www.CostaRicaTicas.com

well my free session at zona blue is going to have to wait until august now. i got a phone call yesterday from my recruiter, a spot opened up so im leavingfor boot camp in 12 days.....april 25... man i was looking forward to the ticas too. oh well im gonna go when i get my first leave in late july early august.....so unfortunately money will be unable to post from april 25 til late june early july while i am in boot camp for the navy. but have no fear i will make a strong return when i can. i'll be in pensacola in july for aviation school,then it looks like i might end up in japan......its gonna be a celebration in august in SJ if anyone wants to go PM me while im gone......take care everyone, and let the chicas know i'll be back for them soon. and someone please find out if janice will stil be at ZB in august i gotta use my free session on her...oh and by the way how do i go about getting that freebie....go navy!!

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When I'm sitting at the Cigar Bar having a beer at Zona Blue, I think to myself, "What would Tony Soprano do?"

I can think of no better sendoff than to come here!
Get you butt down here BEFORE you go.

oh man i wish i could......3.5 months i will be on leave

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When I'm sitting at the Cigar Bar having a beer at Zona Blue, I think to myself, "What would Tony Soprano do?"

Money,
Here's a little tip from your Uncle Wit:
Don't believe ANYTHING you hear in the military until you are living it.

You can start by waiting to see if you really get your leave. For your sake I hope you do but don't be surprised if you don't get one until after you've finished all your training.

I would be willing to bet that the reason a slot opened up for you to go to boot camp early is because a slot opened up early for your training in Pensacola. You might find that when you finish boot camp you are sent straight to school.

Just be forewarned, the needs of the Navy will come first.

One other thing: Go Air Force!
Avionics - Comm/Nav/ECM - F-15 - F-16

If your recruiter does not put it in writing,
without any ambiguity, it does not count.

no i am doing 2 months bootcamp in illinois, then straight to pensacola for 1 month of school....then i get leave before reporting to my squadron....so all my training is only 3 months meanin i will be on leave late july early august, withmy 8 grand signing bonus, plus my pay at the E3 level.....for bachelors degree start out at E3......its all in writing

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When I'm sitting at the Cigar Bar having a beer at Zona Blue, I think to myself, "What would Tony Soprano do?"

1 month of aviation school?
What job are you learning?

I had 6 weeks of basic (San Antonio), 9 weeks of classroom (Biloxi, MS) then 6 weeks of OJT (Phoenix) before I ever got to my first base in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

$8K bonus just for completing school? Good for you. Don't spend it all at the Del Rey.

I got $11K back in '83 when I re-enlisted (I was a computer programmer by then). In '84 they then sent me to Turkey to work on F-16s and threatened to take my bonus back. It was only a 15 month tour.

One more tip from your Uncle Wit:
"Manage your own career".
In other words, don't depend on anyone else.
Take care of everything yourself. Keep all of your records or make copies of them. Also keep class certificates and training materials. You never know when you'll need any or all of it, even after you get out.

I could tell you all sorts of stories of lost or Fkd up records.

I support, and salute you for your enlistment.

I do not wish to seem negative, and just wanted to give you a heads up on some of the things my troops said happened to them.
Recruiters must learn honesty (by evasion) the same place the girls here do.

Regarding when you come down,
Take it from this oldtimer:
NEVER DELAY THE GOOD TIMES, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING.

Money,
No offense but what career field has only one month of training and why would they give an $8,000 signing bonus for it? Also with a 4 year degree why didn't you persue a commission?

I know guys now that are getting out now because they aren't giving out re-enlistment bonuses and that is to guys that are in critical career fields and we are hiring them while they are still on active duty. E3's and 4's coming out doing network admin or wireless stuff and making 2-3 times what they are making in the AF and Army. If Uncle Sam would have given them $20-30K they would have been lifers. Their loss is our gain.




Wit, your tour sounds just like mine (a long time ago). 6 weeks of basic, 9 weeks tech school IChanute AFB, IL). Then my first assignment Homestead AFB, FL for two years, Clark AB, Philippines for 4 years (talk about mongering). But after tech school I was allowed to take as much leave as I wanted.

my job is an airman to start its a basic field....i got six months to pick a specific area, at which point i will have to do more school. i have some criminal records which kept me from going in as an officer. with a degree in criminal justice i kinda blew my chances of a lot of jobs in the field. so thats why i joined the navy. 8k signing bonus just for college yes. they are starting me off as an E3 and i'm going to try for officer from there..what i really wanna do is be a sea air rescue swimmer, but u gotta try outfor that once in. so im an airman for now and yes my school is only 1 month in pensacola.

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When I'm sitting at the Cigar Bar having a beer at Zona Blue, I think to myself, "What would Tony Soprano do?"

Make sure you are practicing drill before you go and It's important that you get into some semblance of physical shape. Concentrate on running three miles and long marches (up to 10 miles). Sit-ups and pull-ups are also important, 80 situps in 3 minutes and 20 pull ups and you'll be squared away.

Cali

I just read certain Special Ops re-enlistment bonuses are bumped to $100K and the life insurance is bumped from $40K to $100K.

Glad to see guys risking their lives can finally make Wall Street money.

Money, I would seriously consider not going. Do you have an idea of what the Navy is like? As a 10 year AF veteran I wont lecture you, I just couldnt let that post go by without chiming in.

Besides that, do what you can BEFORE you go to get to CR, when you are on a boat 6 months doing circles in the ocean, all you will have for those times is memories. Think about it bro..........out.

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

Must be Great Lakes Naval Base. Lots of cool stuff in that area and just a short ride in to Chi-town. Know the area pretty well as I lived in Zion/Waukeegan when I was young.

dapanz1

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Paradise= Sitting outside the Bodega in Panama City about 1 am. Drinking cool Balboas with cool friends and blazin' hot Colombianas. I want to be there..RIGHT NOW!

$$$,

Did 20 yrs total in the Ol' Canoe Club.

Ditto the advice on "manage your career" plus add "life". The needs of the Navy will always come first. don't be afraid to "punch out" of the service for a break. You can always go back until around age 34 or so. I was in 4 different times. got a better deal each time I re-upped. Started out E-1, ended up O-4 Aviator.

1. Start a savings allotment. I don't care where you put the money for now. Just start it and you won't miss the $$ while you're in Boot Camp.
Don't look at it as "forced savings" look at as "forced options".

2. Continue your Education. Navy Campus, or whatever it's called now, provides a lot of free ed. keep stroking and adding skills. MBA, JD. That's more options when you get out. Don't fall for the "too busy" crowd. You can do alot of it through correspondence courses. Make the time to invest in you.

Take care of yourself and have fun. Not much poonie available for Round Eyes in Japan. It can be done, just tough to break in unless you have a local bring you round. Try Oki, thai or the PI for recreation. worldsexarchives.com has alot on SEA.

HL

ps. 20yrs with only 5 days shipboard. It can be done.

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Don't tell my Mom I'm a Pilot. She thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Brothel.