Rocker

https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123008581

"Not a pound for air-to-ground."

I saw an F-15C flying at 650 mph and about 300 AGL (all according to the announcer) at the Stewart Int'l Airshow up in New York last year. It doesn't look all that impressive in the video, but in person, it's pretty amazing how fast he's moving. I don't know if the link will work: https://halfmilefinal.web1000.com/F15highspeed.avi ...but that's a clip I got of it. [ 06. November 2004, 13:18: Message edited by: Rocker ]

I think a great way to hurt yourself is to not be prepared when you show up at the IP's desk to brief. Whether that be with a profile, GK, or just an overall mental state. Sometimes people hook a daily ride here and there and big deal, they move on. But the people I've seen here with the biggest problems don't seem to be very motivated and are kind of just making it through. No one has washed out of our class, however. I think there are plenty of people wearing silver wings out there who are not smarter than the average person. But if you have the tenacity to hang on, motivate yourself, study, and make sure you're prepared for stuff all or most of the time, you'll probably make it through. It's not easy, but I also found that there's a lot of hype surrounding the program. It's still a military training program and caters to a certain degree to people who may not "get it" as quickly as others. But keeping your fecal matter consolidated and being sharp go a long way here. One tip - never be self-depricating. Don't call yourself stupid or say you suck or anything like that. Though you might be joking, it's not the way to be and can actually affect you after a while. I say that because I see it happen all the time, and I think it actually causes harm over time. Others might think this is a strange, obscure thing to write about, but I think it's important. Confidence (and humility) also goes a long way here.

Logged on to the gov't computer here to check baseops...forgot to take the little "secure s" out of http when typing in baseops.net. Check out what it is: Alterego Baseops What's up with that? I didn't know that was possible. I thought it was a joke. Baseops, are you aware of this?

I concur. Dereliction of Duty is a great book for all Americans to read, and especially military members who might think Clinton was a good president or are considering voting for a Demorcrat. It will (should) absolutely piss you off. Define: "shooting one's self in the foot." Haven't read Wreckless Disregard, but I'll check it out when I get the time. Lt Col Patterson is a good author.

Funny, I heard the same thing. Goats, too. And your mom.

The only problem with that halfmilefinal one is that the guy doesn't update it enough. Cool site though.

How'd he know that The Man was an IP? If there's one thing I love, it's gangland-style threats. 48 hours to comply? That sounds like something out of a bad movie script. Is that 48 hours from the time the message was written or 48 hours from the time it was read? Cuz you know if it's written that way, the writer might start the clock as soon as they press the "SEND" button, but the intended reader might not realize it. So then when the reader opens it and thinks they've got 48 hours left, they could be out of luck when the real clock runs out. As critical of a demand as that is, you'd think there'd be a little more distinction. I hope the gen-ral's not reading... "And to show you we're serious, you have 12 hours." -Fat Tony

I can't confirm that, but I've been wondering: WHAT IF someone went T-1s, did an ops assignment somewhere, and then applied for and got a special duty assignment to Beale for U-2s? They'd get T-38 qualed and fly it extensively for a few years when they're not flying the U-2. Then I wonder what it would take (as far as AETC and AFPC go) to go to IFF and a fighter FTU from there? Am I off base with this one?

Maybe so, but you'll have to find something else when you get to pilot training. Most people just sleep or go to the lake.

Still is that way at Laughlin - no civilian flying while you're a stud. Don't know for sure, but I think that's an AETC reg. And also, there are no civilian aircraft based here.

If you're single, live on base. If you're married, they'll give you a pretty nice house on base, or there are some apartments pretty close by (forgot the name). But just about everybody I know lives on base. The UOQ is OK but not great, and the houses are actually pretty nice. It's most convenient though to just live on base, especially when you have to be somewhere, you're running right on time, the train comes by (between you and the gate) and then you're late.

How much leeway does the student have in deciding where to go on a cross country at pilot training? Does the IP assign a destination or can the student have input? I know it probably depends on the IP and what phase or track you're in, but I'm wondering if the student can plan a XC to somewhere they want to go (within reason).

And to further validate Shadow's information, I finished OTS on 14 May, and my UPT class date is 16 June. But as with just about everything, "it depends." We had a guy in our class who was turning 30 less than two weeks after commissioning, and they moved him up a class so he went STRAIGHT from OTS to UPT with almost no break (had done Brooks earlier).

Officer Accessions (OA) recruiters have been around for a long time. Go to airforce.com and look under Officer Careers. There is a place you can enter some information and they will call you or send you something. A quicker way might be to go to airforceots.com (an unofficial site) and post a message about Philadelphia-area OA recruiters and see if anyone knows anything.

Whether or not to go to MEPS with a known disqualifying condition can be a tough decision. You know you will likely be DQ'ed...but what if? Somewhat of a crapshoot, though the odds are most definitely in favor of a DQ (assuming you have a torn ligament or otherwise unstable knee). However, if you take the long road, get your knee squared away now (for your own good as well - afterall, your health is the most important issue), and then proceed to the MEPS, the waiver process will go much more smoothly (I wish I would have done it this way back in 2001). It'll also save you a lot of potential heartache. When you go to MEPS after your recovery, you will be sent on an (or another) orthopedic consult and will be disqualified by MEPS. Your MEPS information will then be forwarded to HQ AETC/SGPS for waiver/certification. The MEPS approval authority is DoDMERB (DoD Medical Exam Review Board - not USAF) and acts as a channel for all of your stuff going to AETC. Don't sweat a MEPS DQ too much...it's just a necessary process for your package to go up to the SG, and it WILL happen if you have a disqualifying factor. I used to get DQ'ed by MEPS all the time. Then when I finally had my waiver, and had it printed out and with me, it was like a force field against those MEPS people. But as I've said with all of this...it's a long road and it's going to take tons of persistence and patience. And it is not unlikely that there will be significant paperwork errors and delays along the way. Hang in there and keep your eye on the ball. Also keep the questions coming as you think of them. [ 04 February 2004, 20:18: Message edited by: John Thompson ]

Correct: recovery after surgery. I feel very confident in saying that they will not waiver it if it is torn and unoperated. Not to say a waiver is impossible for a stable knee with a torn ligament - good ol' FlightDoc even told me back in the day what I'm telling you here - but strong ligaments (and musculature) are what stabilize knees...so you can see where that gets you. I first attempted a waiver with an unoperated knee with a torn ligament. It was mildly unstable, but there was absolutely no functional deficit (active in running, biking, and full contact sports with no need for a brace, etc...). I also had favorable letters from both my doctor and the MEPS ortho consult doctor indicating this. Regardless, it was a pretty quick but painful DQ from all military service. The second DQ came over a year later, after the recovery, but when the knee was not quite up to standard yet. A few months of hardcore physical training and the right doctor put me on the right path to an eventual waiver. Perhaps it can be done with a currently partially torn ligament (I'd give it an 80/20, in favor of the DQ), but I would say with a completely torn ligament and anything more than mild instability, you will most definitely be disqualified. But again, my guesses are just that. I'm certainly not the AETC. Again, sorry for being wordy, but there's alot to this. Definitely feel free to post more questions if you have them.

Good luck! I can tell you what my contact at HQ AETC/SGPS told me: if you have an uncomplicated recovery, no residual instability in that knee, and symmetrical size and strength (and the doctor indicates all of that in his prog. report), then a waiver IS likely. Keep that in mind and hang in there! I remember the airforceots.com response now... [ 03 February 2004, 10:19: Message edited by: John Thompson ]

I have a flying status waiver for PCL (similar to ACL) reconstructive surgery, and a titanium IM rod in my right femur. ACL and PCL require the same waiver. I am non-prior service and the waiver was approved (after a few tries) for accessions and upgraded for flying duties. I recently received a PM from a user here about this subject, and I will paste my response below. His case is very similar to yours. It's pretty much a straight cut and paste, so not all of it applies directly to you: ------------------------------- I do know alot about this subject unfortunately... What I can tell you first off is to be honest and not hide anything (only concerning actual doctor-diagnosed health issues...not "I think I may have had a kidney stone one time..." type stuff - you DO NOT want to open unnecessary cans of worms). If you can get your doctor to sign off on your knee saying that there is no residual instability and it is strong, then you might have a shot - though that does not sound like your case right now. I'm not sure which avenue you are pursuing a commission though, but more than likely, you'll go through a MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) for your initial physical (long before an FC1), and when they find out about your knee trouble, they'll send you on an orthopedic consult. No big deal, just another civilian doctor who will examine your knee and make an official recommendation. One thing with the ACL though, is that when they do the Lachman's test, it will likely be positive. If it's over +1 (basically if instability is anything but very mild), you're going to have problems with AETC and you'll be disqualified. I know this because I was DQed - twice. (I realize that Lachman's is not really a function of the PCL, but it's an issue I was dealing with) The biggest reason for coming clean about this when you're supposed to is because if they find out about it later, you are SCREWED. It could become a fraudulent enlistment case and that is not good. Save yourself worrying and headaches, get reconstructive surgery (or get on a physical therapy plan that will get you back to close to 100% - at the advice of your doctor), get your waiver, and go in the right way. Now, having said all of that, let me just say this: if your injury is just a partial tear (and your doctor is really the one who can tell you about this), you might have a good chance at building up your quadriceps and other leg muscles (but most importantly the quads) and making your knee stable. But I can tell you that if you require a brace for normal athletic activity, you won't make it. Also, on the form that you fill out when you do the physical, with about 100 questions starting out with "Have you ever had or do you now have...." I think there is one question about torn ligaments. They also ask about surgeries, etc... But with just a partial tear, you might be able to get by - just keep in mind that they are serious about knees. I suppose if you can truthfully get your knee into top shape without surgery or the need for a brace you'll be good to go. But if this is a diagnosed condition and it's in your medical records, be honest, do what you have to do for your knee, get your doctor's sign off, and move forward. I know I'm rambling a little but the bottom line is this: get your knee into shape and then apply. A medical disqualification is extremely disheartening. Do everything to avoid that in advance, whether it be surgery or a physical therapy regimen. Sorry this went so long, but there's alot to it. If you do get wrapped up in the waiver process, you've got to be very persistent and patient. There is no good way around it, but don't just give up. Best of luck and let me know if you have any more questions, John [ 03 February 2004, 10:14: Message edited by: John Thompson ]

The wait is dependent on that flight physical, in most cases. If I were you, I would implore my recruiter to let me get that FC1 completed ASAP. A typical number for going to class for pilots is about five months. Figure about two to three months for SG certification of the physical, and another two or three for general waiting. I've heard of alot of recruiters (including my own, even though I was a very strong candidate) who won't send their pilot candidates for the FC1 before selection. Some bases also don't allow it, as was the case with the one near us. But that is the main reason for such a long wait. In my case (my wait is coming up on nine months), there have been alot of mistakes and a few complications, but the end (actually the beginning) is in sight. But some guys with FC1s already complete seem to get class dates very quickly sometimes and are off to OTS within two or three months of selection. Waiting is a killer.

As indicated, I think it greatly depends on which commissioning source you're coming from. ROTC pilot slots are not nearly as competitive (numbers wise) as OTS pilot slots. I got in through OTS with a 98 AFOQT pilot / 96 PCSM. Someone will bust me on this I'm sure since there are always exceptions, but I'd say you won't see too many going into pilot training through OTS without AFOQT pilot and PCSM scores at least in the upper-70's/lower-80's. And it's getting even harder for OTS now that ROTC is cranking out more people.

I'm just sitting here enjoying the ping pong match with nothing constructive to add, but I thought I'd say that an A-10 with afterburners would be sweet (as depicted on that site). That is all.

Lauren, When you're talking about the circle test for color vision, are you talking about those charts in the the shape of a circle filled with colored bubbles, and there is a number in those bubbles that you have to distinguish? Why did you miss one? Thanks for the info... John

Like C17Heavy says, don't sweat it. Yes it's an important part of the process and critical in deriving your PCSM score, but just go in alert and ready to take a test. Don't lose sleep over it the night before. I hear all the time "just play some video games" and though that might hone a few skills at the last minute, I'd say that generally, either you got it or you don't got it. This is a Basic Attributes Test, afterall. Some people just are not good at video games, and though I think that doesn't have alot to do with whether or not you can successfully operate an aircraft, it is a measure of basic hand-eye coordination skills. Just go in and do the best you can. Pay attention while you're there, but don't stress over this one.