Just wondering if anybody can give me some more insight into mos 15u. I am scheduled to ship to basic in January 2008 (DEP)... Fort Knox,KY 20080103 and afterwards Fort Eustis, VA for AIT... Man I cant wait until I can get a ride on a CH-47 !!!
Just don't sit in the middle...anytime you're staring at the center-of-gravity circle as a passenger, it's going to be a bad flight. Blackhawk's at least "fly" in smooth arc on turns, but CH's sometimes get this nausea-inducing "drift" and yaw around the center axis...feels like being in a shipping container floating down the Colorado River rapids if you're not close to the cockpit. Luck for you the crew chiefs are right behind it...
Originally posted by papajonlane: Just wondering if anybody can give me some more insight into mos 15u. I am scheduled to ship to basic in January 2008 (DEP)... Fort Knox,KY 20080103 and afterwards Fort Eustis, VA for AIT... Man I cant wait until I can get a ride on a CH-47 !!!
I am currently at Ft. Eustis doing my AIT for 15U. I am at the end of Week 7 of class, so almost halfway through.
Once you get classed (after arriving from BCT) you will be in Frontload, which teaches you all the basics of tools, procedures, and filling-oout maintenance paperwork (TAMMS-A). You will go on to the electronic/computerized version of TAMMS-A, then you go to the floor.
Once "on the floor" you start working on the actual airframes. You will go through one system at a time, identifying, removing, documenting, and then replacing the part(s) on the aircraft. You have to work quickly but carefully. The pace is fast, as it will be once you get to the "real Army." The instructors at USAALS are tough but fair. Do well in your classes, be a squared-away soldier, and you'll be OK.
THANX GBESAW!!!! hey Mad_Matt let me know how your doing as the weeks go on id like to know what exactly you get into and have you had any flight time yet? and thanx for the info!!!
Originally posted by papajonlane: THANX GBESAW!!!! hey Mad_Matt let me know how your doing as the weeks go on id like to know what exactly you get into and have you had any flight time yet? and thanx for the info!!!
So far we've done Environmental Systems, Electrical Systems, Fuel Systems, and today we just started Hydraulics.
You won't get any flight time until you get to Flight Platoon (at your "real Army" unit) and become a Crew Chief. All the maintenance trainers at Ft. Eustis are non-flying airframes.
Originally posted by papajonlane: Approx when do you become a crew chief? does it go by time in your mos? How is Eustis have you had time to go off base yet?
Like a lot of things in the Army... It Depends. Just do well, and gently express an interest in getting to Flight Platoon.
But first, make it through BCT, then AIT. One step at a time.
As for getting off post: A lot, actually. Right before I got classed, the entire hold-under company got taken to Busch Gardens. At the start of your 4th week at AIT, (if your grades are good and you pass your PT test) you qualify for day passes. At the beginning of your 12th week, you qualify for overnight passes. I've gotten a couple overnight passes for doing certain details, or just being in the right place at the right time. For example, right now I'm at a hotel with my wife and daughter, because I was on Flag Detail for a month.
There's lots to do around here, but the only drawback is that cabs are expensive. Just to go to the mall is about $15 each way. But if you get 4 other guys in the same cab, your cost is significantly lower.
Mad_Mat has everything turned out the way you thought it would in the Army? How far is the Beach from Eustis? also have they told you where you might be going after AIT? I heard on AKO website you could check and see about 4 weeks or so before AIT is over where you might be goin!!!
Originally posted by papajonlane: Mad_Mat has everything turned out the way you thought it would in the Army? How far is the Beach from Eustis? also have they told you where you might be going after AIT? I heard on AKO website you could check and see about 4 weeks or so before AIT is over where you might be goin!!!
Things are good so far. VA Beach is about a $70 cab ride each way, so the more guys going, the better (to share the cost).
You usually get your first assignment on AKO within your FIRST 3 weeks of AIT.
Thats awesome!!! Where you headed? Did you have any way to make requests on where to go , I heard that you pick like 5 locations you would like for them to take into consideration. Is this true or all B.S ? anyways thanks for takin the time!!!!!! Jonathan PVT, US Army 15U
Originally posted by papajonlane: Thats awesome!!! Where you headed? Did you have any way to make requests on where to go , I heard that you pick like 5 locations you would like for them to take into consideration. Is this true or all B.S ? anyways thanks for takin the time!!!!!! Jonathan PVT, US Army 15U
Right now, I'm slated to go to the 10th Aviation at Ft. Drum, but I'm going to try to get reassigned to the 82nd Aviation at Ft. Bragg (long story-- short version: EFMP). BUT I am also putting in an application to go 160th SOAR.
As for preferences: you can put them down on your AKO under "Army Satisfaction Key" (ASK) on the HRC website. However, in my case, NONE of my preferences were taken into consideration. Needs of the Army.
Really Fort Drum looks kinda cool , I checked it out on Military Home Front website, its near buffalo new york isnt it? cold cold cold in the winter, you want Fort Bragg huh, is that where you are from? . See im from California but wherever I go will not be near home kinda sucks there are no bases near here, but I have moved around a lot to Florida,Illinois,Nevada over the years. I wonder if they will let you change? Hows training going?
Howdy. I'm not a U, I'm a door gunner on a 47 here in Afghanistan. I can tell you from living and working with 15u's and pilots for the past 15 months or so and from all my flight time that THIS IS the airframe to be in. I love this thing! Once you graduate AIT you will be put in a maintanance plt. Work hard, keep a good attitude, learn all you can, and continualy express your desire to move to flight plt. If your squared away enough then when they need another crew chief you will be given the oportunity. It has nothing to do with how long you've been there. The crewchief check ride (to become a CE) consist of many things. Clearing the aircraft of obsticles in flight and on the ground, hooking flying and unloading sling loads, loading and unloading the aircraft, and a few other things I cant remember off the top of my head. You will also be tested on how well you know the systems. The biggest thing I've seen guys fail check rides for are the EP's. Emergency Procedures are the most important things you need to know. If you forget what a component is called or does it's not as bad as if you dont know what to do when certain lights light up on the maintenance panel or a particular gauge sudenly reads zero. Anyways, I LOVE crewing these pigs. I wish I chose this MOS when it was offered to me at MEPS. After being a crew dog for the past 15 months being back on the ground will never be the same. Stay squared away, know your stuff, and be patient. You move up when your SI says your ready, not when you think your ready. And dong get down and out if you fail a check ride. The best FE's and CE's I've worked with over here have failed a check ride or two.
Troop!! thanx very much for the inside view, I couldnt tell you how important your information was to me!! I cant wait until I ship I count the minutes but I still have awhile , I go out in January and it was pure luck that I got this MOS . I had to sign a longer enlistment but its all for the good, I want to learn the Chinook and any pictures you might have would be awesome too!!!! let me know how your experiences are overseas, I am all ears and thanx again!!! ( my email is papajonlane@hotmail.com )
My instructor here at USAALS is one of the best. When we take parts off the aircraft, before he signs off on it and lets us put it back on the aircraft, we have to tell him what it does, and its significance. A great basis for what will come later on.
papajonlane:
I'll be gone from here before you even go to BCT. However, when you get to Ft. Eustis, and start classes, find SSG Powell (my instructor). He is the best. Tell him I said hi!
Work hard, know what you're doing (and WHY you're doing it), and study hard. Hydraulics is a b|tch, so get that one down!
Def will Mad_Matt!!! You just about to wrap up Ait soon? .. And yea I am focused on my next big goal in life and I know it will be hard so I am glad that I can have the chance to talk to people who are going through it before I do.. As soon as my wife has our baby, about a month later I ship on out to basic. Did you ever get a chance to make a swap or anything so you can get outta Fort Drum?
Originally posted by papajonlane: Def will Mad_Matt!!! You just about to wrap up Ait soon? .. And yea I am focused on my next big goal in life and I know it will be hard so I am glad that I can have the chance to talk to people who are going through it before I do.. As soon as my wife has our baby, about a month later I ship on out to basic. Did you ever get a chance to make a swap or anything so you can get outta Fort Drum?
As soon as I can get the EFMP paperwork from my son's providers, I can submit them and see what the Army says...
Best of luck at BCT. Remember it's all a mind-game.
What MOS are you that you get to be a door gunner? I am waiting to go back in and what to be a door gunner. I have heard that you have to be a 15U crew Chief.
