I am now in the United States Air Force

[AkSaber]

Congrats and best of luck.

My son will be joining The Corps soon.

Whoa. Definitely the most challenging of the Services, but the most rewarding. Best of luck to him.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Congrats and best of luck.

My son will be joining The Corps soon.

Whoa. Definitely the most challenging of the Services, but the most rewarding. Best of luck to him.

Thanks.

Well, he talked to all the adult men in his extended family as to which service to join, and there was a little difference of opinion.

Both his grandfathers favored the Air Force (where both served, one as a Colonel) as well as one uncle.

Another relative (one of my uncles) suggested the Navy (he's a retired four striper).  I remember an exchange I had with him at a family picnic in which I noted that "I was a Captain too," to which he retorted that technically that was correct, but all I had was railroad tracks and he had four stripes.

I tried to tell him he should wait, and enroll in NROTC (like I did) before entering The Corps (I listened to another uncle who served at Iwo where he lead a BAR team, and he told me the lightes bar to carry was a gold one).

Oh, and I can only judge by the Officer's Mess, but, yeah, the Air Force does have the best chow (but the Navy has the best coffee).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I think that, deep down, we all know how this is going to end. Naso will, somehow, die horrifically and this forum will never be the same. There's something almost Hardyesque about the dramatic irony here...

[Keystone Phil]

Naso will, somehow, die horrifically and this forum will never be the same.

So nice of you, Al. Would he earn your full respect if he died in some working class hero mine collapse or something?

[MaxQue]

Naso will, somehow, die horrifically and this forum will never be the same.

So nice of you, Al. Would he earn your full respect if he died in some working class hero mine collapse or something?

Miners are clearly not working class heroes. Not in North America.

[Keystone Phil]

Naso will, somehow, die horrifically and this forum will never be the same.

So nice of you, Al. Would he earn your full respect if he died in some working class hero mine collapse or something?

Miners are clearly not working class heroes. Not in North America.

Have you heard about the coal mines in Wales? Sit down and I'll tell you about good old Grandfather Wjahdjkjawglaayden and the "dark days"....

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Naso will, somehow, die horrifically and this forum will never be the same.

So nice of you, Al. Would he earn your full respect if he died in some working class hero mine collapse or something?

Hey, I'm not cheering that possibility on or anything. Just saying that it feels... oddly plausible. In a [Thomas] Hardy-like way.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Miners are clearly not working class heroes.

You are going to Hell. That's all.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Naso will, somehow, die horrifically and this forum will never be the same.

So nice of you, Al. Would he earn your full respect if he died in some working class hero mine collapse or something?

Miners are clearly not working class heroes. Not in North America.

Have you heard about the coal mines in Wales? Sit down and I'll tell you about good old Grandfather Wjahdjkjawglaayden and the "dark days"....

lol

Most of my coal-mining ancestors were from Co. Durham actually (though some were Welsh). Mostly Slate quarrymen on the Welsh side.

[Sbane]

Naso will, somehow, die horrifically and this forum will never be the same.

So nice of you, Al. Would he earn your full respect if he died in some working class hero mine collapse or something?

Nice one Phil.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Miners are clearly not working class heroes.

You are going to Hell. That's all.

Don't worry about him, Al.  He's probably just mad because he pissed off a miner who then proceeded to beat him with his shovel.  That's what they use, right?  Shovels?  To mine the coal?

You're most likely taking the piss, but, yes, shovels were used down pits.

[JSojourner]

Today I took my oath of enlistment into DEP (Delayed Entry Program) for the United States Air Force. I will ship out after my semester of college which ends May 20th. They have me down for June 1st.

I have to say, it was a long 36 hrs. After I went to my recruiter's office, the limo (I kid you not) took me to a 4-star hotel in downtown Cleveland. After making a 15-minute trip to the fitness room to lift a bit, I made my way to the cafeteria where I had a dinner of House salad and water (Had to avoid sugars and proteins). Then I returned to the room and woke up at 4:00am for the start of my day of taking my physical. I ate a breakfast of dry toast and water and then boarded a snazzy pimp-like shuttle which took me and over two-three dozen other enlistees over to the Military enlistment center.

Between 6am and 11am, I went through everything from eye tests to hearing tests to the "duck walk" tests and yes...even a "turn your head and cough". I passed my physical, went to the cafeteria to have lunch (Subway sandwiches and lots of goodies), then spent the afternoon certifying my entry into D.E.P. in the U.S. Air Force. After that, I took my oath of enlistment and was sworn in along with one other fellow Military guy who was heading into the Navy. I called my recruiter, got the debrief, and then the limo came and picked me up to return me home.

One thing I noticed, the difference between being a civilian and sworn in...they immediately began treating me as "one of them" rather than some "kid taking tests". It is quite a feeling. I even have an unofficial Air Force I.D.

Just thought I'd share this with ya.

Mike,

Congratulations, God bless you in your service and thank you from all of us.  I hope, once you go active, you stay safe, learn a lot and enjoy as much of it as possible.

[MaxQue]

I said in North America. Miners are paid higher than the average pay.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Naso will, somehow, die horrifically and this forum will never be the same.

So nice of you, Al. Would he earn your full respect if he died in some working class hero mine collapse or something?

Miners are clearly not working class heroes. Not in North America.

Have you heard about the coal mines in Wales? Sit down and I'll tell you about good old Grandfather Wjahdjkjawglaayden and the "dark days"....

Oh yes, I'm familiar with the story.. he married my grandmother's cousin, Myrna Gorsafawddachaidraigodanheddogleddollonpenrhynareurdraethceredigion.. which when said, sounds like "Jones".

[Storebought]

Well... I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel safer already.

That was mean. It was also one of the few comments on the AF that made me laugh.

[Hash]

I said in North America. Miners are paid higher than the average pay.

Like the poor oppressed devils at OCTranspo!

[opebo]

I said in North America. Miners are paid higher than the average pay.

So?

[MaxQue]

I said in North America. Miners are paid higher than the average pay.

So?

They are not working class heroes.

[TeePee4Prez]

Well... I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel safer already.

I second this.

But sorry about the meterology thing.  I think you would have been good on the Weather Channel.

[Reaganfan]

I know for sure that I'll be in Texas when I ship to basic training in June, after that it depends on the tech school. I'll be out of commission until after the 8 weeks of training when I will get my dorm room in tech school. At that point, I'll get myself back up and running.

[dead0man]

Start running (if you haven't already).

[JSojourner]

I know for sure that I'll be in Texas when I ship to basic training in June, after that it depends on the tech school. I'll be out of commission until after the 8 weeks of training when I will get my dorm room in tech school. At that point, I'll get myself back up and running.

One word of advice...

The haircut is optional.  Be sure to tell your drill instructor that it's YOUR RIGHT to choose whatever hairstyle you want.  Drill instructors really admire recruits who are assertive and take initiative.

[??????????]

Hope your good with push ups if you take JS's advice.

[Lincoln Republican]

Congratulations.

If you make a career of it, you know, there was an Air Force General who ran for Vice President of the United States.