The Air Force

[LostProphet]

Well folks, I survived Basic Training. I'm ready to start my Advanced Training at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas. Since I have the experience now, and I opened this idea before I left, does anyone have any questions about the experience?

[Kapnronh]

Congrats and good luck on your advanced training! How long does it take to get through basic traing? What kind of plane are you training with?

[Vegitto4]

Hello will. I see they didn't kill you. What a shame................

I expect to leave in the fall, because almost all the training seats for the summer are full.

::makes plans to enlist this week::

Sgt Swank keeps hounding me to join the army from all those things I had filled out in ROTC. I keep telling him that the Marines are for me, but typical recruiters can't take no very well can they.

What was your baisic day like? What time was revielle and retreat and whatnot

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[quote name='LostProphet']Well folks, I survived Basic Training. I'm ready to start my Advanced Training at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas. Since I have the experience now, and I opened this idea before I left, does anyone have any questions about the experience?[/quote]

[color=violet]Way to go! Of course, I'm an Army wife,albeit with a retired Air Froce father, but. Hey, you survived Chair Force Basic Training! Just Kidding!

Well, I know enough about army basic with the Drill Segeants yelling in your face every ten seconds. So what I want to know is if you have any good stories? When my dad was going thru basic at Lackland down by San Antonio they had to cancel PT a few times because it got too hot in the morning, did that happen to you? Did you steal another team's flag from their tent? Or did some guy decide to wax the floor and you and your battle buddy ended up going to chow in the same BDU shirt then your DS decided you should be called the wonder twins? Those are the things I want to know.

I know that while in basic my husband was excited about getting to throw grenades and stuff, what was your favorite part of basic? I know that's some sort of oxymoron, but hey, it's still a good question. Also, I'm curious, what is your MOS and what did you get on your test? (I forgot the name of it, but I know my husband got a 128 which is pretty good) Okay, those are my questions, and you'd better have done soemthing funny.

On a final note, when they give you a chance to chose your next duty station after your over seas tour try to get stationed at Ft. NEllis AFB since it's right off the Las Vegas strip or Lackland AFB outside of San Antonio because if you have to live at a military post, you may as well ive near a large city. And that's speaking from personal experiance.

Well, congratulations and way to go, now all you have to do is go thru AIT where you learn your MOS and then (unless your a reservist) you get to go over seas. I hope you make it thru your enlistment and make a good life for yourself!

Best Wishes,
Chibi Horsewoman

after thought: As for joining the MArines, if you really want togo for it, but it's one of the most gruelling basic training corses in the military. Of course, on teh plus side, the Marines and the AF treat their families pretty well if you happen to get married while you're still enlisted that should be a good thing to consider. But hey you want the USMC-more power to ya, just be prepared to sweat it out!

Oh and recuiters don't really understand no, they understand yes sir/ma'am and what exactly does that MOS [i]really[/i] involve.[/color]

[LostProphet]

OK, I'll start knocking these out one at a time....

Kap: Basic Training is 6 and a half weeks. It seems easier, but the MTIs are trying to pack as much information in that 6.5 weeks as the Marines are in 13 weeks (Lets say it together....They're Slow). Anyhow, Advanced Training can be anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 years, depending on the job you're going into. Mine is 17 weeks, 2 days. I don't know which Aircraft I'll be working on yet, but I'm praying to be based over in Germany or Japan (1st Rate Anime to anyone who asks for it....)

V4: Lots of Drill and Ceremonies, Waiting and Getting things done in general. Reveille was at 0445 on the weekdays (although my flight was up at 0400 most of the time anyway), and at 0545 on the weekends. May seem harsh, but you get used to it fast. Recruiters mean nothing. All they want is numbers.

Chibi: Since I went through in January and February, we did PRT every day. If it was too cold, we'd do it under an overhang, which was still outside.

Our Dorm Chief actually walked around in nothing but his dress shoes, web belt, canteen and flight cap while singing 'Shes a Maniac'. Oh yeah, we we're bored.

My AFSC (Air Force Equivalent of MOS) is 2A616, or Aircraft Electrical and Enviromental Systems Helper. I'll be upgraded to an apprentice once I complete my Tech School. As for my favorite part, definetly had to be Combat Arms Training. I qualified on an M16A2 usuing 5.56mm ball ammo. I can carry a wepon if I ever get sent to Iraq, god forbid.

We don't really get to pick our station, but during the Second week ot training (WOT), we got to fill out a wish list as to where we wanted to go. I'll most likely go overseas, as I want to and the military normally picks those types first. I chose 3 years overseas if I go over....smart move Will.

I'll field more questions...I actually like doing this....

[Vegitto4]

We may be slow, but we blow things up darn good[/marine speak]

It's ok though will, as long as you cover my[explative], i'll cover yours. I'll be a sniper, so i can always pick off those people controlling the Anti-air guns.

:p

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[QUOTE=LostProphet]
Our Dorm Chief actually walked around in nothing but his dress shoes, web belt, canteen and flight cap while singing 'Shes a Maniac'. Oh yeah, we we're bored.[/QUOTE]

[color=darkviolet]OMG! :ROTFL:that's even better than the story my husband told me from basic @ Ft.Sill. All that happened was him and a battle buddy had to wear the same shirt (he had to wear his battle buddy's) and his DS talked with another DS and said that they had to be called the wonder twins. AIT was better, he fell asleep on a toilet[/color]

[quote name='LostProphet']My AFSC (Air Force Equivalent of MOS) is 2A616, or Aircraft Electrical and Enviromental Systems Helper. I'll be upgraded to an apprentice once I complete my Tech School. As for my favorite part, definetly had to be Combat Arms Training. I qualified on an M16A2 usuing 5.56mm ball ammo. I can carry a wepon if I ever get sent to Iraq, god forbid.[/quote]

[color=darkviolet] I was curious about that one, my husband is 31Fox basically a gloryfied phone/radio operator who tells the infantry who to shoot at. AIT is a lot better than Basic, you get more freedom, even if you do have to go to the phones with a buddy as tho you're a kindergartner.

I'm not sure how the AF does it, but the Army lets you wear Civies and go off post when you make phase5 (you had phases in basic too right?) Hopefully Witchita Falls isn't as bad as Killeen-if it is, save some money and maybe you and some friends can do Dallas.

I really hope you don't get sent to Iraq since that'll be bad. However, if you do go, it'll only be as an occupying force, kind of like our bases in Korea.[/color]

[quote name='LostProphet']We don't really get to pick our station, but during the Second week ot training (WOT), we got to fill out a wish list as to where we wanted to go. I'll most likely go overseas, as I want to and the military normally picks those types first. I chose 3 years overseas if I go over....smart move Will.[/quote]

[color=darkviolet]I think they let you put in your wish list for your next duty station during your over seas tour of duty. Of course, most of the soldiers at Hood were from Korea or Germany. So, maybe putting in a wish list isn't all it's cracked up to be.

We had a few friends who came over to Hood from Germany. One family hated it she said it was nasty and people don't seem to bathe as much. The other family loved it.

If you decided to reenlist when your third year is up, be firm or be single. The guy my husband talked to said the only way he'd get stationed state side at Drum was if he spent a year in Korea after his year+ in Iraq. He probably would have done it if he wasn't married

You said you wanted to do more questions, what was the most annoying thing you had to do in Basic? Come to think of it, where did you have basic? Oh and do you think you'd ever try to go for soldier of the month then take the test to be an NCO?[/color]

[LostProphet]

OK, lets see here...

Oure Chow Runner fell asleep on the toilet. He was smart though. He got a good hour in before anyone noticed.

We can't civvies during BASIC. Here's the phase system in Tech:

Phase 1: Uniform all day, stay on post, no car, Call to Quarters 2200-0400, No Alcohol, No Tobacco (that part killed me)
Phase 2: Civvies after Duty Day, Blues off base, no car, Call to quarters same except weekends (2400-0400), Alcohol on weekends out of uniform, no tobacco
Phase 3: Same as phase 2; exceptions are tobacco is allowed, can drive, and no limits on the weekends
Phase 4: Absolute Freedom


I'd answer more, but I have about 20 minutes to get back. Please field some more. It's good educating people on this.

[Ozymandius Jones]

It was my dream about a year ago to enter the Air Force... and then I found out my eyes were too bad. I have a question, though...did you have to do the gas tent thing? When I was researching the Air Force, I found that they reinstated that early last year. And also, could the Drill Sargeant people really get you in trouble for eating too fast? What are you going into the training for? I wanted to do radio communications...