135guy

I ran into the same thing after being on a Title 10 activation with my unit for five years. I am also transferring; however, they had me do it two weeks ahead of time to allow time to gain me into the new unit. My new unit was able to process my uniform issue about a month prior to me officially transferring though. They did this using my training line number and then shipped the uniform items to me since I still live across the country from them. It was a process, but that initial issue is a $2000 set of uniforms that you definitely don't want coming out of your pocket! Good luck getting everything squared away. See you in five days! On the towels. They issue you the same one as basic training, but white. (The thin cheap kind). They can be picked up at any BX or clothing sales for extremely cheap if your unit didn't issue them to you. I'm sure any white towel would do, but don't know if that will be a uniformity issue if you don't have the issue ones.

The cost of the mess dress will be an expensive one, $370 by my calculations. When you say you had to purchase the service coat, did your unit not fund a uniform issue for you?

Great info guys! Much appreciated!!

The manual actually says not to dry clean them because the chemicals used render the uniform next to useless in certain field conditions. Obviously these conditions probably wont exist at AMS, but either way the uniform is wash and wear and not even designed or meant to be ironed. Its a working uniform and any creases that are meant to be there are already there. Just my $0.02, but to each their own!

Good Morning everyone! I'll be attending the 14-04 AMS class and I just wanted to pass on some info to everyone that I got from previous attendees as recent as 14-03. I'll try to go in chronological order of how it will pertain to the class itself. Don't take any of this information as written in stone, it's just what I have received and will be doing to prepare myself before and during our AMS class. BEFORE LEAVING Get all of your uniforms taken care of. This means have your blues altered, officer braid sewn on, pants hemmed etc. BEFORE getting to AMS. The schedule (as other posters have mentioned) for getting off complex is hectic and it's just one more thing you don't want to worry about! Along with uniform prep, just like basic training, clip all of your strings off your new uniforms! They will get counted against you during locker inspections and it's much easier to do it sitting in the comfort of your own home than in the stress of the moment while at AMS. One less thing to worry about! Make sure you pack everything on the list as most of it will be required for the course. This includes the APECS and the green fleece since our class starts in March and the mornings are still somewhat chilly. For prior service guys, your unit should issue you a whole new set of uniforms for going to AMS (including ABU's). Some of you mentioned pulling stripes, but depending on how long you've had stripes on your current uniform they will either be discolored or torn up from having stuff sewn on them. Probably better to go with the new ones! Also, corofram shoes are authorized during AMS! Ribbons. I've seen this mentioned a few times and I have confirmed that state ribbons are authorized for wear at AMS. I checked into this because I needed to know whether to get ribbon racks and not include my state awards. I spoke to someone who just graduated and said ribbons were never even questioned during the class, but when he inquired about them he was advised they are allowed as long as the state awards are on your RIP. His advice was to go with at least two sets, one for display and one as a spare. Also, this was already mentioned, but you will receive an oak leaf cluster on your training ribbon for graduating AMS that is required to be worn for a class picture mid way through the course. It's probably a good idea to bring the oak leaf cluster with or pre-attach it to your spare set of ribbons! Another tip for all of the spare stuff you bring... tupperware containers (2 or 3). They are authorized for use in the desk drawers and the contents are un-inspectable. The container itself just has to be in clean and serviceable condition. Great for small items such as ribbons and rank that you don't want floating around! Physical Training. You are required to test at your unit within 60 days of leaving for one reason and one reason only. To make sure you can pass without sending you there and wasting money. There will be two PT tests at AMS. The first one is day one. Each individual is overseen by a PTL. You will be woken up at o'dark hundred and at this point weighed and taped. You will then eat breakfast. Then you will complete the sit-ups, pushups and 1.5 mile run. If you DO NOT meet within 10% of the minimum score you will be sent home immediately. If you fail and are within 10% it is the COMMANDER'S DISCRETION of whether he/she wants to keep you around. Either way, I wouldn't be in the failing category and risk your entire career!! The real test will come in week 5 of the course. The following are great videos to ensure you are doing your pushups and sit-ups per the regs! Pushups - Situps - The HAWK and OTSMAN. The HAWK is available to download from https://www.au.af.mil/au/holmcenter/OTS/AMS/ as most of you probably know (along with all the other manuals needed). My buddy said you will be asked to memorize certain pages of the HAWK each day. He said it's a good idea to go in there knowing the layout of the HAWK and be extremely familiar with it. KEY ADVICE** There are pages of the HAWK that are STARRED** These pages may or may not be on written tests during AMS. His advice was this... if you don't know the starred pages, you don't graduate... so focus on those! If you don't know the unstarred ones, you will be doing five pushups! I can handle five pushups, I can't handle not graduating! I've also just heard that these pages weren't even tested in 14-03, so it could go either way. You will be overloaded, so focus your time wisely on what matters and focus the rest on whatever you have time for. He advised me to try and know the OTSMAN from day zero - simply to relieve stress while you are there... not as a requirement. Some people with show up on day one and have none of this info or any of these manuals. Be ready for that! Airman's Manual & Forms. Make sure you have them! I have been forwarded the emails directly from the AMS staff and they are all mandatory. DD2875, AF4394 and the Cyberawareness Certificate. This will be one less headache for everyone if you show up with these correct! ARRIVAL AND DURING AMS Arrival. Take a cab from the airport and save the receipt if it's over the $75 minimum for your travel voucher. If it's not over $75, you don't have to keep the receipt, but I would recommend it anyway. It makes your travel voucher that much easier to complete! I was advised to take the first available flight on Saturday the 22nd. Several reasons for this. One - if your flight gets delayed or cancelled, you have backups. If you are trying to take the last flight of the day out and something happens... you are now behind schedule and at a severe disadvantage. If your unit has already booked a flight and it's later in the day... call your airline and let them know you are military. Most of the time they will change it to an earlier one for free! If not, you can always show up at the airport early and request an earlier flight. If you are driving... Even better! Two - the earlier you get there... the more time you have to get set up, unpacked and situated. Time and lack of stress are your friend! Three - getting there early allows plenty of time to get any items you realize you forgot or don't have before everyone else gets there! The uniform sales gets pillaged very early on and you may not have the chance to get certain items again. There are no guarantees!! Finally, before you leave, get a fax number for your finance office. Have the training instructor sign your orders and fax them back to finance at your base ASAP! Otherwise you WILL NOT be getting paid on time. Pay is important, especially for those of us with families back home! Non-Prior Service. Chances are if you are prior service... you will be roomed with someone who is non-prior service. The people I have talked with all said this was challenging at times, but that is where our responsibility and training as prior service and noncommissioned officers (some of us) kicks in. For non-prior's, this is like day one of basic training. They have never worn a uniform, know little to nothing about the Air Force and are very wet behind the ears! It's part of our job to take them under our wing and get them up to speed. If you are reading this board, you are already ten steps ahead and significantly more educated and prepared than a lot of people who will be showing up. Use this knowledge and your previously learned knowledge to help out the people who aren't at the optimum level of preferred experience. Rise to the challenge and remember that AMS is all about leadership. Don't be upset or angry at someone for showing up day one not knowing any of this! Adapt and overcome and get them up to speed in the fastest possible manner! Room setup. Another benefit of showing up early is the ability to go through the manuals and have ample time to set up your room according to the manual. As we have all heard, the manual is purposely vague in certain areas and certain aspects will be established once training starts. Also, upon arrival, pull all of the furniture from your room and dust and clean BEFORE unpacking. All other info and tidbits that didn't fit in anywhere else! On day one, you will be woken up at 4AM. I was told to set an alarm for ten minutes prior to eliminate the pure startle factor. Don't get dressed or anything, just be awake and alert. I easily take ten minutes to fully wake up, so this seems like a no-brainer to me! Learn your chain of command from the president down to the AMS staff. Obviously we don't have our AMS staff yet (other than the commander) but the rest of the chain is published and easily accessible! Know the Airman's Creed and AF Song. Sorry this post became so long winded. There was a lot of information I wanted to get out there and share with everyone. Some of it might be repetitive, but I figured you can't be over prepared for this! Take and use it as you please! I look forward to meeting and working with all of you during our AMS class. Good luck everyone!! Respond or message me with any questions and I will do my best to get back to you!