Almost done....

[USAFSSGT]

So I am almost done with Goodfellow, next monday I will be in block V. I am not sure where I am going yet as far as an assignment. I am thinking I will be back at Nellis. So is there anyone out there that is framilar with what they usually do with 3 level SSgt's? Will I go right out on a crew?

[THEFIRENUT]

Congratulations!!! You're almost there.

Hazmat is boring, but ARFF is a blast. So at least you have one more good block to look forward to.

Now on station assignments. You should be assigned to a crew as soon as you get to your unit. Most guys on the active duty side at my unit start out on the "Crash" trucks. You will begin learning your vehicles and working on your CDC's/Multimedia for your five level. Of course, as a SSgt, you will be expected to kick it in high gear to get there. Once you get your five level, you should be promoted to "driver", and eventually move up to "crew chief" once you have a little time under your belt. (I am reserve, but I have seen what goes on at the active duty side of the fire station.) I could almost swear that they had a cross-trained TSgt come straight in as a station captain (could be wrong though).

[DFurtman]

How ya been loving the weather down here? been crazy, huh? enjoy Block V, but you'll have a blast in Block VI.. (I'm in Block VI now, graduating next Friday.. Class 061019)

Make sure you study in Hazmat.. that stuff will kill ya.

-Damien

[Futurefiredawg]

Glad to hear you are making it through USAFSSGT. I will be going 24 April. Is there any helpfull tips you can give me so I can make it through as well? I heard there is a 25% washout rate. I dont want to be one of them.

[DFurtman]

Glad to hear you are making it through USAFSSGT. I will be going 24 April. Is there any helpfull tips you can give me so I can make it through as well? I heard there is a 25% washout rate. I dont want to be one of them.

what's up futurefiredawg?

Work on your Cardio workout, though you shouldn't have any problem if you're coming from right out of bootcamp. keep your nose clean... learn as much as you can in classes... Keep as much heart about you as you an as the evaluations may sometimes test your endurance to go on. i'm not the biggest guy out here. my arms are actually quite skinny.. (all my weight got distributed when i was in the Navy) :lol:.. Work on your legs and be ready to drag around 165# "victims" in the ARFF portion of the school. (Block VI)uhmm.. be ready for changes... be ready to wake up at 4:00am.. enjoy as much as you can when ya get here.. it's the best job in the world. oh.. and be ready for the heat.. especially since you'll be here during the summer months at the end of school.. any more questions, feel free to PM me here and ask.

-Damien

[xxxshiftxxx]

So I am almost done with Goodfellow, next monday I will be in block V. I am not sure where I am going yet as far as an assignment. I am thinking I will be back at Nellis. So is there anyone out there that is framilar with what they usually do with 3 level SSgt's? Will I go right out on a crew?

Whats up? I am stationed at Nellis at the FD... do you have orders yet?? if u come back to Nellis, be ready to be a crash truck junkie while ur doing ur upgrade...

[USAFSSGT]

Whats up? I am stationed at Nellis at the FD... do you have orders yet?? if u come back to Nellis, be ready to be a crash truck junkie while ur doing ur upgrade...

Actually no, I dont have orders now. Hopefully I will have some good info tomorrow. My friend that I am here retraining with already has orders back to Nellis. He is done this wend. I am done the 27th of Feb. There is another guy here that is also from Nellis he wants to go to Peterson. How is the SSgt manning looking at Nellis. I have a feeling we are all going to be back there.

Is crash truck a bad assignment?

[THEFIRENUT]

Is crash truck a bad assignment?

Except for long, boring standbys, not really.

[xxxshiftxxx]

Actually no, I dont have orders now. Hopefully I will have some good info tomorrow. My friend that I am here retraining with already has orders back to Nellis. He is done this wend. I am done the 27th of Feb. There is another guy here that is also from Nellis he wants to go to Peterson. How is the SSgt manning looking at Nellis. I have a feeling we are all going to be back there.

Is crash truck a bad assignment?

we have 2 cross trainned staffs on my shift, not sure about the other shift. We have a bunch of staffs, and a few of us are going to be putting it on within the next 6 months..

crash side sucks! its boring, and stand bys do suck... just tell ur friend to hit the floor running, and get his training done, but to learn his job, and dont act like a staff, act like a young airman who is fresh, and ready to learn. if he brings himself out like a dickhead staff and tries to pull rank, he will get rejected by the shift quite fast and will prob hate work. we can care less about the stripes on the arm of someone, its how you work, and your willingness to learn.

[USAFSSGT]

we have 2 cross trainned staffs on my shift, not sure about the other shift. We have a bunch of staffs, and a few of us are going to be putting it on within the next 6 months..

crash side sucks! its boring, and stand bys do suck... just tell ur friend to hit the floor running, and get his training done, but to learn his job, and dont act like a staff, act like a young airman who is fresh, and ready to learn. if he brings himself out like a dickhead staff and tries to pull rank, he will get rejected by the shift quite fast and will prob hate work. we can care less about the stripes on the arm of someone, its how you work, and your willingness to learn.

My buddy just stopped by on his lunch to inform me, all of us are going back to Nellis. Well, where ever I end up I am going to make the best of it and if its crash, oh well you have to crawl before you can walk. Plus I love this **** so I will be happy no matter where I go. As far as the pulling rank issue, I highly doubt seeing that being an issue with myself or the other two guys. We are all very professional and laid back. I can only speak for myself on this one, but one of my major concerns with retraining was getting the training from guys who had been around. Like I said before I love this ****, the more I learn the better. On the flip side of that, I hope I dont end up under someone that doesnt care to put in the work to train me. I really look forward to getting out there and meeting you fellas.

Do you ever work out at station 2 by the bomb dump? If so I am the guy that drove the black Silverado SS from the bomb dump. I had stopped by there a few times to BS with the guys working there. Oh and the guy you were talking to months back about the F-16's thats my buddy Nic he graduates this wendsday. Good man, went through tech. school the first time with him.

So I am almost done with Goodfellow, next monday I will be in block V. I am not sure where I am going yet as far as an assignment. I am thinking I will be back at Nellis. So is there anyone out there that is framilar with what they usually do with 3 level SSgt's? Will I go right out on a crew?

There is a TSgt here at RAB that PCSd from SJ (I think). He cross-trained from Green to Blue and came into 3E7X1 as an E-5. Believe it or not, I have (4 yrs/SSgt select) had more time in firefighting than he has, but because of his attitude and willingness to learn (as stated above), he has pretty much been accelerated through (still fulfilling his certification requirements) to become one of our distriict chiefs. Very smart guy and knows alot about USAF Fire Protection; as well as firefighting in general. Point is, take the advice, learn like a motivated airman, and you'll do just dandy.

[USAFSSGT]

Except for long, boring standbys, not really.

Ok sorry fellas here is one of the first of many questions you will think is silly, what is a long, boring standby?

[BackStepNBackWards]

standyby's, or as we call them, Hardstands, are basically when your crash crew goes out to a designated point on the runway and watch the planes take off and land for a couple hours at a time. It was cool when i first got to base, but got old REAL quick. The point of it is that if there is an emergency, your already there....but many times an emergency is called while the aircraft is "in-flight", so you're going to be ready anyway. PLUS, most ARFF stations are back to back with the runway, so your not saving TOO much time...but i guess its all good...just boring...

[xxxshiftxxx]

Ok sorry fellas here is one of the first of many questions you will think is silly, what is a long, boring standby?

How many guys are comming to Nellis from tech school?? 3 crosstraines? all staffs?

The standbys at Nellis are not that bad, we dont have to sit there at watch A/C take off and land, all the standbys I have been on were for F-15 or 16's running up the engines.. only about 30-45mins. I have not been up to station 2, i am allways at station 1, but that can change as they are moving guys aroud every 6 months now.
When you guys get to Nellis, we got a Airman named Fogarty, he is nuts, so watch out. he is training to be a cage fighter and is Irish. he is B shift so pray to get on A shift. good luck... dont look him directly in the eyes.

just ask around about him when you get there. SrA Fogarty is his name

[DeathbyFire]

I'm deployed with that Fogarty dude right now. He already ****ed up 3 guys while we've been here. Two of them were cops and one was our deputy. I stay away from this dude every chance I get. Can you say PSYCHO!

When you guys get to Nellis, we got a Airman named Fogarty, he is nuts, so watch out. he is training to be a cage fighter and is Irish. he is B shift so pray to get on A shift. good luck... dont look him directly in the eyes.

just ask around about him when you get there. SrA Fogarty is his name[/QUOTE]