Columbus AFB SUPTFC (again)

[Raja1020]

Hello all. I have been selected to be at Columbus AFB SUPTFC is July and I had some more questions to those who have been there.

1. How intense is it? I mean is there much marching, being in formation and such?

2. I'm coming all the way from Wisconsin. Are you allowed to use your cell phones at a certain time?

3. How much free time, if any do you have?

4. How much time do you have to study at night?

Thanks again!

[DC]

Hello all. I have been selected to be at Columbus AFB SUPTFC is July and I had some more questions to those who have been there.

1. How intense is it? I mean is there much marching, being in formation and such?

2. I'm coming all the way from Wisconsin. Are you allowed to use your cell phones at a certain time?

3. How much free time, if any do you have?

4. How much time do you have to study at night?

Thanks again!

Based on my experience at SUPTFC 09-02:

1. You will have a couple of formations during most days, usually just because it's the easiest way to account for everyone and pass information to the whole squadron. Same for marching, you will occasionally when it is the most efficient way to get around. I remember marching from the dorms to the cafeteria a lot. It isn't intense at all in the 'encampment' sense. No one is going to yell at you and there are no inspections or anything. We did have some light PT almost every morning, but it wasn't a big deal. There are academic demands that will be placed on you, it can be 'intense' in that regard.

2. Yes, you will be allowed to use your cell phone after the duty day ends. We were also allowed to bring and use laptops, there was internet access in the dorms.

3. If I remember correctly you are more or less free after you get back to the MUW at the end of the day. Most nights there was some sort of 'fun' event in the evening, a barbecue, a pool party, movie, etc. We were required to be in our rooms by 2200, but there was no one enforcing when you actually went to bed. Most of us stayed up and studied until after midnight. Reveille was at 0530 most days, and I remember getting up at 0330 one day, so keep that in mind.

4. See above. As much as you want, but it is recommended that you do sleep at some point. If your academic performance suffers because you are in zombie mode during the day then that is your problem. The same goes for the guys that don't study at all and hit the sack at 2100. They were well rested, but didn't have a clue what was going on during tests.

[gallaher432]

Hello all. I have been selected to be at Columbus AFB SUPTFC is July and I had some more questions to those who have been there.

1. How intense is it? I mean is there much marching, being in formation and such?

2. I'm coming all the way from Wisconsin. Are you allowed to use your cell phones at a certain time?

3. How much free time, if any do you have?

4. How much time do you have to study at night?

Thanks again!

I just got back, and am just posting this so that cadets who want to go in the future can see what it was like.
Class 11-01

1. It's a lot of academics, like studying and such. Each day there are tests on what you learned the day before, like on hydraulics and electrics and such. As for marching and such, we weren't allowed to. We did the first day, to and from meals (which were superb) but then a senior member said, "This is not encampment! You guys are simulated 2nd Lts in the USAF! From now on, you mosey and gamble to and from places." You're expected to behave as a 2nd Lt would in the AF. You form up in the morning, but just to get your info for the day and to see if anything has changed, cause you are given a schedule for the next day the previous night.

2. We were allowed to use our cell phones at all times, just not on base. It's pretty much based on: do you want to study, learn, pass, graduate, and get your wings? Or do you want to text at all times? That being said, I still was using my phone a lot, and I passed with a 95 average.

3. A lot... You're given a schedule for the next day, with most of the time reveille being at 0630. That meant you had to be formed up by flights at 0630. My flt commander had us all ready in our common room by 0610. No one will wake you up, you're responsible for waking yourself up and getting ready. I got up at 0530 with my own alarm, took a shower, got ready, then walked the few steps from my dorm to our common room where I would sit for 15 minutes, studying with my flight.

4. Again, a lot! Most days we would finish stuff at around 1630, and be on the bus back to our dorms. We'd have dinner (again, really good) and then do whatever for a bit, some days it was an hour class on ROTC and the academies, or a pool party or something. Then we'd have flight time from like 2000 to 2145. Flight time consisted of us doing whatever we wanted in our common rooms, but most of the time it was studying. We'd have snack time sometime in there. So pretty much from whatever time we finished dinner, you could study. And lights out was at 2200, but that only meant that you had to be in a room, being quiet. Most of the time, I'd go do shenanigans with my flight mates until like 2300, go back to my room, and then study until 2330, then go to bed. I had a roommate who stayed up till 0100 every night studying, and we got the same scores.

All in all, it was so much fun. I bonded really hardcore with my flight mates, and we had a bunch of jokes and fun and did a bunch of crazy shenanigans. I learned a lot, and decided that I really wanted to be a pilot for the USAF. The dorms we stayed at were awesome, apparently it was the first time they had used the ones we stayed at. The rooms were really nice, with a HUGE bathroom, like 3 times more than needed. We had a sink, stove, kitchen area, microwave, the works. And all the rooms were connected, which was pretty fun, as you didn't have to go outside in the hallway to get to someone else's room.

[jks19714]

And be ready for the "hot and muggies"!  (I'm an old Mississippi State alumnus)

[gallaher432]

And be ready for the "hot and muggies"!  (I'm an old Mississippi State alumnus)

Ha, I was the only cadet from the south. I'm from Florida, so I was perfectly fine while all the kids from New England were dying. But yeah, it's huge if you're not used to it.