Guest Homestar Posted November 23, 2008 Posted November 23, 2008 We had a guy on our crew while there who hooked up a bunch of red and green Christmas lights to his belt. That is hilarious!
BQZip01 Posted November 23, 2008 Posted November 23, 2008 I'm waiting for the five point reflective belt harness, linked together with the manpurse ID holder. That will be a sight to see. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!! DON'T GIVE THEM ANY MORE IDEAS!!!!!!
Vertigo Posted November 24, 2008 Posted November 24, 2008 I'm waiting for the five point reflective belt harness, linked together with the manpurse ID holder. That will be a sight to see. Working on that patent now... $$$ here I come!!
BQZip01 Posted November 25, 2008 Posted November 25, 2008 Working on that patent now... $$$ here I come!! You work at McGuire AFB? https://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/index...showtopic=13507
pcola Posted November 25, 2008 Posted November 25, 2008 (edited) In all seriousness, is there any reg that outlines the type of reflective belt to be worn? Could a person (or crew, or entire squadron) take a bright orange/reflective motorcycle vest and wear it EVERYWHERE, with every uniform, all the time, just to be "extra reflective, and therefore, more safe?" Might make a point, if not, at least it will make a few shoe's heads spin. Edit: Sweet. Been here 5 1/2 years and finally got my 500th post! This calls for a celebration (ok, I was going to open another beer anyway) Edited November 25, 2008 by pcola
JarheadBoom Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 In all seriousness, is there any reg that outlines the type of reflective belt to be worn? Could a person (or crew, or entire squadron) take a bright orange/reflective motorcycle vest and wear it EVERYWHERE, with every uniform, all the time, just to be "extra reflective, and therefore, more safe?" Might make a point, if not, at least it will make a few shoe's heads spin. I think the point would be missed by all but the most shoeclerk-y. They'd probably say "Hey, that's a good idea!" Next thing you know, we're ALL in orange construction-worker vests at all times...
MD Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 I think the point would be missed by all but the most shoeclerk-y. They'd probably say "Hey, that's a good idea!" Next thing you know, we're ALL in orange construction-worker vests at all times... Well you know they say.... that its fun to play..... at the Y-M-C-A!
Duck Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 They'd probably say "Hey, that's a good idea!" Next thing you know, we're ALL in orange construction-worker vests at all times... I seriously think you are right... seriously.
Guest Brewdog Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 How about blaze orange BDU/bags that are reversable to a woodland or desert pattern? Unless you are outside the wire or airborne in the AOR, you wear the orange side out! Why F around with a vest when you can have a 99.999% increase in safety!
slacker Posted November 26, 2008 Posted November 26, 2008 In all seriousness, is there any reg that outlines the type of reflective belt to be worn? Could a person (or crew, or entire squadron) take a bright orange/reflective motorcycle vest and wear it EVERYWHERE, with every uniform, all the time, just to be "extra reflective, and therefore, more safe?" Might make a point, if not, at least it will make a few shoe's heads spin. We did this at the Deid, it didn’t go over so well. We took about 80 army dudes from the Deid to Baghdad and the left all of their reflective belts on the plane. We put everyone of them on when we landed back at the Deid. It didn’t take very long to get the ol’ “Not setting a good example by mocking the rules” speech. I guess we were actually being too safe.
capt4fans Posted November 29, 2008 Posted November 29, 2008 I'll be the guy wearing this one: Which part about don't give them any ideas didn't you get.....don't you realize that the WG/CC's and OG/CC's troll this board after hours in order to figure out how to make our life even more miserable??
FourFans Posted November 30, 2008 Posted November 30, 2008 Don't bring it weak. Operational LED lights required only while in the Ops building. Batman belt buckle sold separately.
Guest IncompletePete Posted November 30, 2008 Posted November 30, 2008 Here's the latest and greatest from your Leadership at the 'Deid. Apparently the 500 lights in CC have all gone dark at the same time. Reflective belts must be worn during the hours of darkness no matter the uniform in CC. Doesn't matter if you're walking from your lodging to the smoke pit, you better be able to be seen. Let me tell you what I think of this policy.... That and the powerpoint really makes me wonder what the hell it is I'm applying to. I've spent my youth devouring books and stories about the good ol' days of the AF and I really cannot comprehend how the AF has changed over the years into this - talk about depressing. I think my bullshit tolerance would be tested to its limits. How the hell has common sense become such a rarity in an organization that surely should pluck the best a nation has to offer in order to fill its ranks?!
Guest SATCOM Posted November 30, 2008 Posted November 30, 2008 I've spent my youth devouring books and stories about the good ol' days of the AF and I really cannot comprehend how the AF has changed over the years into this - talk about depressing. I think my bullshit tolerance would be tested to its limits. How the hell has common sense become such a rarity in an organization that surely should pluck the best a nation has to offer in order to fill its ranks?! My observance of the changes you refer to have mostly occurred since 9/11. I am at Bagram now, and have seen this place change significantly since my first appearance in '02 (now on my 4th). Won't get into the specifics, but I had a female CMSgt here tell me (quite seriously) that MWR was mission #1 on Camp Cunningham. I retorted "I'm in the Fighting Air Force, which one are YOU in?" There'so threat here on BAF proper, so that frees up the lazy, incompetent, shoeclerks to walk around without a care. No fear of any real combat means that the REMF's (we used to call shoeclerks that) Rear Echelon Mother F#%kers can move forward and bring their Jack-Assery with them from CONUS. Salsa night and outdoor movie night (no kidding) take the place of killing the Taliban.
Stiffler Posted December 1, 2008 Posted December 1, 2008 In all honesty, what caused all this madness, and WILL IT EVER END? SERIOUSLY
Fozzy Bear Posted December 12, 2008 Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) OK, well, those multi-belt concoctions in the above post, and even the vests, are slowly making there way around the Deid. Some guys I met in the smoke pit (won't get into how funny it is, in the middle of a thousand acre ashtray, to have to seek out a smoke pit) have had the policy in their unit become reflector belts on all backpacks as well. Anywhere in the world, you could make a remark about chopped chicken, and the guys who laugh are the one's that've been here. Well, as of manana, there will be no more chopped chicken served. At all, evidently. No clue why, but the news ruined pasta day. Almost forgot: When in anything other than PT gear - no sock hats allowed - according to our first shirt. So, when I'm waiting for an hour in 40 degrees on the flightline... Edited December 12, 2008 by Fozzy Bear
BQZip01 Posted December 12, 2008 Posted December 12, 2008 OK, well, those multi-belt concoctions in the above post, and even the vests, are slowly making there way around the Deid. Some guys I met in the smoke pit (won't get into how funny it is, in the middle of a thousand acre ashtray, to have to seek out a smoke pit) have had the policy in their unit become reflector belts on all backpacks as well. Anywhere in the world, you could make a remark about chopped chicken, and the guys who laugh are the one's that've been here. Well, as of manana, there will be no more chopped chicken served. At all, evidently. No clue why, but the news ruined pasta day. Almost forgot: When in anything other than PT gear - no sock hats allowed - according to our first shirt. So, when I'm waiting for an hour in 40 degrees on the flightline... Assuming a "sock hat" looks like a "watch cap", tell the friggin' genius to look in AFI36-2903 where those are specifically permitted.
slacker Posted December 12, 2008 Posted December 12, 2008 In all honesty, what caused all this madness, and WILL IT EVER END? SERIOUSLY The war is old and stale, so now the footprint is ridiculous and everyone must deploy to get promoted. Especially the REMFs, they need a combat finance deployment or combat com, etc..
Champ Kind Posted December 13, 2008 Posted December 13, 2008 40 degrees on the flightline... C or F? I keed...
capt4fans Posted December 13, 2008 Posted December 13, 2008 Assuming a "sock hat" looks like a "watch cap", tell the friggin' genius to look in AFI36-2903 where those are specifically permitted. Yep, tell the moron to read a little before he tries to start quoting regs he obviously knows nothing about.
Scooter14 Posted December 13, 2008 Posted December 13, 2008 Anywhere in the world, you could make a remark about chopped chicken, and the guys who laugh are the one's that've been here. Well, as of manana, there will be no more chopped chicken served. At all, evidently. No clue why, but the news ruined pasta day. Dammit. Hopefully that goes away by March. I was there once and apparently the AEF swap overtasked the omelet line. So, therefore in true Died tradition, no omelets. ...even if there was nobody in the omelet line. assholes.
Bergman Posted December 13, 2008 Posted December 13, 2008 Assuming a "sock hat" looks like a "watch cap", tell the friggin' genius to look in AFI36-2903 where those are specifically permitted. I may have to put my name on this rule. We diverted in there last month from "up north", where it was literally freezing cold and had snowed two times in the previous week. Fortunately, the forecast on this particular day called for good weather and normal ops, which was good since no one on the crew had a divert bag. As you might imagine, fate intervened at the 4.0 mark of our sortie when, once we were offload complete, we were directed to "head for homeplate SOUTH due to WX". A quick sat call to ops confirmed that unforecasted ice fog and smoke from burning trash had taken vis down to a no-shit 50' or less. So, off we go. I can now say from personal experience that flying the boulevard for the first time ever can be interesting when you start it from the north having originated at a base with no corporate knowledge of the process, flying with an inexperienced crew, in the middle of the night, and not real happy about your fuel situation. Several hours later we land at the Deid and request a follow-me since, "we are unfamiliar". After waiting 10+ minutes for the follow me and seeing none, we query tower about our parking location and are directed to continue taxiing straight ahead, spot 71. About that time I see a taxi lane ahead with a 6 painted on it and announce to the crew, "Aw shit...i sure hope the next one is a 7 and not a 5!" OF COURSE it was Row 5. So we stop and get a new spot number from tower just about the time the transient alert/keystone cops show up to marshal us into the spot. We shut down, finish the checklist, and I head downstairs. Come to find out, the TA guys thought we were a C-130 and were waiting for us somewhere else on the ramp, which is why we never saw them. Further, they have no knowledge or experience with -135 ops, so can the crew please take care of the jet before leaving. OK great. After finishing with the jet and milling about smartly for 16-19 additional minutes, the crew bus shows up to take us to customs and immigration. They drop us off in the cargo yard with a wave and say "it's over there somewhere!", not really knowing where to send us. So we grab all of our gear and move out. Once we finally find where we were supposed to be (two buildings over) we are confronted with a sign that reads, "NO WEAPONS OR BAGS" and a shoe clerk SMSgt there to enforce said rule. At this point, my fun meter is pretty much pegged. It's 0300 local and we were at about the 14 hour point in our day. I tell the guy, "Sarge, I've got bad news. We have weapons AND bags, so it's not looking good for the home team. How about we just pencil whip this one and call it a day?" Oh hell no. Thus starts a 90 minute process which involved us leaving a guy behind to guard the weapons and bags while the other two went through customs, had to call another bus on the non-flightline side of the building, ride the bus all the way back around to the flightline side again, grab the guns/bags to put on the bus, and wait for the third guy to process customs while the bus, yet, again, drove around from the flightline to the other side to pick him up. From there, the bus driver takes the other passengers all the way to transient billetting, then drives us all the way back to tanker ops to drop all of our shit off. UFB. Having never been there before, none of us knew better at the time....I will not repeat that mistake! So we finally drop all of our shit off at tanker ops, sign out a cell phone so we can get alerted, and hop on the bus back to the CC. We arrive at transient billetting, get out tent assignment (WTF!??!) and start walking. It is at this point of the morning that we arrive at the point of my story. We are at Al Udeid with nothing but black knit watch caps. We have $22 between the 3 of us, one can of Skoal, and no wallets. We did what any God Fearing crew dog would. We wear our watch caps everywhere with our flight suits, despite the fact that it is 80+ degrees out and the sun is now up. After buying 3 toothbrushes and a tube of tooth paste, we spend the remaining cash on 3 rounds of beers at the bra at 0800 local. Because of the ATO cycle, we ended up being there for 33 hours. We were hasseled three separate times by an E-8 or E-9 for wearing our watch caps, with my personal favorite being just outside the chow hall: After not saluting me or the co, a SMSgt gives us a nice witty, "So what little game are you guys playing here?? What's the deal with the caps?" We just looked at him, turned, and walked into the chow hall. Perhaps there was other buffoonery leading to yet another stupid rule, but there at least is my contibution. I will provide photographic proof once I get the pix from the copiglet. Beyond that, the whole experience re-acquainted me with several lessons I had previously learned in my flying career, but obviously forgot: always pack a divert bag, never trust the weather forecast, always bring your wallet even if the SPINS say otherwise, and never trust a shoe clerk to do the right/smart thing.
Guest Pork_fried Posted December 13, 2008 Posted December 13, 2008 (edited) I may have to put my name on this rule. We diverted in there last month from "up north", where it was literally freezing cold and had snowed two times in the previous week. Fortunately, the forecast on this particular day called for good weather and normal ops, which was good since no one on the crew had a divert bag. As you might imagine, fate intervened at the 4.0 mark of our sortie when, once we were offload complete, we were directed to "head for homeplate SOUTH due to WX". ... Ahh welcome to the Deid. We were on the ramp about to taxi when we heard your call. Yes the 'follow me' is generally for the C-17's and the 130's. You definitely called it about passing the 6 board. and the no salute on CC side, it's not mandatory. This base is so F***ed up - obviously. When they moved the Transient lodging I knew it would be trouble for many new guys and gals who would divert. I've never been to Manas but I'd much rather be there... *edit* Is there no flight line map in your pubs bag? hell, I dont even know if there are any in our nifty folders... Edited December 13, 2008 by Pork_fried
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