Its time for me to choose my next assignment, it will be my second. My ADP is almost done, but there are little nitpicky things I may throw in based on a few questions.
1. In general, I would like to go to Ramstein like all my friends have. Branching out, there's also Italy, England, and Spain, but I don't really know whats in Spain. Is there a nice location there?
2. Which are the Air Force bases with LASIK (dead last on my priorities but still its a nice-to-have)
I'm also shooting for AFOTEC, because I've been working with Project Management people and what they do is amazing.
Ramstein was a goddamn blast. Italy I've heard mixed things about, but I think those were more job related than actual location.
Spain has Torrejón which I've never heard a goddamn thing about but is close to Madrid (so travel options may be better), and Morón AB which has a funny name.
Soooo... just got an email notifying me of my selection for a PCS.
My service commitment is up on 1 May and I just want to know if I can serve on active duty until then and go to the reserves.
I tried to figure out the Air Force 7-day option (if that's even in play yet) but the thing is necessarily confusing.
If you've still got ADSC but you "7-day opt" you just don't PCS and serve out the additional year at your current location. Happens to a lot of USAFA kids, since they commitment is 5 years instead of 4.
BUT! You only incur another year for a PCS, so why not move and see another part of the world (in theory)? Then you can just have the AF move you back.
Its time for me to choose my next assignment, it will be my second. My ADP is almost done, but there are little nitpicky things I may throw in based on a few questions.
1. In general, I would like to go to Ramstein like all my friends have. Branching out, there's also Italy, England, and Spain, but I don't really know whats in Spain. Is there a nice location there?
2. Which are the Air Force bases with LASIK (dead last on my priorities but still its a nice-to-have)
I'm also shooting for AFOTEC, because I've been working with Project Management people and what they do is amazing.
I always tell folks if you're making a dream sheet or otherwise get a choice in your German base, you pick Spangdahlem. Ramstein, while a tad more convenient, is a fucking monster and will devour your soul. At Spang, you still get all the conveniences of Ramstein since it's only about 45 min away, but you don't have to deal with the BS.
Its time for me to choose my next assignment, it will be my second. My ADP is almost done, but there are little nitpicky things I may throw in based on a few questions.
1. In general, I would like to go to Ramstein like all my friends have. Branching out, there's also Italy, England, and Spain, but I don't really know whats in Spain. Is there a nice location there?
2. Which are the Air Force bases with LASIK (dead last on my priorities but still its a nice-to-have)
I'm also shooting for AFOTEC, because I've been working with Project Management people and what they do is amazing.
I always tell folks if you're making a dream sheet or otherwise get a choice in your German base, you pick Spangdahlem. Ramstein, while a tad more convenient, is a fucking monster and will devour your soul. At Spang, you still get all the conveniences of Ramstein since it's only about 45 min away, but you don't have to deal with the BS.
I suppose that is kind of accurate. I was at the 1st Combat Comm which was on the other side of the flightline, which made things a bit quieter. Though anytime you had a fucking appointment or lunch it made things a bear. Also traffic is pretty bad if you like coming in right on time. I started coming in 30 minutes early to save my sanity.
PSN: jfrofl
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Waffles or whateverPreviously known as, I shit you not, "Waffen"Registered Userregular
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
Congrats on the PT score!
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Waffles or whateverPreviously known as, I shit you not, "Waffen"Registered Userregular
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
Congrats on the PT score!
Is it really that big of a deal on AD? The only time I haven't scored a 300 was when my ROTC BC made me take a PT test a day after I ran a marathon and missed the run by 20 seconds. (Ran a 13:20)
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
Congrats on the PT score!
Is it really that big of a deal on AD? The only time I haven't scored a 300 was when my ROTC BC made me take a PT test a day after I ran a marathon and missed the run by 20 seconds. (Ran a 13:20)
A 300 PT score is a pretty big deal. Some 1SGs even give perks, like a day off, when you score 300.
What was your score on the extended scale?
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Waffles or whateverPreviously known as, I shit you not, "Waffen"Registered Userregular
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
Congrats on the PT score!
Is it really that big of a deal on AD? The only time I haven't scored a 300 was when my ROTC BC made me take a PT test a day after I ran a marathon and missed the run by 20 seconds. (Ran a 13:20)
A 300 PT score is a pretty big deal. Some 1SGs even give perks, like a day off, when you score 300.
What was your score on the extended scale?
I had a 325. My grader was kinda a douche nozzle on the push ups. He kept saying lower to the point where I said, "I'm bouncing off the ground, literally. If I go any lower you're gonna terminate me for laying on the ground". Never understood why some graders Ranger Grade push ups.
Its time for me to choose my next assignment, it will be my second. My ADP is almost done, but there are little nitpicky things I may throw in based on a few questions.
1. In general, I would like to go to Ramstein like all my friends have. Branching out, there's also Italy, England, and Spain, but I don't really know whats in Spain. Is there a nice location there?
2. Which are the Air Force bases with LASIK (dead last on my priorities but still its a nice-to-have)
I'm also shooting for AFOTEC, because I've been working with Project Management people and what they do is amazing.
I always tell folks if you're making a dream sheet or otherwise get a choice in your German base, you pick Spangdahlem. Ramstein, while a tad more convenient, is a fucking monster and will devour your soul. At Spang, you still get all the conveniences of Ramstein since it's only about 45 min away, but you don't have to deal with the BS.
I suppose that is kind of accurate. I was at the 1st Combat Comm which was on the other side of the flightline, which made things a bit quieter. Though anytime you had a fucking appointment or lunch it made things a bear. Also traffic is pretty bad if you like coming in right on time. I started coming in 30 minutes early to save my sanity.
I imagine being a tenant unit would have made a huge difference! I'm in a tenant unit now at a different base and boy is it awesome.
After coming down with Mono, I lost twelve pounds, and my run time suffered to the point of failure (it was a personal mock test,) so a trainer lady with a husband also injured by CrossFit decided to help me out for free. She introduced me to carb-loading and got me doing spinning class. Not only do I have far more energy throughout the day, but I shaved off fifty seconds 72 hours after the change.
I don't know where the weight went though. I haven't been this light since college.
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
Congrats on the PT score!
Is it really that big of a deal on AD? The only time I haven't scored a 300 was when my ROTC BC made me take a PT test a day after I ran a marathon and missed the run by 20 seconds. (Ran a 13:20)
A 300 PT score is a pretty big deal. Some 1SGs even give perks, like a day off, when you score 300.
What was your score on the extended scale?
I had a 325. My grader was kinda a douche nozzle on the push ups. He kept saying lower to the point where I said, "I'm bouncing off the ground, literally. If I go any lower you're gonna terminate me for laying on the ground". Never understood why some graders Ranger Grade push ups.
Because they're either assholes or they haven't read PT FM. Possibly both. Don't wear your PT jacket when doing push ups. It makes it easier for graders to grade you, and it's almost never necessary in Lewis. Bouncing your chest off the ground is technically a no go anyway. If they say anything about 'breaking the plane' then write them off as idiots -- putting your upper arms parallel to ground as required makes a plane.
Oh, and hold off on sewing a PT patch to your uniform (if those are still a thing, don't you guys have new PT uniforms now?). Those are generally as well regarded as the grenade marksmanship badge (don't wear one). Make sure it's a thing everyone else does before you do it.
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
@Waffen
Do Cyber Warfare. That will be hot stuff in the near future (they renamed Fort Gordon to the "Cyber Center of Excellence" or whatever the hell, just some months ago, for god's sake), and super lucrative in the right civilian position. I'm actually working a bit on that civilian side, and will hopefully get hired by a startup soon, knock on wood. I just want someone to blow up a building (with no injuries) with a computer virus to get the market really going.
Also, with a 300+ PT score, if you want, you could consider some of the special mission units after a while (think they look for around O-3ish, but I was enlisted side, so not super sure), which are cool beyond belief. However cool you're imagining, they're cooler than that.
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Waffles or whateverPreviously known as, I shit you not, "Waffen"Registered Userregular
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
@Waffen
Do Cyber Warfare. That will be hot stuff in the near future (they renamed Fort Gordon to the "Cyber Center of Excellence" or whatever the hell, just some months ago, for god's sake), and super lucrative in the right civilian position. I'm actually working a bit on that civilian side, and will hopefully get hired by a startup soon, knock on wood. I just want someone to blow up a building (with no injuries) with a computer virus to get the market really going.
Also, with a 300+ PT score, if you want, you could consider some of the special mission units after a while (think they look for around O-3ish, but I was enlisted side, so not super sure), which are cool beyond belief. However cool you're imagining, they're cooler than that.
That's the thing though. I always score high on those PT Tests, but I hate that infantry life style of sleeping in the same clothes and walking every after a few days. I kinda just mentally stop giving a crap, zone out, and act like a retard. Unless of course that's the norm and its all about harnessing that suck and making it productive...
Because they're either assholes or they haven't read PT FM. Possibly both. Don't wear your PT jacket when doing push ups. It makes it easier for graders to grade you, and it's almost never necessary in Lewis. Bouncing your chest off the ground is technically a no go anyway. If they say anything about 'breaking the plane' then write them off as idiots -- putting your upper arms parallel to ground as required makes a plane.
Oh, and hold off on sewing a PT patch to your uniform (if those are still a thing, don't you guys have new PT uniforms now?). Those are generally as well regarded as the grenade marksmanship badge (don't wear one). Make sure it's a thing everyone else does before you do it.
Yeah, I did that once when I was still a PFC at Fort Eustis. Years later I still feel silly for doing that. I should burn that PT Shirt...
The S6 Shop is fighting my S1 Shop for possession of me. Apparently scoring a 300 on your first PT test and sitting around being bored all day in the office and being noticed for it not because you're dicking around, but because your a week ahead of schedule is a thing that grabs attention of all the O3s and Squadron XO.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
@Waffen
Do Cyber Warfare. That will be hot stuff in the near future (they renamed Fort Gordon to the "Cyber Center of Excellence" or whatever the hell, just some months ago, for god's sake), and super lucrative in the right civilian position. I'm actually working a bit on that civilian side, and will hopefully get hired by a startup soon, knock on wood. I just want someone to blow up a building (with no injuries) with a computer virus to get the market really going.
Also, with a 300+ PT score, if you want, you could consider some of the special mission units after a while (think they look for around O-3ish, but I was enlisted side, so not super sure), which are cool beyond belief. However cool you're imagining, they're cooler than that.
That's the thing though. I always score high on those PT Tests, but I hate that infantry life style of sleeping in the same clothes and walking every after a few days. I kinda just mentally stop giving a crap, zone out, and act like a retard. Unless of course that's the norm and its all about harnessing that suck and making it productive...
Cyber war outside of doing specialized stuff, should be damn near undeployable, if you want to maintain a stable, office lifestyle.
In terms of SMUs, there's a variety of things out there, and while some of it definitely requires embracing the suck, some of them do cool stuff in places that have regular access to amenities. I can't go into specifics, but I definitely recommend you look around. FWIW, pretty much all of it is (at least what you'd be doing going in from a signal / intel side) "smart" enough to remain interesting, at least to me, though I don't mind sucking with a purpose. The only time it was ever too much for me was the 10 days or so I had dysentery like symptoms. Shitting a hundred times (yes, seriously) in just over a week was really awful. I'm just thankful that the one time I went on a mission while that was going on, a combination of intentional dehydration and a double dose of Pepto saved me and everyone else in the helicopter from having a bad time.
Cyberspace Operations are damn near undeployable....if you're A Shred.
Tech school is highly competitive, and while it always ends with you getting the Cyber badge, only the top ten percent of each class or less get the coveted, lucrative, safe Network Operations or Net Defense positions. The rest are B Shred, who become Base Communications as regular Lts who will never touch a network and spend their first two years looking for something to do. (They put me in a comptroller job for fuck's sake.) I didnt get A Shred, and neither did my friends for their first assignment, but they both got upgraded to A Shred simply by asking for it in their next assignment. One will get to TDY to Florida for six weeks of training to A Shred. The other guy, who was worthless and survived a force management board, got the assignment but will remain as a B Shred because the school was "full" and his assignment does not take priority. So because they got it just by asking, I am doing the same for my next assignment . This will probably be my last chance to do so. I'm hopeful but I dont expect success. But my friend is going to help me mimic her ADP so that I can get it too.
Most of the A Shred assignments are CONUS, but I'm willing to forgo travel and adventure for a while for the doorways that being an A Shred would open up.
Waffles or whateverPreviously known as, I shit you not, "Waffen"Registered Userregular
No Cyber Transfer for me. Need to be at your duty station for 12+ months. I've only been there now for about a month. I also think my bid to move over to S6 is denied. Basically the SXO has been "thinking about it" for the last week now.
We did the projections this week. Currently my unit is at 150% officer strength and if our numbers are correct, we're gonna go even higher. Average wait for a Platoon now is a year, which I'm fine with I guess.
No Cyber Transfer for me. Need to be at your duty station for 12+ months. I've only been there now for about a month. I also think my bid to move over to S6 is denied. Basically the SXO has been "thinking about it" for the last week now.
We did the projections this week. Currently my unit is at 150% officer strength and if our numbers are correct, we're gonna go even higher. Average wait for a Platoon now is a year, which I'm fine with I guess.
Just do what you can, and do it well bro. Eventually a spot will open up and you will get the time you need for career development.
One sad thing about being combat arms is that you learn nothing, absolutely nothing, about the machine that is the Army. You learn how to fight and to lead, but you don't learn what makes the Army tick. I'm still blown away when I crack open a spreadsheet and blow some Majors mind away when I can make data speak to him.
Just march on brother, and learn everything you can. Eventually you'll get what you want. If you need any help - products, systems advice, etc on the S1 side of things - drop me a PM. I got pretty damn good at that job.
In other news, I'm going to Ranger school in April, Jump-master in February. I think I may be sucking up all the good luck in the LT pool. Also I get promoted on Nov. 3.
The pay Jump for O1E to O2E with nine years in ... and adjusted BAH ... times really are good.
Welp, on November my 17D B Shred Position is getting its own AFSC for the purpose of Force Shaping the shit out of us without impacting the precious A Shreds who will now become 17S. The B Shreds are basically leftovers while all the A Shreds separate as soon as possible to take their skills and make six figure salaries in the private sector. The Air Force is actually considering Warrant Officers because of this. All the more reason for me to make one final push to request an upgrade to A Shred for my next assignment. Wish me luck.
Welp, on November my 17D B Shred Position is getting its own AFSC for the purpose of Force Shaping the shit out of us without impacting the precious A Shreds who will now become 17S. The B Shreds are basically leftovers while all the A Shreds separate as soon as possible to take their skills and make six figure salaries in the private sector. The Air Force is actually considering Warrant Officers because of this. All the more reason for me to make one final push to request an upgrade to A Shred for my next assignment. Wish me luck.
I can't speak for Air Force, but I know on Army side, for many, it wasn't even the pay as much as quality of life. I'll "pay" $30,000 / year to stay in the magical faerie tale version of the military that doesn't suck, but I won't pay $30K for the privilege of police calling the parking lot, or having GI parties on the barracks, or stupid shit like that.
Welp, on November my 17D B Shred Position is getting its own AFSC for the purpose of Force Shaping the shit out of us without impacting the precious A Shreds who will now become 17S. The B Shreds are basically leftovers while all the A Shreds separate as soon as possible to take their skills and make six figure salaries in the private sector. The Air Force is actually considering Warrant Officers because of this. All the more reason for me to make one final push to request an upgrade to A Shred for my next assignment. Wish me luck.
I can't speak for Air Force, but I know on Army side, for many, it wasn't even the pay as much as quality of life. I'll "pay" $30,000 / year to stay in the magical faerie tale version of the military that doesn't suck, but I won't pay $30K for the privilege of police calling the parking lot, or having GI parties on the barracks, or stupid shit like that.
Good luck getting into A Shred.
My very good friend says she spoke to the Functional Manager (usually a CGO with the same AFSC at the nearest MAJCOM) about the issue and he told her that A Shred is not a good career move because it locks officers into a keyboard without precious leadership positions. That the career itself needs to change so that Officers can have leadership positions. The need for Officers to hit certain leadership status *and* earn a Masters Degree before they can become a major is the problem.
This article really explains the A Shred B Shred situation before the change next month. I noticed from O3s and up that there's a lot of attitude towards the A Shreds of "hurr hurr those nerds aren't leaders, they need to lead if they want to stay in the Air Force." The reality is they don't want to stay in the Air Force and they don't need to justify their existence and their paycheck and stave off a RIF board with "leadership" (read: deployments and volunteer shit on their own time) like an B Shred does. I am a fucking nerd, I don't want to deploy, I hate volunteering and sports and dudebro CrossFit shit with all of my being, and I want in on this nerdy, leaderless-yet-infinitely-valuable action before they give it to Warrant Officers. If they are needed so badly they'll spend the money or the newly created AFSC will continue to bleed talent.
Worst case scenario, could you transfer to another branch and do the same job, Cantido?
I don't think so. The Navy equivalent would be the 10th Fleet, the largest network warfare organization in the world.
If I don't get it, its not the end of the world. I will just go with my original plan: Europe. But I will be working on the Master's degree at Trident in case I get RIFed so I can leave with as much education as possible.
Worst case scenario, could you transfer to another branch and do the same job, Cantido?
I don't think so. The Navy equivalent would be the 10th Fleet, the largest network warfare organization in the world.
If I don't get it, its not the end of the world. I will just go with my original plan: Europe. But I will be working on the Master's degree at Trident in case I get RIFed so I can leave with as much education as possible.
I'd reconsider Trident and go with more competitive grad program. If you do get out, those degrees may be a liability compared to an asset or even a break-even.
So I'm in a position to pursue some decent salaried work in DC/VA and just never go active duty. In particular I'm eyeing this human effectiveness research scientist at Lockheed Martin. Its for recent grads and it all lines up. I even have the secret clearance already. Suck it, everyone else!
I have no idea what to do with my life. Wait on my butt for a sweet, sweet lucrative contracting career, or risk it for something now that lines up with what I studied in undergrad and be able to stay with my gf.
So I'm in a position to pursue some decent salaried work in DC/VA and just never go active duty. In particular I'm eyeing this human effectiveness research scientist at Lockheed Martin. Its for recent grads and it all lines up. I even have the secret clearance already. Suck it, everyone else!
I have no idea what to do with my life. Wait on my butt for a sweet, sweet lucrative contracting career, or risk it for something now that lines up with what I studied in undergrad and be able to stay with my gf.
Yay?
I feel terrible.
I find that drinking helps desperate situations.
Wait - no; actually that's the opposite.
I'd write out a pro and con list. Honestly there's not really going to be a wrong answer. Just a path that you decide not to take.
That's the shit sandwich of adult life. You have to make choices, and each one you make causes others to fade away.
My major was cognitive science/human behavior stuff. And the Lockheed job specifically asks for a recent cognitive science grad. My gf is in DC for grad school and so am I right now with a full time temp job with her, and my first assignment is in hanscom near Boston.
I mean my previous plan which is still on the table is that I wait around for the AF and, most likely, leave after like 2-3 years when they inevitably ask for volunteers to do so. Or at least transfer to one of the numerous contract positions in the dc area.
Oh and I have a secret clearance. As for separation apparently I could get away clean or do the one weekend a month reserves or guard option. Or maybe stay IRR indefinitely.
I was under the assumption that clearances don't transfer as I'm sure Lockheed would use a different company then the .Gov uses. I have a TS and was told by a Law Enforcment Agency that it wouldn't and it just means that I'm a better canidate, because I have been vetted and have held a clearance.
" I am a warrior, so that my son may be a merchant, so that his son may be a poet.”
― John Quincy Adams
That makes more sense. Well at least what you said is true. Safe assumption is that if you had it before you are still eligible. I mean I don't think I've broken any laws since then...
I was under the assumption that clearances don't transfer as I'm sure Lockheed would use a different company then the .Gov uses. I have a TS and was told by a Law Enforcment Agency that it wouldn't and it just means that I'm a better canidate, because I have been vetted and have held a clearance.
I think this is false (at least my understand/experience)
SCI's don't transfer, but otherwise as long as you are within the active window of an investigation someone can pick you up. This is especially attractive for positions that require the clearance because you have saved them investigation costs.
Maybe.
So I'm in a position to pursue some decent salaried work in DC/VA and just never go active duty. In particular I'm eyeing this human effectiveness research scientist at Lockheed Martin. Its for recent grads and it all lines up. I even have the secret clearance already. Suck it, everyone else!
I have no idea what to do with my life. Wait on my butt for a sweet, sweet lucrative contracting career, or risk it for something now that lines up with what I studied in undergrad and be able to stay with my gf.
Yay?
I feel terrible.
I might go with the job, if it seems cool and the pay is decent. If no bad guys do anything crazy, I think contracting will, er, contract a bit in the future. The best time to make that sweet contracting cash was the better part of a decade ago, when with a little luck, you could pull six figures as a HS grad.
I was under the assumption that clearances don't transfer as I'm sure Lockheed would use a different company then the .Gov uses. I have a TS and was told by a Law Enforcment Agency that it wouldn't and it just means that I'm a better canidate, because I have been vetted and have held a clearance.
I think this is false (at least my understand/experience)
SCI's don't transfer, but otherwise as long as you are within the active window of an investigation someone can pick you up. This is especially attractive for positions that require the clearance because you have saved them investigation costs.
Maybe.
When you leave the service with an active clearance, it becomes inactive. For up to two years any employer can ask to have it activated with no further investigation being necessary. After that you have to go through the whole process again. Also clearances are granted by the government (at least the ones that matter), private companies just foot the bill for the investigation.
I was under the assumption that clearances don't transfer as I'm sure Lockheed would use a different company then the .Gov uses. I have a TS and was told by a Law Enforcment Agency that it wouldn't and it just means that I'm a better canidate, because I have been vetted and have held a clearance.
I think this is false (at least my understand/experience)
SCI's don't transfer, but otherwise as long as you are within the active window of an investigation someone can pick you up. This is especially attractive for positions that require the clearance because you have saved them investigation costs.
Maybe.
When you leave the service with an active clearance, it becomes inactive. For up to two years any employer can ask to have it activated with no further investigation being necessary. After that you have to go through the whole process again. Also clearances are granted by the government (at least the ones that matter), private companies just foot the bill for the investigation.
@Yoshua How have things settled for you? You guys get set up decently in Washington?
Posts
Ramstein was a goddamn blast. Italy I've heard mixed things about, but I think those were more job related than actual location.
Spain has Torrejón which I've never heard a goddamn thing about but is close to Madrid (so travel options may be better), and Morón AB which has a funny name.
If you've still got ADSC but you "7-day opt" you just don't PCS and serve out the additional year at your current location. Happens to a lot of USAFA kids, since they commitment is 5 years instead of 4.
BUT! You only incur another year for a PCS, so why not move and see another part of the world (in theory)? Then you can just have the AF move you back.
I always tell folks if you're making a dream sheet or otherwise get a choice in your German base, you pick Spangdahlem. Ramstein, while a tad more convenient, is a fucking monster and will devour your soul. At Spang, you still get all the conveniences of Ramstein since it's only about 45 min away, but you don't have to deal with the BS.
I suppose that is kind of accurate. I was at the 1st Combat Comm which was on the other side of the flightline, which made things a bit quieter. Though anytime you had a fucking appointment or lunch it made things a bear. Also traffic is pretty bad if you like coming in right on time. I started coming in 30 minutes early to save my sanity.
The Captain for the S6 shop also told me that since we have a 12 month wait for Platoons and that I'd rather go Signal asap to volunteer for a branch transfer to the 17 series (Cyber Warfare) and that he'll even send me to the Signal Schools to help me get there.
Congrats on the PT score!
Is it really that big of a deal on AD? The only time I haven't scored a 300 was when my ROTC BC made me take a PT test a day after I ran a marathon and missed the run by 20 seconds. (Ran a 13:20)
A 300 PT score is a pretty big deal. Some 1SGs even give perks, like a day off, when you score 300.
What was your score on the extended scale?
I had a 325. My grader was kinda a douche nozzle on the push ups. He kept saying lower to the point where I said, "I'm bouncing off the ground, literally. If I go any lower you're gonna terminate me for laying on the ground". Never understood why some graders Ranger Grade push ups.
I imagine being a tenant unit would have made a huge difference! I'm in a tenant unit now at a different base and boy is it awesome.
I don't know where the weight went though. I haven't been this light since college.
Because they're either assholes or they haven't read PT FM. Possibly both. Don't wear your PT jacket when doing push ups. It makes it easier for graders to grade you, and it's almost never necessary in Lewis. Bouncing your chest off the ground is technically a no go anyway. If they say anything about 'breaking the plane' then write them off as idiots -- putting your upper arms parallel to ground as required makes a plane.
Oh, and hold off on sewing a PT patch to your uniform (if those are still a thing, don't you guys have new PT uniforms now?). Those are generally as well regarded as the grenade marksmanship badge (don't wear one). Make sure it's a thing everyone else does before you do it.
Do Cyber Warfare. That will be hot stuff in the near future (they renamed Fort Gordon to the "Cyber Center of Excellence" or whatever the hell, just some months ago, for god's sake), and super lucrative in the right civilian position. I'm actually working a bit on that civilian side, and will hopefully get hired by a startup soon, knock on wood. I just want someone to blow up a building (with no injuries) with a computer virus to get the market really going.
Also, with a 300+ PT score, if you want, you could consider some of the special mission units after a while (think they look for around O-3ish, but I was enlisted side, so not super sure), which are cool beyond belief. However cool you're imagining, they're cooler than that.
That's the thing though. I always score high on those PT Tests, but I hate that infantry life style of sleeping in the same clothes and walking every after a few days. I kinda just mentally stop giving a crap, zone out, and act like a retard. Unless of course that's the norm and its all about harnessing that suck and making it productive...
Yeah, I did that once when I was still a PFC at Fort Eustis. Years later I still feel silly for doing that. I should burn that PT Shirt...
Cyber war outside of doing specialized stuff, should be damn near undeployable, if you want to maintain a stable, office lifestyle.
In terms of SMUs, there's a variety of things out there, and while some of it definitely requires embracing the suck, some of them do cool stuff in places that have regular access to amenities. I can't go into specifics, but I definitely recommend you look around. FWIW, pretty much all of it is (at least what you'd be doing going in from a signal / intel side) "smart" enough to remain interesting, at least to me, though I don't mind sucking with a purpose. The only time it was ever too much for me was the 10 days or so I had dysentery like symptoms. Shitting a hundred times (yes, seriously) in just over a week was really awful. I'm just thankful that the one time I went on a mission while that was going on, a combination of intentional dehydration and a double dose of Pepto saved me and everyone else in the helicopter from having a bad time.
Tech school is highly competitive, and while it always ends with you getting the Cyber badge, only the top ten percent of each class or less get the coveted, lucrative, safe Network Operations or Net Defense positions. The rest are B Shred, who become Base Communications as regular Lts who will never touch a network and spend their first two years looking for something to do. (They put me in a comptroller job for fuck's sake.) I didnt get A Shred, and neither did my friends for their first assignment, but they both got upgraded to A Shred simply by asking for it in their next assignment. One will get to TDY to Florida for six weeks of training to A Shred. The other guy, who was worthless and survived a force management board, got the assignment but will remain as a B Shred because the school was "full" and his assignment does not take priority. So because they got it just by asking, I am doing the same for my next assignment . This will probably be my last chance to do so. I'm hopeful but I dont expect success. But my friend is going to help me mimic her ADP so that I can get it too.
Most of the A Shred assignments are CONUS, but I'm willing to forgo travel and adventure for a while for the doorways that being an A Shred would open up.
We did the projections this week. Currently my unit is at 150% officer strength and if our numbers are correct, we're gonna go even higher. Average wait for a Platoon now is a year, which I'm fine with I guess.
Just do what you can, and do it well bro. Eventually a spot will open up and you will get the time you need for career development.
One sad thing about being combat arms is that you learn nothing, absolutely nothing, about the machine that is the Army. You learn how to fight and to lead, but you don't learn what makes the Army tick. I'm still blown away when I crack open a spreadsheet and blow some Majors mind away when I can make data speak to him.
Just march on brother, and learn everything you can. Eventually you'll get what you want. If you need any help - products, systems advice, etc on the S1 side of things - drop me a PM. I got pretty damn good at that job.
In other news, I'm going to Ranger school in April, Jump-master in February. I think I may be sucking up all the good luck in the LT pool. Also I get promoted on Nov. 3.
The pay Jump for O1E to O2E with nine years in ... and adjusted BAH ... times really are good.
I can't speak for Air Force, but I know on Army side, for many, it wasn't even the pay as much as quality of life. I'll "pay" $30,000 / year to stay in the magical faerie tale version of the military that doesn't suck, but I won't pay $30K for the privilege of police calling the parking lot, or having GI parties on the barracks, or stupid shit like that.
Good luck getting into A Shred.
195 lbs, 196 calories on the elliptical gets me a 90 on the cardio portion.
192 lbs, 201 calories gets me a 75.
That is some nonsense.
My very good friend says she spoke to the Functional Manager (usually a CGO with the same AFSC at the nearest MAJCOM) about the issue and he told her that A Shred is not a good career move because it locks officers into a keyboard without precious leadership positions. That the career itself needs to change so that Officers can have leadership positions. The need for Officers to hit certain leadership status *and* earn a Masters Degree before they can become a major is the problem.
This article really explains the A Shred B Shred situation before the change next month. I noticed from O3s and up that there's a lot of attitude towards the A Shreds of "hurr hurr those nerds aren't leaders, they need to lead if they want to stay in the Air Force." The reality is they don't want to stay in the Air Force and they don't need to justify their existence and their paycheck and stave off a RIF board with "leadership" (read: deployments and volunteer shit on their own time) like an B Shred does. I am a fucking nerd, I don't want to deploy, I hate volunteering and sports and dudebro CrossFit shit with all of my being, and I want in on this nerdy, leaderless-yet-infinitely-valuable action before they give it to Warrant Officers. If they are needed so badly they'll spend the money or the newly created AFSC will continue to bleed talent.
http://www.afcea.org/content/?q=node/11855
I don't think so. The Navy equivalent would be the 10th Fleet, the largest network warfare organization in the world.
If I don't get it, its not the end of the world. I will just go with my original plan: Europe. But I will be working on the Master's degree at Trident in case I get RIFed so I can leave with as much education as possible.
I'd reconsider Trident and go with more competitive grad program. If you do get out, those degrees may be a liability compared to an asset or even a break-even.
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
I have no idea what to do with my life. Wait on my butt for a sweet, sweet lucrative contracting career, or risk it for something now that lines up with what I studied in undergrad and be able to stay with my gf.
Yay?
I feel terrible.
I find that drinking helps desperate situations.
Wait - no; actually that's the opposite.
I'd write out a pro and con list. Honestly there's not really going to be a wrong answer. Just a path that you decide not to take.
That's the shit sandwich of adult life. You have to make choices, and each one you make causes others to fade away.
Do you still have to be in the reserves or was your commitment waived?
Also the gf is...not in DC?
I mean my previous plan which is still on the table is that I wait around for the AF and, most likely, leave after like 2-3 years when they inevitably ask for volunteers to do so. Or at least transfer to one of the numerous contract positions in the dc area.
Oh and I have a secret clearance. As for separation apparently I could get away clean or do the one weekend a month reserves or guard option. Or maybe stay IRR indefinitely.
― John Quincy Adams
I think this is false (at least my understand/experience)
SCI's don't transfer, but otherwise as long as you are within the active window of an investigation someone can pick you up. This is especially attractive for positions that require the clearance because you have saved them investigation costs.
Maybe.
I might go with the job, if it seems cool and the pay is decent. If no bad guys do anything crazy, I think contracting will, er, contract a bit in the future. The best time to make that sweet contracting cash was the better part of a decade ago, when with a little luck, you could pull six figures as a HS grad.
I applied for the lockheed cognitive science job. Worst thing that happens? Don't get it and sail onto active duty.
Good luck brother.
When you leave the service with an active clearance, it becomes inactive. For up to two years any employer can ask to have it activated with no further investigation being necessary. After that you have to go through the whole process again. Also clearances are granted by the government (at least the ones that matter), private companies just foot the bill for the investigation.
@Yoshua How have things settled for you? You guys get set up decently in Washington?
(sigh)