brabus

Well whatever, I'll just take what they give me at Vance and "update" the new patch after I solo (knock on wood :D ). [ 22. March 2006, 20:14: Message edited by: brabus ]

Is it normal to have to buy the plain leather nametag before UPT, or do they make it for you and you just have to tell them on your own accord to put the jump wings on?

That's pretty much the only reason someone should go for the 2 or 3 yr programs. Even if you don't go to a school with a det, you can almost be 100% sure that the nearest det will work with you from a crosstown standpoint.

There's absolutely no reason to not do the 4 yr with the exception of you wanting to be a slack ass your first 2 yrs. Just suck it up, do the 4 yrs and you'll most likely have a way better shot at UPT. Don't screw yourself over by doing the 2 yr.

This might be a dumb question, but is there any reg that says what students have to wear? Like if the regular leather ones are available, I HAVE to wear those regardless if I own other ones? Just wondering if there's some stupid stando thing (reminded of back in the day people said they had to wear low quarters w/ flightsuits at Hondo...just wondering if it's something like that, except not nearly as bad).

Apparently the Navy is huge about using gouge while the AF roasts you for it. What's the deal with that?

Apparently Vetter still has his panties in a bunch over some stupid piece of metal on a flight cap...come on dude, same team, let it go.

Despite the fact I think FT is the most utterly worthless thing ever, it is very true what falling and others said about if you don't take it seriously, you'll fall on your face. You can think of it however you want, but just play the game. It's a 4 week long game that you need to play and pretend like you actually give a sh*t about doing 4 million GLPs and nightly journal entries . In the end, it's in your best interest to do as well as possible since it can and probably will affect positions you get in ROTC the next semester, getting a slot, CC ranking, etc. If anything, stay motivated and strive to do well just so you can look good on paper to get a slot, good position in corps.

Biggest joke/waste of time ever. What I learned at field training.............uhhhhh........how to stop bouncing while marching, does that count? And yes, it's fvcking ridiculously easy compared to every other service. So when you get sh*t from your buddies, just tell em you know it's a bunch of gay crap, but it wasn't your choice to have it this way. There is absolutely nothing hard about ROTC, FT, etc. You can throw it back at them after you go through UPT, FTU, etc. I'm sure that's much more stressful and challenging than any basic infantry course.

Just curious, what an MEO?

You should think about going AD if you want to do all those deployments, go around the world, red flag, etc. Why not if you want to fly "a lot" and do all that cool stuff? I know you said you've had a pain in the ass with recruiters and what not, but if you want that stuff, you can push through the crap and get in. I've been told fighters range from about 3-6 hrs/wk during a normal week at a "normal" Ops job, excluding stuff like red flag, being an IP, etc. Is that right guys? (Hoser, Toro, Hacker, etc).

In reality, PCSM is so small that if that was truely the deciding factor, you really just screwed yourself big time in other areas (i.e. GPA, CC's ranking, PFT, AFOQT).

It seems that if hours are your concern, why are you going for fighters? Everyone knows the heavy guys rack up way more hours (generally).

wow that sucks...oh well, at least you're flying. Somehow I was stupid enough to think half of the gay uniform crap (i.e. sleeves, patches, etc.) would stop after AETC...I was wrong, for shame.

Oh ok, makes a little more sense now. Nonetheless, they should just shoot for not screwing up, regardless of what categories there are to be graded on. Not sure how much that'll help. All they need to know is don't screw up, get an outstanding, mess up one or two things, get an excellent, and so on.

so why do you need the scoring worksheet? What bearing does that have?

Well to each his own, but I just took the damn card, used some common sense to know where to start, stood in the corner and started. It's not that hard...common sense and thinking a little ahead can tell you where you need to start and what commands you need to add in. There's no need to go memorizing every possible combo of IDE commands...waste of time.

what's there to memorize? You're going to get a card with 10-15 movements on it...just do those. There's nothing you need to memorize except how to call those commands. Also, the year I went you could legally (according to the FTM) stand still the entire time while giving commands. That's a hell of a lot easier than trying to march with the IDE flight while giving them commands...way easier to think and execute just standing and watching their movement. Don't know if that's how it is now, but if so, I would highly recommend doing that.

Got it...that's what I thought, but couldn't visualize what physically on the aircraft would apply to AoA.

what are the AoA's?

Yeah, I didn't mean they have to drink, I was just giving an example of how we made ours fun while they seem to strive to take any kind of fun out of it and make it as drawn out and dry as possible (per a friend on staff this semester). And you're right about the puking, it wasn't necessarily the WK (although he shouldn't be such a weak-ass and just stomach it until he can at least get to a bathroom :D ) that ruined it, it was the lame-ass leadership. No, I'm in Boulder, CO.

No sh*t man. Last semester our wing staff meetings were an hour long with drinking beer and f*cking around taking up 45 min of that (at Old Chicago's). Apparently this semester the new guys are taking roughly 2 hrs for their's and that's just at the Det, all business...NO BEER. How f*cking lame. It's like seeing shoe clerks in the making (I don't profess to know anything about AD, but from what I've heard and read, these guys are complete shoe clerks-to be). Not to mention I was in front of over 400 people the entire time at Dining Out while very drunk...and I didn't vomit and ruin it for everyone; maybe a few slured words in the mic, but whatcha gonna do about that!

No alcoholic grog!!!??? F*ck that, just do two if you have to like shark said. Where the hell's the fun if you can't be up infront trying not to slur your words at the same time trying not to stumble. Screw PC and make one hell of a toxic grog...there's ways around things (such as when our Col scratched everclear, so we used Bacardi 151; close enough and he saw Bacardi, not paying much attention to the 151 part).

Sorry about the acronyms...thanks for the save mambo. Also, I know you're only 17, but family considerations in the future could be a big thing. Yes you'll be TDY a good amount (can be very dependent on what you're flying), but in the long run, seems to me AF guys are home more with families than the Navy guys. That's one of the biggest complaints I've heard from Navy guys who have families...and not to mention they're on a boat with 5,000 other guys. [ 08. February 2006, 20:08: Message edited by: brabus ]

You might want to think about some of the bigger aspects. Such as, do you want to be on a boat for at least 6 months at a time, then back for a month or so, then back out for 6 and so on? Would you rather be in the AF and deploy or go TDY a good amount, but still at least have a "concrete" home (i.e. on land ;) ). Some people seem to love ship life, others did a few tours and hated it. So think about that one seriously. Also, Navy flight training takes longer to do (i.e. 1.5 yrs to wings vs ~ 1 yr in AF)...that may or may not matter to you. What type of A/C do you want to fly; probably fighters at this point (who doesn't in high school), and if so, which types would you rather fly...18's vs 16's, etc. If you want to fly heavies (tac airlift, refuel, etc.) then sure as hell don't go Navy. From what you said, sounds like you have the full ride scholarship w/ AFROTC, but none with NROTC. That fact right there should be a HUGE consideration...I'd definitely say go with the scholarship and fly AF. Overall, I'm so grateful to have a slot w/ the AF can't wait to start UPT next year. I know a few Navy guys and they like it a lot, but personally for me, AF is the only way to go...for many of the reasons I mentioned above. Think about the ones I mentioned (I know others will throw in their opinions), and then post back with any follow-up questions you might have. Good luck on the decision.