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I bought a convertible as a Lt waiting to start UPT. After UPT, I sold the convertible to buy a wedding ring for my fiance. 5 years down the road we got divorced and now I have neither a wife nor a convertible. I miss that car.

The pilot of that Luscombe was my good friend. I'd known him 19 years and had flown that Luscombe with him. We took a T-38 to Oshkosh a few years back. Aviation... all facets... was his passion. You always hear about guys that will do anything for you; guys that are always the bright spot in your day; guys with an eternally optimistic attitude. Spanky really was that guy. He was an amazing pilot. And an even better father and person. He always cared about his fellow man. After being a T-38 FAIP, a tour in the B-52, and a staff tour, Spanky applied for the SR-71 in 1997: they were hiring one... only one... pilot that year, from the hundreds of applicants. Spanky beat out everyone and was hired. He showed up at Edwards to start training, but four days later, Pres Clinton killed the SR program. Three days later, Spanky is at Beale to fly the U-2 interview flights. Five days later, he is hired to the U-2 Program and has to get a SecAF waiver for two PCS' in 2 weeks. He became my neighbor on base. When I first met him, I knew he was about 35, but he looked barely 21. I gave him his T-38 checkride on 23 Dec 1997. Friends ever since. He was the deployed U-2 squadron commander in Saudi before the war kicked off in 2003. I replaced him at the end of his tour. He elected not to go the professional pilot route after retirement, but was always super active in GA, EAA, and teaching his kids about aviation. The fact that Tim perished too is just crushing. So very tragic. He was loved by all that ever met him. God bless you, Spanky.

This is the correct answer.

Which is a datapoint to the ridiculousness of our evaluation system. We don't just rate the guy a shitbag, but instead we use cute "continue to challenge" or "upgrade when ready" language, or leave off the SOS push.

When McCain was in, drafting people was a solution to manning problems. I'm not sure we want to go back to that style of personnel management.

Agreed. The system could use more transparency and fewer unwritten rules. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Sorry, but I don't even want to hear talk of a popular vote until we raise the abysmal voter turnout way higher. Also, what happens if the popular vote reveals that all those people in California and New York who didn't vote were all Republicans? Maybe they didn't vote because they know their state/county is going to go blue anyways. Obviously that's a long shot, but are we going to keep flipping which vote is more important based on who decides to b1tch loudest at the time? The popular vote seems more like mob rule than "will of the people" right now.

Hello! When are you hoping to buy and when is the earliest you could start the medical red tape? A lender is required to close your VA loan with the VA funding fee if your Certificate of Eligibility does not show you are exempt. Generally, if you have a pending disability claim at the time of closing, you typically are able to obtain a refund if the award comes in later. You would send your lender a copy of your ratings letter who in turn submits the refund request to VA. Your refund comes back to you either as cash if you paid the funding fee out of pocket at closing OR as a principal reduction if you financed it into your loan value. Let me know if you have any other questions. I have helped many borrowers in this exact situation!

Bet we wouldn't get into never-ending, unwinnable wars in middle-eastern shitholes if your average American had a little more skin in the game...

Drive that lemon into the ground. Tell her to start saving so she can buy a replacement cash. Paying interest is for chumps.

Not a pilot, never will be a pilot, just a humble A&P that fixes the jets you hope to fly one day. Stop worrying about your girl and cars. When you get to UPT just worry about getting through to breakfast, then lunch, then dinner in that order. Old joke; How do make God laugh? Tell him your plans. Spent 23 years on active duty and never got an assignment that was even on my dream sheet if they even have those things anymore. If you are at Vance or Shepard I would get a used car you would not mind driving that has hail damage and is going to get some more hail damage. I.E. a 2004 Saturn Lemon.

Way to many variables. Majority of Air Force jets have several basing options in vastly different climates as well as overseas where that big ole 4 wheel drive ain't going to fit. (Assuming UPT works out) Your basically asking what clothes should I pack for that mystery vacation you haven't won yet. Also don't buy shit until your married.

True story. Where they want to rank the failed-out-of-wic guy behind joe bagodonuts finance guy because he didn't pass training.

It's actually worse than that. ACIP for the "over 6" and below hasn't changed since 1990. In 1999 the "Over 14" category was added. That means the $650 for the "over 6" category in 1990 should be $1200 in 2016. https://www.dfas.mil/dam/jcr:1cce686c-5296-4756-8496-5c92debbb566/MilPayTable1990.pdf

I emailed my congressman about this and a couple of other things. Of course one of his staff members replied and not him, but the answers were interesting. I'd have to go dig up the email but in response to BAH they said something along the lines of, "Congress is committed to make sure that BAH is accurate and not being abused." I actually called the office about this and asked what they meant by that. They did some serious back peddling when I started hitting them on BAH. I kind of assume that someone briefed or testified to Congress about this and that is their general thought about BAH now. I doubt Congress actually understands the issue at all.

Shack. Everyone has their role, and the mission sets they're awesome at, the mission sets they're average at, and the mission sets they're horrible at/cannot do period dot. It is naive to blanket statement say single seat is better than crew or vice versa. I've seen many crew aircraft obliterate the enemy and pretty much nail it, I've also seen crew aircraft fuck the dog so hard I was embarrassed for them. The exact same thing can be said for every F-XX community out there. We're all on the same team with the same end goals - use your strengths, admit your weaknesses, and leverage other's capabilities every chance you get. In the end, a lot comes down to the bros executing and many times a lack of equipment capability/"ideal" crew composition is overcome by superb skill, and other times no amount of awesome technology/"ideal" crew composition can save the below average dipshits from failing.

Sounds like you are going to make a great contribution.

Palace Chase approved. 11M C-17, currently on staff. Asked for 364 days off UPT ADSC. AFPC recommended disapproval. 8 weeks exactly from applying to notification; 7 at AFPC, 1 at SAF/PC. Applied 4 months before requested separation date.