| I want to cross train out of my current AFSC. Flight | | | | anymore. |
| engineering is 1 of my options. Would you recommend | | | | The tech schools last a total of 5 months: 2 months of |
| this to someone who is married? Also how long is the | | | | BFE (Basic Flight Engineer school) at Altus (you can |
| tech school, and to what degree of difficulty is it? I'm a | | | | drive home whenever you want), and 3 months of |
| former Guidance and control troop, and I am presently | | | | TTU, depending on which aircraft you end up on. C-5s |
| an Avionic back shop instructor at Sheppard, so I have | | | | train at Altus, C-130s at Littlerock. KC-10s train at their |
| a strong avionics background. | | | | home base Travis or McGuire. E-3s are at Tinker. |
| The AMC way of life is vastly different than AETC. | | | | There is a host of other aircraft, but I don't know their |
| The AMC life centers on deployments. GAC goes just | | | | particulars. You also have Combat and Water Survival |
| as much as everyone else. If you have a strong | | | | School at Fairchild, and roughly six months training at |
| marriage and a good relationship with your wife, you | | | | home station before you become mission ready. |
| can survive anything the military throws at you. My | | | | The rewards go far beyond the tangible, however. At |
| wife and I have been married 20 years. I was flying | | | | the end of the day you can see the end result of your |
| when we met and that is the only way she's known | | | | work, you've moved your mission from point A to B. |
| me. She has stuck with me through lengthy | | | | Since becoming an engineer, I've earned four Air |
| separations and shorter ones. | | | | Medals, two Aerial Achievement medals, and have |
| Realize that the job of the flight engineer is to refuel | | | | been awarded the AF Outstanding Unit Award eleven |
| aircraft, move cargo, etc. It is a job that centers on | | | | times, twice with valor (getting shot at). My wife wasn't |
| TDYs. Although, since 9/11 I've deployed more than | | | | thrilled to learn of that. Both events occurred over |
| gone TDY and staying in a hotel is now a treat instead | | | | Afghanistan. I've flown 3 different aircraft and logged |
| of a desert brown tent. Again, you have to weight the | | | | over 8,100 flight hours. |
| benefits of a challenging job versus family separation. | | | | Making a good career choice is one I feel is very |
| I came in as a loadmaster in Basic. I cross-trained 7 | | | | important. I am currently on terminal leave, and making |
| years later and became an engineer. I don't think the | | | | the transition to civilian life. Today's demands on the |
| school was that hard, and that's when the military was | | | | military are very strenuous, and a change like this is |
| teaching it with a 50% washout rate. Now the schools | | | | one I wouldn't suggest or take lightly. With the |
| are all civilian contracted, and it's a kinder, gentler | | | | demands I am facing today, it would be very difficult to |
| school. The contractors get paid for each student who | | | | stay in for another 4 or more years. That's why I'm |
| graduates, so there is little chance you would fail, | | | | retiring. |
| unless you just decided you didn't want to do it | | | | |