Little Rock info

[Guest misfitz]

For those that have experience with the furnished units on base, do you get the $27/day for lodging in addition to your BAH?

Yes, and per diem, too.

[Baseops.Net]

OK folks,

I spent some time integrating the above feedback into the Little Rock Schoolhouse page. Please take another look at the newly updated page and let me know what is wrong, unclear, way off, or needs clarification. Please take a good look at the MPD portion (I have never seen or done MPD so I went 100% off your feedback).

Also, please take a look at the billeting gouge on this page -- it is somewhat disjointed with gouge dating back to 2002 and 2005 -- I just want to clearly explain the billeting policy, non-A policy, etc.

Any other feedback would be appreciated.

Link: Little Rock FTU Guide

[HercDude]

Any other feedback would be appreciated.

Link: Little Rock FTU Guide

Regarding AC upgrade, while it's still around:

BOTTOM LINE: A CLOSED BOOK TEST will be given on the first day of AC upgrade and requalification classes to evaluate systems knowledge. FAILURE of the test will result in DISMISSAL FROM THE COURSE. Squadron training shops should have copies of the CBT lessons on CD. If students cannot get a copy from their training shop, contact the Little Rock Registrar to receive a copy

This didn't happen with any class when I was there (summer '06). Too many late adds to the classes and disconnects with Guard types, so the test was always given the week after you arrived. Still it's good advise to prep as early as possible.

Some good Gouge on where to laminate your TAC Low-Level Charts, from Marc Lovelace: "The best place I've found to do it is a Christian Books & Office Supply Store called Mardel. It's located on the corner of JFK (Hwy 107) and McCain Blvd in North Little Rock. They're currently charging only $0.25 per foot of laminating you do! In practical terms.. I've had friends walk in with ALL the charts that they handed out to us and come out only spending about $3.00 for the lot! And they're all laminated on the front AND back! This is MUCH cheaper and better quality than going to a place like Target or Wal-Mart and buying the clear contact paper and doing it yourself. I KNOW.. I already laminated one of my charts like that.. Never Again! Hope this'll save someone some money and frustration.

That store hasn't been there for a while . . .

[Toasty]

That store hasn't been there for a while . . .

Its at a different location now. I just got my charts laminated there last week for cheap. Mardel's is on the east side of 167/67 just past exit 3 I believe.

[Dead Last]

Its at a different location now. I just got my charts laminated there last week for cheap. Mardel's is on the east side of 167/67 just past exit 3 I believe.

Take the back exit (sts) from the base, turn left onto Hwy 107 which will turn into JFK and keep going until you see one of many $tarbuck$ poping up around town and it'll be in the shopping center across the street.

Just finished up with AC School yesterday, lets see if the pain of outprocessing is going to be as bad as I think it will be.

[Hotel]

I just set up my accrual voucher with finance. They said when I found out where I was staying to call them to give them the daily rate of my lodging and they would pay me that each month + meals. I would then provide receipts when my TDY is over with since the accrual is merely an advance on the final voucher.

Are you saying the lodging + meals per diem should be automatic? Is finance messing me up with this accrual voucher stuff? You're talking about $27 per day lodging. I was looking at the Little Rock rates and it shows max lodging at $82 and full meals $51, proportional $30. I took this to mean that finance would reimburse me for lodging costs up to $82 per day and I just needed to provide receipts to document this.

Since the privatized housing was based off of BAH I didn't think it would be included in the per diem rates. I asked finance about this, but didn't get a clear answer they were convinced I wouldn't be eligible for housing anyway as a TDY Reservist.

I'm concerned if I take base housing I'll loose the lodging portion of my per diem, but would get it if I stayed at the Razorback Inn or off base. Or did you guys get the $27 per day by taking O-1 w/ dependent LR BAH $829 and divide by 30 then get housing to provide receipts for this?

Edited October 20, 2007 by Hotel

[The Kayla]

This is actually the way the TDY ANG/AFRES guys are getting housing. They have the 6 step priority scale (copied below) and currently they are accepting applications from all 6 priorities. Notice where the Guard/Reserve rate on the scale.

(copied from https://www.littlerockfamilyhousing.com/New...s_priority.htm)

LRFH is now accepting applications from priorities 1-6

Priority:

1. Accompanied AF Personnel

2. Accompanied Personnel (other Svcs) (incl. Title 10 personnel)

3. Unaccompanied Personnel (All Svcs)

4. Federal Service Employee (e.g. traditional GS/WG/Postal employee or Title 32 who is pd as GS)

5. Retired Service Member/Family, Entitlements equal those of A/D members

6. Active Guard & reserve Svc Mbr/Family (e.g. Title 32 who is pd same as regular AD) (not included – traditional guardsmen serving 2 weeks per yr & 1 wkend a month)

To run off this:

Vance just went privatized(Oct 1, 2007), and from what I read in the newspaper, is that if housing isn't at 90%-- or something like that-- That Pinnacle(the Housing landlords) can allow retireers and DOD employees can live on base. THEN if that doesn't get the base housing filled up enough, civillians can apply to live on base(at least, that's what I think I read three weeks ago).

[Guest MNguardgirl]

I can understand the logic you are using in your descriptions, however, with the advent of privatized housing, living on-base is now just a rental that happens to be on-base. 75% of Illinois Dr here at the Rock is PIQ students and their spouses. I can only speak for myself and the experiences of my guard buddies, but we have declined billetting (get $27/day), partial perdiem (since I should be living in billetting), and still receive my Corpus BAH. The housing office has confirmed that this is on the up and up and they offer leases based off your TDY orders.

I am new on here. =) I wanted to ask you if you recommend calling ahead to get into base housing. Are you in base housing or TLF? We are moving from Corpus in Feb. We are still waiting for our orders from MN guard unit. I am pregnant and we prefer furnished housing since its TDY but that sounds like that is only possible in TLF right? It sounds like TLF is in high demand. I appreciate any tips!

[HerkDerka]

I wanted to ask you if you recommend calling ahead to get into base housing.

Yes. If you need something furnished, call LR and make a reservation at the TLF.

HD

[Guest ElRoy]

With that - LR Family Housing will furnish the house. Not bad stuff. IT is different than TLF. You need to contact them and find out the more recent details. Also, read through some more of the posts on this topic, the include prices and the like. Good Luck

[Guest agflyboyaf]

My family and I are currently TDY at LR in a furnished house, so I'll try to help you out with what I know.

The company that owns the privatized housing on base is Little Rock Family Housing. You can call them at (501) 987-6287.

If you are looking for a furnished unit on base, it is through this company. We got here in September, but called early in August and gave them our info on when we would be arriving and they basically put us on a list. Then we called about 2 days before we moved and they said they had a house ready for us and even gave us the address for it. When you talk to them, they will probably refer to the furnished units as 'temporary housing'. This confused me at first, because I thought they were talking about the TLFs, but the housing company has nothing to do with lodging's TLFs.

The price for a furnished unit is LRAFB BAH rate + $150. The $150 covers lawn care, phone service (through Vonage), cable TV/Internet. Depending on the BAH that you will be allowed, you may make money on the deal or you may have to pay a little extra out of pocket (our case--we get Columbus AFB BAH). We could probably find a place off base that is cheaper, but we enjoy the convenience of being on base and the short commute to work, not to mention not having to try to get on base during morning rush hour.

The houses are still the old houses, but I was fairly impressed when we arrived in the house. The furniture is nice-couch, love seat, coffee table, and a couple end tables. The TV is small and they only have a small DVD player for the TV. The kitchen is fairly well stocked with utensils, pots/pans, etc. The dining room table is average size w/4 chairs and the computer hookup is in the dining room as well, with a small desk. The only way I could see moving the location of the computer is by hooking up a wireless system.

The house is 3br/2ba. The master br has a queen size with a dresser and the other two have a full and twin. Towels and bedding are also furnished.

One of the only things I don't like about the house is that the furnace/air conditioner is in a small room near the bedroooms, so when it is running it is quite loud. You sort of get used to it after a while, kinda like living under the traffic pattern at a UPT base; but I still don't like it.

Anyway, I hope that helps you out a little bit, and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Matt

[Guest misfitz]

The TLFs are different than the furnished houses... TLFs are for people with "families," aka, kids, and I don't think you can stay in a TLF for the duration of your TDY. The furnished houses are through the privatized base housing company. They're nice though, you get a yard (and someone to cut the grass for you)! :)

[awesome-o]

I'll be going to Little Rock for PIQ in a couple of weeks. I'm pretty sure I'll be living alone off base. Looking for an unfurnished place. I have heard about some lofts downtown that were popular with the students. Does anybody know where they are or have any contact info? Any help would be appreciated.

[Guest Boom]

I'll be going to Little Rock for PIQ in a couple of weeks. I'm pretty sure I'll be living alone off base. Looking for an unfurnished place. I have heard about some lofts downtown that were popular with the students. Does anybody know where they are or have any contact info? Any help would be appreciated.

The Links in Sherwood.

[Guest ElRoy]

While you mention the Links I would mention the following story-

another forum member -"Arborist"- lived there. He has his dirt bike strapped down to his trailer. They were parked right outside his apartment. Some locals straight up stole both! They probably just drove up, hooked up, and rolled away.

I was there a decent amount. It is cheap and it is close - but it is also a little ghetto.

I lived on base and loved it. Especially for those 5 AM shows and not worrying about my shit getting jacked.

[Guest Pan130]

How long is the Little Rock Initial Qual course these days? Not the J but legacy course. I just need the time frame for initial qual, no tac stuff. Thanks

Also, how much of it is ground school, sim and actual flying. Thanks

[Guest Hueypilot812]

C-130E Pilot Initial Qual (PIQ) for level one students (qual only, no mission) takes about 3 months or so. You'll spend about 9 weeks in with Lockheed Martin doing the academic and WST (simulator) phase. During phase one academics, you'll do a few CFTs (Cockpit Familiarization Trainers) and CPTs (Cockpit Procedures Trainers), and then progress to the WST (Weapons System Trainer...fancy way of saying simulator). You will do most of your checkride in the simulator, as well as your EPE (Emergency Procedures Eval).

Then you come down to the flightline, and you get about six training events (one flight is usually 2 events...each event is 1.25 hours of flying time). The first couple events are right seat landings doing 100% and 50% landings. Then you do at least one night event (often two), and then finish the last two events during the day. The last four events are typically in the left seat, and comprise the standard 100% and 50% landings as well as 0% flap landings and 3-engine landings. Unless the weather goes IFR, you likely won't do any instrument work in the actual airplane...all of that is done in the sim these days (to the detriment of student training, IMHO). So get ready for 2.5 hours of touch-n-gos in the LRF pattern.

Once you complete the six training events and recommend, you'll do your "landing check", and you'll be done. If you're going to an airframe that does airdrop of some kind, you'll complete either level 2 (single ship vis airdrop) or levels 2-3 (formation vis and SKE formation airdrop). If you're an EC-130/AC-130 student, it's level 1 only.

Hope this helps.

[JG130fe]

Not to hijack the thread, but how long is the level 2 and 3 Tac stuff and what kind of flying/sim does it consist of?

Thanks

[Spinner]

Not to hijack the thread, but how long is the level 2 and 3 Tac stuff and what kind of flying/sim does it consist of?

Thanks

About another 3 months. Academics takes a few weeks, about 10 more sims, then off to the flightline to wait on broken aircraft and weather cancels.

[Torch169]

So a ballpark figure for PIQ is roughly around 6 months in duration? Of course, I love the thought of being back in an E-mod for as long as possible but it would be nice to have a rough estimate.

JG, you headin' to LRF or are you lucky enough to head to Dobbins? You know you want to be back in an E and hear the sound of a GTC...

[Guest FansofFury]

I just winged in Corpus and I found out that I'll be TDY to LRAFB enroute to my PCS (Dyess). I know that I'll retain Corpus BAH while I'm in Lock Rock, but what are my other entitlements as far as per diem (off-base)? Will I get full per diem or partial? According to the DOD per-diem web site, full per-diem for Little Rock i $82 for lodging and $54 for M&I, thus making "full per-diem" $136. However everyone I talk to says that full per-diem is $34. I don't know where they are getting that number.

[MacGyver]

I just winged in Corpus and I found out that I'll be TDY to LRAFB enroute to my PCS (Dyess). I know that I'll retain Corpus BAH while I'm in Lock Rock, but what are my other entitlements as far as per diem (off-base)? Will I get full per diem or partial? According to the DOD per-diem web site, full per-diem for Little Rock i $82 for lodging and $54 for M&I, thus making "full per-diem" $136. However everyone I talk to says that full per-diem is $34. I don't know where they are getting that number.

Since government meals are available at Little Rock, the per diem rate that is authorized is only about $10 per day (if you are on base). If billeting on base is full, and they force you off base (non availability slip) then you get the off base rate of $33 per day. If there IS availability on base, and you choose to move off base anyhow, then you are only entitled to the on-base rate of $10 per day. BUT, if you go to student admin, they have a letter that directs the proportional meal rate since our schedules don't actually permit us using the dining hall, and then you will get the $33 per day while living off base without a non-avail slip.

and you will still get the $27 per day for lodging in addition. so $810 per month for an off-base apartment.

Edited May 12, 2008 by MacGyver

[Guest johng934]

Does anyone know what the training is like for MCs (more specifically the whiskey model)

[Guest egovolo]

Does anyone know what the training is like for MCs (more specifically the whiskey model)

You'll be here for phase one and two. The rumor is six weeks of ground school in Hurlburt then flight training at Cannon instead of Kirtland. I'm heading to Cannon as well and if you need more info, PM me.

[Finance_Guy]

BUT, if you go to student admin, they have a letter that directs the proportional meal rate since our schedules don't actually permit us using the dining hall, and then you will get the $33 per day while living off base without a non-avail slip.

Attached is the letter as of Jan 2007.

LR_PMR_LTR_JAN07.pdf