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Coasties!

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mlanore

Livin' the Dream
I am on here a bit but never find any coasties speaking up. How many other coastie members...?
 

ERAU

Registered User
I guess I'm one of the rare few, I'm an AMT2 @ CGAS LA. I'll be heading off to OCS in a matter of weeks. Been perusing the ASTB gouge section so I can knock it out before I leave. If there are any other resources please let me know.
 

Elder

US Coast Guard C-130 Demonstration Team
I'm here, as your mod.. well, I asked for the forum so he made me the mod :

Start API Friday.

Good luck with OCS! Was a YN1 myself, went over 10 while in OCS, over 4 years ago. :D

I'm 33, no degree, PRK eye surgery, LT and here I am.

IFS was fun, now it's time this old man gets serious. Hope the run next Tuesday doesn't kill me.

As far as gouge for the flight aptitude, could try http://www.baseops.net/ if you haven't already.. no idea where it would be, but think there is some useful information there.

I don't know how I passed it.. math IS my worse subject... seriously

E
 

mlanore

Livin' the Dream
ERAU, are you in the 13NOV OCS class? I'll be there too. I'm a BM3 at STA Manistee, MI. As far as resources for the ASTB, I just studied my a$$ off for about 2 months and I passed it on the first try..????? I'll tell you though, the content is not that difficult, it is the time constraints for each section that make it so challenging. The ESO that administered mine sat there balancing his checkbook, rustling papers, slurping his coffeee, and breathing heavily....eeerrrrr! Provided that you can get your test in a cool and quiet environment, you should do fine, especially considering your experience as an aircrew. There was a considerable amount of aviation stuff...obviously!!
 

mlanore

Livin' the Dream
Elder, what was the pool time between getting orders to flight training, IFS, API, etc? What kind of stash jobs do coasties get in pcola? Are they sending any coasties to corpus for primary? And, good luck to you through flight trng. Maybe we'll meet on the other side of all this.
 

Elder

US Coast Guard C-130 Demonstration Team
Once you get orders to flight school, you can report in as soon as your previous command lets you loose. If it's OCS, you can go right away. You'll just need to let the Liaison Office know when you are reporting.. everyone reports in on Monday's, unless you work something else out with him.

Also, we don't "stash" :) We pay for our training quotas and as such, we get priority.

Here's how our schedule usually works..

Report in on a Monday. Check in, travel claims, buy API shirt at exchange, etc.

Tuesday: Usually off.
Wednesday: Usually off.

Thursday: Physical at NOMI. If all goes well, you get your up-chit.

Friday: Usually off.

Monday: Back at Lighthouse to sit around with everyone else in between phases.

Tuesday: Maybe off, might be day working at lighthouse.

Wednesday: Class 3 physical.

Thursday: Hopefully an IFS class/brief will be starting, if so, and there's room, you'll be in it.

Friday: IFS brief Day 2.

Monday: At your IFS School, Pensacola Aviation, Eglin AFB Aero Club, Destin Miracle Strip Aviation.

When you finish IFS, you'll more than likely will get the next starting API Class. You won't wait weeks... usually a 2 week wait at the max between IFS and API for Coasties.

And we usually work at the CGLO at the lighthouse. Rarely do we "work" anywhere else. We do have a few people that are on extended medical holds for various reasons, and they've been "farmed" out to other places, ie one guy was working at the muesem for a couple of months.. that sort of thing.

Now, if you get injured, sick, on meds ... that all equals a down/grounding chit which means you stop training (IFS, API, Primary, etc) until you get better. It's no biggy, not frowned upon at all. If you get grounded in API, you may get rolled back a week. No big deal. I think if you get rolled in API, you WILL work in the API/Flight Management office/building while you wait for the class behind you to catch up to where you are.

You won't see Corpus. Costs $$$ to send ya. :) You could ask, but don't hold your breath.

I got a 98% on Aero 1, and a 92% on Weather. Ticked me off, too. I knew Weather better than Aero. Not sure how I managed a 98%..

Anyway, it's not "hard".. just have to apply yourself.

Need to study for my Aero 2 test on Monday..
 

coppertop

Registered User
Newly registered Coastie here, I am waiting for 3 people to drop off the primary list for the 13 NOV. class and if so plan on taking the ASTB when I am there.

elder, that is great advice in the above post, any tips for someone just starting the process? I have a study guide book for the Military Flight aptitude tests which cover the Navy/Marine test that we use(?)

I'm excited about the prosepct of OCS in Nov. and at the same time am hoping the other shoe drops soon so I can end this speculation!
 

Elder

US Coast Guard C-130 Demonstration Team
One other thing.. you CAN take the ATSB before going to OCS. Heck, I'd recommend it, especially if you don't get into this next class and have to apply again.

I forget the rules for taking it.. used to be something like..

Fail once, can take it again real quick. Fail second time and have to wait 6 months. But, I thought I heard you can now take it again and again and again.. I could be VERY VERY wrong.

You should talk to your ESO and find out the nearest administering office.

I was stationed in Elizabeth City and had to drive up to Norfolk VA (about an hour) so the Navy (the guy drove down from Richmond, another hour or 2 away from Norfolk) could administer.

Anyway, if you end up having to wait 6 months before going to OCS.. heck, take it at least once before you go that way you have an idea of what is on the test. And you never know, you just may pass it! :D

One less thing you'd have to worry about at OCS. You won't have any time to study for the ATSB at OCS.. that, and it happens kind of early in the program.

I'd also recommend start drafting your flight school request letter. The applicants in OCS beat their brains because they had nothing to go off of and had to write from scratch - again, something you don't want to do in OCS. :)

I'm looking for mine, thought I had it here on my computer.. but can't seem to locate. : If I find it, I'll post it.. my OCS letter has got like 7 people accepted.. and my flight training request letter got myself in first time as well :D
 

mlanore

Livin' the Dream
Elder, great points about IFS and API..thanks. I will be reporting to Pensacola in March after grad from OCS. I have read all the posts from Navy and Marines on this site about "stashing" and "pooling" forever before classing up and I was just a little curious how they deal with us down there. How challenging is IFS? Do grades carry over to API and Primary? TX

M
 

Elder

US Coast Guard C-130 Demonstration Team
You've already been selected for flight school?

IFS isn't that bad... I had my days where I asked "Is it worth it?" ... days I didn't want to go in, but did/had to. It got better. And it really isn't that bad at all.. just new and different.. takes time getting used to it.

2 days before my Solo, I had a bad day and thought, "No way can I do this.. ain't happening." Then, next day had a great day. Following day had no problems doing my solo, even snapping a picture of myself while soloing. :p http://coastie.textamerica.com/ - I need to update with some new pictures. :D

Well, yeah, your API grades will count towards where you place in your "winging group" or however they do it.. in regards to where you rank when selecting billets.

Of course, they'll also go on OER.

It's all good, take it in stride. Compartmentalize and all.. one step at a time..

I've snagged Aero 2's Chapters 7-12 slideshow presentations into a PDF and have begun Engines. Need a place to host.
 

BKIM

Registered User
I will also be attending the November OCS class. I took the ASTB earlier this year and did pretty desent. I studied Arco's Military Flight Aptitude Test (ASTB Section) two weeks before taking the test. I believe the book cost approximatelly $25 dollars at Barnes & Noble and $18 dollars at Amozon.com, but I found the book online for FREE!!!. If you have a fast printer, you can print the 378 page book, or just review online. Here's the link: http://www.petersons.com/airforce/pdfsecure/frame.asp?print=yes&pdftype=MilitaryFlight
Good luck on the test, and I look forward to seeing you all in November.
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V/R
Bruce Kimmell
 

BKIM

Registered User
Elder,
In one of your post above, you mentioned your flight school request letter. If it is not a problem, I would greatly appreciate a copy. My email address is: KimFam@joimail.com
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V/R
Bruce Kimmell
 

rbaysden

Registered User
Hey everyone. I'm excited there's FINALLY a forum for Coasties with questions about flying. I'm currently going to school on-line with Embry-Riddle. I plan on applying for the PPEP this year, and if things go good I'll be at ERAU fall 2004. I'm a BM2 located in Miami, Fl at the District Building, and am currently getting my Private Pilot Cert. My questions is, is there anything else I can do to make myself a better canidate for Flight School/OCS???? I'm also on the global, if you want to e-mail me that way. Thanks, Rob Baysden
 

mlanore

Livin' the Dream
Lt, great pics on your site. I look forward to reading more of your journal. Yes, I have been selected for flight providing that I successfully complete OCS.

Baysben, I think we have talked before on the phone. Good to have you on here. As I said before, getting selected for OCS is all about the paperwork that you submit to the board, (i.e. your application packet). The board will never have the chance to meet you, shake you hand, get a visual of the prospective CG officer in yourself so you have to sell it in your packet. Some of the most weighted items in your packet are your CO's reccomendation, your enlisted marks/accomplishments, and the report from the members of your interview board. These, along with many other things put very neatly to the point of anal-retentiveness into a standard green folder. Have every officer in the D7 office look it over and give your their 2 cents.
Practice some interviewing tactics before sitting for your board. You can find the interview outline in the Personnel Manual CHPT 1.B. (should start on page 21). This will give you a idea of the scope of the interview and the types of Q's that they will ask. Start with a sharp uniform and a confident handshake and it will all be downhill from there man.

As for getting accepted for flight training...
I just took the ASTB, did mediocre on it, wrote about my intentions and dreams to be an aviator in my narrative, and requested the AVCAD program on the application checksheet and I got in!! Like a dream come true boats. I talked to an officer detailer earlier this year and he said that the AVCAD program is very competetive but not to let that discourage my application for it. If you want it badly enough....and I did! Good luck Boats.


>>> ML
 
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