore my Army wings on my student name-tape after my flight commander said that I should. I then wore my AF wings once they were earned with no other wings (the couple other Army guys I knew there did the same). I originally had my AF wings with my CAB but it looks kinda funky and no one has any idea what a CAB is. I wore Army wings on my blues and dress mess along with my CAB before I graduated, and then at graduation I had my mom take my Army ones off and my wife put my Air Force ones on. I think the dragonfly thing looks kinda dumb. You can wear airborne if you want but people are gonna assume that your just an Academy guy who's proud of his 5 jumps from a Cessna. My advice would be to play the humble card on that and just wear it on your blues, and then when they say you never told them that you were a zoomy you can explain the Army Airborne school process.