Skitzo

I haven't weighed in yet but the following is pretty dumb. So I brought three personal checks with me to the AOR, I'm not rolling with the Eagle Cash Card, screw that. I check the ECPTS website for information regarding check cashing, 200 dollar limit no problem. I then proceed to write a check out to cash and go merrily along my way to finance. I arrive to find out I filled out my check wrong, you can't write it out to cash. So I am instructed to fill my check out exactly like the example on the wall. I chalk it up as my fault and go back to my room and get another check. This time I roll into finance and carefully study the example on the wall, which to my dismay on the line used to write out the amount of your check says the following "The Sum of:" So I proceed to fill my check out exactly like that, I figure that is pretty gay but it's also pretty gay to not allow checks made out to cash either. I proudly present my check and am told by the person behind the window that it has to say exactly the amount, not including the line "The Sum of:" So two checks down and one to go I roll back into my room, get another check fill it out exactly like I did previously and hand it over. The friendly airman stamps my check in two places and then tells me to initial next to the stamp, I swear if I wouldn't have asked that question I would have been out three checks. Anyways, maybe it was just the lack of sleep, or maybe I'm just dumb, but be forewarned, if you plan on cashing checks at the Deid, make sure you fill it out exactly like the one on the wall..except for amount line. Oh yeah, if that wasn't dumb, then I do think it was dumb that someone in our squadron was REMFed for having his hands in his pockets in PTs and when asked why it wasn't allowed was told that it was a safety issue because he might fall.

Just wondering how many out there are still allowed to sing songs at Roll Call. I finding it difficult to find a song that won't offend the masses.

Wasn't there noise about AFSOC acquiring T-6 Texan II B's? While we're at it why don't we take a bunch of tweets, re-engine them with something designed for those very light jets and put a GPS in it?

The reason you don't understand it is because you aren't in our shoes. Furthermore I have heard zero effort on the part of the services from educating GA people on what goes on in a MOA. The B-1 does have an air-air mode of the radar, although it's mostly used for purposes other than trying to find bug squashers. It sucks when you have a finite amount of time to buzz around the MOA, rehack currencies and such so that we can be prepared to go to war and joe blow blasts through, we have to knock it off and waste time and gas to try and not hit you. The crew has every right to be pissed at you, maybe he lost his CMR status. I can understand you not understanding because it isn't communicated very well, but I can also understand the B-1 crew being upset. Military Operating Area says it best. Maybe you'd understand it if the B-1s were on a collision course with you and over-g the aircraft to avoid you, pull the wings off of it and completely destroy a 250 million dollar asset as well as jeopardizing lives. Thats right you would have been legal being there but you probably wouldn't want to have been there.

There are a lot of B-1 copilots going to ALO assignments, and from what I've seen the assignment is great for your resume. Great experience considering that the B-1 is becoming utilized for CAS/TST assignments.

While I am not a doctor, I am a pilot, and I have had to deal with more than a fair share of sinus problems. If it was found on dental x-rays and looks to be a symetrical round cyst, it's most likely a mucous retention cyst and is most likely not a big deal unless its symptomatic. A lot of people in the general population have them, and they aren't found because they are causing problems, they are found in things like dental x-rays. I wouldn't worry as long as he is asymptomatic. On the other hand, some people (like me) can have problems with the retention cysts, although scar tissue from a previous sinus surgery was a contributing factor. It's no biggie, if antibiotics and other medications don't work and he keeps getting sick (like I did) they'll go in and remove it endoscopically, I was in and out in about 45 minutes and back on flying status in 2 weeks. So thats how it works if you are already a flier, not sure how it works for people going through their FC1. My .02

FWIW I had sinus surgery in the 7th grade due to chronic sinus infections. I had no problems until I got to Abilene TX some 11 years later. Another bout of 6 sinus infections and chronic facial pain / headaches later they discovered scar tissue in the area between my nasal cavities and maxillary sinuses (from the previous sinus surgery) and a mucousal retention cyst in one of my maxillary sinuses. Long story short after a couple of months of doctors visits I had endoscopic sinus surgery (again) to remove the scar tissue and retention cyst and I was back on flying status two weeks afterwords. I'm sure nasal polyps are probably about the same you just need to give it time to help the swelling go down after surgery and be sure you can valsalva. Even though this is the second time I've had to have surgery I highly reccomend it, it sure beats the hell out of being on constant antibiotics, feeling miserable and chronic stuffiness.

A fine example of everything wrong with the Air Force and everything right with it all rolled up into one nice little story, thanks for sharing.

In the B-1, if you remove the flap you can't put pens/pencils in the pocket while flying due to potential problems if you eject. The B-1B has a restraint system that keeps your arms from flailing, apparently you could get really jacked up. It's not that big of an inconvenience just hope I remember that come checkride time. Also, anyone ever know a lefty who has had the pencil pocket removed from the left side and put on the right side? I saw this a little while ago, I think this is by far more disturbing. Or maybe it's more common than I think.

I am logging on under my husband's screen name to find out if the military member, their dependants, or both need a passport for personal travel?

Hilarious, I almost destroyed my laptop, made the mistake of taking a sip of coffee while listening. Wish I could access it at work, so I could forward it off to some KC-135 guys I know.

I have a couple, one from t-37s, I was in the area screwing around and basically just seeing how many g's I could pull. I decided 6 was my limit, I believe, anyways, as I was pulling these g's I noticed that the red light in the handle came on. I came back and debriefed my flight and was told I was pulling the gear doors partially open. I was lucky to not hook that flight because I met a dude here at Dyess who hooked a ride at ENJJPT for it.

And then again, everyone at ENJJPT goes -38s, and its been said time and again, that you can't tell an ENJJPT grad from an SUPT grad unless you look at the flightsuit. The SUPT product must be close to being good enough because of this except for the cases where a stud gets -38s when he/she shouldn't because of santa clauses or a good student gets stuck with Major Regression, who will always be tougher on him/her. It all says to me that the problem isn't in the training, its enforcing the CTS and MIF. Maybe if they simplified the MIF and manuever continuity instructors would have an easier time.

I don't think I am understanding fully, how is this any better than the current system? We're talking about gut feelings here? The gut feelings based off of whose judgement, a squadron comander who may or may not have flown with the class, an assigned IP / Flight Commander from a heavy MDS making decisions about the suitability of a student to go fighter/bombers. If the problem is the MIF being enforced selectively/incorrectly maybe we need to fix that instead of the way we are assigning people. If the consensus is that -38s were the great equalizer when everyone went -38s, maybe the problem of multi-tracks is the problem in and of itself. Or maybe an increased amount of time in Phase II would be better, to evaluate more items like tactical form.

It's really not worth it to worry about all this crap. I really wanted to go -38's and be a fighter pilot, pissed off a lot of people in Phase II because of that, ended up going to -38's and washing out of IFF. Not for any other reason other than it wasn't meant to be, I didn't have the ability I needed to complete the program within the required constraints. Just because you have x,y,z doesn't mean you are going to get a -38 and just because you get a -38 doesn't mean you are going to graduate and even if you do graduate with a fighter assignment doesn't mean you are going to make it, hell you can be top shit and then washout due to a medical/G issues. I understand that you want to know about all your options but this topic has been discussed to death, play nicely, study hard, shut up and color, maybe you'll make it, maybe you won't. Just make sure that it won't be for a lack of trying. If you don't achieve your dreams, realize that maybe the instructors that teach you might have seen you better than you see yourself, it sucks to be that guy, to face the reality that you aren't the right person for this job but it's good at the same time that the process exists, I'd rather be an asset than a liability.

I had an instructor who briefed up a solo flight for me and told me "don't bring the prosecutor in the jet with you."

Just to follow up, My SQ/CC took it up the chain and the head doctor(s) think it unethical to authorize the referral so far after the actual date. Kind of funny to turn this into an ethics debate. I've admitted that I was in the wrong all along. So don't ever do this, they might not help you out / be able to help you out due to medical ethics. Tricare paid the 50% under the POS option and fortunately for me, the hospital discounted the remaining portion of my bill. So I didn't end up owing anything, thank goodness for the kindness of strangers.

"Heavy" question. I have searched many resources including the pilot/controller glossary, FAAO 7110.65 and the AIM. Are military aircraft exempt from using the Heavy suffix on their callsign when talking to ATC? The reason I ask is because here at Dyess you never hear a BONE check in as Hawk 11 Heavy, although at Dyess it's pretty much assumed.

Update. I went to my first line supervisor today and explained the situation. He called my flight doc and they referred me to the resource manager for the med group. She gave me the run around basically. It was the doctor's decision to deny my wife's referral based on the fact that proper protocol was not used (did not call before going to the ER or within 24 hours) and based on the fact that it turned out to not be an emergency situation, thank GOD it wasn't. So my next steps will be information gathering, how much exactly the hospital is billing us and then I will be making an appointment with my commander with as many of my ducks in a row as I can. My one question is, why would the people who are supposed to be on my side, the flight docs, making this so hard? Can someone's career or OPR be affected based on this referral? I can understand if TRICARE wants to deny the claim but in my case, the doctor is refusing to sign the referral because of improper protocol and lack of an emergency. I don't know of anyone who would ask questions when you're wife is vomiting bile 30 days after having gallbladder surgery. I was following directions from the surgeon. Go to the ER!!! There is absolutely no question in my mind that an emergency very well could have existed. I guess this is to teach me and my wife a lesson but that seems to me to be an awfully expensive lesson and I'll really have to reflect on what I'm going to do the next time there is a gray area. Was my wife's life in jeopardy? At the time, I thought it could be, was it no, it was stomach flu. All I know is that I do admit some culpability, an honest mistake was made on my part I guess I should be glad that the bill isn't larger than it is.

Okay incredibly stupid situation here. Wife had surgery to remove her gallbladder. After a month she had a terrible night of vomiting (in excess of 30 times) we were really worried because we thought it could be surgery related so we went to the ER. She was diagnosed with gastroentiritis and we were sent along on our merry way. Coincidentally my wife had travel plans the next day. We had to rearrange flight plans and after she got to her destination her luggage was lost and we plain forgot about calling our PCM that was until we got a bill for 2800 dollars. We called immediately after getting this bill and tried to get a retroactive referral but the doctor refused because apparently someone had already briefed her that she was to call within 24 hours. I already know this but didn't know that they could deny a claim simply based on this, I always thought it was so that any subsequent followup treatment could be authorized and not necessarily the ER visit itself. Anybody familiar with where to go from here? Is this something I can bring up the chain of command and see if a higher ranking doctor will authorize it? Any advice at all? Please refrain from telling me how stupid I am, I already realize this, hopefully someone can learn from our stupidity.

I was hearing noise from a friend at T-1 PIT that there was a movement afoot to start dropping bombers to T-1 studs again. Again it was just noise and the person that was generating the noise was an O-5 new Sq/CC.

In UPT a large part depends on your attitude and the attitude of the leadership. If you bust your rear end you will most likely get the extra help you need to make it. I have heard of those few cases where weak swimmers were reinstated but I saw VERY few in my 1.5 years at Columbus. The leadership might reinstate you if they feel there have been mitigating circumstances. This is why if you are having problems outside of the flightline in your personal life etc you should be forthcoming. Getting reinstated when someone has been honest and upfront is a lot more likely than waiting until you are sitting in front of the wing king saying that your dog died and your wife/husband left you just because you think that expressing your difficulties might make you look weak.

I have searched but to no avail. Is it standard practice for FTU students to have to pay for their own contacts? My previous understanding was that only UFT students had to pay for their own. This is why I avoided the program until I left AETC all together. However, after entering the program and wearing them for a month I was informed that they would not pay for my contacts until I have completed IQC. Has anyone else run into this? Should I raise the BS flag to my flight commander or just return in six months requesting my authorization for funding or whatever it is called.

I'll just put it this way, the current philosophy about cheating is zero tolerance, and if you know about it and you don't report it you are just as guilty. However if that wasn't the current philosophy maybe instead of ratting out people after confronting them half-assed a person might have the guts to tell them that if they don't knock it out their ass is going to get reported. And if that doesn't work they might decide hey, these guys are getting an advantage over me but if I report them who is going to burn besides them? In other words, how are my actions going to be judged by or how will my actions affect others? Are my seemingly noble actions going to affect others? I'm not advocating cheating or what happened at Columbus, I'm simply saying that if we are going to fight the "one mistake Air Force" philosophy it's gotta start out by doing everything you can to help your bros out before taking it up the chain. That way the nonsense that does get to the commander for his/her decision is worthy of their time and decision. I don't know if everything possible was done to save these individual from themselves but I know the usual reaction to being accused is for the guilty party to deny it. Maybe if they were bugged more than once their conscience would have kicked in. Then again that would take people with intestinal fortitude and the ability to think about their actions before making them instead of throwing people to the fire. I'm not saying cheating is right and I'm not saying those that are guilty of things shouldn't be punished but if people could just realize that virtually anything now-a-days can be a career ending proposition then we might be more apt to take it a little easier on our bros or maybe be a little harder on them ourselves. Then you can bring it up the chain, with a sickening feeling in your gut, because it should kill you to do it. But being okay in the end because you know deep down you did EVERYTHING possible to help the person. Then again this post is a little self-righteous and speaking about decisions that I have never had to make. [ 10. June 2006, 17:14: Message edited by: ktulu34535 ]

I wasn't saying that anything about this was acceptable. What I am saying is that the two turned in by the members of my class in the other flight were turned in because the entire flight didn't have the same information. If they would have shared the information, no one would have been turned in and the people who were kicked out would not have had their careers ruined all because a group of people turned others in for not sharing what they percieved was gouge but if it were really just gouge then why would they be turned in? [ 10. June 2006, 11:57: Message edited by: ktulu34535 ]