mp5g

Bring a Shammie (the leather cloth you wipe your car down with after washing it) and a shower wiper. You can get all of the water off the walls and door using the wiper, and then soak up the remaining water on the floor using your Shammie. Leave your door open at night to maximize drying ability.

To save the mods the effort of saying UTFSF:

Check the Air Force Waiver Guide here: https://airforcemedicine.afms.mil/idc/groups/public/documents/afms/ctb_071808.pdf This is from Dec 2011, so I think it is the most recent. Specifically pages 793-797. "... Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is disqualifying for all flying and special operational duties. Symptomatic Sickle Cell Trait (SCT) is disqualifying only for FC I/IA, FC II, and FC III duties. All initial flying class physicals require documented Sickledex™ results and if positive hemoglobin electrophoresis is required. Asymptomatic sickle cell trait (Hb AS) confirmed on hemoglobin electrophoresis does not require a waiver and Hb AS, with Hb S up to 45 % is acceptable for flying duties. Symptomatic sickle cell trait and sickle cell diseases (Hb SS and other heterozygous sickling disorders other than trait) are disqualifying. Anemia is not associated with sickle cell trait and therefore should not be attributed to the sickle cell trait..."

Nope, had PRK, but yes it is waiverable as far as I know.

Slowhand, I'm not expert, but I do believe that Wright-Patt will be able to furnish you with a temp pair to get you through the eye exam, but there are others on this forum who know more than I do. As to the Contact program, I'm in the same boat, although my eyes diverged a little more than yours. As I understand it, you have to have worn contacts 6 months prior to UPT in order to qualify for the program when you show up to UPT. I've had mine for the past 6 months and start UPT in May, so I'm hoping that I won't have a problem in wearing contacts once I get there. Cheers.

If you're talking about the 28 Feb class, I'll be there.

Saw "The Grey" last night. As long as you don't think it's going to be Liam Nesson fighting wolves the entire time, you should enjoy it for a decent survival movie. Oh, and be sure to stay past the credits for a "resolution" scene, if you can call it that.

If you have Lasik or PRK before the Initial FC1, then you have to wait up to a year. If you are already rated, then I believe you only go DNIF for 3-6 months, as stated above.

Bitch Slap. Getting the popcorn.

Regardless if she can use it or not, she's only guaranteed 60 working days per year (July-June). Methinks she will probably not be going to UPT with you if she wants to keep her job.

tlr, Sorry to hear that. Real class act from your company. I'd say it sounds like you definitely have grounds for a lawsuit if you choose to go that route. If they want you to come in sign paperwork, I'd make sure you state your case to HR that you feel like you are being discriminated against due to your employment with the Guard, and you plan to seek legal recourse against the company. (Just be sure if you go that route, what you said above - "never received any verbal or written warnings, and like I said, I have been told several times recently that I am doing a great job" is actually the truth and not something you are telling yourself since this hit you out of "left field".) That being said, I had some issues I felt with my company due to my Guard employment. I felt that I was being unfairly passed over for promotion because they knew I was going to be leaving for UPT and training for an extended time period. I took my case to my manager and HR and let them know that I felt I was being discrimnated against due to my employment with the Guard. I eventually got promoted after that, but I made sure that when I called the company out on something, I had data to back up my claims that I wasn't a shit-bag employee. I hope this works out for you man. At the end of the day, it's a bad situation, but you still get to leave and fly planes for the USAF whatever the outcome of this is. Good luck man.

2.

Just finished this read while on vacation with the family. It's definitely worth the read if you liked "Black Hawk Down." It gives the SEAL perspective of how things operated in Somalia.

OTS dates should be here: https://www.au.af.mil/au/holmcenter/OTS/Classdates.asp

When I went, the van was only available to AFA Cadets. Therefore, we had to rely on the base shuttle to take us over to area B if you didn't have a rental car. As for where you are staying, if you call the Wright-Patt Inn (phone # is on the Wright-Patt website), they should be able to verify if you are on or "off" base.

Definitely get a rental. If for nothing else, just the ability to get away from billeting after you are done for the day is well worth the money.

I know it's a day late, but a great read about the First Wave at Omaha Beach

Well.... a reflective warrior.

Funny shit. bin Laden's Burial at Sea

Out of the Prior Service guys, we ranged from Flight Suits, ABU's, and PT clothes. The civilian guys wore jeans and t-shirts / polos or pt gear. Nobody said one way or the other. I'd recommend wearing PT gear, especially the first day. Definitely makes it more comfortable when you are doing the EKG, Anthropomorphic measurements, etc.

The White House has finally made it official: bin Laden death photos I really don't care that they aren't going to release the photos, but I do have an issue with the rationale behind their reasoning for not releasing the photos. "Mr. Obama said he concluded that images of Bin Laden, bloodied by gunshots, would do nothing to persuade skeptics, but could inflame tensions in the Muslim world and pose problems for America’s nationnal security." IMO, I really don't care if tensions were inflamed in the Muslim world. I know of quite a few people who were inflamed when several U.S. citizens were videotaped having their heads sawed off with a butcher knife by al-Qaeda or people adhering to jihad. Why, oh why, do we have to pussify ourselves and make sure that we aren't offending anybody in the entire world? Just say you aren't going to release the photos, period.

"2."

No, they will retest your eyes at the FCI to make sure you are correctable to 20/20. As long as you have an approved commission physical, you should be able to get the FCI. Just be sure to bring your glasses with you when you go to Wright-Patt so you can test with them.

I just got back from my FCI yesterday and wanted to give a few pointers to anyone heading out there in the future. First, rent a car if at all possible. A taxi from the airport will be anywhere between $50 - $70 depending on how much the cabbie wants to screw with you. There is a base shuttle that runs for $38 per person for one way, or $18 per person if 2 or more people are using it. However, there is no base shuttle, so unless you like going back to your room and sitting by yourself until the following day, I'd suggest getting a rental car. The building that you will be in for the physical portion is: Medical Flight Standards Branch, 2947 5th St, Bldg 840, Area B, Wright-Patt AFB. If you are at the Wright-Patt Inn, you are in Area A, and will need to either drive to Area B, or take the bus that comes in the morning to take you to Area B. If you did not rent a car, the bus you need to take is the USAFSAM bus. It is a big Blue bus and will arrive in front of the Wright Patt Inn at 0700. It drops you off at Bldg 840, but again, it would be nice to have a rental car so you weren't dependent on the bus. As for the exams, it was a pretty intense couple of days. We were lucky and finished in 2 days, but normally it will be 3 days at a minimum. It's pretty much everything that has been discussed here before plus a ton of "Hurry up and wait" time. Overall, a good experience. The flight surgeon told me it would be about 2-4 weeks before I heard back on the FCI results. Seems to be a little quicker than before the transition. Hope this helps anyone with questions, or getting ready to go.

Undergraduate Navigator Training. Google is my Friend