flyguy2181

Looking for info; headed to Holloman to train in the MQ-1 (Sept - Jan). - Any good things to do while I'm there? Is the airport still open? Can I take glider lessons while I'm there? - I imagine lots of free time to travel/explore. Any must see towns, national parks, hiking trails, etc? - Anything feedback for the training course? base? lodging?

Thread revival. Headed to Holloman for MQ-1 training. Any update to the training/school/timeline would be greatly appreciated. Is the course really that long? Can we expect to graduate early or late? Is the glider club still operational and offering training during the winter? What's the lodging situation like? Any good off-base options? Anything else?

Does anyone know a good place to knock out my ATP practical near the Philly/DC area?

I was in the same situation when I left the C-17 (as a MP). The functional would not have put me into another "must-fill" billet (UAVs, white jet, etc). So that would leave staff jobs, other flying gigs, etc. I know one former C-17 AC that went to staff and one went to C-12. The needs of the AF trump all but that was what he tried to do.

To me this is a generational issue. Nobody over the age of 35 ever drinks these energy drinks. But everything he says about energy drinks can be said about coffee. People use coffee to compensate for not sleeping well, poor work/sleep cycle, drinking too much coffee keeps you up at night, it dehydrates you, causes ulcers, etc. But nobody would ever think of taking a general's coffee away from him/her. Since its only the younger folks that drink rip-its, then its not that big of a deal.

I saw a discussion in the VML thread about getting back into the C-17 community after a white jet/UAV/etc tour. I wanted to answer but I figured this was a better post for it. I just recently returned to the C-17 community after a white jet tour. The summer VML is difficult to return to the C-17 because all the school graduates headed to DO/CC slots fill the summer slots. I was told by the functional to try to be reclaima and try for the fall VML. Also, what requal slot you are trying for greatly affects your chances. I was trying for a ACRQ slot and there are only like 12 a year. It seemed like IPRQ were easier to get. Like everything in the AF, luck and timing have everything to do with it.

So 2004 11M cannot apply since this year group is not eligible for the RIF?

The AF IPs at Pcola that transitioned from the Navy to the AF did not have to go through PIT. They did have to take some type of spin-up/checkride so they have an AF Form 8 on file.

As of right now, the T-6 guys are doing the same syllabus. There is talk of changing things but right now it is just talk. I'm pretty sure the T-1 pilots (almost all are contract pilots) also go through the same T-1 PIT syllabus.

How will this effect their hiring? It seems that they have been recruiting for their squadron for a while.

I wonder if any AF advance agents are going to get caught up in this. Knowing the typical military reaction, they will investigate everyone down there and people will get in trouble, even if they weren't associated with the secret service prostitutes. ....all for not paying a woman in the morning..

Best thread to ask this question, I guess. I'm looking at the timeline regarding first,second and third looks for school. When is it the best time to move after my PRF is written to ensure I can compete at all three looks? Do I need two years on station before my first look? Or do I need one year on-station before my first look... giving me two years on-station when I PCS'd.

Latest rumors/numbers on assigments for guys coming out of AETC? Are they accepting people back into the community?

The AF is closing the investigation on her, concluding that she was kidnapped. "The Air Force has confirmed that a major who went missing in Kyrgyzstan six years ago was kidnapped, debunking an online smear campaign that claimed she went AWOL." http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2012/03/air-force-confirms-metzger-kidnapped-2006-031912/

I hate sticking up for Al-Deid but I don't think the latrine email or the combat shower email is about this place. The combat shower email talks about Iraq and the latrine email uses terms that only Army guys would use "section leader". Furthermore, I am out here and I haven't seen any email like that and I use whatever bathroom I need to use. Maybe I'm just late getting the word but some people tend to take everything they read on the internet as fact and I didn't want those type of people to get all spun up. To add to the latest 'Deid news.... - Still no tobacco.... they tried to get an off-base vendor to set up a tobacco shop on base: Think hookah pipes, flavored tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, etc but that plan fell through. - Rumors of an impending pork shortage. The host nation has a tight control over the importation or pork products and they want us to use their state-owned vendor. We'll see if it gets work out before they cut off our pork. - No more one ear-bud policy. As of 1 Mar, you cannot wear earphones while running on the road (ear buds are allowed on the sidewalk). In addition, they are building a running trail on the CC side. Currently, its a little better than a dirt trail but they are trying to get some money to pave it, etc. The idea is to get people off of the roads and onto the trail or into the gym. - Policy hasn't changed yet on the married folks crossing the threshold. Edit:spelling

Disregard my previous comment about the married folks waiver... message sent out too early. It is not official policy yet.... but there is hope that it will change soon.

There is not an end in sight to the tobacco ban. Currently, they do not limit "personal use" tobacco that is brought in through customs. So bring as much in as you want/need for your deployment.

All different types of aircraft get cleared unrestricted climb on tactical departures. From the FAA handbook, "To the maximum extent possible, Air Force One will be cleared unrestricted climb to......" So yeah, I'd say 91 degrees would be too much for AF1. And this is besides the point he was trying to make.

incorrect...there is morale. It is had by the commanders who will pin on stars because of the work that other people did here.

Email sent out today states that the host nation did not sign the tobacco waiver (didn't know we had one or required one...maybe to allow us to sell it on base). Leadership does not know when or if they will sign it. If you have every gone through customs here, you know they do things at their own pace.

Well...I'm sure we can invade any country. Reasons for attack Iraq versus Iran...10 yrs of no-fly zones (meaning we were actually flying over that country before we invaded it), 10 yrs of an embargo, Iraq is a smaller country, military & intelligence was actively engaged in Iraq for those ten years, Kurdish allies in the North. We could have invaded either country but the plans were in place already for an Iraq invasion. I'm not saying it is the reason. All I said was that I have heard theories saying we invaded one country to get to its neighbor.

I've heard something like this being talked about for a while now.... We invaded Iraq because we couldn't invade Iran. We invaded Afghanistan because we couldn't invade Pakistan.

I thought I read where the Air Force would do no more VSP programs. Instead, they reserve the right to do more RIFs/SERBs if required. Basically, they won't ask for volunteers anymore, they are going to pick who they want to leave the force. This came about after the latest VSP fiasco.

Video of a bench-clearing brawl in a "friendly" game in China. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/georgetown-hoyas-china-exhibition-game-ends-in-brawl/2011/08/18/gIQAgVDEOJ_video.html VP Biden is also in the country for a visit.

http://www.wjla.com/pictures/2011/08/photos-of-the-fallen-30-americans-shot-down-in-afghanistan-/aaron-carson-vaughn-6217-451.html Just some of the fallen.