Cameltactics

Don't know specifics other than: You should be able to rush just like any off the street guy, except you have a golden ticket that alot of units would potentially jump on (sts). Call units, tell them you already did the hard part (sts) and have a -38 slot and class dates...you're a quick hire to any unit with the manning need. Visits will of course be highly encouraged, they will still need to know you're a good dude they can put up with for years.

I'm hearing ARC fighter units are being told their 900 days of seasoning orders for new guys are getting cut to something low like 140 days now. Any insight out there into how official this is or likely to stick around?

PM me if you haven't heard back from the 93rd in Homestead/Miami with your name and I can check

Bottom Line: If the unit really likes you and can justify it, you'll get the age waiver. Think high scores, unit bros really like you, and the leadership can justify the need.

Tragic. God Speed brothers/sisters

Some more news on the subject. https://www.dodbuzz.com/2017/04/12/air-force-opts-to-keep-f-16s-flying-for-decades-longer/ Anyone in the know who can speak to what new/upgraded stuff the viper might get besides AESA?

They'll be happy to swing to this, anything to get away from the Rice story and bury it.

Never to early to get the information you need to go forward. I'd start with answering the question "Which community do I want". So yes, go visit some fighter and heavy units, check out the aircraft, talk to the pilots. Alot of units will have open houses, or maybe an airshow hosted at their home field that they'll participate in, so go get smart on what you truly want, then you'll have a focused strategy going forward. As for contacting them, go through the recruiting office, let them know you are looking for visits and pilots to talk with. They may push the option of enlisting as well, that's completely up to you to entertain, but stay focused on what you want as the end goal and insist on visits to pursue the pilot option.

Someone mentioned over on the navy version of baseops that their T-6 fleet is facing a similar issue, just not to this scale yet. It got to a point that some IP's were at first thinking students were faking hypoxic symptoms to avoid hooking flights that were going bad, but quickly squashed that line of thinking when studs were going to medical after flights and being diagnosed accordingly. I thought UPT T-6's would have the same system but haven't heard anything about it on our side.

The post with the "Ivan" lookin dude is fake, but that was a clear joke post by Homestar...go two posts above his to M2's post for the original picture. The edited Ivan pic is a reference to the movie "Behind Enemy Lines". Edit: As for if the pic of the guy on his radio is legit, I notice he has a pen strap on his left wrist...so inclined to believe the dude was either just flying or likes wearing one like a bracelet at all times for god knows why.

^ Pretty much what sforron said, the biggest thing your scores and resume needs to answer for them is "Will this guy make it through all the training?". Arbitrary and undefined goal, but my point is you don't have to have the highest score of all the applicants, just one that gives them a warm fuzzy you'll make it through. If the answer to that question is yes, then the most important follow on question is "Do I like this guy/gal and will they fit in?". That's where visiting the squadron and getting to know the board and pilots will make you money, as well as the interview itself. Chances are if you made it to the interview, they at least feel confident you're qualified and likely to make it through.

I'd get cracking on the process because of the age. Typically, once you are hired, it'll take up to a year before you are in pilot training (possibly longer). The current rule I believe is you have to start UPT (be on the flight line) by your 30th birthday. If you can't meet that, age waiver is required. So next big steps are take the required tests (AFOQT, TBAS), put a good package together, and start rushing units.

I can only speak for the Guard/Reserve side, but I was also a prior Active duty guy who got out (DD214), then returned to the reserve side and needed an age ETP. Sounds like 2 possible ETP's you're talking about? The total federal service one shouldn't be too hard to get, I think I fell under that and didn't really hear a thing about it from my hiring unit. The age waiver was another story entirely, that sucker is traditionally tougher to get, but times are changing so who knows what the current thought is there. Bottom line: If a unit likes you, they will go to bat for you and make those things happen. I didn't have any input into it really, aside from giving the required information to the recruiters when I was asked for it. I think the units themselves will handle that stuff. It won't be a situation where you can just pursue an ETP from NGB/AFRES and have the various units accept that. It's state/unit dependent. When I was going through this stuff (2014), I found heavy units where more likely to grant them vs fighter units. I'd share mine but honestly I've never even seen the damn thing, was completely transparent and behind the scenes. Being a prior active guy however, you have a leg up as most units prefer prior guys IMO.

Ok....curious where was I wrong here? I mean we're talking about the Congresswoman right?

Martha McSally? First American Woman to fly in combat, flew the hog.

New punk learning the trade but yea, I really don't. Hence the thread and hearing it from the been-there-done-that crowd. I can only take what I know so far about the two platforms/communities and make a guess that if it happened, life would go on even after a "bad day".

After re-reading the article, I'm starting to think the response was mainly geared toward the homeland defense side and not axing the AD side, but who knows. If that's the case, I don't see the added edge that an eagle would bring to Noble Eagle over a Viper especially if AESA gets funded for the latter.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/articles/are-the-f-15-eagles-days-numbered https://fightersweep.com/7388/air-force-considering-retirement-f-15cd-models-mid-2020s/ Real curious what insight the experienced crowd has to these articles and any idea if it's even feasible or just another cage rattle like the efforts to retire the Hog. TLDR: General tells HASC today that big blue can replace 15's with Vipers.

I feel like I'm missing something here Port Dog... Is there an actual option to just live off base on BAH? I was under the impression all single officers will live in the dorms if they aren't to capacity...so did you just get lucky with capacity filling up? They didn't just say "you're already living in the dorms, stay"?

This. It really seems to be more of an induced policy at the lower levels just because of how much of a headache it has been for others, and frankly because the prevailing and unproven thought that ETP's for age are rare to impossible. I had mine approved (AFRC) after a year of unit's telling me they liked me but didn't think an ETP was even possible. One unit finally tried and got it. Even the guy running that show remarked "I was told don't bother with this ETP, glad I didn't listen and tried anyway". End of the day: When a unit likes you and goes to the ropes for you, it's more likely than not IMHO.

Sponsored. The list got to them 40 minutes ago. For those interested, UPT class date 24 April, 2015, Vance.

I just got the phone call. So yes, word is now out. And I was selected. There's cake and whiskey here for anyone interested.

List is likely done, there's just multiple layers of commands and levels before it hits the streets and gets to us simple folk. Wouldn't be the military without a few speedbumps in the chain of information flow, too many people get input to justify their billets. Vegas money says next Tuesday.

Did alot of people actually hear it would be today? Or was it just a couple people who heard from a recruiter that it "should" be today? I had heard realistically mid-Feb before the units/recruiters actually got the word, but again that's just what one recruiter told me...at the end of the day, they only know soo much and everything changes every few days in this game.