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Patience is a virtue in this process. It took me over two years from the time of my initial application to actually getting word - lots of checking the mailbox, wondering when the big manila folder from Uncle Sugar was going to arrive. The whole process has improved significantly over the...

I collect spores, molds, and fungus.

Concur. This is a classic example of what economists call the "sunk cost fallacy". The cost of getting you to commissioning can't be recovered, so it shouldn't factor into decisions as to whether you stay or go. Goober is clearly either an econ major, or just gets an above for headwork.... :)

I'd say this about sums it up: http://www.moviewavs.com/php/sounds/?id=gog&media=WAVS&type=Movies&movie=Dumb_And_Dumber&quote=senior.txt&file=senior.wav

Both Bevo and Wink are spot on. I think you are asking in the context "Can I become a Regular officer by augmenting from the Ready Reserve?" The answer is "Yes, but...". The attached MS Word document is the one-stop shopping answer to the question "So You've Decided to Steal Cable"...

If you remember me as being dashing and brilliant - then no, it probably wasn't me.... :icon_tong That's about the right timeframe, though. I briefed "Airborne Stuff" for 3 cycles of EWOs. Most of the Prowler guys recoiled in horror when they realized a Spy was briefing them on this...

For a while I was a designated briefer at Indian Head at the course for deploying EWOs. (Not a bad way to score a couple of drills; hit down arrow on the Powerpoint, tell some funny stories, done...) Never have I met groups of more bitter individuals in my life, and I can't say I blame them -...

There's a line in the CNN story that caused me a chuckle: "The environmental campaign group said at the time it contained "high levels of asbestos and other hazardous materials." Two activists climbed the ship's masts and hung banners reading "Absestos carrier: stay out of India." Asbestos...

I had an interesting conversation with a co-worker who is an O-3 SWO-converting-to-EDO. He said that on his last ship, the skipper was a micromanager, and even though he was the sea-and-anchor detail OOD, the skipper still essentially managed the entire evolution. He said he felt very...

There was a great set of articles last month in Proceedings that detailed the woeful state of SWO training, and the relative lack of shiphandling skills in the US Navy. The best was an article by a SWO JO who had done an exchange tour with the Brits on one of their destroyers - when he showed...

They were *way* late, too. I expected more out of the T-birds....

You're absolutely right about figuring out who the author is, and where they are coming from. Reports like this can be a dime a dozen. The good news here is that Barry Watts is an extremely sharp cookie, and someone who's opinion is worth paying attention to. He's got good bona fides with...

OK - major threadjack here, but since it is Lebowski-related it's ok.... For Kwanzaa/Festivus this year I got this book: If you're even remotely a fan of the movie, you owe it to yourself to get it. Parla usted achiever? http://www.amazon.com/Im-Lebowski-Youre-Life-What/dp/1596912464

Maybe, but their garlic fries are outstanding.... :)

As far as bag-wearing goes, it depends on the squadron. I've seen squadrons that made their spies where khakis or utilities; others where bags were fine. Depends on the mood & whims of the front office. I went 5 years wearing a bag, and wore khakis precisely twice (chief retirement...

What's ironic (among other things...) is that Durant credits his SERE training for being able to get through his captivity - see his book "In the Company of Heroes" for a good read. I have my autographed copy.... And you can believe the SERE guys are well aware of this article - they "keep...

Interesting resume: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0115093hero2.html

As long as we're threadjacking... True fact or sea story: Back in the days of the rotary drum computer on the A-6, actually kicking it was a useful troubleshooting step. (Always wondered about that one.)

The issue here is that with flyovers, it's more than just hitting a ToT - it's hitting show center when the singer hits "brave!" (as in "home of the...") - which may or may not be the originally scheduled ToT. Since this is entirely dependent on a) when the singer actually starts singing, b)...

Good advice, but maybe a bit premature. I would suggest waiting until you are at least commissioned and in BRIT before making these contacts. While "leaning forward in the foxhole" is a good thing, at this point you're not even in the Navy yet, and wouldn't be able to tell the Skipper a key...

Credit scoring has a lot of moving parts to it, but it sounds like you should be ok; in fact, more than ok. What generally matters is how you pay your bills, and if you've always been on-time and in full, you'll be looking pretty good. The fact that you've also had multiple types of credit...

Frocking isn't illegal, just a major red-ass to get formally approved. Letters to BUPERS, being in specific billets, Senate confirmation - you can read the instruction here...

Hey, I didn't get a HARUMPH out of that guy!!

9.5, KNSF-PAED (Andrews-Elmendorf AFB). Mandatory gear for long flights in the Prowler is an Ipod with a Belkin FM transmitter. By sitting the Belkin on the scanner and tuning it, you can couple enough energy directly into the scanner to get good audio for everyone who selects it on the ICS...

The full report is downloadable in 4 segments from CNN's website: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/12/30/columbia.shuttle.disaster/index.html It's a well done and extremely thorough report, and makes for interesting (if grim) reading. As was mentioned, a number of the crew did not have...

And you better believe they are making use of the IRR, resulting in some rude surprises. I met a guy last week who was an enlisted grunt, got out last summer after a 4 year tour, and in early December received 1 year involuntary mob orders for Afghanistan. If the Corps is so hard up for...

There may be hope for all you Devil Dog wannabe / doobie smokers!! Why Obama Really Might Decriminalize Marijuana Buzz up!The stoner community is clamoring to say it: "Yes we cannabis!" Turns out, with several drug-war veterans close to the president-elect's ear, insiders think reform...

The question was "did anyone with a non-engineering undergrad get an engineering MS?" Math is a non-engineering degree, as is physics. And I'll second HJ's comment - if you're "pissed off" because a "liberal arts major" is sitting next to you in a class, then you've got some serious penis...

I was a Math major as an undergrad (William & Mary - motto: "300 years of tradition unhindered by progress!") and got an MS in Systems Engineering from George Mason Univ. No issues on admission or coursework.

This is an editorial, so it represents the collective wisdom (!) of the NY Times Editorial Board. You can read about them here: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/editorial-board.html

Unfortunately this is more typical than not - my own experience with the officer recruiter was very similar, even 10 years ago. It's a "buyer's market" from the recruiter's perspective, so they don't exactly need to be customer service oriented. As far as what come's next, a decent source of...

Minor threadjack, but speaking of getting out of the house - great work done trying to reconstruct Sgt Alvin York's stunning achievements during the Meuse Argonne offensive by getting down in the dirt where the incidents in question happened. Check it out - fascinating reading...

Big hitter, the llama....

Targeted at the 2003 yeargroup. $40k is nothing to sneeze at, but is also an indication that we are hemorraghing 1630 JOs. (And they aren't affiliating in the Reserves, either. When is someone going to toss something my way? Hey Llama, how about something, you know, for the effort?")...

North Haverbrook was having a heckuva time with theirs as well, until they brought in Lyle Lanley:

That's gold, Jerry, gold!! http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0qm0KUPeD8

Have a 9mm mag fall out of your weapon somewhere on Bagram AB, (leaving you with only two) will result in a call sign shift to "Jimmy Two Clips".... :(

FWIW, we had no trouble getting SelRes slots to SERE - both Brunswick and Warner.

DVDs and CDs are fine, as long as you "finalize" the disc so it is not re-writable. Anyone who tells you otherwise has not read the instruction or is naturally not bright. If you get pushback, *insist* that they show you the instruction. The Early Bird was produced using flash drives to...

Something about Marines and mortars - very reminiscient of the Marine's initial experience with Japanese knee mortars in the Pacific in WWII: Marines saw the curved base plate, and figured you actually fired it while kneeling on one knee, with the base plate on your extended thigh...

You've hit the issue smack on the head here - if you believe CVNs are vital, then we barely have enough as it is. If you submit that in the last 7 years that having 11 carriers has not been vital, then we have a debate. I'll bet there will be those in the incoming Administration who will...

Unfortunately, it can get pretty hard - see "Revolt of the Admirals" and the USS UNITED STATES debacle. Our good friends in the Air Force take these kinds of analyses very seriously, and in the zero-sum game that will be the defense budget debate of the next several months, there are going to...

In general, regardless of the designator, the Direct Commission programs are all extremely competitive. Based on the description you gave, you sound very qualified; the only detractor might be that there may be others who are older and have more experience; all else equal and up to a point, they...

Amazing (And Little Known) SERE Story The other SERE threads posted lately were floating around in the back of my mind when I came across an account of this incident today on the high side. In preparation for my little "A Middle-Aged Reservist Visits SERE School" adventure a couple of years...

That's why the "pole dancer" technique is such a $$ move - drop your drawers, grab a tree, and lean out... :)

I saw it clockwise only, but since I was below 10K feet I ejected.

Check out the big brain on Brad / Pugs!

Authorized or not (and I doubt the authorized part...), this was exactly the source of the problem in question - "crossing the streams" between multiple networks. The new policy is probably more draconian than necessary, but in the near term will nip the problem in the bud. If you have...

Pugs - you just got called "old"..... :)

It's important to keep in mind that it takes two to tango. In rare instances, reporters (or foreign intelligence services...) can piece together classified facts from other unclassified data - hence the need for good OPSEC. In almost all cases where you see obviously classified information in...