drewpey

Work and more work. There's a reason the patch comes with a bullseye. That being said it's usually interesting work and you'll be the first they call to sink teeth into projects. Beyond that you'll be the much-needed translator for the CAF-SOF integration. It's scary how much that is needed on both sides. Doors I've seen get closed on guys was usually due to short manning of patches in their respective MDS/AFSC. If you have dreams outside tactics (RAS/PAS, etc.) it should be possible down the road if you do well and let your intentions be known (and timing works out right), but AFSOC will get their return on investment out of you that first three years, so if you have plans before then look elsewhere.

They gave the H model some love too. Remember the level of research they go through the next time you "learn" something from the news.

Since no one was hurt it's not too soon...saw this already circulating:

Applied leadership, 2 week course 1x 3-6pg paper (done before start) that is revised during course, peer reviews and group discussion. Applied National Security, 1 week course 1x 1500-2000 word paper due at end of week. no discussion posts. Applied Warfare, 2 week course 1x 900-1200 word paper, discussion posts Applied Joint Warfare, 3 week course 1x 850-950 word paper, discussion posts, article submission, 1 page synopsis. Each course is relatively easy. You should be able to accomplish any of these courses in a few hours a week while distracted with real life. That being said pay attention to the last course as there are lots of due dates and the assignments aren't laid out very well which causes some confusion after a few beers. Just sign up for the classes and do them. They are actually easier than the online masters courses. The time consuming stuff are the ILAs in the CBTs. Those are huge time sinks in the joint courses. Read the forums first to get some direction before attempting. Best of luck.

I tried scanning the JFTR but couldn't find anything that applied. When I pushed them for an answer I was told it was the Kadena Sup to some random lodging regulation that was conveniently not posted on E-pubs. Kadena/PACAF likes to make up their own rules regarding travel, and its never in favor of the traveler.

Pretty strict on keeping housing above 96%. Most people who live on base seem to be happy about it. I've seen folks pay out of pocket to move on and off base, so it's a mixed bag. In terms of location and square footage you will likely be better off on base, as most the Japanese places we looked at were fairly small or very expensive, above the OHA, or far from base. If you want to go of base you can drag your feet reporting in to housing until the occupancy rate exceeds 96% (if it is close). You get 10 days or so in TLF before they stop paying. They will fill on-base requirements based on the day you reported to base, but they may work with you if it's above 96% and enough people want on base. That's what we did...showed up after they said 96% and a lot of families were looking to get on base, so they let us off. I lived off base, and it was nice...but to be honest I would likely choose to go on base if I were to go back based on the high likelihood of the drinking restrictions returning and the large amount of "Yankee taxes" I paid to live off base. Edit: some downsides of living on base are slow internet and power outages during frequent typhoons.

The government is sending SF in to round up all those telling people about our chem trails. nbd.

I'd like to use my "phone a friend" to call Paul Harvey.

Failing how?

Yeah we were fooled into the whole VOIP thing recently. Base comm dude told us what phones to buy to get us up to speed, so we did. By the time they arrived via GSA they didn't have power supplies and our ports won't support PoE, so we had to order those via GSA. When they finally arrived we had to wait for an investigation to close out on an equipment account before we could get unlocked to even submit work tickets. Then when we did submit, the base comm squadron said they no longer support those phone models and have moved onto a new hotness. Unit comm squadron (we are a tenant) is left with the burden and are unsure if they can support...also since it was an office purchase they don't want to take ownership so I'm stuck trying to work a comm problem despite it not being my j-o-b. So now I have a huge box of phones gathering dust in my office that I try to deal with when I'm not on TDY. I'm sure some units have similar issues, but not nearly as bad as you guys have it. Sounds jacked.

Is this really how it's viewed by comm? 90% of my problems revolve around computers and phones mysteriously dropping off the network, ports becoming deactivated for no apparent reason, etc. vESD requires a network connection to work, and you can't submit a ticket for one computer from a different computer. Plus there isn't an option in vESD to fix normal DSN phone lines, only iphones and VOIP. Love the grey area that keeps my tickets in purgatory for weeks! The best thing you guys have done is the new program that allows people to select and install software updates. This is why consolidated support is the worst idea in the world. When we had 1 comm dude in the sq he understood how ops ran, and could be redirected to a higher priority tasking if needed. Nowadays comm hides behind an automated phone tree and rack up their "completed tickets" by "completing" them after two failed attempts to contact you by phone (TDY much?). I get with the way the AF is these days you guys are busy, but it's things like this that just highlight how out of touch comm is with the rest of the AF. Manning is down across the force and there is always a desk jockey somewhere making additional work for everyone. "It's just one waiver (that everyone will have to do)"..."it's just another 2875 (that everyone will have to fill out)"..."it's just another CBT (that's required annually for everyone)". If you create a process that requires someone to fill out paperwork, then you should have to fill out an equivalent amount of paperwork as well. Maybe that would make people stop levying additional workload requirements on an already strained workforce. Sorry for the rant. I told myself I'd avoid this thread, but I just couldn't. It's not directed at you specifically. I know there are plenty of good comm guys out there (I have them on speed dial when I need work done) and you are likely one, but comm is a major perpetrator of the "Mission Suppression Group".

I don't think anyone is advocating growlers lead the charge into a battle, but my concern is the attitude of a "one plane solution". I just feel that the gain per dollar is better spent beefing up the EW capabilities versus building a jack of all trades, master of none stealth machine. I'm sure it's got amazing capabilities I'll never know about, but at the end of the day enemy technologies will improve and down the road it will be cheaper to fix software limitations of EW rather than hardware limitations of stealth.

I don't know much about the USN selection process, but I often feel the USAF is too quick to hedge their bets on future leaders. Once guys get knighted as a shiny penny, there seems to be very little that can stop that momentum.

Unfortunately this statement has/will be echoed for the entirety of his tenure. A lot of resources were wasted in the past few years no one will ever get back, particularly in sweat and tears of guys trying to right the ship. Smoother seas ahead...

But the Cyber bucket-o-money doesn't get spent on the shiny EW platforms we all know, love and want. Don't get me wrong...I like cyber, but I love the warm fuzzy feeling of being radiated by an EA platform when I most need it. Don't tell Hostage that...

The Air Force is too in love with stealth and cyber to deal with EW. They've passed the buck to the Navy, and luckily for the USAF they take it much more seriously.

The video is bunk. They got a wayward bundle of water, and then threw some boxes of old grenades and RPGs on the ground and made it look like we resupplied them. It's a bad attempt, but it looks like it worked for the media.

With an attitude like that I'd guess it would take longer than you'd be around the community. The community is very small and guys who get chosen to crosstrain and sit left seat have been watched like a hawk for some time and have a great reputation in the right seat. The goal isn't to dual-qual everyone, but rather to make a CSO who can kick ass at both jobs, not someone mediocre in both or one seat. That's how planes crash. If you aren't interested in both jobs (which are integral to the airplane's mission), I'd seek employment elsewhere.

No curfew per se, and off-base drinking is severely limited. On base you can booze it up wherever. Rumors are it will soon get relaxed, but don't get your hopes up. It won't last long if it does. As far as enforcement goes there are "courtesy" patrols looking to get folks in trouble, but they patrol the most obvious locations. Stay smart.

Much better than the previous. I enjoyed it.

What was the criteria she was judging on a 1-10 scale, and what did she give it? Seriously they call this reporting?

The more things change the more they stay the same.

The iPad CAC readers aren't "approved". They are around but not widespread AFAIK. We've been given plenty of rope at the squadron level to utilize them how we want. Stan Eval/tactics libraries, testing publications, MQFs, personal documents, trip products, gouge, zombie gunship you name it. Our current file management system sucks, but it works well enough most the time.

At least he is acknowledging the big issues within the force and not just white-washing everything. Sometimes change in the military is changing the period to a comma, or a "will" to a "should", but as long as it's forward movement in the right direction I won't bitch about those leading the way. He is relaxing all the stupid requirements we've got and allow me to be home with my family more often, and optimize the time we do have at work to be good at our jobs and I thank him for that. I've been pretty hesitant about him so far, but every time I read about his speeches he is right on point.

Gotta love those. From my recent memory: Memo #234 - You are not authorized to perform unauthorized maneuvers. Memo #423 - Sexual assault is still forbidden. Memo #624 - Marijuana is still illegal. He has been promoted from "CGOC" to "First-Shirt" on the annoying email rankings. Thank god for Outlook auto-filters. Exit stage left bro.