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Here’s a good 3-Phase Dollar-Ride prank: Our dollar rider had been previously briefed by his bro’s and showed for the mission with his bags locked up (to prevent the inevitable addition of chains). So the rest of the crew decided to lull the young Lt into a false sense of security and he was left relatively alone, aside from the usual belittling of not using his man-voice when making radio calls. On the second to last leg of the mission, on the way out of the AOR into Ramstein, is when the crew struck. PH 1: Put young Lt in the seat while MP and IP go downstairs to lay the groundwork. The Lt had grown comfortable and left his bags unlocked so out went all of his clothes and extra flightsuits and in went all the pax pillows and blankets. He was left a camouflaged layer of 1 pair of PT shorts, his shave kit and a book. PH1 complete. PH 2: At Ramstein, after blocking-in and trying to get everything turned in as quickly as possible (there was drinking to be done), the unsuspecting target was told to go turn in the Secrets at AMCC while the MP and IP went to check in a Billeting. MP: “Lt. XX is a deep sleeper, so could I get an extra key for him?” Reception Clerk: “Here you go.” PH 2 complete. PH 3: Arriving at our building, the mark was told to be downstairs in 15 min for drinks. 30 seconds after getting into his room we hear the door slam open and his foot stomps in the hall. We all poke our head out to him ranting about his abundance of blankets. We all have a good laugh and tell him flight suits aren’t allowed at dinner. He had a good laugh and played along, wearing his PT shorts and flight boots. I was “late” to the rally point and conveniently left my watch in my room. The crew waited while I went upstairs. There I grabbed my extra flight suit, I’m 69” on a good day, and went to his room. I switched out the patches and threw back where he had it piled up. I then proceeded to strip his bed and only left him the thin, scratchy, comforter that is standard on all hotel beds. It was remade so that it wouldn’t be immediately noticeable. After a night of drinking, getting back to the room, he wanted to sleep, ignored the flight suit, pulled back his covers, and realized he had no sheets. Assuming that was the last of it, he went to bed. In the morning after alert trying to get dressed, he looked at his flight suit and wondered where the rest of it was. He comes stomping out and we all had another good laugh at his expense. We had a better laugh after telling him he couldn’t change until we landed back at home. His balls were numb by the time we landed 12 hrs later, but he suffered through his dollar ride initiation with honor.

Best and worst I've seen/heard in person. Two ship ocean crossing after a few months in the desert. New navigator on other airplane is REALLY homesick and missing his frau. His crew tells him about the MARS radio system and he listens as the AC makes a call and gets a phone patch to home. Cherry Navigator is very excited and wants to do the same. Unbeknownst to Cherry Navigator both airplanes change HF freqs to a non-MARS freq, Cherry Navs begins calling at which point nav in my airplane posing as a MARS operator responds and sets up a "phone patch to frau". A very gruff and deep voice answers the "phone patch" and explains the fraa is not available, she is in the shower. As the conversation goes on the voice on the other ends explains said Frau wants nothing to do with Navigator husband anymore...Said navigator was near tears as were we from laughing all the way to Westover.

Crucify them if you want to but these guy were good guys! I trained/flew with many of them and I know they are great pilots. Everyone has made terrible decisions and had regrets for what they have done. That doesn't excuse the fact that they served as fighter pilot during a hostile time and caused harm to the enemy when we were counting on them. War has many different facets they all have a part. appreciate them. -Danakonda

16 feet above the press box? Glad he got canned. I can't believe we FINALLY did something that is akin to punishment. That guy was the next Bud Holland.....big difference between "guys lets dip a little lower than usuall"....and "lets go down and try and hit the stadium while off altitude nine-hundred-and-eighty-four feet".. Flame away - but it's true....he was going to get someone killed - plus if he was legit, he would have just fessed up - but the reports say he LIED to the investigators. Clear cut BS on his part. Should have came home, gone to the boss and said "I F'd up boss" and taken his punishment. It's his own fault now what happened...

It's really tough to tell since there is a serious convoluted formula. It's got several factors, mileage and weight only being two of them. Since you get reimbursed up to 95% (or 90%?) of whatever it would cost the government, there is a big portion based on the frequency of the route - i.e. it would cost the government less to add your stuff to a really busy route (like to/ from a huge base or military area) than it would from one very rural area where you're the only military person. I think the formula has a spot for moving from and moving to locations, with a rating of 'frequency' from 1-5. I'm certain there is a table with each zip code listing the zones, but I don't know where to find it other than in the TMO office. Beyond that, even the weight is also a little tricky. It's based on 100s of lbs, but the table is split by thousands, so at each 1000 lb increment, the cost per mile per pound resets (because shipping 1000 lbs might be just slightly less than 2000 lbs if you're in a very rural zone and a majority of the cost is just getting the moving company there), so in certain cases, having 1980 lbs would get you paid more total than having 2001 lbs (although these numbers are arbitrary and this is rare, it is possible). But sometimes a cost cannot be put on having access to your belongings immediately upon arrival and knowing they weren't lost anywhere or damaged along the way. You will either make money, or lose just a little bit in very rare cases. I suggest moving it yourself if you don't mind the headache, and have the time to drive it down there. But to answer your question of some number, a friend of mine always swore by the WAG formula of number of lbs of stuff/number of thousand miles = approximately how much I'll get paid (I have 600 lbs and am moving 1000 miles, I'll get $600). Personally, I have no idea how accurate that number is because I'm not smart enough to try and keep all the numbers straight in the end.