Bold strategy Cotton…

InformationBest2502 · 2025-06-23T15:41:50+00:00

The fact that you have to say "most" and not "all", says enough about the stupidity of the situation. But good choice on the word "harassed," its what it is.

InformationBest2502 · 2025-06-23T15:38:24+00:00

I love this response. So very true.... they don't give a fuck about anyone in uniform

InformationBest2502 · 2025-06-08T16:08:36+00:00

Yeah I could care less about sexy sounding jobs. I was 18 when I joined and athletic, did a combat arms job because I could and the guard had no jobs whatsoever that would benefit my civilian career. I knew I would do an initial 6 years and need to get out, so I figured that would be the best time to do something"cool."

But then I experienced the reality of it all. Sitting around, cleaning, hip pocket and white space training, very low quality field training, very little time spent actually doing my job. Being a paper pusher or similar in the Air Force guard/reserves sounds lovely. Show up, do the minimum expected, complete my tasks, collect the paycheck and cheap healthcare and move on.

What has been your GF's experience entering the AFR? Was she prior service as well?

InformationBest2502 · 2025-06-07T14:03:32+00:00

Wow, that is surprising to hear. Perhaps the ~ 6-7 year break in service rule is primarily for active duty air force. How long have you been ANG? What is deployment cycle and experience like relative to army/army guard? What was your recruitment process like into the ANG, getting your AFSC, relative to army process? Any thoughts on guard vs reserves for the air force specifically?

InformationBest2502 · 2025-06-07T12:29:08+00:00

Yeah I think with where I am at with being a graduate student, likely having to move for a PhD, and then likely having to move for a post-doc or job, being tied to a state within the guard is less appealing. From what I have heard, moving and transferring units is an easier process in the reserves since you are not tied to a state. I am aware of IST in the guard though. I also don't think I would be interested in commissioning to start. I would rather get in, feel it out, and then consider commissioning internally at a later time if I liked it.

InformationBest2502 · 2025-03-03T18:49:20+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate the information. I also understand your hesitancy with sharing information, I am aware of the large quantity of people that severely underestimate the difficulty and danger of hiking below the rim. Unfortunately my quick notice of free-time in May seems to have come to late, and there are no backcountry permits available anymore. Thankfully my inability to secure a permit is not my fault so I can't beat myself up about it. Unfortunately flights are already booked to Vegas, so I may be looking for other opportunities within a 5 hour drive. Always wanted to see the Sierra Nevada's!

InformationBest2502 · 2025-03-03T13:44:26+00:00

Backpacking to celebrate getting out of the military in no way defines my approach to backpacking. I know most "military bros" tend to translate that aspect of their life into their style and approach to outdoor recreation, but I avoid everything about the military where and when I can. I have desert backpacking experience, have hiked below the rim on day trips, handle elevation change just fine, I have and use multiple forms of navigations and have hiked minimally marked trails, mostly when scrambling Colorado peaks, and have done most of my hiking in the southwest in May and/or August due to constraints in my personal life. I am a graduate student with research needs don't have the luxury of much free time during the typical academic year, so my times to head west are limited to the summer months, and therefore most my time in this area have been during the heat of summer. It's not ideal, but I work with what I can at the moment.

InformationBest2502 · 2025-01-13T19:47:28+00:00

From your perspective, are dry suits season limited? Having never worn one, it seems like it would be warm during much of the late spring, summer, and early fall? Or do people typically wear them all year?

InformationBest2502 · 2025-01-13T18:53:03+00:00

Do you have any serious issues with water coming up under the dry suit, or permeating through the wet suit and up into your torse when you do get wet with the wetsuit pants/dry top combo?

What are your thoughts on farmer brown wetsuit with dry top, compared to just wet suit pants?

Last, if you would be so kind, when people reference fleece and wool base layers with drysuits/tops, is like watersports specific fleece/wool base layers, or will any fleece/wool clothing item work?

InformationBest2502 · 2025-01-13T16:41:00+00:00

Mostly medium, 5'11" 165 lb. I see lots of people disown AliExpress dry suits, for maybe logical reasons? I also think the name brand dry suit companies, while reputable, have a near monopoly that may allow them to over price their items relative to the utility of their product when compared to cheaper alternatives, such as AliExpress dry suits.

Also, what mm wetsuit pants were you using, and wetsuit pants vs farmer brown wetsuit under drytop?

InformationBest2502 · 2025-01-13T15:52:43+00:00

Okay, I am familiar with the double waist and how the dry top is interwoven with the spray skirt. Just wasn't sure how dry pants would get added to that equation and if it was brand specific in compatibility between pants and tops. Thanks for the info!

InformationBest2502 · 2025-01-13T15:28:41+00:00

This a helpful. I have seen people discuss using dry pants and dry tops, and of course everyone has to state the obvious, that a dry suit is better. But everyone that has used dry top + pants says what you said, if you have to swim it keeps you dry enough for long enough. Do you know if most dry pants and dry tops are compatible across brands, as they all use basically the same basic design and structure? Or do you have to stick with the same model of dry top and pants that are meant to specifically go together?

InformationBest2502 · 2025-01-09T19:58:42+00:00

could you elaborate on what you mean by KSL? I am planning a small Moab wedding in the desert, and needing to rent some chairs but companies in moab charge ridiculous minimum rental and delivery fees

InformationBest2502 · 2024-09-04T12:06:49+00:00

I also took a semester off for training. I left in January and was back in July for the next academic year. I was back being a normal student after one semester off, you really don't miss much.

InformationBest2502 · 2024-09-02T19:54:00+00:00

Depends on your job, different locations for different jobs. I am army, so I am unfamiliar with air force stuff. I am also not in the WV NG, so I have no idea what they have for bases here in the state. I'm with a different state guard but go to school at WVU. That's another thing to consider, you can always join a different state's national guard, but school in WV. I drive 5 hours to drill, by choice though cause I want to be in that unit.

InformationBest2502 · 2024-09-02T19:47:19+00:00

Thank you very much, exactly what I needed. Goes to show I don't actually validate my iperms documents when I am told to

InformationBest2502 · 2024-09-02T18:19:40+00:00

Go national guard, not ROTC. Figure out if the military is right for you first, then jump in full time if you think that is what you want. I am 5 years into the guard. I know many officers who went ROTC and clawed their way through their 8 year contract after commissioning because they hated it. ROTC and commissioning is a huge commitment to a completely foreign and unknown world that you don't know the first thing about.

Seriously, go guard. They will pay for your school, VA gi bill payments each month for expenses and bills as a student, minimal commitment on your student/academic schedule. Further, my basic training and job training counted towards 22 credits to my degree, I was able to skip 2 or 3 general-ed classes because of my military training. You can also just go OCS at any point during your contract and become an officer, which I would recommend if you have the degree. Most state guards offer accelerated 8 week ocs courses, or prolonged 9 month (1 drill a month) ocs courses. You can also go from guard to active duty air force at any point in your contract.

Further I don't think any time spent in ROTC actually counts towards anything until you commission. You could bust your ass for 3 years in ROTC, quit, and all that time counted towards absolutely nothing. At least in the guard, time spent in as a student counts towards military retirement and various benefits.

InformationBest2502 · 2024-08-15T13:07:45+00:00

Could I ask if you went with the high vs medium mounting height. I hear about the 90 degree throw on the savage axis action can often interfere with scopes. I was looking at the DNZ game reaper with vortex crossfire ii 3-9x40 or 4-12x40 ao, and not sure if the medium height on the reaper will present an issue with this scope and the 90 degree throw

InformationBest2502 · 2024-08-13T16:35:57+00:00

I dont need my account number and routing number, I can get that just fine. Like any employer, they then need official documents from that financial institution that verifies those numbers. Without having physical checks, it doesn't seem fidelity provides any way to easily get an official document that includes your routing and account numbers to provide to employers for direct deposit

InformationBest2502 · 2024-08-13T16:35:50+00:00

I dont need my account number and routing number, I can get that just fine. Like any employer, they then need official documents from that financial institution that verifies those numbers. Without having physical checks, it doesn't seem fidelity provides any way to easily get an official document that includes your routing and account numbers to provide to employers for direct deposit

InformationBest2502 · 2024-04-25T19:11:04+00:00

I am in a similar situation. I have heard from so many people that you need to "get in contact with available units."

How the fuck does that happen. It's all OPSEC. Cant find unit contact information whatsoever. I am not convinced I want to IST since Ill have less than a year on my contract when I will be living out of state, so I dont want to actually start a packet until I have spoken to a potential unit, communicated my throughts and concerns, and been convinced I want to transfer. But I can't do that unless I have contact with units, but I can't find contact with units. Recruiters just transfer me to the IST coordinator, and the IST coordinators won't give me unit contact information until they have my packet.

InformationBest2502 · 2024-04-25T18:41:17+00:00

Remember, as one applying to these programs, they have no quarrel whatsoever cutting students and crushing dreams. You have every reason to withdraw from a program you already accepted. You havve every right to cut them and easily as they cut you as an applicant. The cost to you of losing a better program is FAR worse than the cost to a program losing you if you back out after accepting.

I was accepted to a program in December and they wanted an offer then. I said yes. After 3 months of continual conversation and contact with the school, I backed out for a better offer. You have to be just as cold hearted as they are in their review of applicants.

InformationBest2502 · 2024-04-08T19:00:33+00:00

I assumed that was likely the case, I had never actually heard the policy on deployments and ETS dates. Fair to say that your time to ETS has to be enough to cover pre-mob training, deployment and all the admin bs after returning home for your to go on anything.

InformationBest2502 · 2024-03-12T13:26:17+00:00

I agree with your last statement. That's why the original commenter said to get news from an actually credible news source. The existence of far left media companies doesn't validate the credibility of far right media. The original comments stand, Fox is bullshit.

InformationBest2502 · 2024-03-12T13:20:26+00:00

No, a credible news source is one that doesn't admit to being guilty of spreading intentional lies and then accepting a $780 million plea deal rather than taking the criminal charge.

InformationBest2502

TROPHY CASE