National Staff College 2011

[AdAstra]

National Staff College 2011 will be held 15-22 October at Maxwell AFB.

NSC applications are now available at the NSC webpage http://www.capmembers.com/cap_university/course_schedules/nsc_preplanning_page.cfm

[AlphaSigOU]

Woohoo!
Putting in my application tomorrow! Already had an idea when it was going to be, but I don't earn my annual leave bonus until August. Hopefully by that time I should be good to go for NSC - traveling the farthest to go there (Kwajalein to Max-hell (with a brief stop at home in Vegas)).

[Larry Mangum]

I submitted my application yesterday.

[jimmydeanno]

I'll see y'all there.  This is where you hope and pray I'm not your seminar advisor 

[Ohioguard]

I attended when I was stationed at Kadena AB.  Yes it was a long way to go.

JC Wandell

[a2capt]

I've submitted too... PCR RSC was by far the best CAP activity I ever did in the 9.5 years, I hope this is similar. .. and hope I get selected for it, of course.

[capmaj]

It's interesting that a2capt says the above. I actually found RSC to be a much better experience than NSC.

[AlphaSigOU]

I attended when I was stationed at Kadena AB.  Yes it was a long way to go.

JC Wandell

That's a long way to go... 
My travels first take me from Kwajalein to Honolulu via Majuro, then from Honolulu to Las Vegas, connecting in Los Angeles. A couple of days at home with family in Vegas then from Las Vegas to Montgomery, connecting in Atlanta.

[MSG Mac]

I attended when I was stationed at Kadena AB.  Yes it was a long way to go.

JC Wandell

That's a long way to go... 
My travels first take me from Kwajalein to Honolulu via Majuro, then from Honolulu to Las Vegas, connecting in Los Angeles. A couple of days at home with family in Vegas then from Las Vegas to Montgomery, connecting in Atlanta.

I hope you're enrolled in a Frequent Flyer program

[lordmonar]

I think I will try to go this year.

[AlphaSigOU]

I attended when I was stationed at Kadena AB.  Yes it was a long way to go.

JC Wandell

That's a long way to go... 
My travels first take me from Kwajalein to Honolulu via Majuro, then from Honolulu to Las Vegas, connecting in Los Angeles. A couple of days at home with family in Vegas then from Las Vegas to Montgomery, connecting in Atlanta.

I hope you're enrolled in a Frequent Flyer program

Already on OnePass, Hawaiian Miles and a couple of others. 

[Spaceman3750]

I attended when I was stationed at Kadena AB.  Yes it was a long way to go.

JC Wandell

That's a long way to go... 
My travels first take me from Kwajalein to Honolulu via Majuro, then from Honolulu to Las Vegas, connecting in Los Angeles. A couple of days at home with family in Vegas then from Las Vegas to Montgomery, connecting in Atlanta.

I hope you're enrolled in a Frequent Flyer program

Already on OnePass, Hawaiian Miles and a couple of others. 

EDIT: Nevermind

[a2capt]

Does someone at the other end of the chain contact you once your application finds it's way to them?

For RSC, they actually came looking for me, in that they sent out stuff to those who they vetted by using reports showing that they were ready for it.

Myself, I'm just entering the window of being eligible, combined with time looks like it would be available vs. later it may not be.  So why not get it done when the opportunity arrises, instead of sitting on it another year.

[jimmydeanno]

Usually, you get an e-mail essentially saying, "You are qualified to attend NSC, apply today."

When you submit your application, it requires Wing Commander approval.  I would hope that it would be communicated whether or not you were endorsed, by your Wing Commander.  My Wing Commander sent me an e-mail after he approved it that said, "Without question, I will endorse this application."

The year I went, I received an e-mail from the NSC staff, around September, that said, "You've been accepted, go to this site for details."

[AlphaSigOU]

Got my application in and wing commander's endorsement, just waiting for acceptance.

Wish they'd give us the notifications sooner - in August, preferably - since I hit my two-year anniversary on the rock and get my vacation travel bonus at that time. I would rather buy all my air travel and not wait until the very last minute. As it is, it's pretty expensive for a round trip from Kwajalein to the mainland (and 'Unitednental' loves to gouge travelers, especially since they are the only game in town in Micronesia). I might go ahead and purchase my round trip tickets from Kwaj to Las Vegas first, then buy my tickets from Las Vegas to Montgomery as soon as I get notified.

[Spaceman3750]

Got my application in and wing commander's endorsement, just waiting for acceptance.

Wish they'd give us the notifications sooner - in August, preferably - since I hit my two-year anniversary on the rock and get my vacation travel bonus at that time. I would rather buy all my air travel and not wait until the very last minute. As it is, it's pretty expensive for a round trip from Kwajalein to the mainland (and 'Unitednental' loves to gouge travelers, especially since they are the only game in town in Micronesia). I might go ahead and purchase my round trip tickets from Kwaj to Las Vegas first, then buy my tickets from Las Vegas to Montgomery as soon as I get notified.

This is slightly off topic, but there's no AMC or Space-A travel available for you?

[AlphaSigOU]

This is slightly off topic, but there's no AMC or Space-A travel available for you?

Nope, not for us low-life-scum-of-the-earth contractors. There is a DC-8-62CF that flies in twice a week and only has capacity for 32 passengers and priority cargo. We don't normally get to fly on ATI (Air Transport International) unless we're on TDY, PCS or medical referral, unless we're blessed by being retired military (which I'm not); they can get a Space-A seat. ATI's schedule is better, since they fly direct to Hickam and land at a decent time to catch evening connecting flights to the mainland. So, we're pretty much relegated to getting gouged flying commercial via Majuro (MAJ/PKMJ) on the Continental - ahem, United - 'Island Hopper'.  If we could buy a ticket on ATI, it's considerably more expensive than commercial.

[AirDX]

I think he's a contractor, and no AMC or Space-A for them contractors!  I looked into a contactor position out there a couple of years ago, and when I found out the only way off the rock was pay the big bucks, I declined.

[AlphaSigOU]

I think he's a contractor, and no AMC or Space-A for them contractors!  I looked into a contactor position out there a couple of years ago, and when I found out the only way off the rock was pay the big bucks, I declined.

At least the company does have a halfway decent vacation bonus for annual home leave: on your anniversary you get the dollar amount for a round trip ticket from Kwajalein to Honolulu and back (about $1300) and another $1500 for travel from Honolulu to home of record (but you don't have to fly home; many will use the money for vacation travel to Australia, New Zealand and other places). Plus they give you four days of paid travel time (two out and two back) and five 'administrative' days that can be added to whatever vacation time you've already earned.

[a2capt]

The acceptance letters appear to have gone out just a little while ago.. hot off the TCP stack..

[AlphaSigOU]

Already got my acceptance letter, paid for NSC and getting the plane tickets for the LAS-MGM flight. (I'm already on vacation from the rock.)

Hope to see more CAPTalkers there!

[a2capt]

Kinda weird, it's at the Courtyard, 'bout 9 miles from Maxwell. I guess there was a bit to the "we're not sure if it's going to happen this year, we can't get space.. '

I guess we'll find out of the whole thing is happening off base, too. The meals will be more costly. ;-)

[LGM30GMCC]

Since they are consolidating and lengthening USAF Officer training (Getting rid of ASBC, etc) and all ROTC field training is at Maxwell now, things can get a bit crowded over at the SOC. It felt really weird being there and seeing tons of 2d Lts running around. They'd look confused and scurry off. 

[Chappie]

I was a student in the '01 NSC and on staff  ('06, '07, '08).  NSC is one of the best events for Senior Members in CAP.  The setting and the curriculum is outstanding.  The opportunities for networking is phenomenal.  I would return but my current work situation and CAP assignment hamstrings me because of time needed.  But I do plan to attend again in a couple of years from now.