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Danners are the bomb. I went up to AK last year to augment with the 210th Det 1 up at Eielson, and the first time I almost fell on my ass (it was late Mar) the first comment I got was "Those must be Bellevilles." ###### Bellevilles. After getting a nice pair of insulated waterproof tan Danners for the recent trip to OEF, I'm never going back. It was like walking on pillows and the best part was my feet NEVER got cold on the pedals.

People who say they enjoyed Phase II obviously went to Whiting (like me).

to answer some questions above that haven't really been answered...I fly HH-60s, been at Moody for 3 years. I've averaged about 270 hrs/yr as a copilot up to this point, and I'm going to Kirtland next week for AC upgrade. I've deployed 3 times (OIF in 2005, Pakistan and OEF in 2006) and going back to OIF this fall. We're an LDHD asset (low density, high demand for those not in the know). The Moody unit is bigger than the others, so we take the lion's share of deployments, with no end in sight. The big wigs don't seem to know what to do with us; right before I tracked helos, 60s moved to AFSOC, and while I was in Pakistan we moved back to ACC. ACC seems to be treating us better than AFSOC did, even though it sounded cooler to be in Spec Ops, not that we did anything but our CSAR role... Kadena has stepped up lately to help us out on deployments in OEF now that we have the additional tasking for MEDEVAC with the Army on top of our CSAR role. Lakenheath (formerly at Keflavik) isn't mission ready yet b/c none of their birds have the upgrades/mods (better engines, etc) and who knows how long it will take them to get all their mods complete. There is no crossflow between 60s and 53s. You fly one or the other. 60 pilots aren't being allowed to do much of anything other than stay in our MWS and go to school, that's how hurting we are for pilots right now. Now, I guess with the CV-22 coming online, 53 dudes are being given the choice of that or 60s, and some are coming over, but that's a one-time gig. The Huey pilots are the ones filling the 365 tours to OIF and OEF (learnin' up them militaries how to fly helos), and the JPRC at the CAOC, so they are deploying and taking the pressure off of us so we can do our primary missions.

If you still check this thread....I happened to stop in at AFPC a couple months ago and talked to our helo assignments guy (who came from my SQ so I already knew him). At the time, he had IMMEDIATE slots available for any Warrant to go to OTS and then helos. If anyone wants more info, please check out this site: https://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil/main_conte...mp;p_faqid=5118 there's contact info for the Helo functional; I'm sure he can give you more details if you're really interested. Also, surprised no one's mentioned AMS. Academy of Military Science, somewhere in TN, with a direct commission to the Guard or Reserves, just get your degree withing 7 years of graduating. Get hired by one of the units that flies 60s (DM and Patrick for Reserves and NY, CA, and AK for Guard).

IFS is at Pueblo. This came after my time (I did IFT at a local airport where I was casual and earned my PPL). I think you get something like 20 hrs in the DA-20, to make sure you have the aptitude for flying. Yes, in UPT tell anyone and everyone you want a helo (not heli!) slot. But don't let that keep you from working hard to be at the top of your class. Contrary to popular belief, helos are hard to fly; if you suck at UPT and are at the bottom of your class and get the helo slot dumped on you b/c no one else wanted it, chances are that you'll wash out at Mother Rucker. However, the trend in the last 4-5 years is that the helo slots go to people who actually want them. When I went through UPT (Pensacola/Whiting), Whiting had a 100% track record of getting helos slots for those who wanted them, and conversely you were also guaranteed NOT to get a helo if you didn't want one. Win-win situation. Not sure if that's still the case, but it was 4 years ago when I was there. If you track helos, you'll PCS to Ft Rucker (Mother Rucker) to the 23 FTS. Geographically separated unit under the 58 SOW at Kirtland. You'll spend 6 months learning how to fly a Huey (UH-1H) with LSI contract instructors who all have upwards of 10,000 hrs in helos and some of whom flew in Vietnam and USAF IPs. About 3 weeks prior to graduation, you'll get your drop (what airframe and what base*) and then you'll graduate, get wings, and go off to Kirtland TDY enroute to learn your MWS (major weapons system). *4 months for UH-1Ns (Andrews, Fairchild, Vandenberg, FE Warren, Malmstrom, Minot, Yokota), 6 months for HH-60Gs (Moody, Nellis, DM, Kadena, Lakenheath), and a year or so for CV-22s. The MH-53 pipeline has closed and it was a 10 month course. My understanding is that there ARE CV-22s in the drop at Rucker, but not many, and with this one, you'll actually PCS to Kirtland and find out there what base is next (Hurbie or Cannon, I guess).