Location Question

[Guest ruckerstud]

I am wondering which would most of the folks here rather have: a great unit and mission in a less than cool spot like Cannon, or what they think is a less than cool mission in a great spot? Would it matter if you had a family? Just sort of curious.

[Toasty]

I think it depends on your individual situation (family and whatnot). I know some guys who want RC-135's for the location, and some that want spec ops, knowing that they'll be deployed year round.

Personally I haven't even began looking at the herk bases, but I like the mission over the other choices.

[Guest rotorhead]

Keep a good attitude focused on whatever the mission is at hand, regardless of location. I enjoyed everywhere, even those locations other folks b1tched about...I did not like San Antonio or Albuquerque as a living location any better than Enterprise, Grand Forks, Rapid City, Osan, etc. I thought Osan was TERRIFIC, for example. Given the SAME mission at two different locations, you can make easier preferences.

[M2]

"Happy wife, happy life!"

Learn it. Know it. Live it.

Cheers! M2

[ucf_motorcycle]

Me, myself personally? Location. However, if your in an airframe that is gone most of the time then your location mostly benefits your family not yourself. When the time comes I will look at a combination of both before filling out my dream sheet.

On a side note before assingment night do you get a list of airframes and bases available? I assumed this is how it went down but I figured I would ask. Also how much time between track select, graduation and your next assingment?

[HeloDude]

Originally posted by ucf_motorcycle:

Me, myself personally? Location. However, if your in an airframe that is gone most of the time then your location mostly benefits your family not yourself. When the time comes I will look at a combination of both before filling out my dream sheet.

On a side note before assingment night do you get a list of airframes and bases available? I assumed this is how it went down but I figured I would ask. Also how much time between track select, graduation and your next assingment?

Let me help you out in understanding how a few things work...it's cool, you're casual and just learning.

-On the T-1 side for the drop, you get a list of airframes and bases that are available to ALL of the UPT bases for that specific class. For example, if the drop initially contained a C-21 to Wright Patt, the class at Laughlin might never see it because it got dropped to a guy at Vance in the same class. The 38 guys just list and rank all possible airframes and obviously where you go is determined by where the FTU is located, ie Viper selectees go to Luke for FTU and will get their follow on base from there. As for the the Corpus and Helo side, you pretty much get told what's available in terms of aircraft and bases and you just rank them as such.

-As for the timeline at UPT, I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet if you're casual at a UPT base but here it goes: You track roughly 6 months after starting UPT, drop 3 weeks before graduation, graduate about a year after starting UPT, and as for when arriving at your next base for follow on training...that all depends on what you dropped (ie fighter guys have to go to IFF, FAIP's go to PIT, 135 guys go to Altus, etc), when you can get to those bases for initial qual, as well as when you can come here for Survival, yadda yadda yadda.

-As for choosing an assignment, I'd say look at the mission first and foremost. If you love your mission, then you'll be happy regardless of where you get sent because you're truly enjoying what you do. However, if you hate the idea of flying an E-3 but love the idea of living in Oklahoma City, well then you'll only going to be as happy as what you're personal life can give you from living in Oklahoma City, not to mention you'll probably be deployed/TDY most of the time anyway. Also, just because you can get a KC-135 to Mildenhall your first assignment doesn't mean you won't get stuck at Grand Forks your next assignment, something else to consider.

Hope this helps you and some of the younger guys out in getting a feel for how things work. Also, don't forget the most important thing...you're going to probably end up loving whatever aircraft you get, so don't sweat it.

[Champ Kind]

Originally posted by HeloDude:

As for choosing an assignment, I'd say look at the mission first and foremost. If you love your mission, then you'll be happy regardless of where you get sent because you're truly enjoying what you do. However, if you hate the idea of flying an E-3 but love the idea of living in Oklahoma City, well then you'll only going to be as happy as what you're personal life can give you from living in Oklahoma City, not to mention you'll probably be deployed/TDY most of the time anyway. Also, just because you can get a KC-135 to Mildenhall your first assignment doesn't mean you won't get stuck at Grand Forks your next assignment, something else to consider.

Nicely put.

[ucf_motorcycle]

Thanks helo dude.

[Guest ruckerstud]

"2" to M2.

Most married folks wouldn't trade something sweet like the chance to be Sandy 1 or a SOLL II mission for a sweet location, correct?

[Cooter]

Msn first man. There's nothing worse that being in a great location and hating your job. Go with what your heart tells you but I say go mission first.

Cooter's .02

[Guest KoolKat]

I would trade a sweet location for a sweet mission anyday.

I'm not at the point where I have to make that call, but that's how I feel right now.

I also don't have a wife to keep happy either.

If one were to ever aquire one of those, I would think 'ucf_scooter' has a point...One of those points that make me alright with not getting hitched anytime soon. Barring the unexpected, of course.

BENDY

[dmeg130]

There are no bad flying jobs.

Virtually every MWS has an "unwanted" location, and it seems everyone does their time there. That's a consideration -- do you want to pay that bill now, or later?

Point is, figure out what you are, and be that. I've been around long enough to where location is starting to be more important to me, but mission was foremost early in my career. There's more to life than the AF.

[Rocker]

Mission. Period. And "three" to M2, though if you happen to have a wife who says (verbatim): "I don't care where we go; whatever's best for you and your career" (and lets you buy guns you don't really need and even encourages you to make sure they're high-quality and you're getting a good deal) then a) you are a lucky SOB, and 2) you need to make sure every other facet possible to make her happy is covered. One big thing we'll have to worry about in the somewhat distant future is when little Rockers start checking in, I'll really want us to be someplace with a good school system. That, I think, will be the major balance. Anybody checked out the schools out in Clovis?

[HeloDude]

Originally posted by Rocker:

...though if you happen to have a wife who says (verbatim): "I don't care where we go; whatever's best for you and your career" (and lets you buy guns you don't really need and even encourages you to make sure they're high-quality and you're getting a good deal) then a) you are a lucky SOB...

Where do I get me one a dem' ??

Ahh, I'm just joking....but seriously...