Tonka

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-racing-clock-to-deliver-18-kc-46-tankers-by-n-422356/ Only two aircraft currently flying in support of FAA type certification and aerial refuelling demonstration and the first KC-46A recently passed fuel to an F-16 and F/A-18 and then received fuel from a KC-10. The developmental tanker must now refuel an AV-8B, A-10 and C-17 to satisfy a “milestone C” decision review board that had planned to convene in April, but is now tracking toward early May. Milestone C is the decision for Low Rate production... Looks like it is going to be delayed because of problems with the Boom: https://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2016/March%202016/March%2016%202016/Goldfein-KC-46-On-Track.aspx There have been issues with some boom axial loads, but Goldfein said, “we think we actually have the software fix in place.” It's only software, right?

Just curious where the guidance is for the wear of this jacket... was looking in 36-2903 and it mentions the "Gore-tex jacket", does it actually mean this jacket? I saw they have gore-tex flight jackets available at the base issue store (the clerk told me they were flight approved) and was thinking about getting it to replace my much much older green nomex jacket. I assume you do not change any of velcro, or add to it (looks like a name, command, and flag velcro was already on it), nor sew on rank since that would probably ruin the gore-tex-iness of it, correct? Thanks!

I know there are a lot of sources to actually find out which units are actively seeking folks, but it seems like it is usually a bro-network + timing required to make it work... Too bad we can't submit an application to a central database and then the Guard/Reserve bubbas can see the list/resumes and give us a shout when something is on the horizon.

Numbers keep airplanes flying, experience keeps them from crashing... No panic in the P-gon means they are only looking at the former not the later... Maybe that is OK if no one on-board is hurt when they crash, but eventually we'll put one down somewhere where it matters and then there will be panic.

Some bases have told me that there is a minimum number of miles required for them to pay... I believed them, but probably shouldn't have. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

The part about having the account open prior to AD is for citi only I believe...

Well where's the fun in that!! Thanks, I probably will... my Google Kunfu was lacking tonight and I found some places that said yes, most said no. Big one that said no, https://www.doctorofcredit.com/credit-card-annual-fee-waivers-other-benefits-for-those-on-active-duty/ But I have read that not only will they refund the annual fee (if you take out the account before AD), but they'll cap the interest at 0%... that's a pretty spot on deal if someone can take advantage of it. Capital One/Chase caps interest at %4 Barclay offers 0% too

Can anyone confirm this? Was thinking about trying for the citi prestige, and probably won't try if I have to pay the annual... Thanks!

Agreed, in fact trying to tell mom and aunt peru that we promoted at 100% usually falls on deaf ears and they want to pinch your checks and share your picture everywhere regardless... There's a difference between being proud at what you do using periodic milestones, regardless of difficulty of attainment, to show it versus scheduling the base theater for a captain pin-on and asking everyone to contribute to your pig roast to celebrate... unless, of course, you are providing strippers. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

You completely contradicted yourself twice I think, and totally missed the sarcasm in all the previous posts you aimed to contradict. So which is it? Did you celebrate "actual accomplishments" or did you just find an excuse to party like everyone else was alluding to? Where you too busy in FTU to celebrate or were you not. I'm so confused.

Any active duty hiring/transfers?

Yeah, yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should.

No, I didn't, that was the point I poorly made... 4 years in, here's another promotion... should that continue all the way to 20 and beyond though? Because that seems like a poor system. If you don't incentivize folks to "perform" at a minimum level then there will be a dramatic increase of "why-should-I-work-harder-if-we-all-get-promoted-regardless" attitude. Why should I be "balls to the ing wall all the time" when I will get paid and promoted the same regardless? I agree with your sentiments, I was just trying to put some freakonomics principles to it. I have no idea how you interpreted this from what I or others wrote as I was mostly providing my guess at what a promotion by attrition principle would entail. Additionally, I don't get that attitude where I work at all (nor do I feel that way!) Most folks are being rode hard and put away wet. There is a dedication to service and then there is "Welcome back from the 180, it didn't reset your 365 clock though... you leave next week." There is getting tough when the going gets rough and then there is 14 years of it. I have not once witnessed a single person that I thought was "quitting" with a whiny, piss-ant attitude... rather it was: they get out or they would have physically or mentally broken down (I've seen it in their eyes), they'll lose their spouse and family because they weren't going to go through it again, or they paid their dues and wanted to move on to do something different. Spot on... I would say this is true for the majority.

I still don't think that is "good news"...i.e. "the Titanic is going down", "well good news there should be less of a line for the shuffle board games. Quick re-arrange the lounge chairs to hear the band better." I'm all for making rank and getting paid more, and there are at least a few jobs that I think would be fun to do with a couple of good promotions...but, if way too many people leave, what good does it do? Maybe if we eventually figure out that we really have to do less with less, it might be good... I just don't see it happening in my career time frame. So if you want to look at it that way, you are going to get promoted by attrition and have to deal with worsening and worsening conditions. How good did we feel about ourselves when we made it to Captain with a 99% promotion rate... didn't really give us much of an incentive to do much. Multiply that through the rank of Lt Col and we get a lot of unmotivated individuals that sit around from 10-3 eating popcorn, drinking beer, and hitting the gym... wait maybe this is good news!

I'm hoping there is some sarcasm in that statement...

High performing officer... its like choosing your quarterly award winners before the quarter starts, so you can get them everything they need to win. We try to choose our Generals when they're Captains because of it. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

So, I've had to call "uncle" as I can no longer carry heavy bags to the aircraft--my back can no longer handle long bag drags with a lot of weight on my shoulders... yes I have to become one of "those guys". I need some advice on what to buy so that I can roll it across the tarmac with checklists, headset, 1" binders, IPAD, etc...but also put it in the overhead for commercial flying with a flightsuit and boots. Probably something that I can place another bag on top of, so I can roll two on one like airline pilots do. I know there was a thread awhile back where a guy was pitching his pilot, rolling, pubs/nav bag, but I couldn't find that thread anymore. I've seen the 130 NAVs that bring their handy roller bag that they can sit on in the cockpit, any idea where to get those and if it is worth being identified as a NAV? I can't imagine you can get a lot in those bags for commercial flights though.

Since the post was >3 years ago, I'd say your timing is closer then you think.

I think that is what they did with the -141, guys then transitioned to the -17 when the airplanes came... Of course I wonder if we will learn the other lesson that came from that transition: we got rid of the 141 well before the 17 was ready and felt the pain when we really need them during the early part of last decade.

They'll never fly it.

about 5 hours on the drive down...

or...like the rest of the AF, improve their QOL and they'll stay in much longer.

Been awhile, and I had a pretty accessible job, most of the guys with me had to drive off base almost every day... YMMV 1) meh, you can do it but the pain of it will limit you to wanting to do it only every other week or so. Buy a car? Probably not unless you are command sponsored... There will be a car available for you, or you'll make friends with someone that does. 2) I'm pretty sure, no. Unless you are there for 365 then you can during your leave. 3) depends... Sometimes there's a wait and sometimes the AC goes out for 2 months, how much do you want to sweat during the night to have your own bathroom? Still probably worth it. 5) no There are some resorts you can buy a one day pass for that most folks like... Restaurants and shopping downtown, get a few suits made, watch the stadium being built with slaves that are trafficked into the country (maybe we need to loan them our CBTs).

yet.

At least we could move tops in blue around.