Farewell, Old Girl

[Linda]

Ladies and Germs,

While we in the SOF community bid farewell to one of the most reliable and requested platforms in the Air Force inventory, I invite you to take a moment to glance behind the curtain...

Kind regards to you all.

Et Shado Sancti

Linda

[Linda]

Yeah... you got me. This should probably be attached to the Flying Videos thread.... I've been away for a while... sorry.

M2 & company, please move this as you see fit.

Kind regards,

Linda

[M2]

No worries, Linda, this special tribute deserves a thread of its own!

I embedded the video into your post for you, hope all is well and maybe one of these days we'll get a chance to have that long-overdue beer or two!

Cheers! M2

[herkbier]

Cool video, thanks for posting.

When I was at corpus, I really wanted to get into the MC community. Now I'm a slick J guy, finishing up my first assignment and I'm being told the MC-130J schoolhouse doesn't have a short/transition course available for people like me (and I've also been told the long course isn't an option either..). A long shot, but would anyone here happen to know any more information on why they aren't taking slick J guys or alternative routes I could pursue?

[Linda]

Herkbier,

I can tell you that there SHOULD be a single track C-130J to MC-130J transition course when FY16 dawns. This is probably why you're dealing with the rush of us "legacy" guys who are trying to "beat" you guys through the school house to get trained and rejoin our community as the Shadows retire. Heck... I flew Slicks... and spent nearly 10 years in the MC community... only received my RIP for transition 3 weeks before CSD. Expect shenanigans.

If you're interested in joining the MC-J community, I advise you to continue to make your wishes known. We need you. Let the cookies bake. Always have a "Plan B" on-tap.

Kind regards,

Linda

[Champ Kind]

Welcome to the J, Linda. Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all!

[olevelo]

Cool video, thanks for posting.

When I was at corpus, I really wanted to get into the MC community. Now I'm a slick J guy, finishing up my first assignment and I'm being told the MC-130J schoolhouse doesn't have a short/transition course available for people like me (and I've also been told the long course isn't an option either..). A long shot, but would anyone here happen to know any more information on why they aren't taking slick J guys or alternative routes I could pursue?

They were taking some slick J guys during the early days of the schoolhouse. There were a couple there while I was there flying with them for a bit. But I think they were putting them through the entire course. The procedures for LL and airdrop are a little different, plus you have a CSO now, so it's easier to just train everyone the same way. My guess is that right now there's so many Shadow guys they need to get through there's just no room for slick J folks. Should definitely change though. It'll be just like the old the days where they took a few legacy guys and mixed them in with brand new folks. Young guys are much easier to brainwash after all.

[JarheadBoom]

That was cool!

[arg]

That's how it is at ABQ. You could've flown Herks for 15 years and when you go through they are going to (re)teach you how the gear goes up and down.

[herkbier]

Linda, olevelo, good info, thank you, that sheds more light on what I had been hearing.

I guess I'll hope for the FY16 slots to drop during this next VML. My sq leadership knows I'm interested in going this route, I am unfortunately the impatient kid who has trouble watching the cookies bake..

[zsb]

Linda - well done as always brother, good post and good advice.

Herkbier - stay on it, it's worth it. I don't think I'd have anywhere near the job satisfaction nor desire to prolong my career if I hadn't found my way into the MC-130 and AFSOC community. Good people and the opportunity to be relevant regardless of the way the political or big blue winds are blowing. Maybe not for everyone, but it was definitely the right place for me.

- Zak