Anchors away! BOHICA is Navy bound!

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

FWIW, for anyone who is familiar with my tribulations (see previous threads) in the USAF, just got word today that I passed the medical and final acceptance review, so it looks like I'm Navy bound as soon as Congress signs the scrolls! Now the Navy has an Air Force Academy graduate with 11 yrs active duty in the USAF! I imagine Billy Mitchell is spinning in his grave at the USAF's incredible mismanagement. Anyhow, I guess I'll see you in Rhode Island this summer! Good luck to all!

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[helo doc]

FWIW, for anyone who is familiar with my tribulations (see previous threads) in the USAF, just got word today that I passed the medical and final acceptance review, so it looks like I'm Navy bound as soon as Congress signs the scrolls! Now the Navy has an Air Force Academy graduate with 11 yrs active duty in the USAF! I imagine Billy Mitchell is spinning in his grave at the USAF's incredible mismanagement. Anyhow, I guess I'll see you in Rhode Island this summer! Good luck to all!

Welcome to the fold, shipmate! As a 14 yr Navy man, I can say with certainty that you'll soon realize the truth of my favorite sea service saying - "The US Navy... 230 years of tradition unmarred by progress." With all kidding aside, I think you'll be in for an interesting ride - times are a changin'.

FYI, here are some Navy terms that you might hear in the future:
Haze gray - usually denotes being underway on a ship. It is a shortened form of "Haze gray and underway".
Quarterdeck - a ceremonial part of the ship where sober sailors depart and return later as drunken fools.
A shoe - a term used to describe a surface warfare officer; it refers to the fact that unlike aviators who wear brown shoes, the SWO wears black shoes. Note that SWOs may also be referred to as "surface pukes" or "SWO daddies". The unofficial motto of the SWO community: "We eat our young."
Nuke - someone who serves in the engineering spaces of a nuclear powered warship.
Airdale - someone who serves in the aviation community, usually used by a surface sailor when referring to an enlisted person in an aviation rating. Let me use it a sentence; "I'd rather have a sister who's a callgirl than a brother who's an airdale."
Four-dot-oh - a term used to describe someone who is very "squared away". This is a throwback to the times when fitness reports used a grading scale of 0.0 to 4.0. Now, the grading scale goes to 5.0, but us old crusty salts like the olde fashioned terms.
Bull Ensign - the most senior ensign in a command. Often harrassed into wearing oversize insignia to denote his/her status.
Ensign Senior Grade - a loving term used to address a clueless Lieutenant Junior Grade officer.
Shipmate - an often derogatory term synonymous with the term "buddyf*@ker".
Nub - the new guy, an acronym for Non Useful Body.

And that's only the tip of the iceberg. Anyhow, welcome aboard and enjoy.

 

[island doc]

FWIW, for anyone who is familiar with my tribulations (see previous threads) in the USAF, just got word today that I passed the medical and final acceptance review, so it looks like I'm Navy bound as soon as Congress signs the scrolls! Now the Navy has an Air Force Academy graduate with 11 yrs active duty in the USAF! I imagine Billy Mitchell is spinning in his grave at the USAF's incredible mismanagement. Anyhow, I guess I'll see you in Rhode Island this summer! Good luck to all!

Congratulations! I am happy for you. No doubt you will be better off. I did not know that you were an Academy grad. Amazing. Just goes to show the extent to which the USAF does not care for it's own. In fact, the USAF does not even care about it's own.

 

[DD214_DOC]

So the AF is really that bad? I never really liked it much anyways, as it seemed more like a corporation than a military service.

I spent some time in NROTC in college so I'm partial, but what about the Army?

 

[Heeed!]

FWIW, for anyone who is familiar with my tribulations (see previous threads) in the USAF, just got word today that I passed the medical and final acceptance review, so it looks like I'm Navy bound as soon as Congress signs the scrolls! Now the Navy has an Air Force Academy graduate with 11 yrs active duty in the USAF! I imagine Billy Mitchell is spinning in his grave at the USAF's incredible mismanagement. Anyhow, I guess I'll see you in Rhode Island this summer! Good luck to all!

Red hot traitor! Just jokin'. Good luck!

 

[island doc]

So the AF is really that bad? I never really liked it much anyways, as it seemed more like a corporation than a military service.

I spent some time in NROTC in college so I'm partial, but what about the Army?

Yes, the AF is really that bad.

 

[trixmd]

If you're a USAFA grad, why are you going to OIS? Seems like there are better ways to spend your AT.

Trix

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

If you're a USAFA grad, why are you going to OIS? Seems like there are better ways to spend your AT.

Trix

Because I have to. Honestly,though, I know the customs and courtesy stuff, but some of the Navy specific stuff would be good to learn. For instance, the whole specialty identifier before the enlisted rank (e.g., HM3) is a foreign concept to me. (FWIW, anyone have a linke to a "gerber" sheet to help me figure out the enlisted ranks?)

 

[UCBShocker]

Congratulations! I am happy for you. No doubt you will be better off. I did not know that you were an Academy grad. Amazing. Just goes to show the extent to which the USAF does not care for it's own. In fact, the USAF does not even care about it's own.

HEY CONGRATS MAN!! I am really happy that you got in and things are moving forward for you.

However this goes out to some, please do not say the AF does not care about its own. I can see how easy it is to say so with this particular example, but the AF has literally bent over backwards to help me in serious personal difficulties that occured in my life recently. I consider every branch to be great and essential to the mission, with each fitting better to different people. I am not going to be getting into an argument here, but please realize there are always different perspectives.

 

[island doc]

HEY CONGRATS MAN!! I am really happy that you got in and things are moving forward for you.

However this goes out to some, please do not say the AF does not care about its own. I can see how easy it is to say so with this particular example, but the AF has literally bent over backwards to help me in serious personal difficulties that occured in my life recently. I consider every branch to be great and essential to the mission, with each fitting better to different people. I am not going to be getting into an argument here, but please realize there are always different perspectives.

If the AF is as caring and compassionate as you say, why did they not help BOHICA realize his dream?? Why did they ignore the pleas of USAFdoc?? Why did they deliberately prevent me from obtaining the necessary knowledge and skills I needed in order to do my job?? Why have they allowed the current state of affairs to develop/exist in the MC?? No offense, but these are examples from the field which you have yet to enter. Right now you exist within the USUHS classroom which is as far removed from the AF field as is a civilian medical school classroom from a private practice office or a civilian hospital. You obviously have alot to learn about the real AF. FYI, the USUHS grads were getting out at the earliest opportunity along with all the rest of us, it just took them alot longer to. Sorry, if I have wiped the rose color off your glasses.

 

[UCBShocker]

If the AF is as caring and compassionate as you say, why did they not help BOHICA realize his dream?? Why did they ignore the pleas of USAFdoc?? Why did they deliberately prevent me from obtaining the necessary knowledge and skills I needed in order to do my job?? Why have they allowed the current state of affairs to develop/exist in the MC?? No offense, but these are examples from the field which you have yet to enter. Right now you exist within the USUHS classroom which is as far removed from the AF field as is a civilian medical school classroom from a private practice office or a civilian hospital. You obviously have alot to learn about the real AF. FYI, the USUHS grads were getting out at the earliest opportunity along with all the rest of us, it just took them alot longer to. Sorry, if I have wiped the rose color off your glasses.

I dont wear glasses yet, but I am starting to think that I should... constantly looking at my notes makes far away objects seem blurry for awhile. Well your point is certainly valid, and your right I have yet to experience the 'real' air force. But I am quite sure I never said that the Air Force is perfect or even close to it... I simply said the Air Force has been extremely good to me and that people who read this forum should know there are, at the very least, exceptions to your picture of the Air Force. I am actually expecting to find some pretty frustrating situations in AF medicine, and I would think that no matter where you are practicing medicine you should expect these. I was on this forum religiously while applying and read every single negative post about the military that existed at the time and valued the insight. I made a choice based on whats best for me, I have no dillusions of candy paved streets (actually that would suck up here come the rainy season anyway). Are you implying that the other services do not have their fair share of problems? You never said that, so I can not assume you think that, but if you did I would have to tell you were very wrong. And in response to USUHS grads leaving as soon as possible I have already met some 20 or more students that have stayed in well past their commitment, and retirement years. This ofcourse is a very small sample size, but at the very least it provides exceptions to your rule.

And civilian practice? Thats something I do have quite a few years experience in, and for those of you who just came out of the military probably more experience than you. Does that mean I am qualified to speak about the entire civilian medical field? Ofcourse not... all I can say is that I have seen some good hospitals, and some ABSOLUTELY horrible ones with administration covering up any sign of efficiency. Anyways in this mess of a response (sorry I just got out of a biochem exam), my main point is please do not apply your experience or anyone elses to "The Air Force sucks". While you are providing an invaluable service of insight when giving YOUR experience, you are actually doing harm when you try to extend that experience to the ENTIRE Air Force. Thats all I am really saying in this post... or atleast I think... but I will be sure to get those glasses... and not rosy ones either... I dont think that is allowed under -2309 anyway.

 

[island doc]

Our attitudes and opinions are shaped by our personal experiences. Granted your experience may differ, but my experiences in the USAF MC sent a loud and clear message. That message was best stated by the SAUSHEC Emergency Medicine Program Director at the time I was an AF ER GMO seeking formal training in EM by the AF: "They [the AF] are just going to use you and throw you away". That turned out to be prophetic. I was used and thrown away after investing almost 10 years of my life. What a waste of time.

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

Not sure if I should really weigh in on this, because I'm happy in med school, happy to be joining the Navy, and happy to be rid of my past life.

I guess I would say that the Air Force is a mixed bag. They DO infact take care of SOME people very well. I've seen it. The problem is the lack of distribution of that great treatment. For every person I've seen the Air Force take great care of, there are several others who are beaten down like the red-headed step child. For my part, I found all-to-often that the preeminent core value, "Service Before Self," (which is drilled into us like a mantra each and every day) was used as nothing more than a cheap management tool to squeeze more blood from a turnip. This came from all levels from MAJCOM CC to Sqadron CC. And, unfortunately, the Air Force tends to promote "yes" men/women who tow the party line like Stepford-officers without even pondering what the RIGHT thing to do is. Take this for what it is worth,but my advice is: do your job, try to fly under the radar, serve your comittment, and get out when you're time is up.

 

[island doc]

I am happy for you too. I share your joy in being rid of that past life. I do not particularly enjoy reliving all my bad experiences in the USAF MC either, but I consider it necessary in this forum in hopes that perhaps at least one person will listen and be spared the same. I will say it until I am beyond facial cyanosis: Please listen to what is being said about the AF MC in this forum, and stay away. If you are already obligated, follow the good advice of our friend BOHICA here.

 

[Spang]

Not sure if I should really weigh in on this, because I'm happy in med school, happy to be joining the Navy, and happy to be rid of my past life.

Welcome to the Navy. Tomorrow is your night in the barrel.


Spang

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

Welcome to the Navy. Tomorrow is your night in the barrel.


Spang

Not sure what this means. Can you elaborate/explain?

 

[nonlethal]

Not sure what this means. Can you elaborate/explain?

If you don't know now, you probably don't want to. And after you do know, you most likely won't want to remember. And when you do remember, you'll either cringe at the nightmares, or start to laugh uncontrollably at the hilarity of "that one night..."

 

[Globus P]

Not sure what this means. Can you elaborate/explain?

It's a naval aviation term for a really, crappy night at sea, flying around the boat (aircraft carrier).

Such as flying at night, stormy weather, low on fuel, can't seem to get on the deck, bolter after bolter followed by a wave-off, with an engine low oil pressure light, only one working radio, the ship's bullseye (navigation system) is down, closest divert is beyond your fuel capacity, you're in shark infested waters, you had hot dogs and chilli for dinner and your bowels are screaming...another bolter, now flying on fumes........

That's a night in the barrel. Been there, done that (minus the chilli, I knew better).

 

[Globus P]

BOHICA - make sense now? Congrats with ETSU and welcome to the Navy.

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

BOHICA - make sense now? Congrats with ETSU and welcome to the Navy.

Got it! Thanks! I also got a slightly more, umm, "colorful" explanation of the origins of this coloquialism from someone else in a PM. Not sure if it the story true but it sure is funny! Unfortunately, good taste requires I don't post the details here.