Herk Driver

Overseas housing is not privatized; as far as I know. I live OFF-post and suggest that you do as well.

"They said Foglesong also wants certain beams in the building to be painted brown." Sounds like he loves the "combat proud" paint scheme.

And that would be why I wrote, "Some of this may be OBE since this is 8 years old; as a matter-of-fact, I know part of it is old" Bottom line: That's the current AFI.

Try this link Military.com is a great source of info; although not the source document itself. This seems to indicate that you should get the fees as well. I'll try finding the AFI and posting what I find. FYI, the shoes get blamed because they run the education office. The AFI: AFI36-2306 16 OCTOBER 2000 5.1. The Annual Appropriation Act, DoD, and AF policies authorize TA. Individuals may receive TA without a formal contract between the institution and the Air Force. Requests for changes to the TA policy must be submitted to HQ USAF/DPDE for approval. 5.2. The Air Force will pay tuition assistance at the rate of: 5.2.1. 75% of the combined cost of tuition and authorized fees up to a maximum of $187.50 per semester hour credit for voluntary off-duty education. 5.2.2. 100% of the combined cost of tuition and authorized fees up to a maximum of $187.50 per semester hour credit for voluntary off-duty education for: 5.2.2.1. Off-duty courses leading to the completion of a high school diploma or an equivalent certificate. 5.2.2.2. Members deployed to a specified contingency area. Some of this may be OBE since this is 8 years old; as a matter-of-fact, I know part of it is old. But, make them show you any policy changes in writing. If they won't, ask to speak to a supervisor. Take a copy of this page of the AFI with you, be nice but firm. If they can't show you anything contrary to the stated policy above then get your CC involved. They may say that the fees aren't authorized; if so, ask for a published list of authorized fees.

Just another example of over-inflated OPRs. Either way, it's not really that important. The important thing is that the pilots are OK. The next important thing is figuring out the why so that it doesn't repeat itself.

I think it is hilarious that I was reading some online story the other day about how the missile wasn't designed for this and then some expert "revealed" that while the range of the missile is classified that he could verify that there was no way it could reach the satellite...blah...blah

Not sure if it is still the case, but some basic Navs were being assigned to the 53d and 62d for a while. They would fly on missions that didn't have a student and therefore, no IN required either. This helped free-up INs for other duties.

No man ever won a war by dying for his country...he won it by making the other poor, dumb son-of-a-b!tch die for his.

I've got a question. (or four) Are you being forced to have DTS orders in hand to travel on missions these days? Or can you still travel on flight orders? Why do you want to put multiple locations in for the same day? I know I'm missing something, but please explain the necessity of doing that? Finance doesn't know much more about DTS than you do. There is probably one SME over there that knows it in and out, but I bet you've had more training on DTS than most of the Amn in finance. All of the power of approving/ denying DTS orders and vouchers rest within your squadron and whoever is the money person for your squadron (a resource advisor or something similar).

I've had to produce the registration before, but not all the time. You can certaily borrow a trailer to do a DITY, but I wouldn't try to claim the trailer weight since I didn't own it. It's just not worth the few extra bucks you get.

It's coming (sts). AFFSC.

No receipts for under $75 for incidentals. You still have to produce receipts for rental cars and lodging regardless of the costs.

Raise the BS flag. Take it to your supervisor and get some help. If that doesn't work take it to your CC and get some help. DTS isn't really that difficult. There is no requirement to have a receipt for a hotel. If you had spent the night at a friends house you wouldn't have an expense, you wouldn't have a receipt and the gov't wouldn't reimburse you. Tell the guy to pull his head out.

Great patch. Had to add this one.

This may be too little, too late to have any impact. At A/TA, I seem to remember something along the lines of a decision was going to be announced shortly after the New Year. I'm surprised that something hasn't been announced yet, as a matter of fact. It was almost like they were just crossing the T's and dotting the I's so they could "protest-proof" the announcement. Because, we all know that whoever loses already has the protest ready to go.

Got it. Just checked the spreadsheet and indeed it lists the Air Attache positions that have flying responsibilities. Small point but an AIRA is not the DATT; that is where my confusion was coming from.

Defense Attaches work for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). You don't need to be a DATT to get this job. You may in fact be attached to the Defense Attache Office for reporting requirements, etc but that would probably be the extent of it. That may be where the funky "official title" came from. Herkbum, in answer to your question, yes, there is a way to get attached to a unit and it is for exactly what you are talking about. You need to find a nearby unit and check into whether they will let you attach. There are some paperwork requirements as this is a quasi-legal arrangement where you have to be "legally" attached to the unit you are flying with, paperwork and all. They are then responsible for your FEF and checkrides, etc. There is an AFI that covers it, but I can't remember it off the top of my head. Either an 11-2MDS V2 reg or one of the AFORMS AFI's. Edit: Check AFI 11-401 para 2.20.1. Good info there.

A single Q-3 has little effect long-term. As mentioned, 89th and UPT IP jobs look at FEFs (I'm sure there are others). If the guy is shooting for a UPT IP job then there are criteria like no Q-3 within last 3-5 years or something. 89th is probably looking more for the perfect FEF. It shouldn't effect an assignment really that much. The losing CC obviously knows the story and could use it to steer the guy to one assignment or another based on it, but I haven't seen too much of that in my time. The gaining CC hasn't seen the FEF so he only knows what the losing CC or his buds can tell him. Multiple Q-3s are a different story altogether. I someone is bringing in multiple Q-3s and can't seem to break the trend, it may be time to look at a different career choice. Herks tend to have a few Q-3s in every crew position every 6-12 months. There are only 3 critical items in a Herk, IIRC so there is a lot of "wiggle room". Don't crucify me if the 3 items is not correct, it's been 32 months since I've seen the inside of an airplane and I don't have the time to find all my EP stuff to check. So, take your pick from a "clean" kill (a guy not putting the gear down after multiple prompts from the EP in the seat) to someone going out and just not being able to fly the plane worth a sh!t coupled with weak GK, I've seen a few of these. Most people recover and do just fine. Put it this way, I have never seen a guy or gal not make AC and most make IP. Ask Boom he knows one of the people I'm talking about.

They can help; there's just a limit to what they can do. They can't represent you in court or anything but you'd be surprised how a letter or two from the JAG office can help out. No one wants to be singled out by the base. (i.e. being put off limits, etc)

I don't know about that. The Gov't ships x lbs of Household Goods. You are asking them to include the weight of a trailer as household goods. They have re-defined household goods to basically cover only the things that a common carrier would haul for you. That's the definition that was posted earlier. See this: D. Transportation of Unauthorized Articles. Non-HHG articles (see “HHG” definition in Appendix A) must be transported apart from authorized HHG. The member should arrange for separate transportation. When non-HHG articles are disclosed, the member is financially responsible for all identifiable transportation costs for the articles. If the transportation cost of the articles cannot be established, the weight of the non-HHG articles is excess weight and the transportation cost is computed under par. U5340-B. I don't like this anymore than anyone else, but it appears that they have eliminated the reimbursement for enclosed trailers. Only time will tell.

That sounds reasonable. I think you are probably correct and from the post by rafiki, it looks as though they have changed the rules on what constitutes a trailer that can be claimed. I, too, have claimed the weight of a personally owned trailer on more than one move and now it appears that I will be eating that weight when I move. Oh, well. I can always sell it.

"Such a trailer includes any authorized trailer (other than a camper trailer travel trailer, or horse trailer) that a commercial carrier could legally accept and transport as household goods." The above quote, from the AF Move website which is quoted a couple posts above is probably where they will claim this comes from. I'm not sure that a moving company is going to 'legally accept and transport as household goods' a 7 x 10 enclosed trailer. The other question I have is when they say ' The utility trailer weight applies one time only if the trailer is used as the means of conveyance', I'm guessing that means that the trailer weight will only be paid once for the life of the trailer? Or am I reading that wrong? So, if I buy a trailer and move my stuff and sell the trailer, then go out and buy another one before the next move, they'll pay the trailer weight once each move? WTFO? I know a guy who moved overseas and towed his trailer to a "designated location" (parents house) and was paid for the move. Sounds like this $1B PCS budget shortfall is getting Big Blue to stop reimbursing a few things.

I'm just guessing that nobody actually vouched for the TCN, without an ID card, that planted the bomb in the Mosul chow hall. I, too am sorry that you lost friends and in no way am trying to belittle their service. But there are better ways to solve the problems than to zero in on everyone, not just those causing the problems. Seriously, the AFN commercials couldn't have affected you that much. You do know that most GIs and those that look like GIs aren't planting said bombs. Especially one with an ID card that you would've let into the building on that principle alone. Because all of us know that I couldn't carry a bomb in the cargo pockets on my DCUs. Another example, back before OSW ended and OIF kicked off, we had an E-9 mandate (at another base on the peninsula) that one had to have dog tags worn around the neck to get into the chow hall. I suppose that someone could rationalize that one as well as a prudent measure. What about the kid who simply misplaced them before boarding the plane to the desert and had his wife place them in the mail? Well they had not arrived yet and now he's not allowed to enter the chow hall?? Give me a break. Some things and the knee jerk reactions to them are over the top. Let's not try to justify any painful reactions when we know that the individuals they are aimed at are not the ones causing the problems.

Not to worry. I can't speak for going fighters but I know a good bit about the heavy side. I was comissioned and started out as an SP (with a deferred UNT slot). Finally got to SUNT at Randolph and by the time I got to my unit, I was a still a 1Lt. I got picked up for UPT at the 4.5 year point. (BTW, I have a buddy that was picked up at the 5.5 year point). Either way, on the heavy side, you will fly until you hit at least 120 gate months (that's 120 months of flying from when you started UPT, so that's 10 years). I'm just now into my staff tour and had 128 months when I started it (but the gates from being a Nav counted in that as well). If you want to make the AF a career and possibly be a Commander (i.e. not just fly the line), I think you will find that you are going to be asking to do other things and trying to find ways to do the things you need to do to reach those goals. Luckily, I had outstanding CC's that looked out for me and gave me jobs that were where I needed to be in terms of my time in service versus the typical, this guy is a copilot so he can't do such and such job. Or he is an AC, not an IP, so why is he doing such and such job. With the war, many of those paradigms have changed, but some still exist. Bottom line: You will have plenty of opportunity to fly. Most CC's and AFPC actually will look at the balance between your career progression and your time in the cockpit. I know that the -130 guys will not release you to staff (very few exceptions) without 120 gate months completed. Good luck.

They've done this once before. Let's see how it works out this time. Although this time it was directed in the BRAC. Only if you're skeered of the water.