Bergman
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Posts posted by Bergman
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A quick look at the "bible" (AFI 36-2205) has yielded the following info. I should note that it appears the verbage concerning Navigators in conversion units being accepted up to 34 years old [for UPT] has been removed from the reg.
1.1.6. Applicants must not exceed their 30th birthday or 5 years beyond their Total Federal Commissioned
Service Date (TFCSD), by the start date of the board’s first available UFT class. For those
applicants who exceed the above criteria, and had at least one opportunity to compete for UFT, commanders
must justify why supporting a waiver on an individual over other qualified candidates who
meet the criteria is in the best interest of the Air Force. For waivers to be considered, the applicant
must document an Air Force administrative, counseling, or medical error occurred within the last 2
years that prevented the applicant from applying for UFT.
NOTE: See Attachment 2 for age and
commissioned service waiver procedures. If the applicant can justify a waiver using this criteria, they
must submit a complete copy of the UFT application, to include a completed flying class I/IA physical,
certified by HQ AETC/SGPS, with the request for an age or TFCSD waiver processed through the
applicant’s immediate Squadron/CC, Wing/CC, NAF/CC, and MAJCOM/CC, and forwarded to HQ
AF/DPFMF, 1040 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1040, for processing and forwarding to
CSAF for final action. All waivers are reviewed on an individual basis and, if approved, allow the
applicant a one-time opportunity to compete for UFT. If the requested age or TFCSD waiver is
approved by CSAF after the board cut-off date, the applicant will be eligible to compete on the next
selection board. The disapproval authority within the MAJCOM chain of command for age or TFCSD
waiver is vested in the MAJCOM/CC. If the application is disapproved, it will be returned to the
applicant. ANG waiver requests must be processed through the State Adjutant General to HQ ANG/
DP. If the request is disapproved, it will be returned to the applicant’s state headquarters, who will forward
to the applicant’s unit. AFRC waiver requests must be processed through HQ AFRC/DPMB.
The CSAF may delegate the approval authority for all age and commissioned service waiver requests.
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The San Antonio FSDO apparently has their feces consolidated. They got the MU-300/BE-400 on my ticket without incident (in Oct 03).
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The AF issues the infamous "G-Shock" watch to all nav and pilot students.
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At XL, they offered the Commercial/Instrument/Multi-Engine (w/type rating for T-1 folks) course for $125. Show up some Saturday morning, study as long as you like (a pared-down FAA question bank), take a practice test, then take the actual test.
Assuming you pass (I was told no one has ever failed), they'll give you the test results sheet you need. Take that, along with a letter from your commander verifying your flight experience (this was provided to every graduating student "automatically") to the local FSDO (San Antonio for XLers) and they'll hook you up.
On a side note, the new FAA licenses are pretty sweet...credit card type with a pic of Orville and Wilbur on the back!
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You can't forget that BILLETTING will drive your cross country...at least it did at XL! If we couldn't get on-base lodging rates, the DO wouldn't approve it. That may have changed in the last 6 months, but definitely something to ask about prior to spending 40 hours planning that great cross country to vegas (been there done that..in a TWEET!)
One last comment...in TONEs, Chuck and I had a GREAT plan to RON in St. Louis. Decent weather, rooms and transpo taken care of, an FBO with fuel contract and 24 hour service. CNXd by the FAIP..."because I don't feel comfortable flying into Class B airspace". WTF!?! In a $4M jet with every bell and whistle. YGBSM. Guess it was better to make that call rather than getting in over his head (STS) but IMHO any AF pilot can handle Class B at night (vectors ILS full stop).
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Good news on the selling back of leave for us ANG folks. If you are on contingency orders (ONE, OEF, OIF, etc) any leave you sell back DOES NOT count against your 60 days career total. Also, if you are on orders for less than 365 days you can sell back without pentaly (just learned that from our finance guys last week - aparently that is a recent change to the reg).
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I asked the AMS Director of Operations that same question...and here's what she told me:
- Longer days for AMS. Not much free time throughout the day to workout, study, prepare briefings, etc. Basic day seems to be 0600 to 1800 or so for the students at AMS.
- A few less briefings. Specifically, some of the UCMJ, PCS, TDY briefs that are basically Active Duty focused information that's not all that applicable to ANG/AFRES people.
She was adamant that the programs cover basically the same material, with those couple of exceptions. Looks like the AFRES leadership is starting to agree...they're sending some of their UPT folks there right now.
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I agree that you at least want to wait until you get your assignment before buying that great LT Mobile. It would suck to drop $25k on a Mustang (or other rear wheel drive car) and then get that much-desired assignment to Grand Forks or Minot and not be able to drive the thing for 6 months a year.
As far as brining your shiny new ride overseas...there's the potential for damage when shipping there/back, the fact that Japan uses right hand drive cars (and the left side of the road), and just the additional hassle of having to worry about it (shipping, damage, etc). If it were me, I'd fly over there and drop $2k on a beater car that I can sell for $2k when I leave after 3 years of abuse.
As a side note, you can't get RC-135s to Kadena straight out of UPT. You have to do a tour at Offutt first (3 years or more). That's not to say you won't be TDY there so much you think you've PCSd....
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Hmm...looks like there is a difference between what the regs say and what happens "in the real world". I am shocked and outraged! haha Whatever gets the job done, so long as it doesn't roast my nuts or cause my jet to explode.
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Yep...the pubs issue place at your UPT base. You'll have plenty of time to learn the stuff once you get there. My advice would be to relax and enjoy life now because you won't have one if/when you're at UPT. $.02
"Live by the gouge, die by the gouge". Be wary of what you get from unofficial sources. The BOLDFACE changes all the time (student harassment program, I think) and it would really suck to learn it one way then have it change right before you actually NEED to know it (harder to un-learn something than to learn it).
$.02 more for a total of $.04 on this post.
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You've also got to watch out for the "Phone Colonel". When I was working @ the pentagon, I used to get calls all the time from guys who would start the conversation with, "This is 'colonel' so-and-so and I need you to get me _whatever_ RIGHT AWAY". Come to find out, after checking the Global Address list, they're only a Lt Col trying to get something past you. Yah..whatever buddy. I'll see your O-5 and raise you two O-6s and an O-7!
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You're a senior in college? You should spend more time partying, because you obviously have way too much free time ;)
Noses cold is a call that fighters make prior to coming up to the tanker, referring to forward firing armament and radars typically (i.e. safe/turned off).
From KC-135 T.O. 1-1C-1-3, "Except when security would be compromised, a verbal hot armament check will be accomplished between the tanker and receiver during the 15 minute prior to ARCT call."
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What is the likelihood of going to UPT after the AF has sent you to AFIT? I'm sure it can be done, but can't imagine that there's a huge number of people doing it (STS).
I'd always be worried that once I went to AFIT, the AF would send me to the infamous Engineering Dungeon at Wright-Pat, never to be seen again, let alone go to UPT.
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"Land a little slow and you'll drop out of the sky and pound onto the concrete" Gee, I bet NONE of us have ever done that! haha I've played "I hate the runway" more than once! In contrast, the -135 is between 20-30% above stall speed in landing configuration, which is a very good thing.
Getting back to topic...
There were defintely a couple of guys in our class that shouldn't have made it through. My only hope now is that a few years as a copilot will bring them up to speed. Fortunately, the weaker guys are usually identified pretty quickly and are paired up with "strong A/Cs" until they get their feces consolidated. The problems start occuring when you have a "weak copilot" with a "weak A/C" (due to scheduling, DNIF, or whatever)...now what? The fact that most squadrons try to schedule around people that shouldn't have made it through UPT in the first place worries me - because, inevitably, that sort of 'safety scheduling' will break down and someone might get hurt. I'm sure the heavy world isn't alone in this - you fighter types see a lot of this?
Lastly - Metalhead...you're right on target. Couldn't agree more. Guess they AF figures that by the time you're in T-1s it's better to get a bad copilot out of the deal rather than spending $1M and getting nothing.
[ 20 February 2004, 02:46: Message edited by: Bergman ]
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Seems that inability to monitor airspeed in the final turn, not clearing for traffic (up to 12 Tweets in the pattern at once!), or being so focused on airspeed/altitude that other things start falling out of your crosscheck (radio calls, correct checklist page, etc). That sort of thing. I know that might sound far-fetched (it did to me when all i had was 70 hours in PA-28s/C-172s), but there is a world of difference between a T-37 at 200 knots and a -172. The IPs hold you to a much higher standard. I distinctly remember a "conversation" I had with an Autstralian IP:
Him: "What airspeed are we supposed to be at?"
Me: "200 KNots"
Him: "What airspeed are we at?"
Me: "202 knots"
Him (literally screaming) "Why aren't you *ucking fixing it then!?!!"
Also keep in mind that 10% is about the going rate for washouts, so the vast majority of people are able to get it figured out and succeed.
Hopefully an IP will respond to this thread, as they are the ones who actually know what they're talking about...
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My class of 28 people had 2 washout in T-37s, one pre-solo the other pre-midphase (the checkride that determines if you can go solo to the MOA).
Both of them washed out due to "basic aircraft control" - they couldn't maintain the proper airspeed in the final turn, would overshoot the runway every approach, and couldn't maintain airspeed or alitutde while enroute to/from the MOA. It was very frustrating to me personally because I spent quite a bit of time chair flying with both of these guys...but it comes to the point where they have to fly the jet alone, and if your brain just doesn't process information fast enough (cross checking a/s, alt, VVI, etc) no amount of preparation will help. With enough time, I believe both of those guys could have flown fine, but UPT isn't very forgiving to slow learners.
[ 16 February 2004, 21:12: Message edited by: Bergman ]
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You can look up the length of any AF formal school in AFI 36-2223. I would have looked it up, but my IP was blocked (probably a .mil only link).
If you're a T-6 student, you would almost certainly be a T-6 FAIP. Reason being that by the time you finish UPT, PIT, then survival, the base you are at will have finished its conversion to T-6s. Other than going to Moody, if you FAIP you now stay at the base where you went to UPT.
It's a matter of opinion, but a FAIP tour probably would be a good time to start a family. 3 years with no OCONUS TDY! And when you are TDY it's only 2-3 days at a time.
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IMHO the "no follow-on" policy has got to be the #1 reason to NOT be a FAIP. You get to work like a dog, in competition with all of your friends and peers, for an entire year at pilot training. Then, once you've graduated, you find out you get 3 more years of that competition. Of course, everyone wants to get their top pick after their FAIP tour, so they work their asses off for "the man" during that 3 years, then end up getting screwed (potentially) with a crappy assignment anyway. Hell, you could get your last choice of assignment without busting your ass for 3 years. (seems to me that UPT IPs work WAAYY harder (STS) and longer days than your average line-squadron aviator).
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I will ditto what AG mentioned about letters of recommendation. The letters do weigh into the decision. I had three - from current and former commanders and my -172 flight instructor (who happened to be OGV/CC at the time). My unit called all of them after my interview, before the final decision. Some units may not call, but just prepare the people you get letters from so they're not surprised if/when they get a call.
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I Palace Chase'd about 18 months ago. I've got a few points for you to ponder:
1) The functional manager will most likely NOT recommend Palace Chase. I talked to mine directly and he made no qualms about telling me that. Of course, this was in a rated career field. It might be easier for non-rated types to leave. The bottom line is, I was approved for Palace Chase even though my functional manager and his boss both recommended disapproval.
2) Before your package (STS) gets to the functional manager/AFPC, it has to leave the Wing. In my interview with the WG/CC (he met with anyone applying for this sort of thing), he told me that he was only supporting my application because I already had an ANG UPT slot arranged (and a letter from my ANG WG/CC to prove it). If you're just trying to leave with no cross over to the ANG, it might be difficult if not impossible.
3) Even though I did get the Palace Chase, it was only for 6 months early release (kinda like from prison!). I was told by the Palace Chase people at AFPC that 4-6 months is the longest time to request with any hope of getting approved. Of course, individual results may vary. You know the AF - as the people change every 2 years, the policies change!
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There was a girl in the class in front of us that had hair below her waist. Obviously very straight hair, but she was able to wrap it up into some turban-like contrivance and made it work.
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Toro's percentages looked right to me. Don't forget that the 10% academics includes all of your EPQs (we took 18 in tweets and 16 in T-1s), so it's not ALL about tests. I will try to dig out my syllabus and see if it breaks down what percentage EPQs are of that 10% overall.
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We were told at the 1/2 way point in tweets, 1/2 way through T-1s, and the day before graduation (although the results of assignment night give you a pretty good clue before that).
In my experience, the top and bottom of our class were pretty well settled by performance. The middle was the area of contention, and I believe that's where the Flt/CC ranking had the most impact. There were people who got great assignments when their flying skills didn't justify it - but their good attitude and work ethic did.
The other intangible is 'group attitude'. As a class/flight, if you have a good work ethic and positive can-do attitude, the flight commander is going to be more willing to make trades and go to bat on your behalf. If you're a bunch of whiners that think everything should be handed to them, then you're at the mercy of AFPC (or perhaps your flt/cc will trade away your good assignments.) Our flt/cc made some great trades - getting 9 of 12 active duty one of their top 3 choices. It would have been only 4 or 5 of 12 if he hadn't done anything.
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Just finished at Laughlin. My wife was there with me, and we don't have any kids yet.
In my experience, it seemed each class had only one or two families with kids. Our class had only 7 of 28 that were married. The wives got along for the most part, although from what I hear from other classes (and ours at times) there is a bit of soap opera drama to be had - who's doing what, how well so-and-so is doing, etc. Guess it will depend on your particular class.
As for family life...here was a typical day for me. This schedule is fairly close for at least 5 days a week - refused to study on Friday night or at all on Saturday - and probably went like this for every week except the first 4 (T-37 academics), the 3 weeks of T-1 academics, and the last 3 weeks of the year (I finished flying 14 days before assignment night). Anyway, here goes:
0600 - Report to flight room
1800 - Leave Flight room
1815-1930 - Eat dinner and spend time with wife
1930-2230 - Study and chair fly
2230-0500 - Sleep
I don't think I was a workaholic, but I definitely put some time in. Anyone else have an opinion? PAB?
For the ANG Folks!
in General Discussion
Posted
Not to add to the hype, but that pretty much agrees with what I've been told by my unit and the Commander here at AMS.
The Bureau has pulled back MPA and ADSW days from just about everyone and is telling them not to expect anything "until possibly FY06 or later". My days here would have been pulled back, but my orders had already been cut so they let me take the tour.
I've talked to the folks back home about getting orders for FY05 to complete my upgrade training and was told it would have to be done on FTPs and UTAs due to there being no days available. Rumor has it that the NGB is WAYYY in the hole $$$$-wise this year and is trying to recoup their losses/funding by pulling the days back.
Of course, these stories are from just two units. Your experience may vary (hopefully for the better!)