Smokin

Looks like an AK version of the BAR. I need one.

I have a couple good belts that are almost 1/4" thick, so should be good there. But I am actually looking at an inside the pocket holster like this. That type of holster was virtually invisible when I tried out one at the range with a thin single-stack pistol. I'm currently looking at the Taurus 709, the Kahr CM9, and possibly the Kimber Solo if I can find one for sale. If anyone has any experience with these types of guns, I'd appreciate any advice. How does your friend like the Kel Tec? I have heard some negative things about the company in general and am hesitant to have my daily carry be from a company that is questionable. Also, Kahr just started making a cheaper version of the PM9. It looks like all of the functionality and reliability is the same, they just didn't make it as nice looking. Personally, the uglier the gun the better.

If he says it doesn't count because it is in the US, ask him how do bomber guys deploying to Guam get reconstitution time?

Finally got my CC permit (been overseas for awhile). I planned to carry my XD9 sub-compact, but despite being 'sub-compact' it is still a little weighty and seems like it will take some effort to conceal it in the summer wearing shorts and a t-shirt. At the range today, the guy next to me had a slim Kahr .38 and that seems like a type of gun I would be more likely to carry on a regular basis. I know M2 likes the Taurus PT709 and that is a contender. Anyone have any experience with the Kahr PM9 or any other similar guns? For ammo simplicity, I'm going to stick with the 9mm.

Yes, I'm sure you're right. President Bush must have sent out a memo to all the three letter agencies and told them not to worry about UBL once we got involved in Iraq. By contrast, when President Obama took office, he has personally been walking around Pakistan searching for the terrorist. Unlike any previous President or human, President Obama can magically share his focus between Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Syria, healthcare reform, the stimulus packages, unemployment, and the Nobel Peace Prize all without decreasing any potential focus in any one of those areas. That reason and that reason alone is why UBL is dead. This is exactly what I was talking about with people injecting politics into this. The killing of bin Laden is the culmination of ten years of searching by countless people and agencies. President Obama may have given the order and one SEAL may have fired the shots, but thousands of people have been working on this for a long time. This is an American victory, not a Democratic or Republican victory. Anyone who tries to claim otherwise is simply trying to take advantage of the situation for political gain.

It is absurd that people are trying to politicize this. I heard some numbnuts on the news the other day saying that the reason we got UBL now (rather than 6-9 years ago) is because President Obama made it a priority whereas President Bush "took his eye off the ball and got distracted by Iraq." Anyone who believes such partisan dribble is beyond dumb.

Either way, cue the Deliverance banjo music...

It might be a bit of a shock for him when he gets to his afterlife and finds out it was really 77 Virginians.

While at the torturous but requisite shoeflag recently, the instructors said that ASBC is already getting shut down.

The media got to Mr Rast only a week after he was told his son was killed; needless to say his emotions were surely running high. Hopefully, given time, Mr Rast will see things the way Mr Smith apparently does. Also, the articles are have very different tones, so who knows what else Mr Rast said that was not published. Those few comments may have been cherry-picked from an hour long interview to give the story the reporter wanted to tell. Either way, they died while running towards the sound of gunfire to help their fellow soldiers. Their families should be proud.

Double post, so yes and yes. :) As Moose said, I use my credit cards responsibly and don't spend money that I don't already have in my checking or savings accounts. A quarter million over 12 years sounds like a lot of spending on the card, but I use my card for absolutely everything that I can. The additional benefit that smart credit card users will have over debit card guys is a better credit score. I had an ROTC scholarship in college so other than my credit cards, I had basically no credit history. But paying my card off on time every month for the last twelve years got me an awesome credit score which saved me a ton of money on my mortgage on the house I just bought. If you use them responsibly and pick the right cards, credit cards can save you money. If you can't use them responsibly then follow the previous advice and cut them up.

I have a Capital One travel card. It has an annual fee of $40, but if you use it right, it gives you 2% cash back on everything. Granted, it takes a little work and Capital One is anything but "no hassles", however the money speaks for itself. I have spent about $480 on annual fees over the last 12 years, but I have been credited roughly $4500. If you think of it as an investment, that is nearly a 10x return on my annual fee. Yes, you will not get rich off a credit card, but if you are going to spend the money regardless (and you pay the full statement balance each month), why not get money back for it? I will not get rich because I am a government employee, but if I use my money wisely I will be comfortable.

KingGuy brought up a huge advantage for DITYs. On my first two moves I DITY'd and I slept in my own bed the first night. It is nice to be able to unpack as soon as you get there versus waiting for a moving truck and an appointment from TMO.

I am PCSing with two TDYs enroute. On the remarks section of my orders for my second TDY, it says "Member is authorized to arrive NET two days prior to class start date." The problem is that my TDY classes are 35 days apart. Does that mean the AF is forcing me to take 33 days of leave (that I don't have or want to take)? Anyone know the reg that governs this or waiver authority?

If the pilot on a commercial flight is cleared to use an ipad in the cockpit, why do I as a passenger have to turn off my MP3 player for takeoff and landing?

On the other hand, with interest rates this low and many markets bottoming out, this is a great time to buy. On a 200K mortgage with a good rate, your monthly expenses can be less than your BAH. When it comes time to PCS, you could have a reasonable chance at renting out the house with a property management company and still break even on the monthly payments. If you are willing to face the risks of home ownership and being an absentee landlord, you could have someone else paying off your mortgage for you. Yes, there are better investments out there, but there is also something to be said for having diverse holdings to include investments outside the stock market. Of course, that all assumes that you are not going to sell when you PCS.

That depends. Are you looking to buy or sell? :)

Shouldn't even need a pass, should just be a normal duty day. "Travel time computed under par. U5160 is allowed for the round trips to deliver and pick-up a POV under par. U5413-B" "5160-A4. When POV delivery/pick-up is separate from PCS travel, allowable travel time is computed using par. U3005-C2." "3005-C2: PCS. Generally, 1 travel day is allowed for each 350 miles of official distance of ordered travel.. If the excess distance is 51 or more miles after dividing the total official distance by 350, one additional travel day is allowed. When the total official distance is 400 or fewer miles, 1 day of travel time is allowed. See par. U5160-E ICW additional travel time." Bottom line is the JFTR repeatedly references computing travel time for POV pickup. What would be the point of computing a travel time if leave or even a pass is required?

The mileage part is correct, you should get paid just the mileage (TDY rate) of driving a car round trip between your new duty location and the port AND the old duty location to where you dropped it off. The time spent should not be leave though. Look at the JFTR section U5413 part B.

I was under the impression that if you were established in the area prior to the rate drop, your rate remains the same but new people moving to the area get the lower rate.

Yes.

So they can be useful....

I could. And I would see my family everyday! Irrelevant. I might make less for the first few years, but the time after that would make up for it. The comparisons between military and civilian salary depend on averages. Most the people on this board are not average and would do better and make more than the average. The military is a sacrifice and it is not all about me or money. If it were, I'd already be gone. But it is also nice to know that I'm not going to get thrown out in the cold.

Don't forget FDR. Many Americans consider him to be one of our great presidents. Personally, I consider him to be one of the worst things that ever happened to America. He is where the many of these programs that are ruining our country started.

No way will this ever get approved, but the hypocrisy of Congress seems to know no limits. Let's look at the difference between Congress's plan versus the proposed military plan: -At 50, both can 'retire', but the military guy has to wait 7 more years for a paycheck. -The military paycheck is computed off the last five years; the Congressman's off the last three years. -In the military, if you serve for six years and get out, you might get a 'thank you'. In Congress, you get 9% of your pay as retirement. -The retirement check of a Congressman is nearly twice as much as a retired O-5 gets. If they're going to play the whole 'times are rough, everyone needs to tighten their belts' line, they should lead by example.