Boxhead

Yeah, NASCC was letting two students go as far as one bag of gas could take them, spend the night, then return the next day. Then, they had some WX keep them out an extra day or two and they had to be "rescued" by two IPs...since the solo was only authorized to take place with in a certain time frame after the checkout. So, while the class before me did that cool thing, I did a huge circle around Texas to Randolph, then back the other way once we swapped seats. I hear that has fluctuated a few times since then (2002) (eg, "yeah, go out all weekend, no wait, stay here and go in a circle") No matter what, it was fun.

Well, sorta. It is one of those "does your cadre really, really hate you and want to press the issue". If you still have it, go look though the contact you signed with you started taking $$ from AFROTC....they have their own version of the UCMJ "catch all Article" -..there is a section in that contract that lists all the reasons that you can get booted from ROTC and sent to Basic Training...the last one being "Indifference to AFROTC Training"...talk about a vague statement that can cover pretty much anything. So, your Det makes a local policy something to the affect of "As a contact cadet, you can not date an AD officer or enlisted person". Since their job is to train you to follow rules, the argument can b made that if you do not follow their local policy...you are showing an "Indifference to AFRTOC training". Can they technically "bust" you under the UCMJ? Nope. Can they make you an Airman for two years (where dating a LT is very much against the regs)....they sure can. Can they rate you at the bottom of the class? Yep. They have their ways if they decide to be jerky about it. I knew a guy that had that happen to him...not for dating an AD person, but a localism that the cadre decided to press...and low and behold, he was in basic with me. That was in 1991...if I recall it was an alchohol related issue.

My suggestion would be to do the jet ski thing while not in UPT. You are going to have to fill out a "hazardous activities" form...so you are going to get highlighted (not necessarily negatively, but still)...if you choose to not fill out that paperwork, well let's just say you better not get hurt...then you can kiss UPT bye-bye. (guy in the class behind me skydived, no form filled out, broke an ankle a week out from hitting the flightline...now a finance guy...) Don't be the guy to get hurt while breaking the rules while in UPT. Once out of UPT, it is all about your schedule. You still need that form, but it is not near as big a deal. Plus, they tend not to care where you are as much on your days off. Have fun, just dot the "I"s and cross the "T"s...

Ahhhh youth, I miss it so.... ref #1...Man, that stinks for ya....I had a total blast all through Tweets and T-44s...it was way fun. The cool aspects I agree with you. ref #2...agreed, but not for the same reason...maybe it was just me, but I never studied past dinner (OK, for N,W&C I broke that standard) and was in bed NLT 2100L Sun-Thurs...Effective time management is the key. Never have to cram, and you will lower your stress many times over. Pilot training stress is 90% self-induced. If you just relax, do your best and are cool with that, it is all kinda fun. I felt bad for the dudes that were wrapped so tight they missed out on the positive aspects. (not saying you are one of those) Remember, check rides are just regular rides...just do what you usually do. Unless you suck...then do better that day. :)

I was so damn jealous of those guys that had the fancy little ding when I had to listen to that scratchy horrible radio.....and that was WAY more than 4-5 times in a year...and that was just me...I was just one guy...I think the Yokota crews would like to have that little addition! I think that is a pretty good reason though...well, let me rephrase....crappy reason, good call on the bad logic behind the decision. Granted, any frustration I built up in trying to talk to random pseudo-controllers en route to a couple of places was usually mitigated by the fun had once on the ground.

Ummmmm...... Article 134— Adultery Elements. (1) That the accused wrongfully had sexual intercourse with a certain person; (2) That, at the time, the accused or the other person was married to someone else; and (3) That, under the circumstances, the conduct of the accused was to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces or was of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces. Adultery on it's own is totally it's own violation. It changed in the 90's...it used to be that you could only get busted if YOU were the married person...eg, if you are a single guy shagging a married chick, she was the only one that could get in trouble for "adultery" by the letter of the law....they changed that a few years back to include either party in the shagging.

My beer days are almost over, I just don't drink it a lot. Maker's Mark on the other hand.....still going strong If I do drink beer though...my favorite....I guess that would be free beer. Macro, Micro, whatever, free beer is good beer.

Get to know the SFT Lt/Capt in your local cop shop. He is the guy that runs the range. A little time invested in a friendship there and you will be shooting everything they have, and on a pretty decently regular basis. End of the FY can be particularly fun...) You can go be a bad guy for some exercises which is also kinda fun. Just an idea/technique. I would, however like to see better weapons training across the board in the USAF...nothing scarier than watching some folks clear an M-9....

True that, I wish I would have had it in my car as I was towing my wifes car from NE Tenn to Las Vegas...over 2300 miles and never over 60MPH...and often MUCH slower due to the snow, ice etc...Satelite would have been great....the worst part, the car I was towing had it...just not mine! lol oh the humanity!

My wife & daughter are on standard now...no maternity experience just yet, but we looked at that. There is a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo to read through, but the gist is this: You pay a $200(ish) deductible After that, you have co-pays There is a $1000 per year cap....eg, no matter what happens, your out of pocket costs will never be more than $1000...that is the deductible and all the co-pays added up. It does not matter (out of pocket cost wise) if the costs are for maternity, annual appts, ER visits, whatever. My suggestion, go onto the TRICARE website, it gives handy-dandy little charts about the specific differences between each program. Then, call the TRICARE office of the base you are going to. Also ask your sponsor...the TRICARE office does not always give the best info. Towing the party line is not what you want done when it comes to the healthcare of your family. Best of luck!

I think everyone knows mil-to-mil married folks who are professional and serve honorably. Actual direct chain of command issues are not all that common. The issues I am talking about are more general than that. Issues like assignments, deployments, TDYs, etc...when there is a married couple, it just causes issues, regardless of how swell the people themselves are. It is not the couple that always suffers, it is their leadership and their squadron mates. A commander should be able to look at their people, and make decisions about their careers and duties based on the qualifications of the individual and the needs of the unit. Not something like "OK, this person is depolying...Oh wait, they can't their spouse is deployed somewhere else, they won't see each other for over 6 months...their kids will have to leave the country and go live with grandma halfway through the school year" Assignments are similar..."Hey, person X is shit-hot...they deserve this good deal assignment"...wait their spouse is not so shit hot...is there something for them? Na, just give them the good deal too..." That type of stuff breeds all kinda anger among the troops, the alternative is "Here is your good deal, you will be stationed with your spouse in a few years, see ya" Then, the leadership is viewed as being "anti-mil-to-mil marriage" and look how they screwed over this couple... OR, the couple acknowledges all these issues, take assignments that are traditionally viewed as "not so good" because the good part for them is just being together, they have someone that an take their children at the drop of a hat for an extended period of time ect... None of these are rumors...every example here I have firsthand knowledge of. My cake hole is hungry. :) BTW...you have never heard me bitch about reflective belts...I save my bitching for stuff that negatively affects me personally, the mission, or my troops, and this issue affects all of those. I do hear ya barking M2, it's not that I want the AF to make all the decisions for us, want I really want is for people to make good decisions on their own...but I think you have been around long enough to know how well that works out! :) EDIT: Holy crap, thank God for spell check...sorry if you had to read this before I corrected it!

Maybe it's: 1) Pax vs no pax? 2) Assload of fuel=fast death in any nonstandard landing try 3) afraid the report will ignite the fuel (It won't, but the safety guy...can make crazy rules) I always thought it was kinda just a "feel good" thing anyway...if you manage to survive whatever made you go down not on the runway you wanted, you see see A) People that like them or B) People that hate you. If they hate you, you can pretty much bet you will be outgunned. The only thing your 9mm will do for you is let you go down in a blaze of glory (OK, a flashlight of honor) and maybe get one or two of them too. It's not the aircrew's fault, the USAF just does not train us enough. Feels good on the ole' hip though. I have always liked having my weapon on me more when I am on the ground at "questionable" locations than for contingencies that start in the air.

Cops (at least back a few years ago) were known for their particulary harsh tricks and practical jokes played on each other. I talk to my old buddies and apparently even they (new cops) are getting girly now and people get all upset when they end up naked in a Montana field, covered in fire truck foam, crying because they thought they were contaminated with hazerdous waste. A little dog crap mixed into your nasty ass spit cup that you did not notice until you were holding it up against your lips for about 15 minutes...shit man, I still laugh when I think about that. As do everyone else who was there..even the poor dipper after he cooled off and had a few beers. Anyway, in the spirit of the thread, bring back practical jokes that can make people cry...and the constant fear you may be next. And no real fear of someone crying about it and trying to get people in trouble. Pretty much, the good old days in about a hundred different ways.

We had our pick between DC, the Bose, or these flightcoms, (gotta love fallout $$) Anyway, the flightcoms seem cool because you can plug in your cell phones, MP3 players, Iridum phones, etc....but they are not very tough. Mine broke within a month, and the longest I knew of one surviving is about 6 months. I did like 'em better than the Bose though. But all said and done, I am back to DC and I will stay there.

Only if they can kick your ass. Kinda like public speaking, you gotta know your audience.

Back when I was a cop, I had a guy who liked to dip in the patrol car...I asked him not to becasue I thought it was gross...but he just kept doing it....so I had to think about it in the most immature way I could. I found some dog crap, took a stick and mixed it into his little styrofoam spit cup, so it was dip and shit...I have to say it was one of the funniest things ever to watch as it took about 15 minutes to realize what happened to him.

I have heard that they will damage your ears as well. Something about the fact that they are not stopping the noise, they "hear" the noise, then send out a white noise with the exact opposite sound wave...thus making it seem quiter, but where the debate comes in is over the fact that in reality, you get twice the number of sound waves...they just negate each other at the end game (Your eardrum) So it seems less noisy, but there are twice as many little waves going in there.... I am not a tech guy, I just remember a smart person talking about something along those lines. I am sure there are article to find it online if you cared enough. I am just sticking with ear plugs and DC when I am around loud planes.

I think it has been said somewhere on here, but if I ruled the AF, there would be no mil-to-mil marriages. Period dot. Just too much ass pain for all involved. Lots of other reasons too, but that is not for this thread. The AF is a family, don't bone down your sister.

My wife said it was no harder to be a spouse in UPT than any other spouse of someone who works long hours and has a decent amount of stress. (Based only on her talking to other spouses not in UPT...so not real science here) I think the hard part (and where the horror stories come) is that a majority of UPT couples are still newlyweds...UPT is not the standard first year of marraige and that coupled with just learning to be married can make things seem worse. There is nothing you can do to prepare, nothing you need to do...just be supportive like you should be anyway, and tell him to do the same. Life is life. It will be tough on him...just communicate to each other and try to meet each others needs...wait...do that even not in UPT and life will be good. :)

Only intel I have is that you don't need anything....you can get all the gouge you need once you get there, and the total awesomeness of not dealing with all the BS that the "C-130 Center of Excellence" at LRAFB is worth any details like where to live....there are nice suite style hotels that most folks live in... You will want training there to last forever, or so I have heard. It could all be lies, but the stories I have heard is nothing short of a great experience. Do what you can to get there!

I am guessing he is talking about his Service Dress...as everybody wears everything on those. Ribbons on the blue shirt...usu just prior E's wear ribbons. How do you manage to not have any blues? You should write a "Slacking for Dummies" book! :) I concur with Hydro...ultrathin is a little pricey, but looks damn good.

My mustache march got cut short...I had no problem argueing the point to my wife, who hates them, but that is OK, she buys into the comraderie stuff just enough...my 2.5 year old though...I went to give her a kiss goodnight and she said "No, too rough" while pointing to my 'stache....I went and shaved it right then and there. Guess I will stick with Deployed only or once she gets older. That little girl trumps all...

Man, was I the only class leader in UPT that bullied (OK, convinced) the Flt CC to let my guys go work out during the 12 hour days that were JSUPT? Once N,W&C are done...you can talk them into a lot. The only time I oversteped was when there were no IPs around, but we had nothing to do and we were tired, so I sent them all home. I took an ass chewing for that one, but it was sooooo worth it.

What ever you do, don't forget to designate on a legal document where that money goes when you accidently fly into the ground or crash your car talking on a cell phone. There is nothing worse (well the dying part is worse) then pasing away with a nice chunk of change put away and no legal guidence for the people who are supposed to recieve it. I will hook you up if you like. PM me and name me the guy who gets all your stuff. OK, I may not be the best choise...but I am here for ya man. Seriously...that stuff is just as important as putting the money away in the first place.

An officer has to be the go/nogo authority to drop things that kill people out of a fixed wing plane, its a law... a nav showed it to me once, but i could not tell you what it is off the top of my head. FAA and the AF got together and agreed that a rated pilot whould fly them or a nav w/ the FAA instrument cert) they had a program where guys would just show up to Predator school with no flight expereince...had one guy make it all the way through...just about to get all misn qualed, and they pulled the plug...he is going through UPT here shortly, AD guy so he could go anywhere after that just like anyone. As for the med stuff...you have to be fully qualified to fly...in all aspects the only folks going through UPT and straight to a RPA are the Guard/Reserve...eg...folks that know their final destination prior to day one of UPT. The AD may start it someday, but you are all safe for now. UPT grads think back now....how many people that got helos out of UPT really wanted them? (typically) they go in kicking and screaming until they realize what a cool job it really is....Predators are same thing. There are folks here from literaly every MWS....not all of them happy to be here, and you talk to the guys doing the missions....almost everyone loves it. I dont know enough about it yet to make a real decision yet...but the technology and capabilites are way more than i thought they would be. Anyway, feel free to go back to the RPA bashing...just wanted to give a view from the inside.