[Airlift and Air Refueling Squadrons]

I still find it ironic that a refueling aircraft would need to be refueled.

I wonder how many you can link together in a chain...

[DTS is the devil]

Agree that DTS is better than paper vouchers...when it works! There have been lots of problems lately and CCs at all levels are getting repeatedly poked in the eye for their members' late vouchers. What's worse, individuals who can't/won't pay their bills out of pocket while they are waiting for the system to catch up suffer blemishes on their credit records. Not advocating a boycott here ;), but my personal credit card is going to be seeing more use in the future!

2 on the personal credit card. Never had a problem with a late DTS voucher, but when I PCS'd on the paper voucher I showed up as late before I even arrived at the new base. Crazy new Citibank contract...

[Enlisted to Officer]

I am a little confused by all the programs out there along with how my new GI bill will affect everything. First of all is there a way to get a gauranteed slot as a fighter pilot. Im working on my PPL and i am considering all option for obtaining my Aeronautical engineering degree. Such as LEAD for the academy, some kind of "seperate and go ROTC", "stay in and go ROTC", and everything in between. Has anyone in here crossed over from enlisted to fighter pilot with some info on any programs or anything? Thank you

V/r

A1C Johnson Andrew M

Hi Andrew,

If you would like to make a career of flying for the Air Force, a few others have discussed it. You can get lots of good information here.

From what I can read in your post, you're going down the right road. Your education office will be your best friend in helping you down the path. Here's the basics.

0. Be physically qualified in every way for pilot training.

1. Kick butt in your current job.

1a. Try to score an incentive ride in a fighter to see if you really want it.

1b. Awards and stuff will really help your resume for applying for a commission/pilot training.

2. Get flying hours.

3. Get a degree. Have a high GPA. Your major doesn't matter.

3a. Academy will give you the best odds of landing a pilot slot if you are physically capable.

3b. ROTC is a good option (possibly the easiest/most fun, but we all have our own opinions), especially with the new GI bill.

3c. Degree on AD and then OTS is always an option, but there's tons of competition with other priors.

4. Study your butt off for the AFOQT.

5. Ace the AFOQT.

6. Ace the TBAS.

7. Get a pilot slot.

8. Be the best at pilot training without hurting your friends.

9. Be lucky enough to have a fighter in your drop at graduation.

10. Pick the fighter.

APPENDIX 1. Impress a few important people along the way to write you letters of recommendation.

APPENDIX 2. Have lots of fun along the way. Keep an open mind at all times.

APPENDIX 3. Do it fast before you get too old.

Good luck...

[Enlisted to Officer]

Ben,

I've been down the road you're on. It was long and bumpy, but I had a great time. Since I'm married with kids, I decided to stay in and use TA for my bachelors. I did OTS as soon as I could and ended up with a non-rated job. A few years later, I applied for a pilot slot and am currently at pilot training. If I was single, I probably would have taken the ROTC path. There are fewer roadblocks and going to a University would be a blast. The new GI bill sweetens it even more. My path worked for me though, and I had a great time along the way.

Good Luck

[Classic Thread - Security Forces (SFS) Tales]

Story time...

We just PCS'd from overseas to our UPT base. A few days ago we picked up our car. Just got the car up to the base after the four day weekend for the first time. Today we entered the base and were greeted by the civilianized SFS.

SFS guy (upon taking our ID's): I told you already that you need to get your plates changed. I can't keep letting you on base. (first time I've met the guy)

Me: These are PCS shipping plates. I have a USAREUR issued registration that backs them for stateside driving until XXXX (date).

SFS guy (getting the angry voice): I told you over two weeks ago!

Me: Are you sure about that?

SFS guy: Yes. You have only thirty days from the first time I tell you to get your plates changed.

Me: You know, I just picked up this vehicle this weekend.

SFS guy: Well when did you get to the base?

Me: Does it matter? I couldn't have changed the plates before getting the vehicle.

SFS guy: **says nothing, hands back ID and salutes**

Me: **Takes back ID, returns salute, and drive away**

I'm always amazed at how crazy people can get when they think they know something and feel they need to enforce it.

[Holsters in Flight Suits]

For whatever reason shoulder holsters kill my back, every brand I've tried. On the rare occasion I carry I use a belly band similar to this http://bellybandccw.com

Yeah it gets sweaty when it's hot, but then so does everything else.

Pop's sells faux Louis Vuitton shoulder holsters, saw a load wearing one. Petty funny.

I ate dinner at Bagram yesterday, saw plenty of people wearing standard holsters (horizontal). A rule that didn't last or is widely ignored.

Next time you're at Pop's, just have them make you one of those leather flight suits. That way you can have the concealed holster built right in (STS)...

[Info on Ramstein AB, Germany]

Here's a question about getting there.

I know there is a rotator from BWI direct to ETAR. Now I don't particularly feel like driving from Oklahoma to Maryland, but would still like to go direct. Is it possible to leave from a closer port call (DFW), go to BWI, and catch the rotator over?

Looks like the most likely routing is just DFW to FRA (not sure on the layovers). Until I get my orders, the travel office isn't helping much. They do have a ton of folks PCS'ing so I can understand.

Easy flight DFW-FRA. It's a 777 direct and the seat headrests all have entertainment systems. The flight runs approx 9.5 hours. Once in FRA, use one of the many shuttle services to ride down to Ramstein. It's about an hour ride and will run about 40 euro per person. I use Rita's and they take credit cards.

[Combat Systems Officer (CSO) info; Nav, EWO, WSO]

Good to know, one less move.

This is why I asked about IFS, I get info saying it's different and the same. If it's shorter, that will make up for the lack of flight time.

I've been waiting for a chance at this for almost 10 years now, planning my life around it, so I will not take this lightly. How do you get recommended or qualified for WSO training though?

Here's the current gouge on IFS for CSO. You will go. There are CSO candidates that attend who are airline pilots (ANG) in their day jobs. You will mirror the pilots on academics and the first few flights. After that, you will specialize in assisting an instructor pilot with flying the aircraft to specific locations at specific times, much like you would for a time sensitive airdrop, munitions drop, or whatever. Expect 3.5 weeks altogether for the CSO program.

[Info on Ramstein AB, Germany]

One other place you may want to look is www.ramsteinyardsales.com. It's almost like a craigslist for Ramstein. If you click the "Autos & Boats" link on the left, you should get a good list. Warning, things on that site move fast. When we were leaving Ramstein, we listed almost 30 items. By the time we finished the process of listing them, 6 had been sold. Good luck...

[First an AT-6...]

What a perfect CoIN aircraft. It's simple, agile, and would be pretty resiliant. Sure gives a whole new meaning to 'crop dusting'...

Found this after a quick google search on it... I love the wrench and screwdriver comment.

Built by Air Tractor, a premier designer and builder of crop dusting planes, the CAT is set to debut at the Paris Air Show coming up in the middle of this month. Built as a purpose-designed counter insurgency aircraft, the CAT sports extremely short take off and landing capability (150-200 feet) with very long loiter (10 hours with fuel bladders) and plenty of lift to carry rockets, GAUs and pods in expeditionary environments.

A source who’s flacking the plane tells me the main benefit is the plane’s lack of logistics footprint…”everything can be fixed with a wrench and screwdriver,” he said, eliminating the need for expensive spare parts, maintenance bays and teams of techs to keep the thing up and running.

The plane could provide low-cost, long-loiter CAS, convoy escort and FID missions for US troops, allies and contractors flying out of areas as small as battalion — or even company-level FOBS.

“This is about having breakfast with a convoy commander before launching to provide him with route recon, battlefield overwatch, and if necessary precise and withering fires on anything that gets in the way,” my source sent me.

I’m bullish on COIN aircraft and with a USAF chief of staff who’s keen on the idea of cheaper, longer loiter, less maintenance intensive aircraft for the current fight and for allies who can’t afford $10 million aircraft, this capability is going to be increasingly attractive.

[TVs / Cable / Satellite in Europe]

I'll get movies from blockbuster.com or netflix if I want to watch somethin' (yes, they supposedly ship to APO addresses!!)

Confirmed

[Info on Ramstein AB, Germany]

I, too, got in on the boondoggle to Ramstein. Thanks to TORO for that sweet gouge. Question about a car conundrum though:

We're planning on shipping one car and selling our other car...I know someone advised shipping the car we're taking early so it's there when you arrive, but if we sell our other car, we'll have no transpo...does TMO give you a rental car voucher or anything? Should we wait to sell our 2nd car until the day before we leave? What about waiting to ship our 1st car? Will the gov't pay for a rental car while we wait for our car to arrive (yeah, right)? How expensive is it to rent a car for a month? Same as here in the states?

Seems like a logistical nightmare, but I'm sure people deal with it all the time, so any advice?

You can pick up a rental car (15 year old Mercedes/BMW with no A/C) for about $500 for a month at some of the places off base. Europcar can get you one for a little over $1000 for a month. Sixt (on base) is the most convenient and the most expensive. They can get you one starting around $1400 for a month. Keep in mind these prices are for the smallest/cheapest cars.

Lots of people (me included) just ship a car when they leave the states and go to the lemon lot to buy a beater immediately upon arrival. A good used BMW/Mercedes will run you $4k-7K. They're nice for getting around, and the other drivers treat you better when you aren't in an obviously American car. They move quick during PCS season so you'll want to jump fast once you find one you like.

Others will order a car from the many new car vendors. You can get a BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, or Mini custom built for a fraction of the stateside price, tax free. If you order far enough in advance of your move, it can be waiting for you.

Your more pressing logistical problem is that you can't rent, buy, or even drive a car on PCS orders until you get your USAREUR license. It's not an easy test, but if you study you can have a temp within a week of arrival. There's a new system that is being rolled out to certain bases allowing you to test before you come. Gouge is below.

1/30/2009 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- Stress during a permanent change of station move is inevitable, but proper planning before leaving a current station is one way to mitigate some of the pressure and anxiety that can occur after arriving at a new duty location.

For members and dependents PCSing to Germany, one big stressor is passing the U.S. Army in Europe, or USAREUR, driver's license test. A passing grade on the test is a requirement before active duty personnel and dependents can apply for a USAREUR driver's license and operate a motor vehicle on or off base, officials said.

Statistics show those on their first assignment to Europe will be challenged by the USAREUR driver's license test. More than 30 percent of all first-time testers fail to meet the minimum passing score of 85 percent.

Why is this test so difficult?

Since most of the German and European traffic patterns, speeds, signs and laws are different than those in the United States, it requires some real study to pass. Additionally, a rigorous test is directly tied to a driver's understanding of the rules of the road and informational signs and is critical to ensure the safety of the driver and those on the road with them.

In an effort to reduce the associated stress of the USAREUR driver's licensing process, 435th Vehicle Readiness Squadron personnel have teamed up with U.S. Air Forces Europe Headquarters counterparts to help Airman prepare for successful completion of their licensing test.

An initiative was started to move the point of USAREUR driver's license testing from the destination location to the departing location. Several stateside locations, including MacDill, now allow members to test for their license before they PCS. Unlike the conventional test, this one is paperless, giving applicants the opportunity to take proctored tests online at local education offices. Just a few seconds after the last question is answered, the results of the test will be available on the screen. With a test result in hand, members arriving at USAFE bases can easily apply for, and instantly receive their USAREUR driving privileges.

The new testing process is currently available at 16 bases across the Air Force with the capability slotted to expand to another 19 by March.

Airmen should keep in mind there are many things they can do to prepare themselves for the test, officials said.

The exam is made up of 75 multiple-choice questions on rules and driving procedures, plus 25 traffic signs that must be properly identified. The feedback provided from many individuals who have failed the test is that study materiel is sufficient but the amount of time set aside to study was not. Many people who failed just didn't anticipate the difficulty of the test.

For anyone expecting to pass this exam, a minimum of 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted study time is recommended, officials said. Practice exams and information about the USAREUR test can be found on the Air Force Portal at https://wwwmil.usafe.af.mil/dlt/.

[TVs / Cable / Satellite in Europe]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I think kingpin has a good point of why would it be dual voltage and not take their signal, and I agree with your theory behind the built in tuner vs. the cable DVR boxes.

I've decided that I'm gonna take it with me. Hell, worse case scenario I will have a 37' HD computer screen!

The computer screen thing actually works pretty good for the limited TV options there. Internet speed is VERY fast if you live in the right place. We ended up using a Mac Mini hooked to our plasma. Most TV shows are available on itunes, and its nice to surf the internet from your recliner.

We also hooked up AFN and it was awful. On the big screen, its very fuzzy. Add this to the weird sound/video offset AFN seems to get and we rarely watched it.

Lots of folks get Sky, but I didn't want to be locked into an expensive contract for their limited programming.