Undergraduate Navigator Training (UNT) info

[Guest NY'r]

Im headed down to San Antonio to look for apt's / houses over spring break. I go to UNT in Oct but my wife will move ahead to get a job. Ill let you know what the housing office down there says and ect (what we find) Hope I can help

If you want to get a heads up on places before you go down there, they sent me the website www.AHRN.com (automated housing referral network). You can input the base your going to and it will give you your BAH rate and list apartments, houses, condos etc.. But if you hear anything about UNT while your down there let me know.

[barney]

Basically, if you are a single male/female nav stud then you are forced to live in the "nav dorms" on base. It is basically 3 story billeting with a kitchen, bathroom, bed, dresser and it is all right next to the T38 flight line. All of your stuff goes into storage and you won't see it for a year. Or you can split a storage facility with some other nav if you want access to your stuff. If you are married/family then you can get a waiver to live off base and collect BAH. There are houses/roomates posted in the squadron in the breakroom fridge and also plenty of apts. for rent w/in 10 miles of RAFB. (i.e. THE HERITAGE, SPRINGS AT LIVE OAK, RETAMA RANCH...) Now of course there are exceptions to the rule. It used to be that if the nav dorm occupancy rate was 90% or higher then a single guy could get a waiver and live off base, get some nav roomies and make some bread. That used to be a seniority thing but who knows now. My advice, call the squadron and ask what the current living policy is. Some casual LT will answer the phone and should know. 210-652-4951?

[afthunderchief16]

As of now, the dorms are not anywhere near being full. I am sure it will vary a bit from now until you class up but to live off base the only exception is to be married. I am engaged and can't even live of base until 30 days before the wedding.

[Dubs]

Yep, if you're single, you're in the dorms. If you're married, you get to live off base. If you're in the dorms and you want to move off base, you put your name on a list to say you want to live off base and when the dorm occupancy rate reaches the magic number they start going down the list starting from the top offering each person the opportunity to move.

The dorm occupancy rate was going up and was nearing 90%, but last I checked it had dropped back down.

[Guest MizzouNav]

heres a good website if you're married to look, BAH is 1189/month.

http://www.weichertrents.com/search/reales...=11010&pg=5

How did you all find out for sure yet?

EDIT: helps to put the link in

Edited March 5, 2008 by MizzouNav

[Guest Nav_Guy]

I'm getting ready to go to Randolph for UNT in May . Anyone know what happens as far as living situation. I was sent a link to a website to look for apartments in San Antonio but I don't know if thats even an option for you while your at UNT and if it is, is it recommended?

I'm down here right now and I can say if you're married, rent a house in a nearby development instead of the sometimes sketchy apartment complexes. I would recommend North Hampton or Dover, both in Converse. In general, East of base is sketchy and Converse, Live Oak, and parts of Schertz are good. Any specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[drewpey]

The dorms, while they may sound quite unappealing, are really good for single guys. I didn't like it while I was there, but looking back, it was pretty sweet socially. Stumbling distance from the O'Club with a drop party every 3 weeks, there's a party in the quad at least every 3 weeks, typically a smaller one about every weekend. When you want to go do something, you don't have to play phone tag with like 20 people, you just go down the hall and knock on all the doors you know and see who pops out, and then go out. Don't want to party on base? No problem, get 8-10 guys together, and rotate DD's and carpool. Tons of people to choose from. People always stopping by to see if you want to golf, drink, go out to eat, whatever.

Yeah, your room sucks ass, but it's just motivation to get out and do something.

Enjoy San Antonio, some of the best party spots and restaurants in the US.

[barney]

If all of these accounts of life at RAFB sound alot like your fresmen year at college, it is no coincidence. You are forced to live in the dorms, you live next to all your classmates and all of the weeks seem to run together like a Bill Murray movie until some miracle like a three day weekend comes along. The keggers, home work and BS you put up with at school should have prepared you well. (Note, do not plan on getting the same amount of beav as in college)

[ecugringo]

Anyone know what the dorms are like and what size they are? I know at Laughlin they had dishwashers.

[Dubs]

(Note, do not plan on getting the same amount of beav as in college)

That's the truth.

Anyone know what the dorms are like and what size they are? I know at Laughlin they had dishwashers.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrossmanjr/16...57594161063415/

*not my room and not my pictures... found the link searching "nav dorms" in yahoo

Edited March 6, 2008 by Dubs

[Guest sharkfood911]

Well I couldn't find any threads on the dorms themselves, but here's some others with good info too. Dorms aren't a bad deal. If you're dead-set on getting the most out of your BAH you can pretty much always get off-base right away if you get here in the summer (when they fill up fast). In the winter you might have to wait 2 or 3 months.

Note, do not plan on getting the same amount of beav as in college

You guys don't get out enough.

[drewpey]

Anyone know what the dorms are like and what size they are? I know at Laughlin they had dishwashers.

400 sq feet all to your lonesome.

You also get a small 4'x4'x4' cage to store stuff in.

Full fridge in your room. Community kitchen. You can have george foremans and stuff as well, but there are two decent grills outside, and they get a lot of use.

[Guest hawg030]

There is a plethora of information out there for pilot wanabee's. But for us Nav guys I have watched this on and off for about a year. Every third issue or so of Wingspread (the Randolph AFB online newspaper) has the assignment night results for NAV classes. It will give those of you headed to randolph a good indication of what jobs are dropping and where you might end up follow on. Check out Randolph.af.Mil

[stract]

I thought all Nav training was getting consolidated to Pcola?

[Dubs]

It is, but the move (for the AF) doesn't happen for like another year and a half

[Guest MizzouNav]

Not until at least Dec 09, if my class dates correct mar 08 i will be getting out of there in one of the last classes at randolph, according to a buddy of mine thats down there right now.

I had heard you can't get a nav drop to MCs our of randolph unless you are a EWO, but i saw a few normal navs drop into them in the last year (maybe 2). Anyone have the skinny on that?

[Guest ElRoy]

Remember that more than half of hear say is BS.

You are not going to go to MC-130E/H's as a nav. As an EWO - you can go H models. You can, and alot do go to MC-130P's and MC-130W's.

I myself am on the Shadow. There are like 4 other dudes on the flight line going through the Shadow pipeline.

Put it down on your dreamsheet and see what happens. More importantly don't suck and you will have a chance at the plane you want.

[outbreak]

We just had a drop on friday, and there were a few Navs going to AFSOC including a new Spear to Cannon. A couple EWO's got Gunships and Talons. I haven't seen a Shadow drop in a while. We've been hearing the rumors about no AFSOC drops for Navs for a while, but they keep dropping. I've also never seen a drop reported in the Wingspread, but the graduations are always reported, along with each grad's aircraft and base assignment.

I drop in 2 weeks, but I put down Slicks.

The 562nd/563rd are moving to PCola in 2009-2010 from the briefing we got last week. They'll be a 19th AF detachment ops group or something. They'll be pumping out true CSO's at that point, with everyone getting Advanced Nav (low level, airdrop) as well as Advanced Electronic Warfare training. Everyone will start in the T-6 and move to the T-1, as well as new Simulators currently in development(I've seen them. F-ing cool system). The T-43 Strike Pigs will be retiring to sunny DM.

Edited March 24, 2008 by outbreak

[Guest hawg030]

We just had a drop on friday, and there were a few Navs going to AFSOC including a new Spear to Cannon. A couple EWO's got Gunships and Talons. I haven't seen a Shadow drop in a while. We've been hearing the rumors about no AFSOC drops for Navs for a while, but they keep dropping. I've also never seen a drop reported in the Wingspread, but the graduations are always reported, along with each grad's aircraft and base assignment.

I drop in 2 weeks, but I put down Slicks.

The 562nd/563rd are moving to PCola in 2009-2010 from the briefing we got last week. They'll be a 19th AF detachment ops group or something. They'll be pumping out true CSO's at that point, with everyone getting Advanced Nav (low level, airdrop) as well as Advanced Electronic Warfare training. Everyone will start in the T-6 and move to the T-1, as well as new Simulators currently in development(I've seen them. F-ing cool system). The T-43 Strike Pigs will be retiring to sunny DM.

I hope they continue to drop AFSOC, I assume they will since mission tempo isnt changing and with this election, who knows how butchered the AF will become, But lets not make this a political discussion(I end here)

However,

How will that affect us "Non- True CSO's" (pre pCola Move). Will we not be as "flexible" as they are? Will we be looked down upon? I understand the difference, we will be specialized in one area, they will be specialized in all area's. How do u thinkt his will affect our career later on....

[Guest ElRoy]

How will that affect us "Non- True CSO's" (pre pCola Move). Will we not be as "flexible" as they are? Will we be looked down upon? I understand the difference, we will be specialized in one area, they will be specialized in all area's. How do u thinkt his will affect our career later on....

Don't sweat it. I would venture to say that as a Nav on slicks, Shadows/Kings (no EWO's), tankers and the like - the extra EWO training won't really benifit you that much. Unless you are performing an actualy EWO job (T2's, gunships, Buffs, EC's and RC's) it is only icing on the cake. Every thing you need to know you can pick up on and really - I know that it would only slightly benifit me as a nav.

Shadow drops are probably gonna slow for a while. After class 06-03 there was not a Shadow till 07-01, then -02, 03, 04, and then a couple more (say 4) till I left in October (after my combined 7 months of casual).

I would not worry about the being married and deployed thing. Every one deploys and they manage. AFSOC is not gone that much more than alot of other platforms (slick guys can speak to that). And it may not be for every one, not just the deployments - but the mission too. Stay open minded.

Final note - do a search for drops in the past. Things haven't changed that much.

[outbreak]

We had our drop tonight at the Auger Inn. I got slick 130's to Dyess. I'm fricken excited!

The Nav drop had:

C-130 Dyess

C-130 Cheyenne

C-130 Little Rock

MC-130 Eglin

AC-130 Hurlburt

K-135 McConnell (X2)

B-52 Barksdale (X2)

E-3 Tinker

Everyone was happy. I forgot the EWO drop, but I can post it later.

Edited April 6, 2008 by outbreak

[Guest velochis]

Hi I'll be attending the 17 December CSO class at Randolph. I was wondering if anyone who has been there recently or is there now could answer this question. I'm trying to fly home for Christmas, but I need to know how many days off I'd get while there. Also, am I forced to use leave to depart the local area during the break? I'm a Guardsman, and it is impossible for me to build up leave because my orders start 3 December.

I've been calling their NIFT flight, but no one seems to know, and no one has been answering their phones recently.

Also, is there a website or general FAQ on nav school somewhere that I could check out before I get there?

Thanks a lot everybody.

[FireMission]

Hi I'll be attending the 17 December CSO class at Randolph. I was wondering if anyone who has been there recently or is there now could answer this question. I'm trying to fly home for Christmas, but I need to know how many days off I'd get while there. Also, am I forced to use leave to depart the local area during the break? I'm a Guardsman, and it is impossible for me to build up leave because my orders start 3 December.

I've been calling their NIFT flight, but no one seems to know, and no one has been answering their phones recently.

Also, is there a website or general FAQ on nav school somewhere that I could check out before I get there?

Thanks a lot everybody.

Ask to speak to the Flight Commander, or someone who would know. Don't let the casual LTs give you the "I dont know/call back later" run around. I'm guessing that is who is answering your calls. If the Flight Commander isn't there, ask for his e-mail or leave a message with someone to call you back.

[nsplayr]

Hi I'll be attending the 17 December CSO class at Randolph. I was wondering if anyone who has been there recently or is there now could answer this question. I'm trying to fly home for Christmas, but I need to know how many days off I'd get while there. Also, am I forced to use leave to depart the local area during the break? I'm a Guardsman, and it is impossible for me to build up leave because my orders start 3 December.

I've been calling their NIFT flight, but no one seems to know, and no one has been answering their phones recently.

Also, is there a website or general FAQ on nav school somewhere that I could check out before I get there?

Thanks a lot everybody.

Good advice from firemission. Short answer is you can take leave for Christmas even if you don't have any yet and yes, you have to use leave any time you leave the local area. NIFT is the right place to call, but with an inspection just finishing up and Thanksgiving, people aren't at their desks all that much the past few days.

Check your PM and feel free to ask me any other questions. PS - probably a good idea to delete this thread now and ask questions one-on-one

[Guest uscmas412]

Class 09-08 can leave December 23rd and must be back by January 5th. This may or may not be the same for you; get in touch with the Captain in charge of NIFT.