black_dragon_93

congrads man, and asfar as the process goes, you shoudl be discharged for a total of 24 hrs then re enstated as an officer where you will be sent to OTS, so basically you will be a civi for one day lol

SRZ

iTrader: (14)

Congrats Ben. Well earned and deserved! So I take it you'll stay AD?

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

Thanks Silas! No, I'll be going into the Reserves. I didn't make the AD board, so I went to my next option with the Reserves.

94vortech

iTrader: (3)

The reserves are a good place to be.

hawaiiboysz

iTrader: (4)

Nobody Kicks Ass Without Tanker Gas

Like ages DINSTAAR Its pretty gay Danger is no stranger to a AGE Ranger

hawaiiboysz

iTrader: (4)

I know your a Boom now but you gotta respect your crew chiefs when you cross over. Nobody likes a a billy bad *** look at me type dude wrecking shop in this case a jet. Congrats though not often do I hear of enlisted dudes crossing over. 2 guys I know got the boot recently because of the cut backs ****. Kinda fucked up because they worked so hard for it.

Comin' Thunder

iTrader: (5)

Awesome man! Congratulations.

Pneumothorax

Ah, kinda like the crap they try to force down your throat at tech school for bomb loaders "W/o weapons we're just another airline" or "Pilots w/o maintainers are just guys with jackets and cool sunglasses" etc etc

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

I am on your side! I respect and appreciate all those who make the mission happen. I have some good friends that work on the planes I fly, and I tell them often how much they are appreciated, and how it couldn't happen without them.

Being enlisted first I believe will make me a better officer, as I will know what it takes to work hard, and that life is not all about "me" or "what I did". It takes everyone, down to the very hard working crew chiefs that keep our planes flying and bring us home safe.

It's not anything I learned in tech school actually. Its a fact that none of those fighter guys could do their job without tanker gas. Thats why its a team effort on the flying operation side. If you read many books written by respectable fighter/bomber/attack aircraft that aren't full of themselves you will read how they believe the tanker guys are the ones who really deserve a lot of the credit. Many times we are in the fight in imminant danger with nearly no defensive systems what-so-ever so we can give fuel to the guys dropping the bombs. In short, no tankers = no fighters and attack aircraft airborne long enough to be effective at all. Just as without our support people fixing our planes, and making our meals we wouldn't be able to do the job either.

People like you that want to give all the credit to the fighter guys (unless you have something against me specifically that you won't salute me when I am wearing the brass just because I won't be a fighter pilot) don't get the whole picture of things, and they don't understand that there is a lot more than just fighter pilots that get our bombs on targets and fly to keep our boys and girls safe against the enemy on the ground and sea.

Pneumothorax

Woah woah woah, lets not take my words out of context here. I was relating what you said about the NKAWTG to my career field. It's some motivational stuff they feed you so you feel like your job is more important that everyone elses. I never said that was my opinion.

Now, before you start to take things personal, I won't salute you because you won't be a fighter guy. My job is pretty much fighter/bomber only so I honestly don't come in contact/see any other pilots. Ever. So, through no choice of my own, I will not salute you.

MrMiracle

Way ta go, man. I managed to start on the same path about two years ago. Its a good change, believe me.

Might want to find out if your flying years as enlisted count towards your officer flight pay. Could mean some big bux.

aggiez28

iTrader: (19)

congrats, I hope this day does nto stay the greatest day of your life.

have fun flying

lt1 hawk

iTrader: (2)

I think we have been over this about your hand already....

lt1 hawk

iTrader: (2)

Congrats man. The nick name for that in the Marines (enlisted to officer) is Mustang Officers. Those are usually the best, just don't forget where you came from, and your airmen will respect the hell out of you.

StangKillaLS1

Congrats!! I've been thinking about going Green to Gold

Splitz

iTrader: (1)

Great choice!

Trading in SrA stripes for Gold bars is an excellent transition. You haven't been "poisioned" yet by the Senior Enlisted JUST yet.

It's those MSgt. that go Gold that are the REAL problems for the enlisted folks!

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

Sorrry if I missunderstood you. When you said flat out that you wouldn't salute me, just because I wasn't going to be part of of ACC or the fighter community even though I would still be an officer I took it as you didn't think any officer's were worth saluting unless they were fighter pilots. That bothers me as everyone has their part in making the mission happen, and even though I am just enlisted now, it always pissed me off when I would see someone not rendering their proper salutes and courtesies, especially to officers.

I will get Enlisted + Officer pay or as we call it O-1- E pay. As for the flying bonus I currently get, I'm not sure if that is also added to the starting flying bonus I'll get as a pilot. Either way, I know I will be making a considerable amount more than I am currently.

Thanks man. It is the greatest of my life thus far, as now I have the hardest part out of the way, (getting my foot in the door).

I totally agree with you. I have seen some very good officers, and very bad officers in my short career thus far, and I have always tried to learn from both of what works and what doesn't, and I definatly will not be one of those guys who doesn't respect the working force of the Air Force (the enlisted side).

The Army is in great need for officers right now. Both commissioned officers and warrent officers. There's no better time to get your requirements out of the way now, and get your foot in the door as well.

At the age of most MSgt's I imagine it would be hard to go to the officer side of things. I am going to be crossing over at just SrA just in time to make it for the age cutoff for the rated pilot spot (must be in pilot training prior to your 30th birthday).

Other officers, such as chaplins, or non-rated officers can be slightly older.

Fastbird93

iTrader: (10)

I can answer that one for you Ben. No, your current CEFIP will NOT transfer over to the Officer Flight Pay. Reason being is that CEFIP is a non-rated pay and pilot flight pay is a rated position. You're going to start over from the bottom at about $150 a month, but then after about 6 years you'll see the $650 a month that we as booms (well, one of us now) will only dream about.

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

Thats almost what I was figuring. Thanks Sean. That is definatly one heck of a bonus increase once you hit the additional $650 mark. Of coarse, 6 years as an officer with the Reserves will probably equal a captains rank + my enlisted pay will probably be more like Major's pay with the $650. The pay will definatly be nice.

Honestly, I'd do it all for less than I am making now at little ole E-4 pay with flight pay, as its always been my dream job, and the income of Officer pay will be just a bonus to doing the job I have wanted since I was a child.

98LS-WON

Congrats.
If you change your mind and want fly fighters, look me up if you go through Sheppard.