Off we go, into the . . . .

Golddollar

Golddollar

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My little step-cousin (6'3" and towers over me) is joining the United States Air Force. We're having a sendoff party for him tomorrow. I'm happy for him because even though I never served, the Air Force is the branch I'm most connected to because of my time in Air Force ROTC. I have to go to the grocery store and buy a couple pounds of fresh mushrooms so I can make a pan of stuffed mushrooms for the party.
 
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At least he's smart enough to go to San Antonio in December, unlike a weak-minded person such as myself who went in on June 30th 1970, so I could fully enjoy marching around in the Texas sun in long-sleeved dark green fatigues. Good times - now ;)

Of course I did have the incentive of getting in before a mandatory invitation to join America's largest military branch arrived.
 
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Congratulations to your step cousin. It is a wise decision he has made.
I enlisted shortly after my 17th birthday. 4 extremely interesting years.
1952-1956.
College on the GI Bill. GI home loan. Great care at the Boise VAMC.
Like I said, a wise decision.
 
Congratulations to him!

I joined in Dec too. While at Lackland, we had the first snow they had seen in at least 10 years. They had us out cleaning off the walkways with dust pans. No snow shovels in Lackland.
 
Come on and join the Air force.
We're a happy band they say.
We never do a lick of work.
Just fly around all day.

While others work and study hard,
And soon grow old and blind.
You'll take to the air, without a care,
And you will never mind.

Promotions come upon you just as high as you desire.
You're riding on the gravy train,
When you're an Airforce flyer.
But just when you're about to be a General you find,
The engine stops, the wings fall off,
And you will never mind.

You are flying across the ocean,
When you hear the engine spit.
You see the prop come to a stop,
The goshdarn* engine quit.

The ship won't float, you cannot swim,
The shore is miles behind.
You'll be a dish for happy fish,
And you will never mind.

You are flying your F-86 along the Yalu shore,
Loyal to the Air force, but rotten to the core.
You've only got one engine, Jack,
And if that bastage* quits,
It will be a barrel by itself,
'Cause you're the kind that gets...

You'll never mind,
You'll never mind,
Come on and join the Air force,
And you will never mind.

-Korean war era USAF ditty
 
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Bullet Bob said:
At least he's smart enough to go to San Antonio in December, unlike a weak-minded person such as myself who went in on June 30th 1970, so I could fully enjoy marching around in the Texas sun in long-sleeved dark green fatigues. Good times - now

Of course I did have the incentive of getting in before a mandatory invitation to join America's largest military branch arrived.
Click to expand...

Congrats! USAF is the best branch of the armed forces - it's the one all the smart kids choose. :D

I was fortunate enough to Visit Lackland in December, 1983. I would have given anything for one of those warm field jacket liners, like the one our drill sergeant had. :mad: 6 weeks of folding our underwear into 6" squares and eating was real tough stuff! :D
 
The USAF has hundreds of career fields to get training in. I can only imagine how many now, I had a pretty large choice in 1959. Spent Oct in Lackland, then a short distance up to Shepherd AFB in Wichita Falls, TX for the next 6 months for school. 43250, Jet Engine Mechanic. On planes that are now all in the scrap yard, (B66, T33, F84, KB50J). The Cold War was pretty much an 8 hour a day job.
 
My intense training at Lackland taught me invaluable skills to prepare me for civilian life such as ironing pleats in a cummerbund and the proper folding of an origami dinner napkin.

Time well spent.
 
Congrats to him, and my very best wishes.

Tell him not to take basic training (scout camp) as being "the real Air Force." It gets much better after that six weeks.

1972 - 2000. A good life, and it still is.
 
The Air Force is the "newest" branch of our military. Until September
1947 it was part of the U. S. Army. The Army Air Corp. Since 1947 it
has been the United States Air Force.

Don't know how it is now, but when I went in 1952 they gave us 3
choices for career field. I got my 3rd choice. Then again, 3 choices
for overseas theatre. Again, I got my 3rd choice.

Actually I think they give you a choice and then put you where they
want you. It all turned out fine though.
 
Congratulations and best wishes to your nephew.
Would also like to know what career field.
A number of the AF tech schools are the best anywhere.
(Navy also has great Tech Schools)
 
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Bullet Bob said:
At least he's smart enough to go to San Antonio in December, unlike a weak-minded person such as myself who went in on June 30th 1970, so I could fully enjoy marching around in the Texas sun in long-sleeved dark green fatigues. Good times - now ;)

Of course I did have the incentive of getting in before a mandatory invitation to join America's largest military branch arrived.
Click to expand...

Aviation Cadet pre-flight at Lackland in Aug '56. Our fatigues were one-piece long sleeves with a belt. Unbelievably hot (the fatigues and the temp.)

Standing in formation in the blazing sun, the Upper Classmen would always remind us, "Bend your knees if you feel woozy. If you faint, you wash out!"
 
I thank all of you for your kind words and interest in my step-cousin's entry into the US Air Force. He leaves tomorrow for Lackland AFB and is going to be entering the Linguistic School.

We had a nice send off party for him between our family and a few friends of the family. Somebody made up the cake that's in the attached picture. Even though I was only an Air Force ROTC cadet, I feel a real connection with him going into the Air Force.
 

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  • Air Force Emblem Cake.jpg
    Air Force Emblem Cake.jpg
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  • Mom cutting AF Cake.jpg
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Linguistics...What language(s) does he know?

I went to Lackland during the time of year Texans call Winter, but we in Minnesota think of as a particularly hot Summer. It was pretty nice...
 
THE PILGRIM said:
Golddollar said:
Looks like most of the foreign language training is there now.
In years past, it was done in a number places including some major universities.
Once knew a Russian linguist who went to Indiana.
Your cousin is a bright kid.
He has to be to be selected for language training.
Defense Language Institute - Wikipedia
Click to expand...

We're proud of what he is doing. I admire people who are multi-lingual. I always wonder how they can keep each language straight.
Click to expand...
 
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