mp5g

I wish this was made up but deploying to Afghanistan last year, we had to have the Velcro rank for our multi cam ball caps that were allowed in the AOR. By a simple oversight, a lot of the “silver” rank was threaded with blue thread instead of the approved black thread. We didn’t notice, and frankly didn’t care because in the grand scheme of things, who really gives a fuck? Well apparently the deployed leadership gives a fuck and shortly after they noticed our transgressions (about a month into the deployment), we were given black sharpies and told to fix ourselves. I used to think the only thing certain was death and taxes, but apparently “shoes gonna shoe” is also a certainty.

If you haven’t seen Free Solo yet, I highly recommend it. The story being told is engrossing and even though you know the dude ends up climbing El Cap successfully, I’d be willing to bet you’re still holding your breath watching him dangle 2000’ above terra firma with little more than a thumb hold on a sheer rock face and a karate kick across a gap.

Not to sound too subversive, but I think a lot of it is going to depend on if the powers that be get their cake and get to eat it too. For higher fidelity info, stop by your friendly intel shop to ask more pointed questions and I’m sure you’ll come to the conclusion I have, 🤷‍♂️.

Truth data. Granted I’m a fighter dude, but when I raised my hand over a decade ago, we were doing 45 day deployments WITH a swapout at the halfway point. Fast forward to getting back from the B-course 5 years ago and now I walk right into 3 month deployments (TSP bullshit) as standard. Not that it was that big of a change but it was a real fun conversation to have with the fraü after I sold her on the “at most 45 days” pitch before I joined up. Change is a coming.

This place used to have a ton of random military stuff. I haven’t been there in 20 years but it’s only gotten bigger (sts) and moved online. https://www.omahas.com/ Just a cursory search revealed they have the mask face piece: https://www.omahas.com/shop/mbu-5-p-oxygen-mask-face-piece/ I’m sure they have an intact mask lying around somewhere. Good luck.

I had a buddy very recently go through Downtown Aviation in Memphis for his Practical. 2 day trip and he’s done. Cost was reasonable as well.

So one iteration (successful or not still yet to be seen) of UPT Next through the gate and VR has to now be incorporated into UPT and PIT. Jesus. We really have gotten there haven’t we.

You can check the individual state guard websites. They usually list the job openings that include AGR positions.

Sounds like you’re ripe for Active Duty then. Absolutely no restrictions to any specific state and absolutely no extra obligations for state level business. You are guaranteed flexibility to move every 3 years to either local states (ie. good ole US of A) or any number of sovereign states for service. With the current pilot shortage I’m willing to bet AD would entertain the ETP as much, if not more so than the Reserves.

Or look at the Guard and choose from about 22 fighter squadrons.

We’ve been hearing that for the last 1.5 years. Every time the deadline hits where the transition is supposed to happen, we get the “oh it’s comng (sts) but it’ll be here in another 6 months.” I’ve ceased to believe or care about it anymore.

Had an enlisted dude from our unit apply and get picked up by Tucson about 2 yrs ago. Not in that unit obviously, but he was military.

Dude I get it. I started out with the dream to fly as well but I want to make sure you understand one thing first, if you don’t already. Your number one priority for signing up should be to serve, not strictly to make a means to an end. The reason I say this is that the path to wings and even to an operational squadron is an arduous journey, filled with plenty of pitfalls. What if you get picked up to fly fighters for a Guard or Reserve unit, but don’t qualify in T-6’s for the fighter track because your class ranking is so low? What if you fail out of IFF, or an RTU? Would you be willing to work a different job that isn’t a pilot position within that unit if you couldn’t be a pilot in that unit? I get that you may not want to enlist if you don’t medically qualify but apply that to what could happen if you weren’t able to make it back to the bros with wings on your chest if you got commissioned. You need to know if you’d be happy, and still have job satisfaction if you were serving in the military even if it’s not what you originally envisioned yourself doing. Nobody likes working with the dude who hates his life everyday and is counting down the days until he can leave the base in the rear view for good.

No time wasted I guess. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/04/18/colonel-demoted-immediately-retired-from-air-national-guard-over-dinosaur-puppet-video/

Are these the ones? http://www.danner.com/rivot-tfx-8-coyote-gtx.html?currency=USD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy8SBp6vU2QIVzbbACh0FggrMEAQYAyABEgIzaPD_BwE Because they are on sale through Danner for $108 right now. If they are that good I may pick up a pair.

Great. So are the changing the CAP program in the pipelines as well? I think it’s only fair that the dudes who have skipped everything having to do with airmanship in a supersonic trainer/fighter get branded with a scarlet letter or something on their nametags. Auto self-identify once they walk into a briefing room.

Maybe I’ve missed it because we are talking about the same problems in about 4 different threads, but is IFF sticking around with the plan to send dudes through an elongated (sts) T-6 syllabus then on to the Viper?

Get high, get fast, do some good work. Go downtown, drop some bombs, kill all the assholes. Land, drink some whiskeys, tell stories at the bar and go home drunk to a wife who hates your lifestyle and thinks you are too old to still act like a degenerate child. Pass out, wake up and do it all again. Caveat: not for everyone.

You can email them your orders.

You can check the status of your mil orders on a SCRA website, which is what they reference. Pretty much as soon as my orders ended, they sent me the letter stating I’d be charged the yearly fee, and within a billing cycle I was billed. However, AMEX is amazing at paying you back annual fees when you go on orders. Banking on that when I get an upcoming set for 4 months this next year.

I’ve had them waived with as little as 3 months of ADOS.

I wasn't able to get anywhere but my bro called and the dude he talked to didn't care one bit if he was AD or not. Once he explained that he is still in the military full time, the rep continued his SCRA benefits for another year. My thoughts is that it will depend on who you talk to if/when you call in to the rep. I just paid the yearly fee but we have a 3-4 monther coming up under Title X that I will be requesting SCRA for, which should mean I get reimbursed for the yearly fee charges on the card.

Everything you mentioned helps. If this is something you're interested in pursuing further, the best thing you can do is visit the unit early and often. Let them know your story and what you are wanting to do. If you are a good dude, then you may have a shot. If they don't think you're a good fit, I'd hope someone would pull you to the side and let you know so you don't continue wasting your time.

Did you do any Strike training during your pilot training pipeline? If not, it will make things more difficult but not insurmountable if you find a unit to hire you and sponser your package (sts). First, you would probably have to do some sort of T-38 top off program so you are familiar with the jet you'd be flying at IFF (Intro to Fighter Fundamentals). Then IFF for 3 months. If that was completed, get ready for the centrifuge and the 9G profile, followed by a full up 9 months of the B-course before you make it back to your unit to start MQT. Again this isn't impossible but most units looking to hire a dude with prior flight time, don't want to have to send him through an entire fighter pipeline to get a qualified dude (in my limited experience). If it was switching from another fighter/strike platform, that'd be a lot simpler.