Forum: Careers & Assignments

Thanks for your service, at least you did serve and it appears you were busy too.... Salute

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Here we go, not many different jobs, or jets, but a hell of a lot of fun.

November 1991- June 1992 Delayed enlistment program
June 1992 - July 1992 Basic Training Lackland AFB
July 1992 - Sept. 1992 Tech School Sheppard AFB, TX
Sept 1992 - Nov. 1992 KC-135 FTD Beale AFB, CA (Last FTD class at Beale)
Nov 1992 - Jan 1992 RF-4C FTD Boise Idaho ANG Base
Jan 1992 - Sept 1993 RF-4C Crew Chief, Nebraska ANG (tail # 65-0874)
Sept 1993 - July 1997 KC-135R Crew Chief (tails 63-8015, 62-3526)
July 1997 - Aug 1997 Combat and Water Survival School Fairchild AFB, WA
Aug 1997 - Dec 1997 Boom Operators initial qual Altus AFB, Ok
Dec 1997 - Present KC-135R Boom Operator, Nebraska ANG

The only place I ever went with the F-4 was Gulfport Mississippi, since converting to the tanker I have had the pleasure of visiting 48 state (Sorry Vermont, New York) and 16 Forgein Countries. I have spent just about 2,500 hours flying in various models of the -135, including the KC-135E, KC-135T, KC-135Q, TC-135, WC-135. Also have gotting to ride in the C-130, C-141, C-5 and UH-60 Blackhawk.
Major TDY's have been to France x6, Italy x2, Germany x8, England x5, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Spain, Siciliy, Austrailia, Curocao, Venezuala, Canada, Portugul, Iceland. I have flown 3 Red Flag Exercises, and was staff for another. Also have deployed in support of every major operation that the Air Force has taken on since the Gulf War ended. I have seen more places, and partied with more people than I ever could have imagined. THe only regret that I have in my life is that I did not do more of it while I had the chance. My days of constant TDY and living it up are over, but I still have those friends and those memories.

By far the best moment of my career however was at a Red Flag back in August of 1998, me and a buddy hopped in a C-130 and got dropped off out in the desert with just us and a survival instructor. We spent the night out there, and the next day once the war kicked off we had a front row seat to all of the action. Later on that day a pair of Blackhawks flew in and did a simulated CSAR drill with us, and took us back to Nellis VIA the best canyon flight I could ever have imagined. Flying mere feet from the rocks with the doors open, yanking and banking all while trying not to puke, it was great. The only thing that soured that was three days later 2 choppers from the very same unit ran into each other at night killing everyone aboard, including 2 members of the flight crew from my ride, and also on board was a buddy of mine from basic who was a PJ.

All in all I would not trade my experiences over the last 15 years for anything. From my career I have gotten a Bachelors degree, seen the world, and met my wife, so not to bad of a payback from Uncle Sam.

You gotta like that...well done buddy Salute

I did 10yrs in the Air Force...1995-2005...enjoyed every minute of it...Check

USAF 1983-2004, retired. Now living the life of a DOD contractor in Vegas.

Sheppard AFB - 431X1, Tactical - 1984
MacDill AFB - CAMT, FTD, F-16A/B - 1984
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - DET 157, AFROTC, Pilot Candidate 1986 - 1988
McConnell AFB - AFROTCFTD - 1987
Flew T-37
Several KC-135 missions, B1-B, EC-135, F-16 refueling missions
UH-1 Ride

Boy, if I could only go back knowing what I know now!!! Doh

Sheppard AFB – 362nd Training Squadron, 2A3X3B Cold Training, Oct 94-Mar95

Luke AFB – 308th Fighter Squadron, 2A3X3B Hot Training, Apr 95

Spangdahlem AB – 23rd Fighter Squadron, May 95-Apr 00 (USAFE)
- Adcc: 91-0472, “Cougar 2” Blk 50, D-model
- Dcc: 96-0082, “52 Fighter Wing” Flagship, Blk 50 C-Model
-- Operation Deliberate Force, Aviano AB, Jul-Aug 95
-- Operation Provide Comfort, Incirlik AB, Nov 95- Jan 96
-- Mildenhall AB, Aggressor training for F-15s, Mar 96
-- Decimomannu AB, ACM and DACT, Apr 96
-- Tyndall AFB, WSEP, Jun 96
-- Nellis AFB, Red Flag, Jul-Aug 96
-- Operation Northern Watch, Incirlik, Oct 96-Jan 97
-- Zaragoza AB, Bardenas Reales Air-to-Ground Bombing & Gunnery Range, Apr 97
-- Bitburg AB, while runway repaved, Jun-Sep 97
-- Leeuwarden AB, Frisian Flag, Apr 98
-- Poznan AB, Poland, Partnership for Peace, May 98
-- Incentive Flight, In my D-Model, Jul 98
-- Operation Southern Watch, Al-Kharj AB, Aug-Sep 98
-- Operation Allied Force, Aviano AB, Mar-May 99
-- Albania, to recover aircraft from runway, Apr 99
-- Israel, in support of DACT training with IDF/AF, Jun 99

Osan AB, 36th Fighter Squadron, May 00-Jun 01 (PACAF)
- Dcc: 88-0538, “Pure Massacre”, Blk 40, C-model
- Dcc: 90-0771, “51st Operation Group” Flagship, Blk 40 C-Model

Edwards AFB, 416th Flight Test Squadron, Jun 01-Apr 02 (AFMC)
- Dcc: 90-0840, “No Association”, Blk 50, D-Model
- Dispatch/Debrief

Nellis AFB, 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, May 02-Dec 03 (ACC)
- Dcc: 87-0267, “414th CTS Red Flag” Flagship, Blk 32, C-Model

Lackland AFB, 37th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Jan 04-Present (AETC)
- NCOIC, Female Clothing Issue, Jan-Jun 04
- NCOIC, Receiving, Jun 04-Aug 06
- NCOIC, Materiel Control, Aug 06-Present

If I never set foot on another flight line or turn another wrench, I will have no regrets about my first 10 years of service. I have been apart of the proud heritage of squadrons that perform Wild Weasel, LANTIRN, Test and Aggressor missions. I have been from one side of this world to the other and partied in countries both far and near. If we have worked or partied together, the privilege was mine and if we haven’t, then may our paths cross in this short life. No matter what I end up doing in life I will always be a Crew Dawg.

Jose “O.T.” Ontiveros

1983 - Sheppard Tech School

1984-1992 - Torrejon Spain
Jets: 81-0804, 81-0821, 82-0927, 82-1004, 87-0230
Great Assignment! Too many TDY's to count. Italy , Turkey, States
Forgotten 100 - Doha, Qatar
4 incentive rides while at TJ (Aviano, Incirlik, TJ, and Desert Storm over burnign wells)

May 1992 - Nov 1992 - Homestead, Florida. Cut short due to Andrew

Jet: 89-2178

1992- 1995 - Moody GA.

Jets: 89-2054 and 89-2178
307th , 69th, and QA!

This assignment gave me many opportunities to excel. F-16 Landing Gear Tiger Team. Yes it is my fault we are doing 1600 hr insp's....

TDY: Desert X 3, Isreal - backseat there and back. 30 days in paradise. Memphis, Nellis, Cold Lake, and many more. Venzuela, Columbia and Cuba (Translator duty for ?)

1995 - 1996 - Kunsan to get out of Moody!

This was my crazy tour in the ROK. Just divorced and ready for soem Hell Ra--- and S....!!

1996 - 2000 - Aviano Italy! Great Place

Jet: 89-2068 and 89-2137 for a short period. Expeditor and Asst Flight Chief.

TDY: Spain, Tunisia, States X ?, and a bunch more.

Made soem Great Freinds at Aviano.... Curtailed in 2. years to go to HQ ACC.

2000- 2003 - Langley, Virginia (HQ ACC)

Jets: All 1400 F-16's in Guard, Reserve, and Active! Great Job as F-16 Programs Manager. Know more about the jet that I really need to know! I am fed up with terms liek CCIP, CUPID< STAR, NVIS/IDM, OBOGS and anything else than you can imagine....

TDY: Too many to Hill to count, Curacao, Luke, Germany, Belgium, and a whole bunch more.

Had the worlds best Chief (Steve Thompson - Grover)

2003 - 2004 - Osan Korea 36th Feinds!

Pro Super and Lead Super

Great Assignment- My mellow (old man) tour of Korea. Had a bunch of great guys workign for me...

2004 - Present HQ USAFE Ramstein Germany

Chief, Aircraft Maintenance Policy and F-16 Functonal Manager.

Got diverted into here from Aviano, but I guess it is because I have the HQ stink on me and know about all the things I mentioned aboved from my Langley post!

Jets: Aviano and SPang Program Managment

TDY: Hill, Luke, Langley, Randolph, Azores, England, Chad, Izmir, Incirlik, Romania, Poland, Latvia, Spang, Belgium, Holland, Isreal, Greece, Ukraine, Spain, and a few I have forgotten...

Can nto wait to egt out to the real world again. Waitin gon an assignment as we speak!

I know I have mspelled a few words but after all I have a 6th grade edumucation!

Outstanding "Lifer" and all the others that have responded...thank you all for your dedication and years of service - thanks for sharing your experiences too.

Salute from the Meathook

I wish we could all get together in a huge ballroom and "party" just once, man the stories we could tell and the booze that would flow...man oh man!

F-16Lifer AKA Stu-Monster or Ragn' Cajun' Smile

You won the 307th 1992 NCO Maintenance Professional of the Year and I won the 307th 1992 AMN Maintenance Professional of the Year. Glad to see you around. You were a good CC.

Later Bud

Mick AKA Lurch.

Nice to know so much talent is available on this site, hell'va resource pool huh, what a squadron we would be...gives me chills (in a good way)

Meathook wrote:

Nice to know so much talent is available on this site, hell'va resource pool huh, what a squadron we would be...gives me chills (in a good way)

Sure, if you could roll us all out of the bar...

Lurch wrote:

F-16Lifer AKA Stu-Monster or Ragn' Cajun'

You won the 307th 1992 NCO Maintenance Professional of the Year and I won the 307th 1992 AMN Maintenance Professional of the Year. Glad to see you around. You were a good CC.

Later Bud

Mick AKA Lurch

...and speaking of the bar, all three of us learned our stuff at TJ! Shocked

Mike

TJ had some really good crew chiefs. I was very fortunate that a lot of us ended up in the 307th at Homestead/Moody.

Joined in 1991.
Tech School in Chanute from Oct 1991 until Feb 1992 for ICBM Maint. SAC Trainer Killer Here!
Feb 1992 to May 1993, FE Warren AFB, MMT
May 1993 until Dec 1994 Vandenberg AFB, MMT
Dec 1994 to Jan 1999 Military Training Instructor 323rd TRS, 737th TRSS, Lackland AFB
Jan 1999 until Sep 2001 Military Training Leader 343rd TRS, Lackland AFB, Security Forces Academy
Sep 2001 to Dec 2005 Military Training Leader 362nd TRS, Sheppard AFB, CREW DAWGS!!!!
Dec 2005 to Jan 2006 Keesler AFB, Retrained into Command and Control
Jan 2006 to Present, C2, 552nd ACW, Eyes of the Eagle! Tinker AFB

Spent too long in AETC but that was the best I could do when the wife is in the Army. Some here might remember SSgt/TSgt Slavens at Sheppard. I was an MTL for many many many F-16 Crew Chiefs.

Forum: Careers & Assignments

How many "Vets" do we have here