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Advice for a young A1C! MC-130J or C-130J


Cardinals75
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A little backstory first. I am a single 19 year old loadmaster currently assigned to C-130J's out of Ramstein, Germany. I will be heading there in a month or so once I finish up training. The problem is I just got offered to fly on the MC-130J.. Out of Cannon AFB, New Mexico. Being on the MC-130 has always been my dream but it's just hard to give up Germany for NM. I need input from both the C and MC guys. And advice would be much appreciated! I'm really torn on this one. Thank you!

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The MC-130Js will be there when you wrap up in Germany. You'll have more operational experience and be better prepared for the MC-J's mission when you get ready for your next assignment. And no one I have ever talked to would trade a tour in Ramstein for one in Cannon.

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I was not a loadmaster, I was a crew chief so I cant say anything about your job and where you are stationed. But I spent a few years in Rhien Main back when the 37th tas. was still there. I would never go to the desert and give up a chance to go to Germany again. The TDY's and missions you take out of Germany as well as living in Germany itself are something you some thing you will always be glad you did, the desert not so mutch. As a loadmaster you will eventually be all around the world, but by starting in Germany just about every time you leave home station you will be in a different country, you may well be in several countries in one day. If later you decide to not re-enlist you may never get a chance to see that much of the world again. You will never regret Germany.

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Started my FE Herc career with the 32nd at The Rock (1976). Two months later I was on Rote to Moldy hole. Saw more of the Europe than during the rest of my career - England, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Turkey, etc. Start off in Germany, see Europe on Uncle Sam, build up your TAC treasures, then make your decision. Single guy, stationed in Germany, OH MY!

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Just my take on this subject! When it came time for my re-enlistment in 71, as a crew chief, I really wanted to stay in and go to Europe & the rest of the world. With Viet Nam still going strong, I knew there was no chance of going to anywhere else and they so much as told me that!! Also, if they would have offered me a shot at going to Europe, I wouldn't have believed them!!!

I think , like all of the rest of the guys, think your choice would be to see the world first and then if you decide to stay in, go for what you want! Every time I talk to young guys around home I try to get them interested in going for the C-130 field just for what you have had happen to you Take the guys on the forum's advise seriously, they know what they are talking about.

Just a note, most of these guys are "old farts" and they still remember the good times they had in Germany and the rest of Europe! They probably forgot about their "good" times in the States!!

Good luck with your tour in Germany!

Ken

Edited by Mt.crewchief
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I was just thinking of my TDY's out of Germany, now mind you I was only a crew chief and spent the vast majority of my time at my home base, Rhine Main. Aviano AB. and Pisa Italy (you know the one with the crooked tower) many times, Athens Greece several times, Madrid Spain, Bodo Norway, Morocco, Sudan, Israel, England RAF Weathersfield & RAF Skullthorp, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Adana Turkey, Bilund Denmark.... and the list goes on. In the states you will never get the opportunity to see the world you will there. I don't know about now but in the 80's the 37th. had real world missions that made headlines around the world, and a lot of them, and also many that probably still can't be talked about now. So if it's the "cool factor" of MC-130's, take into consideration you will get to do plenty cool and important stuff also in a slick from a base like Ramstien.

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