Fozzy Bear

Two guys from my unit are leaving in a couple months to fly C-12s in Saudi Arabia. They did NOT find the assignment thru AFPC. Commanders get some special insider list or something, cause the ones I've talked to always know of a few posh tours coming down the pipe.

WTF? As someone who is actually here, I was giving examples of how there IS in fact jackasses doing stupid things that result in less beer for me! That's it. I don't remember defending Jack Schidt! Thanks for skimming thru my post. Preciate it.

There's actually like a fight here each week, and they are always alcohol related. Two weeks ago one landed multiple people in the hospital. I think a skirt was involved. I've slept thru every exercise here (nice to have that sticker on your door) but I don't think any of them was a full-blown ATSO were they? That would inDeid suck ass. The asshole airman with too much power - I extend that one to most cops no matter what their rank. Although, one's pretty humble right now. Someone walked into a cadillac a couple weeks ago to take a crap and view some shitter literature, when they noticed something odd. Either some jackass tried the Swiss steak, or there was a friggin grenade in the toilet. Yep, evidently some SF guy was taking care of business when it dropped off his rigging. I feel bad for the dude - no idea how the story ended for him. Yes, I probably will be an O-6, because there's like 4 or 5 captains left in the Air Force and since the one IP is at WIC, I'm feelin due for some serious upgrades in status. Since everyone else punched, I'm gonna grab some oak leaves when I get home and start wearin em to work; may get away with it. Bar tabs and hookers are expensive - I could use the money, even though since I'm aircrew I'm scamming Big Blue out of thousands of dollars each month in Ambien. We all are, right? That's what the FlightDoc thinks - must be true. It's so great to be treated like a crackhead anytime we flop flying schedules by 12 hours. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's the interrogation at Flight Medicine that's almost like SERE, but here, they really believe you're guilty. edited to add: B-1 guys, do you need a SOF? Do you use them at home station?

Does Dobbins just operate as a schoolhouse, or do the IPs from there occasionally deploy/ pick up TDYs?

Talked to our ops shop and airfield manager. They say the rule was a mistake and is now corrected (not counting the numerous diverts over the last week.) It was a mistake and you absolutely should not agree to this rule, if imposed on you. Ask ground for the SOF freq, or that of the airfield manager. If you are one of mine, call our ops desk (get freq from ground or IFG) and they'll file for you. More to follow... What's a form 54? (expecting to get slammed, but gotta ask)

Nice new rule. Any aircraft diverting into the Al Udeid: someone from the aircrew must physically go into baseops to refile an 1801 with your flight orders. Oh by the way, they didn't tell anyone about the change, so the last few nights, we've had a lot of guys holding short in the hammerhead, trying to T/O, before they get the news. Major ass pain ensues nightly.

Pools at Dhafra and the Deid are closed in Winter; they reopen around March

It's still there. They have a cool little compound with a sweet set-up. Good Folks.

You can get hotmail, etc. If you want internet access in your room, you have to let them wipe your computer clean - erasing everything on it - bad idea usually. Separate note; as of today, the base commander said the new dorms will be open the middle of Jan.

I'm there/ here now. Adapters aren't, but with those in the room, you're fine without bringing your own. Internet access is good. BRING A JACKET. Damn, I forgot it got cold here. Don't bring food for your room. Rodents everywhere. Pool's closed. If you could snag me a pack of Parliament Lights on your way, that would be awesome. Do not smuggle in booze. It is not worth it.

Yeah, even as a Heavy guy, you'll get qualed in an F-16, F-18, T-38, and maybe one or two other fast movers.

FWIW, some of the board for TPS actually came around AMC a while back. They were trying to get pilots, navs, just about anyone to apply to TPS and other special duties - applications have been way down. According to a couple Lt Cols, the idea is changing on who comes in and what the career of a TPS grad looks like. As opposed to staying there and then doing staff, they want young people to come in (even accepting copilots) and once they graduate, they'll send them back in the real AF to do some good. The idea behind allowing less qualified people (younger) in is to get more time out of them as graduates than the older guys. The moral of the story was to apply, if ya wanna go - no matter who you are.

That is... SICK!

FWIW, I used to date an Army Jag that's a Major select. Even at 25, they were trying to get waivers or whatever they need to give her oak leaves. Special circumstances. Boom; dude, you're not slamming Dutch Viper pilots are you? Those dudes seem pretty cool in the desert - they do the job as well as anyone else; from my experience anyway. Bunk, do you guys not get hung up on being "aviators" vs. pilots? Has that little gayness gone extinct since 1986? Also, my cousin just started NROTC and would give anything to fly. I don't know all the differences in your path versus ours, so please post/ PM me with any tips or sites to visit to get him started on the right foot. Thanks.

Wouldn't it always be squeeky clean, no matter how loaded up? I think pretty much everybody's in agreement about the 'any given day' aspect, but FWIW, my first instructor was an old F-4 and F-15 guy. Before moving into the Eagle, he earned his dinner beating 15 guys all day long. He'd been flying his fighter over a few thousand hours - the Eagle guys were new (to their jet at least). Are there really very many "experienced" F-22 pilots?

Flying my instrument check at Laughlin from the back of a T-6. I was coming home from Cotulla - aka BFE, when from under the visor I kept seeing things in the corner of my eye. I finally just ripped it off and looked up, to see one of those little bastards whiz by me at what had to be less than a quarter mile. Freaked me out. The IP was young and didn't want to file the paperwork, partly because he would have gotten some heat. We had passed a whole bunch at or near our altitude, and not one was sqwuaking. Some world glider championship out of Hondo or some damn thing.

Does Palace Chasing affect GI Bill or other money?

Dude, you're coming to McConnell; please spell the name right. You'll inprocess with the squadron to which they assign you, one of the following: 384 ARS, 350th, 349th, or 344th. Each squadron's pretty different from the others, but all Navigators will do their training through Group Training/ OST. Pilot's are all inhouse with the squadrons now - a huge Charlie Fox - count yourself lucky. You should get a sponsor anyway, but if you want a good contact, email me at rossqf80@hotmail.com, and I 'll hook you up with someone from your squadron. When you get there, your name will probably already be on the Board of Pain as someone that's scheduled to deploy. It will take you 2-3 months to get spun up before you come to the desert. Total number of Navs on base - like 30 - 40, I think.

Though they don't come to the desert, they do come to Turkey and places like that. FWIW, I'm a pretty new Co at McConnell, which to us means I deploy at least 3 times a year on a 60 day rotation, plus maybe a short one here and there. We really don't mind all that much, cause we don't fly that much at home, and the desk job sucks ass.

To piggy-back on what they both said, the few guys I know who've done it said to make sure you get the commander of the gaining guard unit to sign the 'contract' or whatever the paperwork is. If you get this all done successfully, please share with the group how you did it. I'm shopping around myself.

Uh, actually yes. They're part of the AFSOC changes that are happening right now and will be quite evident in the next couple years as their budget and manpower balloon - not saying that's a bad thing. They'll be flown (after the O-4s get the training program down) by fighter guys and any pilot with good CAS experience. Other factors will be a player, like being a former member of the Big Green Machine will help, since you'll have the lingo down. I've barely heard jack that's official, but there were rumors when I was in pilot training and now it's more than that; and I'm not guessing. That being said, honestly, what's a Hobo?

Yeah, I was gonna mention the atack version of the Tweet. One of my old instructors used to fly it in Central and South America. He fvcking loved it. The AF already has an AT-6B and is gearing up to start employing them - basically bringing back the "Sandy".

That's what I don't get. I know a lot of dudes who don't get their rocks off "turning left like a retarded kid" all the time, and are stuff doing exactly that in a big jet. My experience with AFSOC is that the BS is minimal, there's little red tape, the mission comes first, then the people, and no one gives a shit about anything else. If they want slots filled, they should just ask for volunteers across the board - they'd fill up quickly.

Good Point. The AEF JUST started. It took us over a week just to inprocess (versus 12 hours at Dhafra) and I'm still waiting on my ration card - I need a beer DAMNIT!

What happened?!! The Chiefs here are way tamer than what I expected. They made their Fascist forefathers proud at Al Dhafra, jumping on anyone if one sock was dirtier than the other. Here, I think you guys coming before me ragged 'em out - cause we keep pushing it and haven't heard a peep; with the exception of one first shirt lecturing me on my mirrored (and dead sexy) aviators. I'm almost dissappointed.