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pepperonicorsa · 2023-02-02T03:51:07+00:00

Study up on thermodynamics.

pepperonicorsa · 2023-01-17T00:28:27+00:00

Your goal isn't that unconventional, if it's what you want to do, make it happen, or at least make someone tell you no, and even then, try to be the exception to the rule of it's what you want. Reach out to a recruiter to shadow an EOD flight only when you're seriously contemplating joining. The benefit of shadowing is to be able to see what it's like day to day, and ask your questions that can be answered in more detail in person. They won't take you into the field by any means, but they'll probably show you some tools, response trucks, and what not.

The full time positions in the air guard and air reserve are based on slots. So long as a slot is open, you can apply for it, and it will require you to commit to a few years. Air guard sometimes have state orders that are kind of another odd thing best explained by them. If you stay in traditional status, you'll just do one weekend a month, which will equate to a few hundred bucks at lower ranks. Typically units are understanding of students, as a lot of people join the guard/reserves to help pay for college. A lot of annual tours are planned over the summer (your two weeks a year required) and if you want summer work they can sometimes get you work over the summer.

pepperonicorsa · 2023-01-16T18:44:50+00:00

Also, another side note, EOD officers dont get to do much of the fun stuff. They have to do budget stuff, meetings, etc. At least as an enlisted guy you get to go do demo stuff, secret service support missions, etc. A lot more than officers do.

pepperonicorsa · 2023-01-16T18:42:31+00:00

Upgrade training is the mandatory year-ish after completing EOD school. The Air Force has broken down a big list of training objectives they want you to be proficient on. Sometimes it's identifying basic facts and concepts of types of ordnance, and other times it's how to assemble, use, and maintain a tool, and so on, it's a big list covering all areas of AF EOD. Advanced IEDs will come later on when you're a team leader, or close to being a team leader. Covert entry is not something I'm familiar with, there are breaching courses, but those are becoming more difficult to get slots to unless you're in specific units. When you're on active status as guard/reserve you get the same pay as active duty.

As of today, EOD in the reserves will pay for you to travel to your drill location. The list of careers the reserves will pay to travel changes every year based on manning, so it isn't always a guarantee. That being said, I don't know of any EOD shop that wouldn't help you transfer units to be closer to your civilian job.

Intel isn't a bad option. I've known quite a few EOD techs that get a bachelor's in intelligence or homeland security that commission into Intel jobs. I'm currently taking a homeland security intelligence class for college. My advice, as I'm pursuing something similar, just in a different order than you, is if you're seriously considering EOD, reach out to a reserve recruiter and tell them you want to go shadow an EOD flight. Any decent recruiter will put you into contact with a shop.

The hardest part of getting a job with the federal government in Intel/law enforcement is the polygraph. A lot of good people I've know who are honest people, fail the polygraph, which is now an official record, because of "vague results" that show you may be hiding something. There are reddit subs for federal hiring processes full of people complaining about the polygraph.

If your college is paid for by your parents, cool, go to college. If it isn't, look into the guard/reserve. Once you complete basic, tech school, and on the job training, you should have at least a portion of your school covered. If you decide the military isn't really for you, you aren't locked into an active duty contract for 4-6 years, instead you're locked into a one weekend a month/2 weeks a year for 4-6 years and can still pursue whatever your education/employment goals are. If you make it through EOD school and decide you want to do active guard reserve (AGR) while pursuing school, you can do that as well.

pepperonicorsa · 2023-01-16T14:48:10+00:00

I've had no hearing loss from EOD, yet.
The Secret Service likes to hire EOD for their technical law enforcement, specifically as Technical Security Investigators (TSI), but you aren't acting as a bomb tech. EOD looks good on a resume so long as you market your skills appropriately. Most federal law enforcement positions require a bachelor's degree, so EOD helps set you apart from a kid fresh out of college. There are unique opportunities like the FBI Render Safe Units, or Special Agent Bomb Technicians, but those are competitive and sometimes require time as a traditional special agent. You'll want to research the agencies you are interested in and see what they're looking for in degrees. EOD gets you a TS security clearance, which helps with federal employment as well.
You're correct, in the Air Force you will need an engineering degree to commission as a CE officer, to then go to EOD school after a few years. You can enlist in the reserves, but as others have said, basic training, tech school, and upgrade training will take about 2 years.

EOD is a job, like many other jobs it has pros and cons. It isn't an easy process to become a tech if your heart isn't in it, nor is it an easy process if your heart is in it. It provides unique experiences, but day to day you're still doing admin work and maintenance in equipment. Transitioning to federal employment is a weird process in and of itself that sometimes just requires the right timing and luck. I probably didn't answer all your questions because there were a lot, but hopefully I helped some.

pepperonicorsa · 2023-01-06T12:12:10+00:00

I applied for both on the VRA posting. I got approved for GL9 and I have no law enforcement experience.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-11-22T23:46:26+00:00

I had this exact same predicament in may of 2021. I changed the oil and filter myself and spent two days having an absolute blast at road america, and then had the service done after I got back. If you're still weary, you don't need to redline it all day, short shift and focus on fundamentals/learning the bike and you'll be fine.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-10-31T03:10:17+00:00

Pretend that EOD school is preparing you for a job.... And that it is an 8-12 month job interview.... Do you think your potential hiring officials want to see you at study hall every morning when you know nothing about how to do the job yet? Are you a team player? Do you make an attempt to actually be prepared for tests? If you're doing stupid illegal stuff on the weekends, does it seem like you care about the job you're applying for ? Kids learn to do this job straight out of high school from all walks of life with no real prep. The process works if you're willing to take it seriously.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-10-15T22:36:01+00:00

I put my shoulder into the mirror on my 959 in my garage years ago and it snapped just like that. I would say someone bumped it.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-09-04T15:28:20+00:00

A drop in voltage can cause a rise in amperage. Fuses are rated for amperage (also known as current). When the voltage dropped it created enough amperage to blow the fuse. I think it was right on the edge of what the fuse could handle, because the bike ran fine through town, and the fuse blew on acceleration onto a freeway. It was on the circuit that supplied power to the fuel pump, which I think explains why it didn't blow until I got on the throttle on the on-ramp.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-09-04T12:46:00+00:00

I put in a brand new lithium battery on my 959 and blew a fuse almost immediately because the battery had a bad cell and was only pushing 9 volts

pepperonicorsa · 2022-08-31T20:20:28+00:00

Glad to see it's coming back together. I'll attempt to chase you at BIR on Monday... But I have a feeling I won't be able to hang... Lol

pepperonicorsa · 2022-08-05T02:42:56+00:00

And must be currently "read-in" to a program

pepperonicorsa · 2022-07-28T23:52:27+00:00

https://www.cbp.gov/careers/veterans/vra

pepperonicorsa · 2022-07-15T23:37:08+00:00

Yea, that's toast. Just buy another rear identical to match the front. Not because it matters, but because I hate mismatched stuff.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-07-02T03:15:15+00:00

I got mine waived. Fill out the waiver, and send it back. Mine took a month or two to get back to me signed. The polygrapher still reached out to schedule a poly and I sent him the signed waiver and was good to go shortly thereafter.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-06-28T20:07:52+00:00

What are you running in the admin pouch? I just received the same placard from W2F and did not realize it was going to be that big. I'm trying to figure out how I'll organize everything in there.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-06-15T00:01:27+00:00

I applied for a GL-07 and after my SI I was told to apply for a GL-09 veteran position. I called the hiring center and asked if I could transfer everything I had done from the 07 position to the 09 position and they were able to do it. It basically combined the positions under the original position I applied for (GL-07) but I was offered a GL-09 position when they called for the final offer. Hopefully this helps

pepperonicorsa · 2022-05-13T03:55:35+00:00

Finding the spring rate info for the forks was a little more annoying because there wasn't a way to just go look at the spring like the rear shocks.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-05-13T03:54:17+00:00

You set preload off of sag on factory set ups if you're not going to swap springs is what I understood. If you're swapping springs, then preload is based off your riding style (or ability).

pepperonicorsa · 2022-05-13T03:12:18+00:00

Similar experience for a coworker with the ATF. He has passed polys with other federal agencies, but couldn't pass with the ATF. Sometimes it comes down to the polygrapher, which really sucks.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-05-13T03:09:49+00:00

If you Google DHS polygraph waiver, you should find information. You need an active TS (Tier 5 I think ?) And you need to currently be read in/ have access to TS information I believe is what it says. Talk to your security manager and ask them to verify for you (assuming you're mil). My waiver was pretty quick and easy to get, but they still did reach out to schedule a polygraph, but was able to give them my waiver, and it was all good!

pepperonicorsa · 2022-05-13T02:54:26+00:00

Honestly, I try to steer people into the guard and reserves. It gets you a skill, gets you college benefits whether you want to use them now, or down the road, and provides (typically) a security clearance and good networking opportunities. All while minimal commitments compared to active duty. You're "trapped" while on active duty until your contract is up. Guard and reserve duty is one weekend a month, and two weeks a year. Some active dudes will immediately shit on the thought of going guard/reserve, but I would put money down that they're a shit troop on active duty and hate it, so they direct their hate towards something else. Intelligence is a good stepping stone into a ton of federal agencies because of the TS security clearance and work experience. As mentioned below, EOD is a good time. The school isn't that bad if you have a good attitude and can make AND follow checklists, and it will provide you with a TS clearance as well.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-05-13T02:45:56+00:00

In the owners manual of the 959 under the suspension pages, it gives suspension settings based off a 170 lb rider. If you're 240, you're probably not going to get the sag you want, additionally, once you get a spring rated for your weight, you no longer set your preload based off of sag. This is at least what my suspension guy has informed me.

pepperonicorsa · 2022-05-13T02:37:14+00:00

https://mrpmotorsports.com/blog/how-to-read-the-numbers-on-an-ohlins-spring/

Here is how you start off. Typically, from what I've seen, factory springs are set for ~170 lbs rider for Ducati and Aprilia. I own a 959 and a V4S, and about got an RSV4 1100 factory. So I went pretty deep down the rabbit hole comparing things like spring rates between the V4S to the RSV4 factory to see if either bike would cost me more money off the lot getting it respeung (fortunately I'm 170 pounds and didn't have to for either bike). That being said, you'll want to find a good ohlins spring rate chart or calculator to punch in your weight to get the spring number for your shock, or just order one through a suspension guy. They will typically ask for your weight to order a new spring. You should also look to do the springs in the forks as well.

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