skinny

Do you have something to be worried about? Caveat, I'm out of my lane here but I haven't heard anything official. As for the booting out of the AF, with the way manning numbers are, it wouldn't surprise me. Easy kill to get down to the congressionally mandated numbers. I highly doubt they would stick you with a bill for scholarships, stipend, etc. It would be funny as shit if they stuck you with a flight training bill too!

As long as you fly like there's always an examiner on board, you shouldn't have to change a thing. Sure dig in the books a bit before the eval but as long as you stay away from things dumb, different and dangerous every time you go up (sts), you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

That poll has been up since January 2010. A lot has happened since then so the numbers aren't very reliable. Interesting regardless however.

http://www.af.mil/ne...sp?id=123197526 Social networking now allowed at five PACAF bases.

I guess I should have said "In the interest of avoiding FURTHER RETARDATION blah blah blah...."

In the interest of keeping the retardation to a minimum in this thread, please take the time to actually read the previous pages of the thread in which you are reading as opposed to re-hashing what's already been discussed at great and painful lengths.

To buy an iPhone outright isn't very cost effective just to avoid ATT. Had I got one when I first got here (mandatory 2 year contract with a copy of orders) that would have been the route I would have taken, However with 2 months left here, I can't justify forking over the roughly $600 for the iPhone.

Moving back to CONUS soon and I'm looking at what I should get once I get back. I've had horrible experience with ATT in the past so no iPhone for this guy. I've basically got it narrowed down to either the BB Storm2 or the Motorola Droid... leaning more towards the Droid. I've read the posts above regarding the Droid but I'm curious if you can tether it to a Mac, same for the BB. Anyone have experience with this? Thanks!

Short answer, no, that sort of gouge doesn't exist. Should it? Who knows. Dude, all I can say is, lowest common denominator. Sure the 10 year vet knows how to read a tail number. But to expect an 18 year old kid wet behind the ears to know the shit you're spewing isn't feasible. Those things come with time and experience. Absolutely it's about being an expert. But were you an expert straight out of RTU!? Didn't think so. Your job was to say "4" and nothing else, unless someone was putting lives in danger. Were you rock solid on the boom at DM? Probably not, but it came with time didn't it? And I'm sure the boom was patient with your lack of experience. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that you're the guy that thinks because you can see the receptacle and the boom, you want to make your own contact. Stop me if I'm wrong here. SH if you can do that, but you'd be wrong. Just park the damn thing and I'll make sure you get your gas. You're right, it should be easy. So pass me your 6 digits and be done with it! How's that for simple? Edit to add: I'm not trying to start a flame war here. 99.99999% of the guys I've refueled have been top notch and 99.99999% of the tanker crews I've been on have always attempted to whatever could be done to proved a better service to the customer/receiver. As much as we hate to admit it, as tankers, we are in the customer service business; not always for the guy on the boom but usually for the guys in the mud. This ENTIRE thread is talking about that .00001% when it didn't quite go so well. That's all I've got.

Care to explain what this major revision will entail?

Like I said, most units do have a book listing the entire AF inventory, but as jets move around, it becomes a living document that doesn't get updated as often as it should. Not everyone flies a Hog. Therefore not all jets were built in the same years as the hog. Just because your tail number is 10978, that '1' could mean 61, 71, 81, 91, 01, etc. It's even more fun with the USN when they try to give us their side number, you know the three digit one on their nose? There are probably 10 aircraft in the USN that have that same side number. What we need from them, their Bureau Number(BUNO), is a six digit number and the only place you can find it is just below their horizontal stab. Now how the hell am I supposed to see that, even if he is on the wing!? No problem dude! Glad I could help!

Dude slow down. What you have to realize is any records we do have of what tail is stationed where doesn't update at the same rate of PDM inputs/outputs and jet swaps with other units. It's a little easier at a deployed location as long as we keep up with AEF swap-outs and who is deployed where with what jets. EMCON allowing, I would rather verbally ask you what your number is so my co can copy it down as opposed to strain my neck to try and see what those 2 inch digits say while I've got 20-30 degrees flaps trying not to fall out of the sky to keep you in contact (A-10 specific), so you get your gas, so the guys on the ground get their CAS. Oh by the way, the last three digits don't cut it, we need the FULL tail number, YY-XXXX. Especially since the boom blocks any view of the numbers aft of the receptacle. Don't even get me started on night AR and reading a black number on a gray jet. We try pretty damn hard not to gum up the radios, like having the co look out the window at your stab for the number and tail flash if it's light enough out. I know, genius right? Fact is, we HAVE to have your tail number. It's not something we ask for to make you flail looking for it (however entertaining that may be). It all comes down to the shoe accountant at the wing that has to make sure the bill is sent to the right place for the right jet. All a unit has to do is say, "We don't have that tail number here, we're not paying." That money then comes out of the tanker unit's funding. We're here to give you the fuel, not pay for it. Here's a thought, pass them at check-in, you know we're gonna ask for it, why not be ready for it? (again EMCON allowing) If not, try boom interphone (I know I know, the thing is about as reliable as the AF uniform policy), but it's worth a shot. Shack on the above. I've seen it and heard of it happening and all I could do was hang my head in shame for tanker clowns everywhere. Comes down to a lack of SA on the tanker's part and a lack of ATP-56 knowledge of receiver ops limits.

Just got off the phone with the pre-commissioning department at USAA. Here's the deal: The 'Career Starter' 30K @1.99% for 60 mos is for Academy cadets ONLY. (USAFA, West Point, etc) The 'Pre-Commissioning' 25K @ 4.99% for 60 mos is for all others (OTS, ROTC, etc). Before you can even ask about the loan you must be within 4 months of receiving your commission. So if you're going to OTS, that's one month before you depart for Maxwell. You're required to have USAA checking and savings accounts and the payment must be set up to automatically come out of one of those two accounts. If you're ROTC, USAA has a pdf form that your commanding officer is required to sign and send to USAA before you can begin to apply. Also, a standard credit check will be accomplished. That's all the info I got on it. If you want more you can call yourself, they were as always, extremely helpful. 1-800-531-4610 will take you straight to the Pre-Commissioning Department. Cheers...

2 I was kind of thinking the same thing. The odds of having both the brakes AND gas pedal fail at the same time have got to be pretty slim. I think the Prius was only recalled for the brakes and not the gas pedal. Probably just looking for some cash or an easy way out of making such a bad decision by buying a Prius.

A few things come to mind here: 1 - Why did he wait until he slowed down to 50mph before he decided it might be a good idea to turn the vehicle off? Is there not a neutral on hybrids? 2 - HOLY SHIT! This guy got a damn PRIUS to go 94 mph! Kudos for the top speed attempt, but you still drive a Prius. I award you no points.

I didn't even know about the 30K "career starter". May have to check into that especially when the interest is 3 points lower than the commissioning loan.

Nice spoiler title. Thanks for saving me four hours of my life.

So pending the first class at P-Cola actually starting, how long after that should you expect a "drop night"?

Kudos to Trijicon for the following. Link

It's now an official duty title as seen in an email recently recieved from EGUN MOCC... SSgt, XXXX X, XXXXXXXX, USAF Weapons System Controller RAF Mildenhall DSN:314-###-XXXX

Part of me laughs at this, but the other part of me wouldn't appreciate if someone arbitrarily listed my name on 'the internets' without my consent. It's not that hard to track down folks in the AF, why make it easier? Especially with the email for life we all have now.

I just saw that piece of shit about an hour ago. Great effects with the 3D and all but the weak ass attempts at likening this movie to any situation currently going on in real life today damn near made me want to leave. The whole "shock and awe" comments, and the "their planet is already dead / They killed their mother" (ie mother earth). I don't remember the exact verbiage but there was one comment made trying to make this "planet" like the country of Iraq and how we invaded for "unobtanium" (oil) and didn't care about the people or what we had to get it............blah blah blah. Really turned me off to the whole thing. [/rant] On a lighter note, Inglorious Bastards is by far my favorite Tarantino movie to date. Delta had it available on their on demand system for transatlantic flights. I watched it once going to ATL and again back to Frankfurt. Oh the irony of watching that movie while flying to and from Germany....

Search was exhausted prior to post... I don't know about you guys but I'm pretty pumped about the super cool new patches as described below: Honestly what kind of BS is this? Don't give me a patch, give me a day off or a bonus. Not some ridiculous iron on pat on the back for not being a fat ass. I want the "mediocre, not dying any time soon" patch! On another note, here's hoping it doesn't become mandatory like a RB. One more way for the alterations and MCSS to make a buck I s'pose.

If this happens, I want in!

Clip two together and wrap the both of you up. You should feel responsible for ensuring the safety of loved ones.