Well...it's time to fill out my dream sheet.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Only 3 more months til my winging. Time to fill out my dream sheet. Here's my options (assignment options in parenthesis):

http://digilander.libero.it/aereiemissili/images/E3/E-3-042.jpg
1. E-3 (Tinker AFB, OK; Elmendorf AFB, AK; Kadena AB, Japan)

http://www.globalaircraft.org/photos/planephotos/kc-135_1.jpg
2. KC-135 (McConnell AFB, KS)

http://z.about.com/d/usmilitary/1/0/g/8/hc-130p.jpg
3. HC-130 (Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, Moody AFB, GA)

http://www.aviationexplorer.com/aircraft_thumbs/e8_1.jpg
4. E-8 (Robbins AFB, GA)

http://www.ccc.nps.navy.mil/images/si/nukesGulf_B-52H.jpg
5. B-52 (Barksdale AFB, LA; Minot AFB, ND)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/C130H.JPG/800px-C130H.JPG
6. C-130 (Little Rock AFB, AR; Dyess AFB, TX; Yokota AB, Japan; Ramstein AB, Germany)

http://www.militarypictures.info/d/312-3/RC-135.jpg
7. RC-135 (Offut AFB, NE)

http://www.jesseshunting.com/images/AC-130-headon-fire-night-med.jpg
8. AC-130 (Hurlburt Field, FL; Cannon AFB, NM)

http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/imgs/mc130p.jpg
9. MC-130 (Eglin AFB, FL; Cannon AFB, NM)

http://www.ausairpower.net/EC-130H-Compass-Call-1S.jpg
10. EC-130 (Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ)

I could possibly know before Christmas...but defintely by the MNC game in January.

Any suggestions?

[jk the sooner fan]

where are the iraq/afghanistan options?

[Lott's Bandana]

With an old man that is a retired KC-135 pilot (was flying them when I was borned, in 1960!, amazing aircraft that 707 airframe, over 47 years!), and myself a retired submariner, my .02 cents would be stay away from the missions that have you orbiting for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours. Frankly, that's not flying. Not taking anything away from the S'tanker drivers, the Boomer and the receiving Pilot do all the skill flying for a hookup. As far as a TACAMO type or AWACS assignment? Same type of mission.

It is my understanding that all Herky-Jerk pilots want in in the gunship. Flying C-130 missions are point to point, varying fields to land, varying payloads. More interesting. More actual "flying". Still a multi-engine ride but granted, not Pratt and Whitney's.

Hmmmmm.

AC-130
MC/HC/C-130
E-3
KC-135 (so you always have a Reserve job if you want it)

No KC-10 option? Travis would be a great assignment.


Good luck in your choice...you will look back at any assignment with pride.

Salute

[olevetonahill]

Do you know why 2nd louies get fraged ?

[SoonerStormchaser]

KC-10's, C-17's and C-5's no longer have navs.

[Lott's Bandana]

KC-10's, C-17's and C-5's no longer have navs.


Really? Did GPS eliminate them as it became incorporated into those aircraft's avionics?

If so, I presume you can't do that on the platforms you have as options?

Interesting. Especially to a submarine navig8r!

[Harry Beanbag]

I remember filling out my dream sheet. I got my first choice but it was more like a nightmare instead of a dream. Good luck!

[1stTimeCaller]

Does it really matter where you're stationed at? I thought folks in the heavies spent most of their time deployed.

Good luck and I hope you get the airframe that you want!

[BoomerSooner07]

DM, Hurbie, Ramstein, and Eglin are the best IMO. I was at Mildenhall and Ramstein ( both were amazing) before coming back here to Tinker. AWACS are pretty cool, lots of good TDYs to good per diem places. There's the 95th RS detachment (if you like the RC's) at Mildenhall that would be a pretty good job. I've had buddies that said Japan was their best assignment ever.

[Rogue]

I'd love to go to Japan. Been to Ft. Bliss/Dyess AFB in El Paso. It's not up to much.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Ummm...Dyess is in Abeline.

What was your plane, Harry?

[StoopTroup]

I think Japan or Germany would be the best if you can't have a post that allows you to see the Greatest Show on Earth in Norman.

[Rogue]

Ummm...Dyess is in Abeline.

What was your plane, Harry?

That's right. Biggs AAF is in El Paso I think.
Well, Abilene sucks even worse than EP. In a nutshell I guess my advice is avoid West Texas.

[KABOOKIE]

AC-130. Go throw some lead at them Aaayrabs.

[Okla-homey]

D00d,
The only airplane on that slate that will not result in a divorce is the BUFF. The OPSTEMPO and deployment rates on the others are, well, devastating to "family life."

Again, if I had a "nedy" wife, which it appears you do, you better ask for the BUFF. And you'll get it too. When guys ask for those, the assignments guys yell "woo-hoo!"

[usmc-sooner]

I would love mainland Japan but not Kadena in Okinawa

[Harry Beanbag]

What was your plane, Harry?


No plane, I was dreaming about ships.



http://www.bluejacket.com/usn/images/sp/bc/cgn41_arkansas.jpg
http://www.cgn41.com/images/cgn41_patch.jpg

[Harry Beanbag]

Oh, I thought Japan sucked BTW.

[SoonerStormchaser]

D00d,
The only airplane on that slate that will not result in a divorce is the BUFF. The OPSTEMPO and deployment rates on the others are, well, devastating to "family life."

Again, if I had a "nedy" wife, which it appears you do, you better ask for the BUFF. And you'll get it too. When guys ask for those, the assignments guys yell "woo-hoo!"


Actually sir, AFPC has kinda hinted that there won't be too many Buff slots this year. Historically, if you want AWACS or KC-135's, that's where they go "woo-hoo." In fact, my former class (I rolled back a class so I could go home and take care of some legal needs with my wife) is gonna get their assignments tomorrow...and they've got a MANDATORY AWACS drop. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Deployment rates for the Buff are the lowest right now...but deployment rates for all the planes (save the AFSOC planes, which are gone all the time) have been up and down in recent years, you can't really predict your deployments anymore.

[LilSooner]

What ever you do. DO NOT CHOSE DYESS! Abilene is the suck. And you will never get transfered out of there.

[Okla-homey]

Actually sir, AFPC has kinda hinted that there won't be too many Buff slots this year. Historically, if you want AWACS or KC-135's, that's where they go "woo-hoo." In fact, my former class (I rolled back a class so I could go home and take care of some legal needs with my wife) is gonna get their assignments tomorrow...and they've got a MANDATORY AWACS drop. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Deployment rates for the Buff are the lowest right now...but deployment rates for all the planes (save the AFSOC planes, which are gone all the time) have been up and down in recent years, you can't really predict your deployments anymore.

I know you think they're giving you the straight dope and you guys got it all figured out, but...you don't. I didn't when I was in your shoes. Heck, I actually believed UFT assignments were centrally managed. Newsflash, your school chain-of-command just fills in the spaces Randolph provides. Therefore, pray you haven't p1ssed anyone off there in the schoolhouse.

Anyhoo, plan on at least 220 days on the road out of 365 if you get any of those beasts on that list other than Bongo Five Two. You better start preparing that woman because this cushy student life where you can run home all the time and "take care of needs" etc. is about to come to a screeching halt.

You need to ask yourself if you are prepared to say Mission First, Family Second. If not, you're in the wrong line of work bub. From what I've read of the stuff you've posted so far during your training, including this self-induced washback you mention, you got some growing up to do in that department. Frankly, when I was a commander, that crap played once or twice, then I started discretely easing the guy out of the service. How pray tell? Simple. Just fix it so the guy doesn't advance. In an "up or out" system, you can torpedo a guy and he'll never know what hit him until it's too late. I'm not saying this to be cruel. To the contrary, I'm saying it to be kind.

[olevetonahill]

Homawned again

[SoonerStormchaser]

Yah...I know. Actually, I'm leaning towards AWACS and Tinker, cause it's the only way I can get Elmendorf, which is my dream assignment.

And sir, you wouldn't believe the soap operas going on down here. My story is tame compared to a lot of others.

[Okla-homey]

Yah...I know. Actually, I'm leaning towards AWACS and Tinker, cause it's the only way I can get Elmendorf, which is my dream assignment.

And sir, you wouldn't believe the soap operas going on down here. My story is tame compared to a lot of others.

I call BS. You want Tinker so she can stay in OKC. Be honest.

Who in their right mind, if given a choice, would want to bore flippin' holes in the sky at FL430? It's like NASCAR, without the wrecks and hot redneck chicks. Oh, and you would be in a squadron filled with a bunch of people you most definitely would NOT have wanted to hang-out with in high school. Geek-o-meter on those aft-end scope dopes is barber-poled.

[Ike]

which one is the cargo plane full of rubber dog**** out of Hong Kong?

;)

[SoonerStormchaser]

Ok...for the love of God...this isn't about my wife! She wants to move (especially to Alaska) just as much as I do. The problem is the damned Oklahoma courts dictating where my stepdaughter can move to, even though she's living with us full time. Hopefully, that should be done and over with by the time I graduate.

Does AWACS have a boring *** mission as far as the nav is concerned? Hell yes. About the only mission that's heavily nav oriented are the C-130 and their variants...and I'm really hesitant to go anywhere near those due to the fact that I'll have to risk being stationed at the ****holes of Little Rock AFB, Dyess AFB and Cannon AFB.

As of right now, after talking to my wife and my parents (they're both ex-AF officers, so I do heavily weigh their advice) I'm leaning towards these planes for my list:

1. E-3
Pros: It solves the step-daughter/ex-husband/court battle issue. I do two years at Tinker, then I can go to Elmendorf or Kadena for another four years. They also have a decent amount of slots for UPT if I decide to do that later on (I'd like to keep that on the back burner). I also have quite a few friends from OTS who are there as ABM's, so the connections are already there. Deployments to South America moreso than the sandbox and last up to 90 days. The time off can allow me to work on my Masters degree (cause the AF finally upped and admitted what we already know...if you hope to make Major, you need a Masters).
Cons: BORING *** MISSION for a Nav. The only things the nav does are basically control air-refueling and get the plane from the base to the orbit. Missions can last up to 20 hours.

2. KC-135
Pros: Kickass mission. Since the only KC-135's that still have navs are the SOAR (Special Ops Air Refueling) mission planes, they rely heavily on the navs to run the AR's at low level. You go TDY to lots of kickass places (Guam, Curacao, Diego Garcia, Nellis). According to the guys at McConnell, you are heavily encouraged to go to UPT after 4 years up there.
Cons: The deployment rates SUCK (up to 180 days per year in the desert)! There are worse places that I could be at than Wichita, but it's hard to do an ENTIRE CAREER there.

3. HC-130
Pros: The mission kicks ***! You refuel all the SAR choppers and do low level SAR operations. Tucson isn't a bad location either.
Cons: Unstable deployment rates. It could be for 30 days or 180 days.

4. E-8
Pros: It's a jet...it's the AWACS for the ground.
Cons: Do I really want to spend my career at Robins? Unstable deployment rates.

5. B-52
Pros: You get to bomb a lot of ****. The deployments are the lowest among aircrews and go to some kickass places (Andersen, Diego, RAF Fairford).
Cons: Minot...enough said.




And Homey...sir, I know quite a bit about how an AF officer's career can be torpedoed. I watched it happen to my mother fifteen years ago.

[Lott's Bandana]

Who in their right mind, if given a choice, would want to bore flippin' holes in the sky at FL430? It's like NASCAR, without the wrecks and hot redneck chicks.


Do ya always have to turn left, General?

[GottaHavePride]

2. KC-135
Pros: Kickass mission. Since the only KC-135's that still have navs are the SOAR (Special Ops Air Refueling) mission planes, they rely heavily on the navs to run the AR's at low level. You go TDY to lots of kickass places (Guam, Curacao, Diego Garcia, Nellis). According to the guys at McConnell, you are heavily encouraged to go to UPT after 4 years up there.
Cons: The deployment rates SUCK (up to 180 days per year in the desert)! There are worse places that I could be at than Wichita, but it's hard to do an ENTIRE CAREER there.



Wichita was not happy when they shifted us from the bomber wing to the tankers.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Welcome to teh wurld of BRAC there GHP.

[jk the sooner fan]

go where the toughest job is

thats the easiest recipe for success in any branch of the military

[Mongo]

which one is the cargo plane full of rubber dog**** out of Hong Kong?

;)

nicely played:D

[SoonerStormchaser]

To answer that question posed by Ike: the C-130

[critical_phil]

if you're calling diego garcia and guam "kickass" places, i'm guessing you've never been to either.

if it were me, i'd pick eglin. it wouldn't even be close.

[afs]

Oh, and you would be in a squadron filled with a bunch of people you most definitely would NOT have wanted to hang-out with in high school. Geek-o-meter on those aft-end scope dopes is barber-poled.

Just as many geeks/nerds in the E-8 community as well. Can't stand listening to both of them swap combat stories while their serving their ground tours. :rolleyes:

[afs]

Ok...for the love of God...this isn't about my wife! She wants to move (especially to Alaska) just as much as I do. The problem is the damned Oklahoma courts dictating where my stepdaughter can move to, even though she's living with us full time. Hopefully, that should be done and over with by the time I graduate.

Does AWACS have a boring *** mission as far as the nav is concerned? Hell yes. About the only mission that's heavily nav oriented are the C-130 and their variants...and I'm really hesitant to go anywhere near those due to the fact that I'll have to risk being stationed at the ****holes of Little Rock AFB, Dyess AFB and Cannon AFB.

As of right now, after talking to my wife and my parents (they're both ex-AF officers, so I do heavily weigh their advice) I'm leaning towards these planes for my list:

1. E-3
Pros: It solves the step-daughter/ex-husband/court battle issue. I do two years at Tinker, then I can go to Elmendorf or Kadena for another four years. They also have a decent amount of slots for UPT if I decide to do that later on (I'd like to keep that on the back burner). I also have quite a few friends from OTS who are there as ABM's, so the connections are already there. Deployments to South America moreso than the sandbox and last up to 90 days. The time off can allow me to work on my Masters degree (cause the AF finally upped and admitted what we already know...if you hope to make Major, you need a Masters).
Cons: BORING *** MISSION for a Nav. The only things the nav does are basically control air-refueling and get the plane from the base to the orbit. Missions can last up to 20 hours.

2. KC-135
Pros: Kickass mission. Since the only KC-135's that still have navs are the SOAR (Special Ops Air Refueling) mission planes, they rely heavily on the navs to run the AR's at low level. You go TDY to lots of kickass places (Guam, Curacao, Diego Garcia, Nellis). According to the guys at McConnell, you are heavily encouraged to go to UPT after 4 years up there.
Cons: The deployment rates SUCK (up to 180 days per year in the desert)! There are worse places that I could be at than Wichita, but it's hard to do an ENTIRE CAREER there.

3. HC-130
Pros: The mission kicks ***! You refuel all the SAR choppers and do low level SAR operations. Tucson isn't a bad location either.
Cons: Unstable deployment rates. It could be for 30 days or 180 days.

4. E-8
Pros: It's a jet...it's the AWACS for the ground.
Cons: Do I really want to spend my career at Robins? Unstable deployment rates.

5. B-52
Pros: You get to bomb a lot of ****. The deployments are the lowest among aircrews and go to some kickass places (Andersen, Diego, RAF Fairford).
Cons: Minot...enough said.




And Homey...sir, I know quite a bit about how an AF officer's career can be torpedoed. I watched it happen to my mother fifteen years ago.

You really need to take a hard look at the mission of the various units you could be assigned to and not focus on the location. You'll be spending 10-12+ hours a day at work around the same people doing the same mission. You can make any location enjoyable - not so easy when it comes to your unit, especially as an Lt.