NSC 2009

dwb · April 22, 2009, 01:10:29 PM

Information on the 2009 National Staff College has been posted online (linky).

Anyone on CAP Talk planning to apply? I'm applying this year, along with my Group's Chaplain, and we're going to hit some golf courses along the way while we're driving from NY to AL.

"An IG and a Chaplain were driving to NSC..." it sounds like the intro to a lame joke.

AlphaSigOU · April 22, 2009, 02:05:36 PM

Earliest I can attend is next year; I trade in my railroad tracks for gold bottlecaps and farts and darts in July 2010.

Airfares are not too expensive if booked in advance: To give an example: DFW-MGM runs about $232 r/t plus taxes for that time frame. Other locations may differ. (You can also do Southwest direct from DAL (Love Field) to BHM (Birmingham) and drive to Montgomery (about 100 miles south) for less than $200.)

dwb · April 22, 2009, 02:37:44 PM

Expedia shows the lowest price from SYR-MGM at $306, and that's for two stops. A one-stop will cost at least $405, and that's not including taxes or fees (which would bump each price up by $50).

Flying in to Columbus, GA and driving the 85 miles into Montgomery drops a fair amount off of the price, and there are one-stop flights available. I could get a one-stop for $300 including taxes and fees.

There's no easy way to get there from here.

jimmydeanno · April 22, 2009, 02:46:33 PM

I have every intention of applying this year. It's the only thing I have left for level 5.

I hope it will be good, I hear many good things about it.

Spike · April 22, 2009, 03:41:50 PM

Quote from: jimmydeanno on April 22, 2009, 02:46:33 PM
I hope it will be good, I hear many good things about it.

It is the best Senior Member Activity CAP has to offer.

Make some contacts, because you never know when it will benefit you.

Also get a chance to go to the Montgomery Brewing Co. It is a restaurant that brews their own beer. The beer is fantastic, and they have live music most nights. The usual guests are between 35 and 65, so it fits our age group perfectly!! The "Brew Pub" as it is known locally has ads on base, or ask the BOQ desk.

jimmydeanno · April 22, 2009, 03:45:17 PM

Quote from: Spike on April 22, 2009, 03:41:50 PM
Also get a chance to go to the Montgomery Brewing Co. It is a restaurant that brews their own beer. The beer is fantastic, and they have live music most nights.

There's a pretty good pizza shop in Montgomery called "Tomatino's" that I recommend going to.

QuoteThe usual guests are between 35 and 65, so it fits our age group perfectly!!

Sorry, doesn't fit my age group at all...I'm only 26...but I do enjoy a good brew. We have a good place here in NH called Red Hook - they serve a great hefenweizen, a loaf of bread in every glass.

CAPSGT · April 22, 2009, 04:38:54 PM

I'll be there, provided I can get the time off from work.

Camas · April 22, 2009, 05:59:47 PM

Quote from: jimmydeanno on April 22, 2009, 02:46:33 PM
I have every intention of applying this year. It's the only thing I have left for level 5. I hope it will be good, I hear many good things about it.

Same here - just NSC and I've got my "five" as well. I met some great folks at RSC at Nellis a year ago including Jimmydeanno and Lordmanor just to name two. It'll be fun to rekindle old friendships and make new ones especially members who are on Captalk. The other side of the coin is, of course, figuring how to get to Montgomery AL from Portland OR but I'll worry about that later. There's plenty of time.

jimmydeanno · April 22, 2009, 06:10:46 PM

Quote from: Camas on April 22, 2009, 05:59:47 PM
The other side of the coin is, of course, figuring how to get to Montgomery AL from Portland OR but I'll worry about that later. There's plenty of time.

Another challenge for me as well, I don't know if I'll be coming from home, Biloxi, MS or already be at Maxwell. With my wife commissioning she could be at ASBC or Tech School (again).

Strick · April 22, 2009, 06:24:16 PM

I am going to try to attend this year, the air fair from Link Field(BGM) NY to AL sucks.

swamprat86 · April 22, 2009, 06:27:27 PM

Sounds like us NER people should charter a bus. That would be fun.

dwb · April 22, 2009, 06:39:47 PM

You may be the first person in history to suggest that a charter bus to Alabama would be fun.

RickFranz · April 22, 2009, 06:55:40 PM

I am going to try and attend this year, that would finish up level 5.

Cecil DP · April 22, 2009, 09:48:57 PM

Quote from: dwb on April 22, 2009, 02:37:44 PM
Expedia shows the lowest price from SYR-MGM at $306, and that's for two stops. A one-stop will cost at least $405, and that's not including taxes or fees (which would bump each price up by $50).

Flying in to Columbus, GA and driving the 85 miles into Montgomery drops a fair amount off of the price, and there are one-stop flights available. I could get a one-stop for $300 including taxes and fees.

There's no easy way to get there from here.

When I went the 2nd time in 1996, I drove from Boston to Maxwell. nice ride and you can stop along the way as needed. Took I-81(Scranton-Johnson City)) most of the way to avoid the I-95 traffic and tolls. I would recommend it, especially if going on trips into town, Very few rides are available.

dwb · April 23, 2009, 01:10:09 PM

Do you recall how many hours of driving it ended up being?

Google Maps says 17.5 hours from Syracuse, NY to Montgomery, AL. Interestingly, it has me driving west, through Erie, PA then down through Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, to Alabama.

Cecil DP · April 23, 2009, 02:57:39 PM

Quote from: dwb on April 23, 2009, 01:10:09 PM
Do you recall how many hours of driving it ended up being?

Google Maps says 17.5 hours from Syracuse, NY to Montgomery, AL. Interestingly, it has me driving west, through Erie, PA then down through Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, to Alabama.

About 20 hours from Boston, taking I 81 down cut out all the tolls between Boston and Washington and all the backups going through all those cities. Going through Erie, PA would take you straight down 85 which will put you into Montgomery. I just charted it both ways on MS Streets and Trips and the time/distance is about the same. Though it does prefer the Erie route.

brenaud · April 23, 2009, 11:25:08 PM

I plan on being there, too. Like others, it's all I have left for Level 5.

Stonewall · April 23, 2009, 11:48:20 PM

I plan on making a solid effort to make it there this year. Ft. Benning is about a 6 hour drive and Montgomery is another 90 minutes.

Hopefully all works out.

LtCol057 · April 24, 2009, 01:21:48 AM

I'm like several of you. Only thing I need to complete Level 5 is the NSC. The problem I have is that they wait so late to announce when it's going to be held. I know, we're at the mercy of the USAF for th scheduling.

I have to put in paperwork in Dec for vacation for the next year. When they wait so late, I might possibly be able to get one or two days off, but to get a whole week off is not guaranteed.

I guess I'll just have to take the correspondence school route to complete L5. Almost would rather have a root canal without pain meds.

CAPSGT · May 04, 2009, 11:28:04 AM

well, got the time off OK'd by the boss and my application is in.