Bigred

The VR stuff sounds like really effective chair flying, but it (in my opinion) won’t ever be a 1 for 1 substitute of actual flight time. VR doesn’t replicate the feeling of sweat in your eyes and now you can’t actually see lead, or when being surprised when g comes on the aircraft and you miss a radio call, etc. VR is helpful, sure, but it is concerning if it replaces actual flight time.

Probably not ‘what’s bad’, but just ran my first PT test in the AF. I’m 37, not skinny anymore, and I weigh 230, but I took great pleasure in beating the skinny 20-somethings, by at least a minute or more, in the run. 38 inch beer gut be dammed.

For curiosity's sake, what are some of the basics you have seen that are missing?

I was born in the Netherlands in a local dr office, my dad was stationed there with the Air Force. My birth certificate is of a US citizen board abroad, the State Dept gave it to my dad when he gave them the Dutch birth certificate, and we didn’t have to do anything beyond that for my citizenship. This was early 80s timeframe.

Sounds like someone has been to the Philippines...

I actually did go to school in Charleston, but it was Navy nuke school, not a normal college.

I just commissioned today through the IST process. I was an active-reserve type in the Navy (FTS) and flew helos. I’m now on my way to fly the KC-135. If you have any questions about the IST process feel free to PM me. It’s not difficult, it just takes a long time.

This isn’t an AF specific problem. The Navy looks down, long term promotion/career wise, on the guys who teach primary/advanced (UPT). It creates the ultimate boot-loop; send lower quality guys to teach, teaching new kids to fly is looked down as a second tier job, so the instructors ultimately promote at a much lower rate. Commanders end up sending their lower quality guys because they probably won’t promote. Repeat. At the end of the day, the harsh truth is quality suffers, even if the dudes teaching are good dudes. The biggest heartache is the dudes that are good and want to go teach and do a helluva job at it, but get caught in mix.

In matters of the law, ethics don't matter. The first is objective, the second is subjective. If we determine legal outcomes based on ethics, then the whole idea of equality under the law goes out the window.

So what is the current pt testing policy? Get tested in the squadron or is there an office at the base gym the runs it?

I commission into the active duty Air Force via an interservice transfer in August. AFPC/DP2LT is saying I need to PCS to my gaining unit (OCONUS) to in-process and then proceed TDY for my initial -135 PIQ course. The MSgt at the AFPC office is concerned that I won’t get paid if I don’t in-process prior to going TDY. When I reached out to my gaining base finance, that MSgt was wondering why I needed to go there first and not just do a TDY enroute. I realize doing an interservice transfer is a rare occurrence, but would anyone know applicable AFIs or AFMANs that might apply? Or, just know the answer? For many reasons I’d rather go TDY enroute than PCS and I’m hoping I can find justification to do so.

C’mon, give her a break, she just had a kid. I mean, she did eat it, but to each their own, right?

Heading to Altus soon. Anyone have a specific crashpad they'd recommend, or, has anyone been successful in getting the Hampton Inn at the on-base rate (could go for 500k plus Hilton points).

The second official trailer for Top Gun 2 was just released. At 1:33 it gets really exciting!

Need a sanity check on my plan. Moving OCONUS, will be authorized NTS. I plan to personally-procure NTS (lots of guns and ammo) for the duration of my time overseas. The part I need some eyes on. Assuming my post-OCONUS tour is back somewhere stateside, I plan on combining the OCONUS PCS with the follow-on CONUS PCS to move my stuff from my personally-procured NTS to wherever my CONUS duty location is at. Of course, I'll just leave my stuff in storage if I go OCONUS-OCONUS. The reason I am doing personally-procured NTS is I have thousands of dollars worth of custom handloads for my rifles (competitive target shooting) and I don't want to just give them away. I also don't have a ton of crap so I'll be well within my weight limits. As I read the JTR 051301.d and AFI24-602v4, 2.1.1.1, my plan works but I want to make sure I'm not missing an AFI somewhere.

Learning has occurred. Thanks.

The Air Force offers continuation to non-select Captains?

After everything I’ve read in this thread about the weight of a DP, I feel bad for that one dude that was an IPZ DP and didn’t promote.

Is there a standard, generic nametag design/colors used for the flight suit? I commission in a few weeks and I need to get one made before I report to Altus. I saw this on the RamaWorld website. https://www.ramaworld.com/name-tags-1/squadron-name-tags/af-standard-name-tag-af-blue-bg-af-yellow-border-rama-world-inc Is this legit?

I dunno if there’s a formal study but just a cursory glance at promotion zone percentages shows that’s a fact. BUPERS publishes stats after every board and aviators are typically at the bottom of the pile percentage wise.

You may be aware, but if you retire from the reserves you don’t get any retirement pay until you ‘pay back’ the severance. Usually means two-ish years without a retirement paycheck.

Moving to England, don’t have orders yet but fully expect to be authorized to take a car with me. If I take a car, then get orders to somewhere I can’t take it (i.e., Kadena) will the govt ship it back to CONUS and then store it?

From conversations with my Navy bros, looks like Iranian limpet mines. That said, and my own opinion, it was more a ‘we could’ve sunk you but we didnt’ move. Aka, flexing muscles.

Senate just finished markup of the FY-20 budget. Hopefully some nuggets of info makes it way out what was recommended for bonuses.

All I take away from this thread is the sheer dedication by all hands to keep your rep pegged at 777