Herk Driver

I've was assigned to Robins AFB (I'm from GA). I've lived in C-Springs. I obviously am biased toward a particular platform. You only have one choice here and it is the C-Springs assignment. C-Springs is way better than Warner-Robins. Slick mission, IMHO, is much better than JSTARS. Easy choice. Edit: Didn't read the entire thread before posting. Good choice.

You mean the items that will reduce the taxable amount? If so, IIRC, rental vehicle, fuel, oil, tolls, costs of weight tickets are all used to reduce the taxable amount. I think the costs of any boxes/ paper, etc are as well. I'm sure I've forgotten something. I've always had a TMO provided worksheet to track those expenses. It has all the categories listed.

Thanks for posting that. I was about to pull out (sts) the civil officials part. Judge, notary public, etc, so that could include many more people than you might have been limited to.

I wonder how long it takes before they start offering $$ for those that are sitting on the fence...

No problem. And yes, you would be entitled as long as you meet the stuff that Finance Guy mentioned. Good luck getting paid though if your voucher goes to Ellsworth. It took me about 6 months to get the FSA after the TDY was complete. And yes, I sent all the paper work in the first time. Actually, my finance guy here just kept answering my emails with the cc of the email he was re-sending with the attachments, Again. Not sure that Ellsworth thing is working out too well just yet.

Not lately. I too used them several years ago. The only advice I have is that is always helps if you know someone there who can send the stuff through the USPS for you. Last time I ordered, I think the postage nearly doubled the price.

Try this. It's not the reg (still looking, but it's off the DFAS website). FSA This may be better as it's not aimed at wounded troops circmstances. More FSA DoD Pay and Finance Reg - all about FSA What is finance trying to do now? They don't want to pay you FSA?

SKE? No, but lots of Skiing. VIS? Nope, lots of fog over here in Stuttgart. BALAD? Never been TDY there so don't know what you're talking about.

One word...AFSOC.

Great first post...Welcome to the board... I'm going to grab some popcorn...you want some.

Eligibility for the GWOT Expeditionary Medal: Individuals must have served in one of the following designated, specific geographic areas (land area, airspace or waters) of eligibility to be eligible for the GWOT Expeditionary Medal: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria (Bourgas), Chad, Columbia, Crete, Cyprus, Diego Garcia, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), Hungary, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo (only specific GWOT operations not associated with operations qualifying for the Kosovo Campaign Medal), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Romania (Constanta), Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey (east of 35 degrees east latitude), Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, that portion of the Arabian Sea north of 10 degrees north latitude and west of 68 degrees longitude, Bab El Mandeb, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Suez, that portion of the Mediterranean Sea east of 28 degrees east longitude ("boarding and searching" vessel operations), Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal. (listing is updated as of Feb. 14, 2007) 4%...for life?? I think you've been mis-led. From their website, Nothing specific about campaign medals, but, if you mean for your life, during that one year during regular deployment or PCS, then you are correct.

Caveman, Slow down and read what I wrote. You said How many EU forces do we have in Afghanistan or Iraq? Spain pulled out its soldiers after the train bombing few years ago. I just said be careful what you put out, since Spain only pulled out of IRQ not AFG. I actually work some of these activities and know that you are wrong in your broad generalizations. Many countries have been pulling out of IRQ because it is politically unsustainable, but they have plused up numbers in AFG all the same. Most of the countries in IRQ would only go there under the NTM-I umbrella anyway. Since they have ISAF in AFG, it makes it much easier to gain approval from their gov'ts for deployment. It doesn't matter what the total numbers are. That wasn't your argument. But, all the same, we will always have bigger numbers because most of these countries don't have militaries any where near the size of ours. The Brits that you continue to stand up for are actually pulliing out substantially from IRQ. Start taking a look around. BTW, the euros didn't start nor did they want us to start this war. So, who do we have to blame for a lack of support?

You might want to go back and figure out why everyone (with few exceptions) has pulled out of Iraq. The few exceptions include less than 4,100 Brits, some Estonians and 1 or 2 other countries (can't recall right now). Prior to the SOFA there were more than 2,000 Georgians, several thousand Poles, 10% of the Estonian military...some countries only have a couple thousand in their total force. How many would you expect them to send? The Europeans are actually sending more troops to ISAF, as of late. 85% of the non-US troops in AFG are from Europe. Does that mean they are pulling their weight? No, but the numbers are on the rise and forecast to continue going up. BTW, Spain only pulled out of Iraq, not AFG after the train bombings.

We all knew this was going to happen. Q: Is the 10% off the baseline DoD budget or the baseline plus supplemental? I know what the article said, but worth asking the question.

No. For example, the guy that was just named the new 317 AG/CC at Dyess (CoC later this year) is a prior B-52 Nav turned pilot and from what I understand the guy that is named to be a DO in one of the -130 squadrons at Dyess (PCS later this year) is a former Nav turned pilot. Just a few in addition to the guys that were mentioned above.

Probably because AETC studs are told to wear the wing patch. It's a freakin patch, who really cares.

I'm shocked you would say AFPC did anything wrong. While all airframes may need more numbers, I looked at the AFSCs that AFPC is offering this to (as of last night) and there are only a handful. I doubt that any VSP'ers would get any special deals. I also saw where, like I said, 2 of these categories aren't really getting a "special" deal and can deploy IAW service policy. The retirees and the other looked like they would be BNRs or special circumstances. The majority would probably come in under the other two programs and would be eligible to deploy . I'm sure any VSP'ers that were offered anything would more than likely fall into one of those categories. I also would bet that any VSP contract has a clause to recoup some money if a guy were to come back on AD. Although, I've been wrong before and am only speculating at this point. Although, you've been speculating as well so we're in good company. Maybe TacAirCOug or some other VSPer can straighten me out (sts). Don't blow your top (sts) without getting into the details.

You can. Go talk to your legal folks and get their chop on this first. ----------------- Anyone who has recently registered a vehicle in LR (not previously registered in AR), PM me. I have a few questions about what paperwork you needed to have.

2 Now to add my $.02. I was TDY this summer and should have been paid FSA. Didn't happen. Actually my finance is one of the best finance offices that I have ever dealt with. The guy over there re-filed the paperwork after talking to "The Center" without me having to lift a finger. Should have gotten it in EOM pay for Nov. Didn't happen. Several phone calls later (by finance, not me), still nothing. Let me add that it took over a month to get paid. I have never had a DTS voucher not get paid in a week (or so). Conclusion: The consolidated finance center is an abysmal failure.

Hold up there...but only 2 of the 4 categories can't deploy. One of those go back to specific units for specific periods of time and can't be promoted or PCS. Sounds like they are filling a hole that must be filled (sts). The other is retirees called back and they can't PCS either. Not sure how many retirees you want running around the desert. I'm sure there are plenty that can still hack it, but I saw some that never should have been sent to the desert. The others deploy according to current policy.

M2 has it correct above. If you are still at LRF, they will not do this on-base. Must see the flight doc, get a referral then to the off-base guy who will take care of it. Tricare foots the bill.

That's been figured out and folks are working on it, but the US won't just up and send a guy back to country x when they know that the gov't will torture and kill the guy. Talk about ironic.

He was O-6 BTZ. He just came out on the list for OG/CC. (that's one-although not late rated in one sense, but late to Pilot) I personally know one that just got hired to become a DO of a -130 squadron (not an OSS). Not a patch wearer and has not followed a "normal" career path. (that's two). Another one got picked up, as I've posted before, of an OSA squadron. I'll post more as those dudes in the '93-'96 year groups continue to get picked up (if they do). The reason you haven't heard of many of them is that those year groups are just beginning to hit command and DO hot and heavy (sts).

I have been to exactly one base in 16 years where I got Prime Knight service as a -130 crew. The 24 hr rule, as a rule, when you are min-turning to fly again, saves at a minimum 1-2 hours of my time. If I wanted to hurry up and wait, then I go to billeting. If I want to save some time, get to a place to eat (before it closes), and get to bed at a decent hour, then I skip billeting and push to the hotel. That's the beauty of the 24-hr rule. Again, Bergman hit the nail on the head (sts).

BD, All excellent points. You and I have had different experiences and therefore the lessons we learn are somewhat different. I was a late-rated Nav and was worried about some of those same things you posted above. Then I got to go to UPT and was even farther behind. I have managed to catch up somewhat (i.e. became an EP, etc), go to staff and appear to be returning to the Herk (possibly on a path to better things). Another friend of mine who is a year ahead commission wise was late-rated (two ops assignments and then staff). He left staff to OSA where he is picking up command this coming year. There is no cookie cutter career path to follow anymore. Not sure if there are that many opportunities in the Herk community for late-rated guys and you appear to be correct about the wealth of opportunity in white jets (limited experience from which to judge). But, I think that flexibility in which path someone chooses to follow is the key. There seem to be fewer straight career -130 guys (sts) that are getting command these days. Many of the CC's and others have branched out and done other (non-standard??) things.