nsplayr

Kill me, another informative thread turned political debate turned Obama bash-fest. Closing JFCOM is interesting news...thanks for the link CH et. al.

Stop, you're making too much sense and using logic. The first rule of bureaucracy is to throw common sense out the window and to then file a Form 763-B, wait 6-9 business days...

Not specifically military, but for all of us out there getting our MAs in Basket Weaving from the University of Phoenix, you get a free year of Amazon Prime (free 2 day shipping, etc.) for being a student. Just enter your .edu email address on the website below, check your email, and you're GTG. I'm doing AMU and can confirm it works like a champ. https://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info

To me there's personal embarrassment for money, and there's professional embarrassment. This guy is embarrassing the service by claiming that he's the "hardest working fighter pilot" in the AF when clearly he's doing what every tom dick and harry pilot is out there doing on a daily basis. If was about how he's the "hardest working dad in America" and his job was a side note, fine, but if he wants to say he's an AF super star and breaking his back for his country you can't bring up how you went TDY to Canada and are working hard flying fighters and living in sunny Eglin, Florida. Give me a break. I hope someone in the military who's actually working hard, preferably a young enlisted guy making pennies on this major's dollars and humping it outdoors in a shitty location like Kandahar, kicks this guy in the balls straight away.

Great story man.

This can be useful if you want someone to read back something that isn't a required read back item but you want to be 100% sure they got it. You're mostly right and that's a hard one to break. OK in very specific circumstances but mostly that's a beer if you say "at this time."

Unfortunately for some situations the difference is important. If you have sole custody or something like that your kids should be your dependents, but if not and your ex is still in the military then you still can't both claim him/her as a dependent.

I feel ya man, believe me, but I was just surprised that this was a P-cola specific issue since this happens at every flight training base. It's not like what's happening there is different than what happens to prior E or former nav/abm, etc. guys when they go to UPT with a house full of stuff and potentially kids from past marriages. Schmooze the housing lady, ask about and get on the list to be moved off base, etc., but regardless of your efforts, if you're single and the man wants you on base that's too damn bad unfortunately. Being treated like a bitch again is part of signing up for new flight training regardless of whether you were a combat veteran or a shop chief or a top-rate tech sgt. or have 3 kids who aren't your full-time dependents...comes with the territory and it's part of the sacrifice to hopefully move up the ladder. Good luck moving off base b/c it is nicer for a lot of reasons, but I'd advise to keep expectations down WRT it actually happening.

Guys, is the policy at P-cola different than it was at Randolph or any UPT base? From what I remember, if you're single and there's room in base housing (dorms, etc.) then you must live there while in flight training. That's why they built all those dorms in the first place; not a new issue. You might think it sucks and want to get out of it ASAP but it's not a new issue. Or am I reading this all wrong?

Interesting...great comment from someone who has the right mindset. Amen. Emphasis is my own.

Yes, yes, and hell yes. Too many slow, unreliable SOPGMs do not replace accurate large-bore gun fire. And shitty balls don't help anyone, MX-20 + ELAP processing is the heat.

Already sent my letter. USAA is one of my most used benefits of being in the military and I don't want that to change.

Because there's different flavors of crazy and identifying them can help law enforcement figure out who else might be connected/targeted. Plus the media loves making everything political, that's probably the real answer.

If you want FL I'd recommend MacDill first cause it's right in Tampa with all the sun, beaches, and silicon you can handle, Patrick 2nd, then Hurlburt 3rd (over Eglin) if you want the panhandle. AFSOC > AFMC, enough said. Like everyone else said though, overseas is the way to go if you can choose anywhere man.

Exactly. As cool as the light attack/armed recce mission would be to fly, if we're primarily doing that job versus having partner nations do it for themselves then we've already failed. Obviously I think having a WSO on board would be a plus to the mission set since it more or less doubles the amount of stuff you can think about/look at/shoot at once, but that's not the point. This aircraft, if we ever do build it, should have two seats if for nothing else so we can train Crapistani pilots how to fly it before we let them take the lead as we fade to the background. Common misnomer, but we're not actually doing COIN (unless we're fighting off an insurgency in the United States). If we buy platforms for COIN instead of FID (where we're training partner nations to do the actual fighting for themselves) then we're just wasting our time. What this should be is a FID platform that is primarily used to train/transfer to others.

Your SOPGMs are only as good as your sensor operators lasing skills, and you have problems guiding the things through trees, power lines, etc. to the point where you might consider not firing. There are also other limitations to some of the munitions they're talking about loading that prevent them from being effective in situations where rapid, flexible gunship fire is needed. That said, gunship crews should be able to hit what they're shooting at...and everything that I've seen proves that they do on the whole. There's always that one asshole that somehow dodges death multiple times before getting schwacked. Taking away the guns in favor of SOPGMs only is a big mistake IMHO. If the Wombat is gonna have a 30mm + SOPGMs and the supposed AC-130J will have the same load out, what is the difference again? I was always assuming that the true, dedicated gunship would have multiple guns to choose from as it does now. Feel free to correct if RUMINT doesn't back that assumption... And on crew compliment, who do you propose taking away on the J bird?

Thanks man...actually caught some shit from the guys when I submitted Miley for an "intel" brief. We did a march madness-style tournament of hotties downrange for morale improvement during our step briefs. Apparently, no, she is not old enough yet and some of the senior dudes have daughters about 3 years younger than her. Oops...I'd still do her (once she's 18 of course...) +1 on not having to change the name as SuperWSO suggested. Based on what's been said about this and the past President elsewhere in the threads I don't think we have to worry about this. P.S. - new emoticons?

A sad day for Air Commandos. to lost brothers...

+1...I've definitely posted on this before but can't remember where the thread was. Anyways, lucky underwear is a must (disregard for spot/no-notice checks). Always have a gouge folder. I don't normally fly with it, but for checkrides I like to have everything I can possibly think of numbers wise written down in case you get that crazy-ass question that you need to look up. May or may not apply depending on platform (fighters probably don't have a desk they sit at where then can peruse through pubs...).

I like that one pole Miley Cyrus was grinding on...oh wait, she's 18 right... Would have been funnier with snarky responses as options vice A-F grading.

There are people who want to add a workout for Mike to the Crossfit Hero Workouts. I fully support this and if you're into crossfit, email Coach and ask for this as well. It's somehow more satisfying to push yourself when it's in the memory of someone who gave everything for this country and probably could have done the workout twice in his sleep.

?? PM. Not sure we have bucs or flamers down here. Good thing about the flamers, not my cup of tea. Maybe that's an eagle squadron... <------------------- It has been done unfortunately. One gentleman I know may or may not have earned the callsign "Deucer" after dropping two hot & steamys in one sortie while the DO was on board. Not a good look...but extremely funny to everyone who didn't have to smell it.

Ahh...and he's our guy. That's the problem with putting a dude in power with limited knowledge, if he decides to give you the finger later you can't do anything but kick yourself. My analysis is that he's playing to the local politics of the moment and still welcomes us and all the money and security we bring. Good discussion by smart people on this topic here.

I fly with a surefire aviator A2 in my bag for the walk around, a Petzl Tactikka Plus upside-down around my neck (so it can tilt up rather than the down) for in the plane, and a Photon Freedom Micro with the covert cap and a turquoise beam. Yes, I am a flashlight nerd but I sure as hell won't be in the dark in the back of the plane!

Dude, the garbage bag is *key* for the flight. I've got a garbage bag you could shove a midget in just in case anyone has to puke/shit.