I want to take a second and congratulate everyone who was selected yesterday for promotion to E-5. One senior airman I’m particularly proud of is my good friend Carley Bolitho, who has been featured in this comic. Congrats kiddo, and to all your fellow selectees! To everyone else, next year will come sooner than you think, STS.
Have a great weekend, folks!
-Farva

congrats on the promotion…
Anyone know how to access the list outside of a .mil computer?
Just go google AFPC and go to the public site. or go to the portal and it’s pops up before you can log in. =D
STS
But will he be able to find SSgt insignia at his local eXchange?
(it’s coming.. the X!)
IMHO
I took the wife straight to Clothing Sales to get her some stripes and a new set of ABUs a couple hours after the release, while everybody was still in shock and awe that they made it.
Some 200 people made it from Mildenhall alone, not sure how many at Lakenheath and bein’ as she’s probably going to sew on next month, we needed to hot foot it.
Woo! Although I’m less than pumped that we all got put on the spot after the list came out and were informed that we had to pony up $30 each for our Staff List Release Party for the afternoon. All that money for nachos, dry cake, and an open bar.
The open bay makes everything better. No matter what the occasion.
Yeah, but 3PM is a bit early for me to drink beer, and I evidently have a low capacity for storing the stuff. I don’t get drunk, per se, just full. So I paid $30 for a beer
Not when you’re the one paying for it!
Yeah I’ve always loved the tradition that the new selectees have to pay for food or a party before the raise kicks in…
I didn’t mind paying for the party, but I did mind not finding out about it until right after I found out I made the list and I had eight dollars in my checking account this morning
Yikes! My squadron was big enough at the time that they couldn’t plan it for right after the release, and it ended up being after the next paycheck, so chipping in a few bucks wasn’t terrible… plus (and this probably makes me a total douchebag), I knew I did well on the tests and expected to see my name on the list, so I had a little extra in my account just in case what happened to you happened to me
In my career I always spent one months worth of raise for the party. In 2007 that meant $630.00 for promotion to E-8. Took care of those that helped me get there, it was the best money I ever spent (career wise).
The wife and I always threw a party at our house for the shop and other close friends for my promotions. I never understood why anyone should be encouraged/coerced/instructed to pay for a “party” where you probably don’t know a fourth of the people there (who probably care less about who got promoted and more about free beer). Just sayin’.
Congrats new Staff Selects!
OH YEAH! I CALLED IT!
Congrats to everyone that made it this year.
I missed it by less than a point.
i missed it by .29 first time tester with only 3 EPRs and 1 of them is a 4. shoulda studied for at least 5 mins lol woulda made it
HOORAY!!! Thanks Austin =))) My heart skipped a beat when I read my name! My face hurrts because I haven’t stopped smiling all day!
Gotta leave being under GO-1 for the release. I guess they can buy kegs of ROOT beer for the party.
That’s probably why all the parties here were put on delay, so that GO1 could pass and everyone could celebrate the proper way without getting punished. XD
Congrats to all the new SSgt selects. Now it’s time to learn how to shut up and color until you’re actually wearing the stripe. As a Personnelist I will advise to always remember this: it is always easier for a commander to take a line-number than it is for them to take a stripe. Negating a stripe requires Article 15 action with legal review required. Negating a line number is a simple letter to the squadron’s CSS. So to all the new selects, please just shut up and color for a bit. Deciding to pull a Coffman right about now would not be in your best interest. Wait until you’re actually wearing SSgt. Then you can laugh at all the lieutenants and captains (especially the flying type), and the commander will probably just laugh with you.
The man speaks troof!
And a pet peeve of mine with them is they throw around the whole, “I’m a Staff Select” line and they put (S)Sgt in their signature block. That’s against the AFI for one b/c (S)Sgt is NOT an official rank. And you’re still a SrA, a Staff Select is still an E-4 which is again, SENIOR AIRMAN!! When you put the stripe on, then you can put on your NCO pants, but for the time being, just be happy you got a line #! *steps off soapbox*
Sounds like *someone* got schwacked for doing the same thing. ^_–
Hopefully I score high enough when I test Out-of-Cycle on the 13th one of my favorite numbers. Come on lucky rabbits foot and four leaf clover, LOL
Test out of cycle when I return from deployment…this is going to drive me nuts now
Congrats to all the new (S)Sgt’s who frequent AFBlues!
Great. He’s (S)tarting the tradition already….
One more comment to tag onto my warning above to all the new (S)Sgts. There is an official title for a (S)Sgt. It is called SENIOR AIRMAN. Commanders, First Sergeants, and supervisors are authorized to call you a (S)Sgt, but this is not a two way street. So beware any SrA with a line-number who begins to display signs of “line-number egotism.” Signs include answering the phone as “Staff Sergeant select So and So,” signing all emails with (S)Sgt, or requesting fellow airman refer to you as “sir.” These actions may (and should) result in an ass-beating by the other airmen in your workplace, especially by the SrA who did not make (S)Sgt. “Line-number egotism” beatings of this type are silently condoned by first sergeants and commanders, so again, beware. You have been warned!
HAHA, I just posted my rant on that! I agree with you!
I’v decided that others refering to you as a whatever-select is almost as annoying as when individuals refer to themselves that way. When results came out for me a few months back and I found out I’d made it on the first try many of my “peers” started refering to me as a select. It gets old fast especially when I’m putting on “all-others” and have to wait till July 2011 to wear the stripe! Every time they do it they’re just rubbing it in that I am “on probation” for a full year!
To our newest NCO selects,
Please accept my most sincere congratulations and welcome to the NCO corps! Please take this in the light spirit intended…but your “Airman Cards” are hereby revoked! Welcome to the “THEY” world.
I recall My reaction 20 years ago get told i was passed over and there were new orders for me at the commanders office. It was OCS instead
I should have said this in my earlier post, but congratulations to all the SrA who were selected for SSgt.
Thankies from line number 9162- and don’t worry. I had to play the shut up and color game within 12 hours of getting my line number.
Yeah, congrats to all the new Staff-selects! About 75% of the selectees I saw on the list have likely been for around three years. Now their heads are FULL of ideas on how to make their service better! And they haven’t even been to ALS! Wait till they all get “re-blued” and come back to change the world! EEEENNNNNNNTTTT!! Wrong answer. Just lettin’ you know…now that you’re a Staff, one day you’ll be an old guy too. And we RULE. Period dot.
Just messin’ with ya. Or AM I….? Hehehe….
Yup, I made it, and then promptly had to buy lunch for the shop…
To all the SrAs that hold a line number… Best advice I ever got about promotions;
1. Keep pushing those above you on the ladder up, and pulling those below you up. you will have both seniors and subordinates that will continue to help you move up.
2. Find a good NCO that you respect, and others respect, and model your behaviors after them.
3. You can be a good Airman (or Specialist, or Lance Corporal etc…) during duty hours only and make it to the NCO Corps; but you likely won’t stay there long. Being a good NCO is a 24×7 commitment. You can’t just talk it, or walk it; you have to LIVE it.
4. You were NOT selected for what you have done, let me repeat that, YOU WERE NOT SELECTED FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE…; you were selected for what you can do in the future. This is not the end, Noooo Sirrrrr. It is but the beginning.
Congratulations, now go forth and do great things.
MSG (Army E-8 type) Retired
Can’t wait to get out of this sandy place and take my test. I’m gonna make it for sure. Also, congrats to all those that made it!
I remember back when I made Staff…. Had a line # of 531….Yessiree Sewed in on the first day of the cycle which was also the day I got on the freedom bird from Korea and only one person from my unit (SSGT B.T. Torrance) to make sure it was properly tacked on.