Recommendations for an Air Force mechanic?

>>33555819
Just tough it out for a while and eventually you will get a feel for things, until it will come naturally. If you're a 3-level, you should have somebody overseeing you anyway, so nothing to worry about.

If you need to take it slow, take it slow. Don't get signed off on TBA items unless you're actually comfortable with it, and don't agree to do a PE unless you're actually confident with it. It's better to look incompetent than to speed and actually fuck something up.

Also, if you're straight out of tech school, it's normal to struggle. Things will smooth out eventually. This is the stage where people are supposed to work through their problems. This is why there are supposed to be 5- and 7-levels following up and making sure shit is done right.

As long as you don't do anything stupid like crash a bomblift into something or leave the pitot cover on with power on, you'll be fine.

>>33555994
This is really good advice, I got a PE today and signed off on it but that was for some legit easy stuff. I guess I'm 10/10 at washing planes. It's just frustrating, the other day I knew I had the process down; Walk under, immediately get pulled back because of a miscommunication (I figured later that I knew what I was doing that time.)

I was told I'm improving but also given the option to opt to back shop. That's what I wanted originally but now I have something to prove and sort of want the challenge of flight line. And so far I haven't fucked up badly enough to be put on Maintainer Humor, which is good. Even getting out there and volunteering on base programs so they know I'm not a dirtbag.

It's a weird feeling, joining the military. I wanted to be an out-standing, ace-every-test, gung ho maintainer machine, but I'm barely scraping I feel like. I'm getting better but holy shit it's slow

>>33556098
>It's a weird feeling, joining the military. I wanted to be an out-standing, ace-every-test, gung ho maintainer machine
Don't worry. They'll beat that morale right out of you.

Did you specifically ask to go to Japan

I'm heavily considering joining the air force after I finish some college credits. Any advice for a future enlistee?

>>33555819
>>33555994


This. You'll get the swing of it eventually, just don't give up and apply yourself.

You should of went k9 though peasant.

>>33555819
Hey man, not AF but I used to work in a few production environments and was nervous too, especially with remembering all the steps and getting them in the right order. Take a medium sized notepad out with you and write down all the steps, then list them in the correct order, then fill in any details you forgot. Then take it to your coworkers or a supervisor to look it over and tell them you just want to do things correctly. You're new at it and supervisory positions wouldn't exist if people expected you to do things perfectly after being told what to do. Just ask them for some help, advice, and most importantly ways to make sure you're doing things right. Their job is to teach and oversee.

>>33557927
The notepad idea is great, or even just a piece of paper shoved in your pocket. I'm an A&P on the civilian LNMX side, so totally different. High vs low bypass engines and all that shit. If you don't have a task card/work package in your hand right in front of you, then don't be afraid to look up the AMM or GPM and write some steps down.
Like the other anon said, don't leave any pitot covers or gear pins in. And just keep your head down and out of the ingestion zone and you'll be okey dokey. The fear of fucking something up goes away pretty fast, then the you just have to fight off the desire to pencil whip dumb shit. Good Luck.

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>>33555819
>misawa afb
You should visit my favorite tree, it's where the mouse is in pic related

>>33557718
Go for the most useless/boring-sounding job you can like weather or something administrative. You'll get stable 8-hour workdays with no weekend duty, 2-hour lunches plus gym time, and you'll have all the time in the world to go to classes and study.

How stressful is the maintainer lifestyle really? Do you get enough sleep each night?

I know it's supposed to be one of the *toughest* non-combat jobs in the military because you're constantly busy, but knowing the commercial aviation industry, I would think all of the safety procedures would slow things down enough to make them manageable.

>>33558208
It varies by airframe, but fighter guys end up working 12's a lot. My airframe is a bit simpler so we usually only work 8 or 9 hours and only work 12's maybe one week a month. Expect weekend duty at least once every couple months, more depending on manning. Your tools will always be fucked, shit will always be broken, and nobody able to will do anything about it.

>>33558356
The fighter fleet is aging and it really shows. At least 1/3 of jets need a redball per go at my squadron with half the jets coming back code 2 or worse. It seems like the crew chiefs are working more weekends than not.

>>33558171
Bump for my favorite tree

>>33555819
Use the fucking pubs. Jesus, it's like you want to get ass raped by QA.

>>33555819
Do you not have T.O.s?

t. c-130 pilot

>>33555819
Just think, at least you aren't security forces

>>33560700
Nothing wrong with SF

>>33562551
Lol they just haven't crushed your spirit yet bb <3

Either that or you happen to be at some magical place where the cops aren't stabbing their own people in the back and defenders (hhhuuuuuuauaugghhh) come to work with a smile on their face

>>33558171
whats so special about that tree?

>>33557817
Had a friend go Secfo trying to do K9, he got stationed in Greenland. Sucks for him

>>33557927
Thanks for the advice, I'm carrying a notepad around. I'm going to have plenty of time to go over it, seeing as they switched my shift to later at night, after all the launches and recoveries.

>>33557718
I would've followed the advice the other Anon gave you, but I heard once you leave my AFSC (2A651) after 4 years, you can take a week-long course to get an ANP License, then sign on for a contract with the Saudis for 2 years and make six figures a year, non-taxable. I don't know a thing about mechanics or care, my passion is travel and politics, so I'm going to contract for a bit and use the GI bill to major in International Relations. Still soul searching but I will definitely do college. Biggest advice: Research your job options, don't choose to be a hero like PJ or EOD, and STUDY FOR THE ASVAB!!!

>>33558171
Thb I'm just paranoid, so I lied about Japan. I'm in Europe, and it's pretty nice. I hear the salt water fucks the jets up in Japan pretty bad.

>>33558208
Just from what I've seen, it's not that bad. For me, it's a lot of work for an hour or two, then quiet for a long time, then recovery of the jets that took off and fixing anything that's changed. But that's day shift: I've been transferred shifts to one with more maintenance. You might get stuck out on the tarmac in the rain with no breaks, or the back shop, which always gets a long-ass break every day. Roll the dice

>>33559407
>The fighter fleet is aging and it really shows. At least 1/3 of jets need a redball per go at my squadron with half the jets coming back code 2 or worse. It seems like the crew chiefs are working more weekends than not.

>>33559888
>>33560369
Pubs don't have this step in them. I know to always use it whenever it's available but this is just a process we were supposed to learn in tech school, but I guess for some reason wasn't taught?
Also pilots are the coolest, cheers!