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SOS is pretty much useless but I do remember this one nugget of wisdom from a three star: "How often do you read information in newspapers or see news reports on television about topics that you are experts and you see the errors in their information? So, why is it that you give any credibility to those same sources when they report on topics that you are unfamiliar with?"

This.

Hey, for once the slow and inefficient nature of the USAF acquisitions process is working FOR us!

Policy attached (Masking of Degrees - Practice Bleeding was a different message reminding Commanders to follow the attached). I actually thought the AF got this one right - until they changed their mind. And now we find ourselves in the situation we have today. Funny how both the Navy and Army have different views on PME and Masters. I understand Army sends 100% to in-residence IDE. And when at Leavenworth and want a Masters you have to take a ###### load of extra classes through an off site school - ie its not part of their JPME Level 1 program like our ACSC. The Navy doesn't really care if you go in-residence to Navy War College or not (IDE or SDE) - in fleet experience is more important for progression and command (imagine that). I heard a rumor Army was 100% promotion to O-5, no masters - doesn't matter - their retention sucks. Unfortunately the attached policy never really took hold, probably because senior leaders (as low as OG and Wing CC) never got behind the idea - despite being told to do so and reminded thru the follow on 'stop Practice Bleeding' by LGen Brady. Hell, when I went to Shoe Flag their wasn't a DG program and talk was they were going to do the same for ACSC. Mindset being a DG at PME was over inflating careers and you should promote and progress based upon performance outside of a ######ing DG at a PME course. Don't know it its still true but there was a point when 100% went to SOS - if you didn't go in your 3 years of eligibility it was because the Wing screwed you - not because there wasn't slots. Policy resending the attached had something to the effect of 'we didn't realize how many people were going to stop pursuing advanced education" as a reason to bring it back. Which should have told you how many people were square filling. Verse what Jumper said for how we promote: "Promotion is, and will continue to be, determined by your performance and demonstrated leadership potential to serve in the next higher grade." I like that. Too bad it doesn't seem to be the case. The practice bleeding policy was eventually overturned as well - essentially admitting that the AF can't develop officers properly so you may get ######ed even if a select and Commander's should encourage all officers to get correspondence PME done ASAP. I know a guy who got Ops Deferred to IDE because of instructor manning at the WIC - not because of a deployment to war - because they couldn't manage IP manning properly so they Ops Defer a guy to stick around and teach a syllabus - what a joke. We seem to have gone off the deep end - Lts signing up for SOS (WTF!!!), Captains thinking they won't get promoted if they don't have a Masters, etc. Talk about having your tactical level experts (or those who should be devoting all their efforts to same) wasting brain bites on the wrong things. Give it a bit - 5 bucks this policy will come back cause the current situation and trend is worse than it was before. Meanwhile you might get screwed at a promotion. But life if about choices - and you have to decide what is important - the classic Boyd - do you want to do something or be somebody? I had a CC who used to say - its not a difficult game - but its still a game. And the absolute best argument I ever heard about doing correspondence PME when told you're going in residence -- or getting a Masters when you'll get it at same in-residance PME -- is you might actually learn something. Which is great - till you're missing time with your family or the rest of us are picking up your slack in the squadron because 'ever Tues after 1500' you're at class. For what its worth - here's my example and where it got me with this game. I didn't do SOS by correspondence but did sign up and put the books on my desk - went in residence. Don't have a Master's or ACSC by correspondence - currently sitting at German General Staff in Hamburg, Germany after spending a year at DLI in Monterey, CA attempting to learn German. 3 years as a student (German IDE is 2 years) means I won't be complete by my IPZ look at O-5 and have the same Narrative Only PRF meeting 3 promotion boards from summer 2009. I'll let you know how the O-5 promotion works out - but it really doesn't matter - if I don't get promoted I might actually be able to get back to flying quicker and stay flying longer. Do a kick ass job in your current squadron/mission - work to be on the short list when the Boss puts together the line up for night one. The rest will take care of its self. If it doesn't your leadership sucks - which is unfortunate for all of us - but the bros know who does it right (sts) and who doesn't - if you have your priorities right you won't care. And remember being a bro doesn't mean you're a slug that only drinks beer and plays 4,5,6 - it means you know what is important and what is bullshit and are an asset not a liability in the air and in the squadron. As others have said on these boards, you should know how the process works and then you can make informed decisions about what is important to you in life. E Force Development - Changing the Education Mindset.pdf

Speaking of bullshit media headlines... First Lady Onboard Plane That Reportedly Just Misses Military Jet Really? Just misses? I love the quote burried in there "The FAA is investigating the incident. The Boeing 737 landed safely after executing the go around. The aircraft were never in any danger." Is it really that big of a deal? Obviously making the first lady's plane go around is not ideal but c'mon, this shit happens every day at multiple US airports. I guess it's sensational news when you've got other stories out there of controllers falling asleep. edit: sprrelling

You'll be awaiting training and then in training for a long time here. Once you're trained, expect to be gone as much as you're home. That's squadron life. Clovis is flat, excessively windy, dusty, and smells like cow 2-3 nights a week. There's a Walmart, a Lowes, an Albertsons, a Hobby Lobby, a Hastings bookstore, a tiny mall, a small zoo, a few restaurants and a smattering of other places to go. The people are very nice, but they can't drive at all. Don't expect any good deals if you need something done, but there are definitely some honest contractors and businessmen out there. The fiber optic internet you can get is some of the fastest I've seen. They also have Patriot Outdoors, an excellent shooting range including a moving target range. The rental market is practically nonexistent with either broken down shoeboxes or extremely overpriced houses. Check Ahrn.com. Preowned houses are really overpriced. With the additional demand on the market due to base growth prices are up. New houses are on par with the rest of the south. Expect $110-$130 per square foot. I can recommend Linn Custom Homes for good build quality, reasonable prices, and a good warranty. The two "good" elementary schools are Mesa and Zia. Houses in their zones sell for more, but are also more apt to sell. Military members tend to cluster in the same neighborhoods. You will be a part of the upper income segment. The communities are very tight and supportive with all the deployments. Also good squadron unity among the spouses, but not the crazy weird kind.

https://thehayride.com/2011/04/westboro-baptist-church-goes-to-mississippi-and-loses/ On another note, the dash cam of the LEO is very, very inspiring.

Best. Dog. Ever.

I don't know why you're being such a little bitch about this.. 1 extra year to give you a substantially better shot at getting a pilot slot

Little bitch? Are you kidding me? An extra year of taking out college loans when I'm already going to be $80,000 in debt by my NORMAL graduation date. And any scholarship money wouldn't be guaranteed either. The det is 1.5 hours away. If the pilot slot was 100% guaranteed (which of course it won't be) and the det was actually at my school then maybe I'd consider shelling out more college loans. Until then, OTS it is asshole, have a nice day.