Stretch

We had to run through it here by last week... a buddy of mine took it once and actually breezed through the reading for amusement's sake in some short time and took the 'test'. I took the CD and ran through it- I do believe the time was 8 minutes from start to finish, but that's with the prior knowledge. Our commander told us to make a copy of the certificate and bring it with us to Maxwell- then, we wouldn't have to do it down there. Sounds good to me. Worthless, so why do worthless twice?

Stick with your BDU's, seriously... they're lighter, hide dirt better, and are a dime a dozen. You'll have time to get the 'latest, greatest' ( https://www.tigerstripeproducts.com/airforcetiger.htm 17 March 06 entry) of uniforms later down the line.

Relax- I just threw the age old knowledge flag that women complicate things when they assume you're going to be on a regular basis. Geez. I'm just glad no one said they're married to the Air Force, as I've heard before. In that case, I'd have to figure out how to properly package and overnight a kick to the throat to wherever they're at. Overall summary- keep your shit together, and you'll find time to do the things that you want. Likewise, you'll learn to toss the crap you don't need anymore.

I'm assuming you're talking part time. If not, still read and heed, but keep in mind what I'm imagining. Absolutely. I'm writing this as a senior in ROTC at one of my three part time jobs (sports medicine office, lieutenant of operations for an ambulance corps, road crew for another commercial ambulance). I also keep a healthy drinking lifestyle as part of my audited minor in medium priced beer. Don't overlap that too often and you're fine. The AF recognizes that you do make an extra time committment, but also recognizes that you don't give your life away as a college freshman- hence requiring only what, 6 hours a week or so? As you become more senior and take on more responsibility the obvious need to manage your time better comes up. (Sidenote: I know that there's no way the AF actually tries to make it less of a pain in the ass, but in the process of assuming you're inept and mildly retarded, remands that you do drill and GLP's for some significant amount of (wasted/useless/kill me) time as an underclassman and then digs into your schedule later on- the 'help' is not on purpose, of course.) Just be smart about it. Knowing that one of my jobs can legally keep me on the clock to two hours past my offgoing time under circumstances just means that I can't assume I can work until 0600 and hit PT at 0630. Should you have any other circumstances such as that, as well as your occasionally sporatic schedule/inavailability for the odd training event, let your employer know and they should be cool with it. Most employers will hear "Air Force", think and repeat to everyone else later that you're in the "Army", be all proud of you, and then promptly not know the difference between a legit military role and a cadet. You may have a more difficult time being part if AAS or whatever ROTC cult you have available to you, but you don't need that if you have your shit together. It helps? Maybe, we're 50/50 on our ASS/non-AAS rated selectees this class. Now, what will really screw with your schedule is a girlfriend. Then, you're ######ed.

First try...

The school I attend is a five-year school either way, so you just work out to having three years POC time. The program has been modified in this fashion: 100- PT, LLAB, AS100 200- PT, LLAB, AS200, FTP? 300- PT LLAB, AS300 400- PT, LLAB 500- PT, LLAB, AS"400" Most of our five year cadets go off and on cooperative education for a quarter at a time. Additionally, since we have three quarters in the traditional academic year with ten weeks being a quarter, the winter quarter does not have any AS classes, just PT and LLAB. The CW/CC and other upper staff members are usually a fifth year cadet, and you're called literally a "350" during your fourth year. It works out, since you're never getting shit on by someone 'below' you for the last four years- they're still one down on the food chain. You put in for and find out your AFSC in your fourth year, then your basing in the beginning of the fifth. The sweet part of that deal is you have all your contacts from 4 year schools who will be going off to AD, so you can pester them for info and tricks for when you get on with it, especially if you're in the same field. Sure, everyone you knew from FT (particularly the douchebags) will have a year TIG on you, but who cares? I get to avoid real life for another year, consume fore Jameson's and Guinness than thought humanly possible for another year of my prime, then go to AD, and they got to go right to their training base- I win. So, yeah, it does suck not getting 'time off', but whatever... you're still getting paid and it keeps you in shape. Put up with the bullshit for another year and get to AD, forget ROTC, and move on. Even if that means moving into a missile silo in the mid-west....

Do you have some sort of major or experience that lends you to that sort of job? Did you request either?

North East... Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester NY. I hadn't heard of the switching that may happen, James. I wouldn't be thrilled nor hating is that happens, to be honest. I'm an outdoor-sy guy, it's bittersweet.

Just got word of 13SX... Space and Missiles, even though I'm introducing it to all my friends as "S&M", being witty and all. Time to learn to surf and swim, Camp VandyLand, here I come!