pcola

The rank order is TECHNICALLY correct, however, don't think that having an ODSD is going to save you. I thought I was immune when I got the dreaded "highly vulnerable" notice due to my recent overseas return date. What I found out was that that piece of the puzzle only comes into play as a tie-breaker if you have the same # of short tours and same STRD as another unlucky schmuck. Then, and only then, will the ODSD come into play. And yes, I did get tagged with that 365. To AFPC, 365 assignment is strictly a numbers game. They don't care what job you're currently in, if you are at the top of their list of eligibles due to your old STRD, you're getting tagged. It is then up to your CC to reclama you; or up to you to 3-day opt. Bottom line: your vulnerability boils down to your # of short tours and STRD as compared to other qualified eligibles.

Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine. Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing every day that scares you. Sing. Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss. Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements. Stretch. Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone. Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's. Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own. Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room. Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out. Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth. But trust me on the sunscreen.

WhenTF did they start serving liquor at Bagram????

Also curious about this. Does bonus paperwork go through the Sq/CC or Wg/CC, or does it go straight from the member to AFPC? If you are bonus eligible, do you have to decline it, or does just not doing the paperwork suffice as an act of declination? I guess if the CC really was that interested, he/she could track ADSCs to see who had signed away their leverage.

Free with ads. Stipulation - only guns, booze and porn ads allowed.

Glad somebody saw the connection I was trying to make.

True. Anecdotally, a dude in my Sq passed on the bonus then told the boss he was planning to apply for the VSP. 2 weeks later he had a sweet new assignment...DV airlift in Europe. Funny how that shit works.

Of course you are. If a man is starving, and someone says "you get to eat boiled, well-done flank steak every Wednesday," the man says "hell yeah." On the other hand, if a man is reasonably well fed, boiled, well-done flank steak every Wednesday is going to get old real quick. We are starving for anything, ANYTHING, that can be considered an improvement. So yes, you will be ok with whatever piece of boiled, well done flank steak is tossed your way.

Are you guys in the 1st/99th hearing any new rumors of retiring the U-2 with all the latest budget woes?

Standardized morale...literally. Sweet.

I'm afraid your estimation of Iraqi capability may be grossly inflated. Yes, individual Iraqis are capable of being trained to execute complex missions. Yes, they were actually mostly competent at executing those missions at the end of 2011. Pilots could fly 208s and T-6s in VFR conditions. Even a few of their helo pilots could occasionally pull off a HAF infil (although most of the SF dudes I talked to said they'd rather fly with Stevie Wonder than an Iraqi helo pilot.) Their SOF teams were even more capable. Able to competently conduct door to door urban ops or even more specialized targeted ops. The problem was (at the end of 2011) and apparently continues to be corruption. Many of the bad guys are connected to politicians, and many of the politicians are connected to bad guys. Time after time these shit bag terrorists on our HVT lists were non-warranted because the judges and politicians wouldn't sign off for Iraqi SOF guys to bring them in. And if US SF actioned a target unilaterally, you can bet there would be political backlash. Amongst the embedded SF community when we left that shit hole, there was exactly zero doubt that what you see happening now would occur. Only most thought it would happen sooner. I guess that's something. And if the corruption wasn't enough to bring down the fragile capability that we helped develop, an even bigger hurdle is the Iraqi military's complete lack of logistical competence. They weren't even close to having the ability or understanding required in order to maintain a logistical supply chain capable of maintaining even a modest fleet of simple jet aircraft. Just because we could train a pilot doesn't mean we were successful at creating a pilot training system. At the end of 2011, predictions were that their pilot production pipeline would dry up faster than camel piss in the desert wind. Helodude, I'm right there with you in saying that we should not invest another red cent in that shithole wasteland. When we left in 2011, everybody in the know, on both sides, knew absolutely how it would end up. The US didn't want a complete withdrawal, most Iraqis also didn't want a complete withdrawal, but apparently there was a powerful minority with big guns that were successful in influencing the Iraqi gov't into demanding a complete withdrawal. I say that those cowards are now getting what they asked for and deserve. Fuck it, let Iran have it. Just stop buying oil and we win.

I'm sure you already know this, but for the sake of clarity, this sentiment is prevalent in every aspect of AF service. Nothing is guaranteed, except that if you bend over, you are asking to get f…ed. This is not specific to join-spouse situations. Civilian spouses of military personnel are at a considerable disadvantage (in the workforce) as compared to their non-military affiliated peers.

That's badass. Did you take all 3 levels while AD? How long have you been working towards the CFA, and how many times did you fail each level before passing? What is your educational background, if you don't mind divulging.

Found him: https://www.obesityhelp.com/member/joe1234/

Agree. Wish I could put that cat back in the bag...had no idea someone would have the ridiculously horrible idea of posing the question to OSD.

They haven't fucked with the CZTE have they?

Didn't know IRR gets these privileges... IRR also lets your years of service clock keep ticking for pay purposes (in the event you ever find yourself back on the military payroll.) Doesn't count as TAFMS (for retirement purposes,) but does adjust your pay date.

Best article I've seen on the subject. Uses facts and historical trends to debunk every myth currently being sold to the American public regarding military personnel costs. Please read and share. This article NEEDS to gain traction.

Whaaa??? I thought we were all a big AF family?

Whoa, guys. Better get on the ball and knock it out before they say you aren't eligible to do it. Wouldn't want to get caught up in a RIF board without your PME done... /sarcasm (but seriously, I know some of you hard-chargin' asshats were thinking it.)

I'm starting to see a theme around here...

Untrue. Travis is using them.

Sure: "Dear Boardmembers, Please do not retain me. With all due respeck, Capt bucky60k"

"I mean…who would want to work in America? This is what the taxpayers are paying for." Disgusting human being.

As GHeart would say: "FTFA! Fly the fucking airplane, Lieutenant!"