B-52 (BUFF) info

[scoobs]

When your not flying are you in the office all day?And are deployments still 120 days?

[Mitch Weaver]

When your not flying are you in the office all day?

Pretty much. You'll be busy with additional duties, ground training, your functional job (training flt, W&T, SELO, scheduling), testing, travel vouchers, and all the queepy stuff you don't get a chance to do when you're mission planning or flying.

And are deployments still 120 days?

Yes. With some exceptions, most guys are gone for the standard AEF rotation which is now 4 months.

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

I'll give the Buff selling a go...

But first let me answer the FTU question, yes after UPT and survival you will report to the 11th BS at Barksdale to begin your Buff FTU. Deployments right now are 4 months (at a tropical island) and then back home for 10-12. Most of the community is laid back and easy going, there are some who aren't, but no ones perfect. We like to push it up at the O club on Friday nights still.

Now on to the aircraft. What other combat oriented aircraft has proven itself with the war record of the buff? Who out there can loiter for eternity waiing for the go call? Who else can carry the diversity of weapons in one sortie?

The answer: no one else can!

We may not be as pretty or as fast but we come with the thunder and a lot of it. When some smaller faster guys drop and get out we drop and orbit and wait for the next target. When someone needs options, we have them (JDAM, WCMD, JASSM, JSOW, CALCM, ALCM,... and the list goes on). All US aircraft are fantastic, none should be rated better than the other. Everyone is extremely proud of what they do, and they should be. Let me tell you that if you come to the Buff community, you won't break the speed of sound, but you'll be in the shit with everyone else.

[Guest sickels101]

I know there is stuff out there but I just wanted to get a fresh perspective on the BUFF community. Mainly about the FTU and what a typical mission is like. How long does it take to upgrade to AC and to be combat ready. Anything anyone can offer would be great.

[Guest Walter_Sobchak]

The FTU is sevenish months long for initial qual guys. There are five blocks, four of which are on the flightline. Block 0 is run by civil contract instructors, block 1 is basic performance and handling leading to a basic instrument form 8 check, block 2 is non maneuvering bomb runs and basic employment, block 3 integrates defensive action bomb runs and culminates in a mission check, block 4 is a topoff for formations, fighter intercepts, and SIOP. A typical FTU sortie probably averages around 6 hours. My longest flight in the schoolhouse was a 7.8. As far as upgrades go, cos typically move to the left seat in about 18-24 months after getting to an ops squadron. Much of that is based on unit manning and upgrade slot availability.

[barney]

This is a question for anybody that has any useful insight to life on the BUFF. Pros, cons, deployment rates, PCS's, lifestyle, family life, opportunities, is Minot really that bad? I am in UNT and trying to figure out my options, how bad would it be to eject downwards? I've heard that the EW is kind of a bastard, is this true? What could a new guy on the crew expect? Thanks in advance for your insight.

[Beaver]

We get a lot of Buff EWO's that volunteer to be ALO's after about 2 years of flying. That should tell you something.

[Toasty]

If you're here at the 562d now, you are surrounded by buff navs/EWO's. Just ask them. When you get into Ops, you'll learn more about the EWO house.

There should be a couple buffs in our drop on Friday as well

[Cell Dweller]

A general answer to what happens with new guys in the squadron: they get the 'opportunity' to do the day-to-day stuff around the squadron. That is the ancilliary duties like being the Voting POC, or running the snack bar, or whatever little things need to be done around the squadron. This allows the n00bs to build a reputation as being dependable, or not being. I have no BUFF-related experience, unfortunately, except to say that if you get into that community you'll run across some P-cola-trained navs that either went through training a while ago, or were part of last fiscal year's screw up that dropped B-52's at P-cola. Not that that is important or significant, just FYI.

[BlackJetDriver]

This is a question for anybody that has any useful insight to life on the BUFF. Pros, cons, deployment rates, PCS's, lifestyle, family life, opportunities, is Minot really that bad? I am in UNT and trying to figure out my options, how bad would it be to eject downwards? I've heard that the EW is kind of a bastard, is this true? What could a new guy on the crew expect? Thanks in advance for your insight.

Although this may sound harsh, very few could disagree with

Pros - Few and far between (Crew concept, you are a bomb dropping platform, lots o weapons to play with, they have their own traveling band, 47th section, patch cord music, for the most part many relaxed crewdogs, jamming platform from hell, chicks dig the BUFF, okay maybe not..... okay definately not)

Cons - Many (Long durations, old stinky jet, NORIs, CORIs, NSIs, SAC dinosaurs, Vault rats, Cold ass winters (Minot), hot ass summers (Barksdale), Drag chutes, Tip gear, Engines that leak continuously, Radios that are nearly inop in any type of weather, manual fuel balancing, no more low level, ejection seats that may not work "Right, Lock, Left, Find a hole and go... WTF?" and finally a radar cross section the size of a small city on coastal shore with heavy land/water contrast

Deployment - OK, usually one four month "TDY" to somewhere other than the sandbox, every 20 months, not bad given the locations

PCS's - Barksdale / Minot It's a toss up... Take your pick, both have good and bad. Single? Go to Barksdale. Married? Minot may not be bad.

Lifestyle - Oh I don't know, Normal CAF squadron 30 officers in a squadron, BUFF squadron try ~100 officers. There is free time if you are looking for it

EW is a bastard? - Sorry fact of life, learn to love loading mode 4, carrying all the crypto, listening to beeps and squeaks, accept being ignored in the target area, learning to cry when you run out of 900 bundles of chaff and most of all learn to ignore the copilot bitching about how much he doesn't get to fly while he is sitting at guns.

Sorry, just the truth

my $.02

Good luck

BJD

[B52gator]

This is a question for anybody that has any useful insight to life on the BUFF. Pros, cons, deployment rates, PCS's, lifestyle, family life, opportunities, is Minot really that bad? I am in UNT and trying to figure out my options, how bad would it be to eject downwards? I've heard that the EW is kind of a bastard, is this true? What could a new guy on the crew expect? Thanks in advance for your insight.

barney

I'm a BUFF guy so my opinion is a little one-sided. I am bombardier (refuse to say radar nav) in the mighty BUFF and I do love it. For a nav type, it is one of the better jets (except mabye Beagles and Gunships) to be in. Obviously you'll start out as a nav and after two years or so you'll move over to the left seat to be the bombardier. Being a nav on the jet is just that, being the nav. Get the jet to where it is supposed to go and get it there on time. Easy enough right? Navs stay pretty busy navigating and helping the bombardier with weaponeering. A typical training sortie is 5-7 hours with A/R, Missiles (CALCM, JASSM), our "smart" weapons (JDAM, WCMD), and good old fashioned gravity bombs (M117, Mk-82). The sortie usually ends with an hour or so of transition back at home station (which sucks balls for the guys downstairs). We also like to mix it up with Low-Level, FIEs, Mining, and of course our bread and butter NUKES!

CONS...well, they're aren't many for nav types. There are a handful a pilots that despise being in the BUFF, but just about every nav I know likes it. Downstairs with no windows takes some getting used to. Never in my life did I get airsickness until I got into the BUFF. It took a few sorties to get over, but your body and brain get used to it after a bit.

Deployment rates...well like everybody else we're on an AEF cycle. Once every 15-18months or so we'll deploy for about 4 months. If there is a combat deployment or a war going on, then you'll be deployed more. Our deployments spots are nice; Guam, D-Gar, and England (usually only for combat). Most places don't like having a nuke bomber on their ramp.

PCS: The glory days of BUFFs and SAC where there were 20+ BUFF bases throughout the CONUS are long gone. Minot or Barksdale...pick your poison. I'm a Minot guy. Been here 4 years and my wife and I love it. As ANYBODY on this board will tell you, each base is what you make of it. Don't listen to the people who say "Minot sucks" chances are, they've only been here for a TDY. The one squadron we have here is really tight. Great bunch of guys. Most guys get together fri and sat night and go to the bar (if you're into that kinda thing). If you're single, the bar scene isn't that great. There are hotties running around, you just look for them and fight off your bros. If you're a family guy, great place to raise a family. A lot to do and the weather isn't that bad. Gets really cold for a couple weeks in Feb, but that's about it.

Ejecting in ANY aircraft would suck. Guys have ejected downward and lived to tell about it, just make sure the jet is at least 250' AGL any lower than that and you're risking turning yourself into a pile of goo. The BUFF is an extremely safe jet. The last two BUFFs that have crashed (94 Fairchild and 91 DGar) were pilot error. The one in 91 where the navs died (ejected too low) was a compounding pilot error/mechanical problem.

The EW gets a bad rap, go easy on em. During a typical peace-time training mission, they don't play a huge role. Some of them are really good cooks on the jet. But, if the sh!t ever hit the fan and we were in full-up combat...the EW is gonna save everybody's ass. You as a Nav will work with EWs quite a bit when it comes to threats. Most EWs are good guys. But like any jet and any crewdog, there are always a few douchebags out there.

You're at Randolph? I know there are some BUFF dudes down there, ask around. If you need any more info PM me.

PS: How is the Auger Inn these days? That place was the balls just a few years ago. Crud, drunk chicks = , fights. Now I hear it's pretty lame .

Edited March 8, 2007 by b52gator

[theat6bisasham]

Anyone got the real scoop on what's going on at the 11th at KBAD? I'm hearing we PCS to the 11th, and then at some point after starting training we get told if we are staying or going to minot.

Sounds like alot of pain in the butt, keeping us on our toes unable to decide if I should be buying a house or not until we find out - but then what to do until that point..

Anyone?....first hand knowledge if possible...

[pittsdriver]

You will PCS to the 11th and during academics you will find out if you are staying at Barksdale or heading north. Its best to talk to the folks in your class when you get here and see who wants to go where. You put in your preference sheet and then they decide. I would say right now with the new squadron being stood up at Minot, you have about a 80% chance of going north. There have been folks in recent past show up, buy a house and use that as their excuse to stay at KBAD, and that makes the powers to be angry and almost guarantee yourself going north. However, if the drop comes down and they send someone north and they want to stay, they will let folks swap out. We had one guy in our class take a pretty good chunk of money to take someone's place and go north. Best thing to do is get an apartment, as you will be here for a while during the FTU anyhow. If you find out you are staying, buy a house after your lease is up. Are you coming as a Co, EW, or Nav?

Edited January 15, 2009 by Pittsdriver

[JuanDu007]

I'm also nav student looking for info on the Buff. Is the RTU 7 months for pilots and navs or just for pilots? Also how long does it take move from nav to radar nav? Thanks.

[The Beast]

I'm also nav student looking for info on the Buff. Is the RTU 7 months for pilots and navs or just for pilots? Also how long does it take move from nav to radar nav? Thanks.

If theyr'e not doing it in the current class, navs are dual seating as initial qual studs soon. RTU is about 7 months long.

[BQZip01]

If theyr'e not doing it in the current class, navs are dual seating as initial qual studs soon. RTU is about 7 months long.

...more like 8.5-10 (depending on your crew position). I got here the beginning of November and finished mid-July.

[Disco_Nav963]

Thread bump.

E-3 nav transitioning to BUFFs in a spring 2011 class. What's the latest on the KBAD vs KMIB dbreakdown, length/shape (sts) of the Nav/RN pipeline, etc? What things should I keep in my crosscheck showing up and what are the things I'm going to want to do as a young Captain/FNG to really get spun up when I hit the line?

Thanks in advance.

[BQZip01]

Thread bump.

E-3 nav transitioning to BUFFs in a spring 2011 class. What's the latest on the KBAD vs KMIB dbreakdown, length/shape (sts) of the Nav/RN pipeline, etc? What things should I keep in my crosscheck showing up and what are the things I'm going to want to do as a young Captain/FNG to really get spun up when I hit the line?

Thanks in advance.

1. Welcome to the community

2. KMIB v KBAD is about 50/50 when averaged out, but that all depends on mission needs. Sometimes they need more up north/down south (sts) and the classes get skewed one way or the other. Even when standing up the 69th BS, they didn't really send more than 70% north. I'm not going to go into manning issues here. That information isn't necessarily classified, but I'm pretty sure it's kind of sensitive, so I'll err on the side of caution.

3. As with any airframe, you need to get into the books. As a nav/RN you are going to need to know all the specifics of a slew of weapons JDAM, WCMD, LGB, mines, "dumb" bombs, CALCM, ALCM, JASSM, etc plus all of your systems which were created piecemeal from decades of "how can we make this technology work in a BUFF?" The guys at the FTU will give you the information to set you up for success. Study hard, sts, and you'll probably do fine.

4. I too came into the BUFF community as a Capt. PM me and I'll give you my two cents.

[08Dawg]

I just finished the FTU about four months ago, so PM me too, if you want.

[afnav]

Thread bump.

E-3 nav transitioning to BUFFs in a spring 2011 class. What's the latest on the KBAD vs KMIB dbreakdown, length/shape (sts) of the Nav/RN pipeline, etc? What things should I keep in my crosscheck showing up and what are the things I'm going to want to do as a young Captain/FNG to really get spun up when I hit the line?

Thanks in advance.

Congrats. You're following in my footsteps eleven years on. I went straight to the left seat, since I was a senior IN in the 965th.

[Guest buffcopilot2be]

PCSing to Barksdale in April. Looking for a home to rent(3BR+) in North Bossier City or Benton area. It seems there are hardly any rentals in the area (currently in town looking for one). If anyone has any info, that would be great. Thanks.

[BQZip01]

Highly recommend The Reflections of Island Park Condos

https://www.aptshopper.com/Apartment.aspx?AID=89

You are about 7 minutes from the front gate and 12 from the schoolhouse (traffic dependent...I also don't speed, so you can probably make it faster if you really want to)

I lived there for about a year and the place is quite spacious. You'd technically live in Shreveport, but it's so isolated from the rest of the city (swamp between you and the rest of it) that you get the best of both worlds. 5 minutes from the major shopping areas & dining.

Again, highly recommend at least considering it.

[Guest]

Highly recommend The Reflections of Island Park Condos

Again, highly recommend at least considering it.

I highly recommend you whip up a quick 69 slide brief highlighting the benefits. It might really make your recommendation pop.

Technique only, of course.

[BQZip01]

I highly recommend you whip up a quick 69 slide brief highlighting the benefits. It might really make your recommendation pop.

Technique only, of course.

Of course! I also forgot significant quantities of sarcasm!

[08Dawg]

PCSing to Barksdale in April. Looking for a home to rent(3BR+) in North Bossier City or Benton area. It seems there are hardly any rentals in the area (currently in town looking for one). If anyone has any info, that would be great. Thanks.

You might try out in Haughton, as well.