Splash95

Then I'm glad it isn't anymore. I've asked a few E's in my unit who were right in the middle of this, and they said the only illicit activity found was underage drinking. Big whoop, plus can you really blame dudes in their situation for boozing? Unless some major piece of this story hasn't made it to my ears, the inspection was a bullsh1t move and one more morale-killer around here.

Yep, boss forwarded me the same email. I really hope my chance to spend 8 weeks somewhere other than Afghanistan or Afcannonstan doesn't go down the tubes.

Solid material, thanks for sharing di. I'm probably less cynical and angry than the average BODN poster, but the point about deployed conditions is valid. From the books I've read, stories I've heard, etc., deployments of yore were often wild and wooly experiences. These days, we go and spend months and months in desert sh1tholes with no booze, no conjugal visits, no p0rn, Maxim-type (clothed) pics ripped down from sh1tters and hooches, no sports or music to speak of (oh wait, I forgot, TiB tours!), no civvies, no leaving base, and very little freedom from the shoes (thankfully I've had some shielding from them being in my chili 24-7). And yeah, the fact that we're out there hacking the mission, protecting the good guys and killing the bad guys is what matters, but dudes would be a lot happier if they had some outlets. Having deployed only a few times myself, I have all kinds of respect for guys in AFSOC and elsewhere with double-digit deployments who have stuck it out despite the suck seeming to constantly build. I'm not a huge partier or skirt-chaser myself, but the stifling, super-PC influences in the AF today disgust me and certainly motivate me toward becoming one more dude who punches at his first opportunity.

Any recent 12S PC applicants on here?

Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart...

What he said. I don't understand how this move would cut costs.

Pilot was a friend and colleague from my last unit. First personal friend to be lost in the line of duty. Great guy--like others who have commented here and elsewhere, I couldn't find one negative thing to say about him.

The is one actual bar in Clovis, it's called Kelly's and I've found it unremarkable at best. There used to be a couple of others, but I heard the owners retired and sold their liquor licenses to Allsup's gas stations (or maybe to one of the churches which reportedly hoard them). The "nearby" college town of Portales has at least 2 or 3, the most popular of which is the Dawg House. I've never been there but have heard very mixed reviews, for instance that the owner hates military guys. If you're much like me, your social life will revolve around getting out of Clovis. I've spent weekends (or longer) in Lubbock, Amarillo, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, Tulsa, C-Springs, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Tucson, Phoenix, Santa Monica, Atlanta and Destin in the year and a couple of months since I PCSed. However, work commitments and exhausted leave days (I have about 5 at present) will probably curtail my travel in the near future. As for housing, I bought a house since, like others, I found little appeal in the rental market. I'm not too concerned about taking a loss when I sell the place as long as it's not the kind of catastrophic loss that would be brought about if the base closed. I should add that I'm renting out half my house (3 br/2 ba, 2000 sq ft, in one of the actual good neighborhoods) for $500/mo plus half the utilities. There probably aren't many similar deals around, but if your first stop at CVS is the 551st (which I assume it will be), ask around a bit and check the bulletin boards--you may find something better than what's publicly advertised. Anyway, welcome to Cannondahar! (the most recent I've heard, to add on to Clovass, Blovis, Clovistan, Afcannonstan and FOB Cannon)

Nsplayr, I was in that exact situation after a non-vol to a base whose identity you can surely surmise. To confirm what Dupe said, if I had 7-day opted, my DOS would have been set for the day my Nav school commitment was up. I elected to go ahead and take the known bad deal (with some hope for a better one down the road) rather than commit myself to getting out in 3 years with whatever potential bad deals awaited in the interim. Based on your BODN history, I'm guessing your orders are to the same base where I was sent. In any case, good luck figuring it out!

Rocker, thanks for the reply. You definitely bring up some good points. I didn't know this "Days Inn bar" existed until somebody mentioned it a few days ago, but I guess I'll have to check it out! Positives can be found in just about any place and any situation. I'll admit that I was spoiled by my first two assignments being in places where the positives were evident rather than having to dig to come up with a few.

The number I heard when starting training earlier this year was 60% (i.e. 60% of people will 7-day opt rather than take orders to Cannon).

Still standing by for description of "cool things" and "positives" from Rocker. In the meantime, I actually found a positive recently: Clovis has the nicest McDonald's I've ever set foot in. Clean (even has a switch you can flip if the bathroom is not "perfect"), modern design with stone and wood paneling, even flat screen TVs. Free wifi was a little too much to hope for--but seriously, who's going to pay for wifi at McDonald's in Clovistan? LOL

What are the cool things and positives you have found living here? (not rhetorical, honest question)

So I'm still fairly new around here and will grant that I don't know sh1t, but from the modest experience I've gained both firsthand and talking to guys who have been around since Before Cannon, the above statement is spot on. The obstacles put in the way of accomplishing even a ho-hum local training sortie border on the absurd. Yes, both instructors/PP and students are commendably continuing to try to squeeze blood from a turnip, but it certainly ain't pretty. Throw in the QOL issues which have been common knowledge for years (and are not getting better), and you get a lot of unhappy campers. I would think that anyone who stays here a day longer than he has to is truly impressive in his dedication to the mission-- to them. Again, this is a n00b perspective, but there are many other n00bs coming through the pipeline and seeing the same things.

To be fair, the CBT session only came about because I'd been on leave last week and didn't realize until late in the game that I needed to complete not one, not two, but THREE CBTs which all somehow pertain to CBRNE BEFORE showing up to the actual CBRNE class today. I ended up missing that class anyway after going on a wild goose chase across the base trying to pick up some equipment I apparently needed, only to finally be told that the person who could get me that equipment (along with any backups/alternates) was out for the day. It was so UFB I had to LOL.

2. We had a resiliency day here yesterday, consisting of briefings (in blues, obviously) starting at 0800, break a couple hours later to change into PT gear and run a 5K, shower and back into blues, more briefings until 1530 or so, then basewide O-call from 1600-1700+ (after which I spent the evening doing CBTs). The Wg/CC didn't even try to be PC--his message was basically "I know things suck; suck it up and quit whining. And by the way, do your masters as a LT, pay for a club membership, and don't even think about morale patches or rolling up sleeves." At the end he threw in the obligatory "you're doing a great job, keep it up [sts]", which he admitted was only because a staff member told him he needed to include a positive thought. I respect the fact that he was up front and didn't try to bullsh!t us. The speech was certainly no morale booster, but in my opinion, morale doesn't matter much in the short term. My morale may be in the sh!tter, but I'm still going to get up and go do my job as well as I fvcking can because people's lives depend on it. The true effects of how airmen feel about their jobs will only be felt (and to an extent has been felt) when the day comes for each of us to actually decide whether we want to keep doing the job or not.

Moody isn't far from Tifton, the Reading Capital of the World! I'm certainly biased, but I do enjoy the area--southern hospitality, it's sunny, warm, close to two oceans (ok, an ocean and a gulf), there's a decent-sized college in town. I've heard houses are really cheap too. If you don't like it there and would prefer a move to the highly desirable West Coast AFSOC Base, I just might be willing to trade places!

I recently received a "notice of value" for my house. On it are exemptions I can claim for being the head of household and a veteran, but I called and apparently i only get those if I'm a NM resident (right now I claim TX for obvious reasons). The assessor told me I'd only save about $150/yr in property taxes with the exemptions, so it's not worth paying NM income tax in order to get them, right? I've been searching the web but haven't found any good way to determine what I would be paying in state income tax. Thanks, RM

Just finished correspondence SOS, so I figure it's time to get on the ball with this Master's shizz. I haven't been in long enough to do the ACSC OLMP (<5 years TAFCS) and know there's no chance of going to a brick-and-mortar school (AFSOC flyer). The subjects that most appeal to me right now are probably Math Education and Psychology, but I'm open to any other program that's interesting and not prohibitively time-intensive. Anyone who's recently finished or still working on a Master's have some input? Thanks, RM

I've found another upside to Cannon--this esteemed "leader" isn't there anymore! (yes, one has to stretch to find upsides to Cannon.)

Blovistan...the newest of several affectionate nicknames I've heard for this "city" which harbors AFSOC's West Coast base. For my money though, Afcannonstan is still tops. I've had non-AF friends cracking up over that one. Oh and I think my sqdn just had some big briefing for suicide awareness day. I slept throught it.

I got lit up by him, in front of everyone, in Q&A after the "General's Perspective" OTS class. I realized soon enough that I deserved it (my question implied that OTS had little to no applicability to a flying career), and during the course of the ass-chewing he even made a point of how the leadership/mentorship side really could apply to me (pilot-crew chief relations or some such), so in all he handled my brave-but-stupid behavior very fairly. to MG Flowers for most of a lifetime of service.

Definitely helps, thanks a lot Duck. What was the outcome of your PC app, if you went through with it, and how many years in were you at the time?

Trying to interpret the meaning of "2/3 of initial total ADSC" as written in Table 1.1 of the Palace Chase reg (36-3205). My truly initial ADSC was 4 years (non-Academy line officer). Then I went through Nav school and picked up a 6 year commitment for that. I'm now coming up on a PCS and associated training carrying an ADSC of 3 years plus training time, which is concurrent but will still take me several months to a year past my Nav school ADSC. For argument's sake, let's say my commissioning ADSC (assuming it exists) goes through Aug 2011, my Nav ADSC is up Oct 2014, and my PCS/training ADSC runs till Jun 2015. What DOS could I request? Thanks for the help.

Pretty sure it is not a joke.