daynightindicator

latest i've heard is it won't be sold, but you can have it sent out as long as it's not an "obscene amount" - what defines that i have no idea

i currently have a VA loan and am looking to rent my house when I PCS (in about 5 months). i have been told (unofficially) that i have to actually live in whatever house i am using the va loan for, and thus i will need to refi to a conventional loan in order to rent it out/use another va loan for purchasing a new house at my new duty station. just trying to confirm from anyone in a similar situation. not worried about it, but i want to get the ball rolling on the refi while i'm deployed if that's the case. also, tried using search function but it spit out an error since "va" is less than three letters...

newest news from the sandbox (the Deid at least) - for the foreseeable future no tobacco products will be allowed onto the base. I'm not a smoker and haven't been to the BX in the last few days but guys in the squadron are saying no more cigs/chew available. Even Nicorette is running low. confirmed by my CC at a staff meeting. unsure of the duration/scope of the issue (i.e., can you have someone mail them to you, etc), but he says it appears to be a "semi-permanent, possibly permanent"policy and is being pushed by host-nation, not the AF can only imagine how bad morale will get if this is in fact a total ban

There are (a few) late-to-rate patch wearers. I know several.

for B-1s, expect 3-4 TDYs/year outside of the 6 month (almost 7 if you are ADVON) deployment. One for Red Flag and one for Green Flag (2.5 weeks each), and one or two generic TDYs (airshows, conferences, etc). Iron swaps (duration anywhere from 5 days to who knows) as well although those are mostly volunteer. Throw in SOS at some point and there will be times when you only spend ~8ish months of your year home with the fam. Another oft-forgotten part about the ops tempo is the relentless ORE/ORI schedule when your home that can make it difficult to take leave. I would imagine that is fairly universal, at least to ACC airframes.

Pawnman hit the highlights of DT vs OT. DT is more "can this new piece of equipment/software safely fly in the aircraft" and OT is more "how are we going to use this operationally?" with the weapons school and ops squadrons obviously developing the majority of the tactics once it's integrated on the jet. I have heard rumors that DT and OT may be brought together at Dyess (possibly Ellsworth) once we scrap the 6 bones that we're losing due to the budget cuts. It's just a rumor but our new WG/CC thinks it would save money. Big difference between DT and OT is that for the most part, the DT guys are no-kidding test pilots/WSOs (although I think there are a few positions there that don't require it) and OT is just instructor-types with a good amount of experience who will probably head back to the ops side of the house after their time at the 337 TES.

another lesson learned (already stated in the other, "lost" thread) flybys are a break-even event. you can't ever win, you can only just escape without punishment.

we got a buddy of mine pretty good this weekend - he's our sq's brand new patch, and a bunch of us had a big party Saturday night. we waited till we knew he'd be pretty drunk, and had our wing weapons officer call him and tell him he had to be at a feascap in a half hour for the Libya deal. he also told him to tell a few of us more senior types/patches/msn cc's who were at the party that we were in crew rest immediately UFN. he starts flipping out, we're all pretending not to believe him and keep doing shots, drinking, etc. he was frantically trying to call a cab for a ride to base when we told him it was a joke. of course, joke was really on all of us that we're on the sidelines for this one.

Wish I had gotten the chance to have known Rigfoot better. My heart and thoughts are with his family and his friends (many of which are mine as well). Our community has indeed suffered a tragic loss. To my Tiger bros - please know your extended T-Bird and Bat families are with you in this difficult time. RIP, Lt.

Is it mandatory for aircrew stationed in Alaska go through arctic survival? Just curious. Thoughts with the family. Hope this turns out well despite the odds.

Yes. The days of Bone Cos flying once ever 6 weeks has ended, for now. Most Cos are at least scheduled to fly enough to meet RAP and then some. Now, how much you actually fly...well, that's a crap shoot altogether. The need for Co's is there right now, bottom line. We have a few out here who got to our squadron as we were going out the door, and now a few short months later they're CMR and logging combat time.

Man, this is a tough question to answer. Only a few short years ago we were shipping off our co-pilots as fast as we legally could to TAMI-21 and alfa tour assignments. Of course, in the omnipotent wisdom of Big Blue, by doing that we ended up being short on young A/Cs, IP/WIC candidates, etc. Ops tempo remains high with a 2:1 dwell, 6-on, 1-year off deployments to everyone's favorite desert summer camp. Of course, during your year at home, you can expect Red and Green Flag and probably a few other TDYs for upgrades/schools/airshows/etc, so you end up with ~9 months actually home. MX rates are low, especially if you're not in deployment spin-up, so sorties are routinely delayed and duty days extended just to meet RAP and training requirements. To be honest, the last year in between my deployments (I'm currently down-range) was pretty demanding as far as hours put in at work, and it often felt futile with the amount of sorties we canx'd. That being said, there are some benefits as well. Pros: Young guys get combat experience quickly - obviously this is dependent on involvement in OEF, but since '06 Bones have provided 365 coverage in the AOR. As a Capt, I will leave this deployment with over 100 combat sorties (high # for us considering we only fly a couple lines a day out here) and over 1200 combat hours, which was unheard of a few years ago. I don't want to get into the "bomber-CAS" argument, but the bottom line is we employ ordinance often in theater in a CAS role and I've had some experiences out here that have completely validated my career - hearing a panicked 20 year old tell you on the radio that your bombs just saved his life and the lives of his buddies is something you'll never forget. If my career ends tomorrow, that alone made it worthwhile. Some cool upgrades are coming down the line that will make the B-1 much easier to integrate into traditional strike packages. People are usually amazed (in a bad way) when they see our cockpit/avionics set-up and the vintage 80s technology we're working with, augmented by jury-rigged laptops, etc. The Sniper pod was a huge upgrade for us and gives us some awesome capes that we use everyday in theater. Glass cockpit and data-link upgrades are right around the corner and will make us more lethal. If you're worried about whether the B-1 will get to play if any other conflicts kick off around the world, don't. We will have an active role. Squadron life is pretty good - it seems to be a good mix between the super alpha-male world of fighters and the more laid-back world of most crew aircraft/heavies/etc, while still retaining a definite combat mentality. The crew aspect fosters good relationships between pilots and WSOs and bar traditions are alive and well. Personally I consider the no-nuke-mission as a definite pro. I really want no part of PRP or anything that involves, and it lets us concentrate wholly on conventional employment. Cons: Ops tempo - constant deployments are wearing on both people and jets. MX personnel are tough to retain because they're either working 12s in a 130 degree desert or working 12s at home in -30 degree snowstorms to prep for OREs/ORIs. Basing options - this could be seen as a pro or a con depending on your likes and dislikes. Personally, I'm not a fan of TX but I don't mind Rapid City. There's tons of stuff to do outdoors and the city is very supportive. The winters suck, though, not gonna lie about that. Bottom line about duty stations is some guys love them both, some hate them both. That's a personal preference. Unpredictability of career track - like I alluded to earlier, every year the pendulum seems to swing on the assignment thing. I really can't give much advice to a new arrival beyond "work hard, make your preferences known, and fill out your ADP honestly and realistically." I would say *most* guys are getting what they want right now, whether it's stay in the community, go ALO, etc. White jets are few and far between, but they're possible. Hope this helps.

waldo, definitely didn't mean to start a AWACer bashing thread. merely pointing out some funny comm - i'm sure there were valid reasons it occurred, but at the time it was still funny to hear. that said, i've screwed up comm before and i'm sure i'll do it again. we all make mistakes and as long as we debrief it, learn from it, and don't repeat it, we'll all get better. i know you guys are working a job that's not your primary role with less than adequate equipment. i've been flying in this region for the last 3+ years on and off, and i think the improvement has been dramatic, honestly. still some speed-bumps, but it's better than it was. /thread derailment another funny comm snippet from Iraq circa 2007... "Kingpin, BoneXX request killbox 69AA, two-four block two-five." (attractive-sounding female controller) "Bone, Kingpin, unable. Can you stay hard at two-four for the next thirty minutes?" (after confirming with the rest of the crew that she had really just said that)... "Kinpin, BoneXX can stay hard wherever you want for as long as you need."

Couple years ago while preflighting a jet out at the Deid... "Any player, BoneXX, radio check AC-1" "BoneXX, Wizard has you loud and clear." "Wizard, BoneXX has you same, thanks." (30 sec. later) "BoneXX, Wizard - turn right IMMEDIATELY!!! Traffic BRA 069/6.9 FLXXX opposite direction!!" "Uhh, Wizard, BoneXX is on the ramp at Al Udeid..." "Bone, uhh, Wizard....copy all...traffic no factor"

If I remember correctly they had that policy last year - eating at the chow hall was fine - the main point was to avoid eating/drinking in front of the Qatari personnel (ie, customs guys, Qatari AF, etc). Either way unless the policy is different this year (can't remember last year's exact wording), it had NO IMPACT on daily activities/meals/drinking at the DEL, etc. I agree with the general retardation of the letter, I'm just saying it didn't affect me last year.

he was one of my instructors at p-cola. there is more to the story and i'm sure it will surface soon, but i refuse to speculate because all i've heard is rumors. regardless, i think this shows again the rediculous nature of DADT, and also destroys the myths that proponents use to validate DADT (namely the myth that it will destroy good order and discipline).

went through P-Cola (as a WSO) but had plenty of Navy pilot friends. the Navy is more ruthless with their slots. When my class went through API (Navy version of Slackademics, and very much a weed-out program), it was announced that they were pilot-heavy and anyone with less than a 55 NSS (Naval Standard Score) in API would be removed from trianing. A 55 was a really good score (35 was the min to graduate and anything over 60 usually allowed you your pick of aircraft). Since your NSS is, in a way, partially based on the performance of your peers, this led to lots of competition and stress. Lots of good dudes washed out. Later, as I was getting ready to PCS, the word was they were once again pilot-heavy and were flat out dumping dudes right and left (first offering no-strings-attached separation, but what Ensign/LT wants to get out when they've been in less than 3 months to begin with?) As far as Navy flying goes...personally I liked it much better. Less restrictive, less queepy, and more of an emphasis on tactics. Training was nice too - the Navy doesn't spoon-feed you or force you to study. They provide you with the instruction you need, clear expectations for every sortie, and leave it up to you to sink or swim (no pun intended) on your own. From talking to my Navy AD friends though, it catches up with you in the fleet. Quality of life is definitively worse than the AF. Talking to a Tomcat RIO right before they were decomissioned, I asked him how he enjoyed his recent cruise. He said, "I sleep in a room that's over 100 degrees at night (his bunk was a foot or two away from a steam or hot water pipe or something), and I spend 14-16 hours a day working/flying while we're underway. I hardly ever see my family. Still, I wouldn't even dream of doing anything else." Of course, he was relatively young (late 20s), but I could imagine how that lifestyle could get old fairly quick.

methinks the OPSEC bug may have bit the PA folks (regarding the "classified" note in the FAA release), but there still had to be a way to let people know in general what was happening and prevent the hysteria. I understand not wanting to disclose the location, time, and altitude of the flight, but a generic announcement might have allayed some fears. Bloomberg is pissed because he didn't know and it made him look like a clown - nothing new in politics. As for people not recognizing it as AF1 - I did an informal poll awhile back with my GFs friends (all non-military types, both men and women) and most could not identify AF1. The public is mostly ignorant about military vehicles/aircraft/rank structure/etc, especially in areas of the country without a large mil presence, like the northeast. Good or bad, that's just the way it is.

much more succint than I was going to write. basically i saw Yoda's post as a perfect example of why the Deid continues to evolve the way it does. Especially the comment about being at a base where the mission is number one. As anyone who flies out of the Deid knows, that is far from true and is only even remotely conveivable due to the efforts of the people who truly accomplish the real mission everyday despite leadership's best effort to make it more difficult. Evacuating my dorm because of a supposed "bomb threat" (that was very blatantly just a joke - albeit a bad one), forcing two crews to break crew rest and thus cancelling two lines, potentially leaving troops in the AOR without close air support for the better part of a day, is NOT putting the mission first. I won't even get into the stupidity of evacuating people from buildings designated as SHELTERS and forcing them to congregate CLOSER to the supposed "bomb" - that ineptitude is for another thread. Saying a place is cool because you might run into someone you knew is rediculous - it's supposed to be a forward operating base in a combat location - not a class reunion. Saying that most of the people there aren't "slackers" either means you haven't been there long or might be one yourself. The permanent party people I spoke to talked about how they went downtown to Applebees EVERY weekend, and went bowling/rollerskated, etc or went shopping - of course that's after suffering through a (gasp) 40 hour workweek. Might just be me, but during my two deployments to the Deid I made it downtown ONCE (sacrificing some good sleep in the process), and usually had trouble telling what day it was due to a rotating schedule where a 12 hour day was short. I won't even get into our awesome maintenance personnel who worked 12 on/12 off 6 days a week (sometimes 7) to keep us in the air. Talk to them about who qualifies as a slacker. I can see from your perspective why the Died might not be "all bad." Unfortunately for the sake of the real mission, that perspective is exactly the problem.

Without delving into a deep CAS discussion, please realize that the CAS assets at OTBH work nearly interchangably with CAS assets downrange regarding missions and units supported. Often, OTBH assets are even preferred for the mission. Obviously there are differences in capability between all aircraft with a CAS mission, but I'm just highlighting the point that the CAS that OTBH assets perform is the same CAS that the downrange jets perform. Sorry for being cryptic hopefully I'm making my point.

drunk posting.... from the B-1 world... EWO school is EWO school. you will take the classes, take the tests, and complete the sims. Everything you learn is interesting. Some of what you learn is important. Part of what you learn you will apply as a DSO in a B-1. Bottom line - don't discount the training, study and pass your tests, and you will be a better B-1 WSO because of it. The B-1 FTU is scheduled for 6 months. Due to sortie production and backup, expect 9-12 months at the 28 BS in Abilene. I have been a B-1 WSO for 2.5 years, deployed twice, dropped a veritable shit-ton of bombs on bad guys, and love it. You can expect to deploy with your ops unit for 6 months out of every 18 (3 ops squads, 365 coverage in theater - you do the math). I'm not even done with my first ops assignment and I'm about to become an instructor and have more combat hours/sorties/weapons drops than a lot of CAF pilots. Truth about me: I put in for '-15's but didn't get them. Partially due to timing (first class in a fiscal year isn't the best position to be in) but also due to grades in UNT and ability. That being said, I love the Bone and the community. There is no second-class citizen bullshit and we are busy as all hell raining hate on the enemy. Career oportunities and advancement are abundant. As far as the training post P'Cola. It's easy. Don't take that as instruction to let up in any way, but IQC in the B-1 is less stressful and less difficult than what you experience at the 86th. If you keep the same attitude that got you through P'Cola, you will be fine. Just realize that our jet is stupidly complex and you won't master the systems for years. If you have any questions about daily life, living conditions or other stuff let me know. B-1s are a good deal, honestly, and we're very in-demand with the currnent combatant commanders. With the addition of our Sniper Pod, we are more relevant than ever and provide an amazing ability to the combatant commander.

I'm a fairly new poster but I hope I can add some helpful and credible info to this thread. I am an experienced (per the Vol 1) B-1 WSO currently going through SML (Single Ship Mission Lead) and FIC (Flight Instructor Course) upgrade, and have deployed twice to support Iraqi/Enduring Freedom. Thus, I can only speak from the perspective of a Pensacola-trained dude who then went through EWO and the B-1 FTU before my current ops assignment (bottom line, I'm a pipeline guy, not prior-E, etc), and my knowledge base is obviously limited to the Bone community. Regarding the treatment/hierarchy of WSOs in the Bone: I have never felt like I was treated as a second class citizen or a "back-seat b!tch". In the Bone, every crewmember contributes to the success of the mission in a concrete manner - meaning, the pilots cannot accomplish the mission without us, and vice versa. That's not a feel-good statement, that's simply the way it is. Our aircraft is amazingly complex, and because of that complexity/robust capabilities/vintage (read: old) design, it requires a crew of four to operate in combat. The pilots cannot "do the WSOs job", simply because they don't have the time to train to our systems, and physically they can't sit in multiple seats at once and actuate controls/switches, etc. Obviously, I am not trained to fly the aircraft either. The pilot/wso relationship is very friendly and those who come to the Bone with attitude problems usually either shape up quickly or are removed from the community in one way or another. Regarding career advancement: My last SQ/CC was a WSO and just made O-6 (will most likely be eventually returning to the Bone as a OG/CC or CD). You will determine your career development, not your wings. I realize that's only true to a point, but the bottom line is WSOs do not have some O-4/5 glass ceiling like some people think. I'd say USAFWS attendance plays a larger part in achieving an ops leadership role than the wings on your chest, and pilots and wsos can both be patches. The bottom line for me is that I am luckly enough to be able to contribute directly to the broader mission every time I take off from a deployed location. I am fortunate enough to have more combat sorties/hours, bomb drops, and real-world employement experience than many CAF pilots. That's not a braggy statement, but simply a fact to show how the air force really works. Today the Bone (among other airframes) is relied on heavily by combatant commanders to meet their intent. In five years Raptor or C-model pilots might be blowing MiGs and Sukhois out of the sky while I talk to kids at an airshow. I have no control over that and can only perform the mission I'm assigned. Toro hit all the major points and did a great job as usual debunking some really heinous rumors/false info - hopefully hearing it straight from the source helps to drive those points home. If anyone wants to know more about life as a Bone WSO let me know (I'm sure the other Bonemen on the board would be more than happy to answer questions as well).

Seems like a good topic for a first post... For combat missions, I always fly with a pocket-sized copy of the Constitution. I usually also have a US flag in my helmet bag but that's more for post-deployment gifts than superstition. I don't usually do anything special for checkrides since I'm usually too concerned with getting my pubs up to date, etc.