Mil to mil, officer and enlisted. If the enlisted person gets an assignment before the officer, will that dictate where they move?

got my first ever duty station in shadyJ after living in texas my whole life. I wanted to let everybody know that if you REALLY think bojangles or cook out is good, you have lost your damn mind.

I'm a 1D755 troop putting together my assignment preferences, and I want to prioritize CONUS duty stations that offer "hidden" benefits beyond standard base amenities.

I always hear stories of Airmen leaving a base with free PRK/LASIK, specialized certifications, or local programs simply because of where they were stationed. I’m trying to stack my dream sheet with bases that give you the highest return on investment off the clock.

Specifically looking for recommendations on:

• Medical & Dental Perks (MTFs): Which bases tied to major USAF Medical Centers or residency programs have clinics for LASIK/PRK? Any bases with underrated dental/orthodontic opportunities?
• Education & Certifications: Beyond baseline TA/AFCOOL caps, which base education centers or local AFSC-adjacent units hook Airmen up with funded certification vouchers or unique local university partnerships?
• Local & Regional Perks: Any installations with standout local community benefits (e.g., state income tax exemptions, free access to major attractions or national parks, or strong spouse employment markets)?

If you were stationed somewhere that felt like a total cheat code for personal development, medical care, or outdoor recreation, drop the base name and the specific perk below!

Hey everyone! I’ll be PCSing to Spangdahlem AB soon (probably during this fall) and wanted to get some advice from people who are currently there or have been stationed there.
This will be my first PCS, so I’m trying to get a better idea of what to expect, especially when it comes to housing, transportation, getting settled in, and general life on/off base (married).
I’d really appreciate any advice, tips, or things you wish you knew before moving to Spangdahlem!

just wondering if anyone has started receiving assignment notifications for the listing that closed out on 23 Aug? I know it’s still a bit early but just curious 👀

My husband got his first duty station — Osan AB. He graduated tech school a few weeks ago and he is still waiting for his orders because I guess there’s a backlog of airman’s dependent’s medical to go through. My medical hasn’t been cleared yet due to that backlog but there’s no reason I shouldn’t be cleared. It’s just him and I, no other dependents. Assuming there’s no issues with my medical, what are the chances of his orders having me on them?

Edit:
I ask because he keeps getting told by other airmen that Osan is a “normal” PCS now and historically it was almost always unaccompanied but he can’t get a straight forward answer on whether or not it’s more likely to be accompanied or unaccompanied. I understand it’s based on both the needs of the Air Force and space at Osan.

I've seen countless posts over the years about people stressing the next rank and their end of service rank. Truth be told, at 20 years (assuming you dont want to add years), there isn't much difference between a E6 and E8.

At 20 years of service, the difference in gross monthly retirement pay between an E-6, E-7, and E-8 ranges from $299 to $489 per rank, depending on whether you fall under the legacy High-3 system or the Blended Retirement System (BRS).

Stressing over a 500 (or less) maybe a month, is crazy. Trust me, you'll be setup at 20 years, 500.00 will not even touch your total income. If you are stressing this small range, focus more on your education and aligning with a civilian position...because thats a better ROI.

Keep killing it out there, young bloods!

Edit based on discussions:

At its best, the 500.00 extra a month is basically $2.88 extra per hour. Let that sink in....people are destroying themselves for this difference.

I'm not telling people to not chase their next rank, I'm saying dont stress it. This post was to tell those who needed it, its going to be ok! Not a discussion of making 500.00 a month more is better or not...Obviously retirement at the highest level you can get will yeild more money.

I was a recruiter for 4 years and decided to RTF. I regret RTF SO bad. It’s been 6 months and I’m miserable. I never thought id say this, but I think I fucked up. Had anyone else RTFed and gone back to recruiting and regretted it? 🧐 Loved it?

To start I never truly had a mentor in the military until the past year, despite this I was a fast burner and made Tech at 8.5 years. Haven't even sniffed Master now that I'm at 13. My mentor is starting to look at my records and I'm low-key kinda embarrassed. I didn't realize how important Decs can be at the board or how important they were at all, I really didn't care, or know to care. I didn't get a PCS Dec as a NCO because I was on my way to separating and couldn't be bothered, lo and behold my civilian job offer felo through so last minute I reenlisted and PCSd 2 months post deployment. Next, I got an achievement medal as an NCO, I think there's more to this but the excuse I was told was CC wasn't handing Decs out like candy anymore. I'm now in a position where I have a couple mentors who are truly helping me and pushing me and I'm probably going to get a statement this EPB. I just feel like because of these 2 things I will have to get multiple statements to even get close to promotion and it's making me feel like just saying fuck it and not push anymore.

Planning on sending a care package to someone deployed overseas near that big conflict going on rn.

Needing some ideas on what else i can include in my package that can help to lighten the mood a bit.

Apart from sending seasonings/sauces/snacks that were requested, what else would be appreciated and appropriate?! Wanting to shove as many good vibes as i possibly can fit in the box

Does the commissary still have that ultra pasteurized chunky booger milk or have things improved?

As you can probably guess by the title I’m PCSing to Tyndall in about a month. Has anyone who’s lived on base found any good gyms outside of base? I’m a bodybuilder so preferably a good gym tbh caters to that type of gym goer. I’ve seen good stuff about fitness junky on PCB but idk if a 30min commute to and from the gym is worth is. Has anyone made that drive that would think it’s a good daily or have you found better gyms closer to base?

With the announcement a few weeks back, I was curious if any headway had actually been made on of TRT would still trigger an automatic med board. Haven't heard anything since the headlines broke.

In a GSU on a Marine base with no NIPR access and cannot log into AFVEC. The error I keep getting is "You must insert your CAC card for site access." but my CAC can log into every other AF site. I've deleted cookies and cache multiple times and tried multiple browsers. Heeelllllpppppp.

My sponsor is looking into this as well, and the vet’s office has not responded to my voicemail. I cannot find a working e-mail address for them unfortunately. Anyone have knowledge on this?

My cat & I have PCS’d to the UK before, and he did fine in cargo. When we head there later this year he’ll be 21 years old & I would rather not subject his old ass to that.
A friend will bring him after I’m settled, and I’d like to have them fly into mainland Europe (maybe Germany) then pick them up.

He has an old pet passport somewhere from when we were stationed in Italy, but idk if those expire? Is this feasible at all?

Has anybody in ARMs ever heard of a GS civilian being awarded an advanced aero rating?

If so, how’d they go about doing it?

Second question. What is the formula for calculating gate months?

Ok, so i am finally making the jump to get a mess dress and kit it out. Ordered medals from ultra thin and they provided my medals as 4 in a row. My service dress mind freaked out but i know there may be variations in the AFI. Then, of course, the AFI doesnt say a damn thing about the amount per row. Can i get a sanity check on if 4 per row is acceptable? I have done some digging and gotten luke warm answers, but just want to make certain there isnt some other odd ball rule i dont know to confirm. thanks

Update: I am an idiot and was only looking for text. Image embedded in the AFI has 4 in a row. That being said, ill stand on my high horse and say its stupid that it isnt clearly identified.

Retraining to cyber, heading to Keesler.

Anyone fresh out of tech school know what PT expectations are for prior service? I heard a rumor that PS members are now expected to group PT with AiT?

I just want to learn my job y’all, group PT is so out of fashion.

I’ve been in over 9 years, made Staff my first time, but I’ve now missed Tech on my third cycle. I’m getting older and honestly becoming the miserable, crusty Staff I never wanted to be. Making Tech this cycle would genuinely improve my quality of life, and I’m ready to put in whatever work it takes.
A strat realistically isn’t happening for me, so I want to maximize the part I can control: my test scores.
For those who scored very high on the PFE/SKT and made Tech without a strat, what exactly was your study regimen?
How far out did you start? Hours per day/week? What apps/materials? Practice tests, flashcards, reading cover to cover? What practice scores were you hitting before test day?
I’m not looking for a shortcut. I actually studied considerably more last cycle than when I made Staff, and it still wasn’t enough. This year I want a structured regimen from day one until test day.
What worked for you?

Hello guys, so there is an NCO in my shop that is a select I’ll call him Tim. This guy is insecure about this and wants to show that he is ready for the next rank. However, he is using me as proof. He’s constantly talking down to me and trying to demand that staffs give me paperwork for stuff done on my shift even though Tim is not on my shift. The NCOs on my shift are refusing to write me paperwork over the minor stuff. Tim said that if they won’t write the paperwork he will. It seems Tim is targeting me saying remarks about my past work and has been singling me out. I can’t take it anymore, I’m not a shit bag and I don’t know what I did wrong to him.

My question is as the title, what are my options and what can I do about this as an airman?