Great vid Ron. I think we all did battle with MPC at one time or another. We couldn't agree on an assignment, my commitment was up and exited to the airlines. Never looked back.
My father was a late 1950s EE graduate of U of Iowa; he met my mother there. She grew up on a farm literally across street from Cedar Rapids airport. I grew up a model airplane nut; my grandfather would take me to CR airport to look at big collection there. Ended up doing 21 yrs in USAF, non rated but I did all kinds of interesting things. Never had to run a commissary (but I did get one torn down (but I digress)). Retired as an O-5 and now have second career teaching college.
After watching your videos I sometimes wonder if the USAF goes out of their way to make things overly complicated. Then again, I knew an O-2 pilot who said he was so bummed to get a twin Cessna out of flight school but after a while he began to love it. He joked that since it carried less fuel than an F-4 burned taxiing to the runway his C.O. let him take it home on weekends as a proficiency thing. They later gave him an A-10 but he always loved the joy he had in that old Oscar-Deuce. It really is what you make of it. I guess I was thinking of that since I just built a model of an O-2. I am working on an AT-37 that I plan to paint in Edwards test markings.
Capt. Ron, I've always been under the impression that having a regular commission is a step above reserve. Yet, you speak of it as if it wasn't a big deal. I think you are modest. Kudos to you for the achievement. How were you selected for this? How did it influence your USAF career? What is the difference in the job?
The selection was on merit and very few were selected so I felt bad reverting to reserve and leaving the Air Force. It is a definite career helper, if I would have stayed in.
Always find your posts interesting, I had always wanted to be a jet jockey. My eyesight let me down. Although I still had an enjoyable career in aircraft maintainance, got my A&P certs, but the airline route is frought with layoffs etc. I still do not regret the path I took, but things could have been better. Really enjoy your content!
You just had to share the controlled OER fiasco didn’t you!? I have often wondered how many great USAF Officer’s careers were ruined by senior officers trying to game the system for junior officers under their command. You earned it Ron and you survived a terrible not well thought out system that was shortly after, thrown into the trash can. It was a really stressful time in my career but somehow I survived it also.
@@ronrogers ohh, I think I recall that one. I tend to be that way, I have much thanks and respect for the mentors I have had who have been patient with me
Love these. I had never heard the "Bloom where you're planted" phrase until I started watching your channel. Did the DOD stickers on the cars back then have a blue stripe for officers and a red stripe for enlisted? At least that is how it was at MCAS Cherry Point. Civilian engineers like my father had a green stripe.
You got lucky that the AF didn’t sent you to be a recruiter at the mall or ROTC instructor. When I was in active duty in the early 90s the AF didn’t have enough seats in the cockpit that they sent some UPT grads called bank pilots for year to different job until a slot opened up. I was assigned to a Program Office, and we had a few of them around.
I went to University of Tulsa with a Vietnam F-4 Captain whose father did time for bootlegging. After Vietnam they had him Wild Weasels. He said that he grew tired of training students who were trying to kill him. He got his mechanical engineering degree and went to work for American Airlines at the maintenance facility in Tulsa. His name wasn’t Mike.
It was strange that all outside positions out of SAC I was told to come on board, but the current command had the authority to release you. Lesson learned: If you're an overachiever, forget about transfer. It wasn't that I did not like flying B-52Ds, it was the politically appointed commanders above me.
Great vid Ron. I think we all did battle with MPC at one time or another. We couldn't agree on an assignment, my commitment was up and exited to the airlines. Never looked back.
Nice work getting those beautiful antennas up before the grass!
Dedication!
@@ronrogers Priorities!
Isn’t hindsight a blessing! Truly cathartic.
Nothing Better!!
That car seat is just so cute
My father was a late 1950s EE graduate of U of Iowa; he met my mother there. She grew up on a farm literally across street from Cedar Rapids airport. I grew up a model airplane nut; my grandfather would take me to CR airport to look at big collection there. Ended up doing 21 yrs in USAF, non rated but I did all kinds of interesting things. Never had to run a commissary (but I did get one torn down (but I digress)). Retired as an O-5 and now have second career teaching college.
After watching your videos I sometimes wonder if the USAF goes out of their way to make things overly complicated. Then again, I knew an O-2 pilot who said he was so bummed to get a twin Cessna out of flight school but after a while he began to love it. He joked that since it carried less fuel than an F-4 burned taxiing to the runway his C.O. let him take it home on weekends as a proficiency thing. They later gave him an A-10 but he always loved the joy he had in that old Oscar-Deuce. It really is what you make of it. I guess I was thinking of that since I just built a model of an O-2. I am working on an AT-37 that I plan to paint in Edwards test markings.
I flew the O-2 for a few months before we acquired the A-37. Not sure I had the same feelings about it like your friend.
Depending upon the situation, even at Edwards, the O-2 could be fun. But there was so much more to do!
Some masculine ham antennas on that rancher !
You Betcha!
Capt. Ron,
I've always been under the impression that having a regular commission is a step above reserve. Yet, you speak of it as if it wasn't a big deal. I think you are modest. Kudos to you for the achievement. How were you selected for this? How did it influence your USAF career? What is the difference in the job?
The selection was on merit and very few were selected so I felt bad reverting to reserve and leaving the Air Force. It is a definite career helper, if I would have stayed in.
It's nice sitting here listening to your career as I'm doing my ATPL theory course :D
Best of luck!
@@ronrogers Thanks, I really hope to have a career as interesting and cool as yours
Always find your posts interesting, I had always wanted to be a jet jockey. My eyesight let me down. Although I still had an enjoyable career in aircraft maintainance, got my A&P certs, but the airline route is frought with layoffs etc. I still do not regret the path I took, but things could have been better. Really enjoy your content!
Thanks!
This is great stuff, Ron! Gives an insight into the military life… For those who don’t know…
You just had to share the controlled OER fiasco didn’t you!? I have often wondered how many great USAF Officer’s careers were ruined by senior officers trying to game the system for junior officers under their command. You earned it Ron and you survived a terrible not well thought out system that was shortly after, thrown into the trash can. It was a really stressful time in my career but somehow I survived it also.
Couldn't help myself!!🤣
I was a career command post troop…I bet you were a great CP Chief.
I hope so, thanks!
Great vid , I am wondering if you ever had a student who struggled more than most, but then caught on and became better than most?
Yes, I talk about him in one of my videos. But he later died in an accident.
@@ronrogers ohh, I think I recall that one. I tend to be that way, I have much thanks and respect for the mentors I have had who have been patient with me
Very interesting. I have also seen the ebbs and flow of life.
Love these. I had never heard the "Bloom where you're planted" phrase until I started watching your channel. Did the DOD stickers on the cars back then have a blue stripe for officers and a red stripe for enlisted? At least that is how it was at MCAS Cherry Point. Civilian engineers like my father had a green stripe.
Yes, I had the blue stipe.
You got lucky that the AF didn’t sent you to be a recruiter at the mall or ROTC instructor. When I was in active duty in the early 90s the AF didn’t have enough seats in the cockpit that they sent some UPT grads called bank pilots for year to different job until a slot opened up. I was assigned to a Program Office, and we had a few of them around.
Or even worse, go through pilot training and be assigned as a drone pilot!
I went to University of Tulsa with a Vietnam F-4 Captain whose father did time for bootlegging. After Vietnam they had him Wild Weasels. He said that he grew tired of training students who were trying to kill him. He got his mechanical engineering degree and went to work for American Airlines at the maintenance facility in Tulsa. His name wasn’t Mike.
Thanks, Ron. Just curious about those antennae in your first house photo. What sort of permissions were needed for that?
None
I noticed those as well.
Back when the TS-520S was new?
Yes, latest and greatest and still works!
Yea, that was back in the day when local government wasn’t up our rear for every little home improvement.
Laughlin AFB in Del Rio is an ATC UPT base, you confused it with Lackland AFB in San Antonio, where enlisted get their basic training
Yes, my tongue became tangled.
Is it common to assign a new graduate to a training position?
Unfortunately, yes.
@@ronrogers I figured they would “assign” veteran fliers to a training squadron…I think Navy SEALs force their team guys into a training rotation
Post wings even the best ones can CBD
Every request I made to get out of SAC resulted in the stamp. "Denied, due to vital position for the defense of The United States."
Don't you just love it!!!
It was strange that all outside positions out of SAC I was told to come on board, but the current command had the authority to release you. Lesson learned: If you're an overachiever, forget about transfer. It wasn't that I did not like flying B-52Ds, it was the politically appointed commanders above me.
What's FCF?
Functional check flight
Functional Check Flight - performed after heavy maintenance. A return to service flight.