When I took the Avn Course in 2004-2005 it was 18 months including Common Core. We were the first Course on the new training plan. Needless to say the amount of POs a person could fail were pretty high. As excuted by some.
You can expect to be in Borden for just shy of 2 years. Make plans to be there for that long.
Personally I would have liked to have seen most of the COC in CFSATE released and then promote the new instructors who had been posted in when I showed up. They at least had their heads on straight and were thinking of the trade, not their next promotion.
The problems with CFSATE as a whole is the the Sgts and above. Most of them (when I was there) had a attitude about them. Problem is their attitudes represented the side of the Military that sterotypes the Airforce into a slack organization.
Here me out on this subject. We had Sgt's who would come in for our Weekly inspections write you up for bad boots, yet they hadn't polished their's in a week, their uniform looked like it just came out of the dryer.
they would comment on your hair cut (mine was zero on the sides and 1 on top blended in as per Regs), but they had some more the quesionable hair. They threatend to charge me for it. I said go ahead charge me for having a proper Military Haircut. They backed down when they read the regs themselves. Then said it wanst the way the Chief wanted my hair to be.
They would come around with a camera and take pictures when you were not in your room of stuff you left out. Then threaten people with extras and stuff. Childish games at best.
The instruction for the most part was excellent. We had a great group of staff who knew their material and never hesitated to spend extra time with people who needed it.
They generally were relaxed on their dress and deportment, most of them just came in from line units and such was reflected so. But they had a job to teach and mentor.
Back to the Sgts and above. They were shocked when they realized they had to set the example, I doubt many of them have ever done that their whole lives. It seemed like most were posted their because they had no where else to go or work. Thanks Chief and MWO you guys really made as big difference.
Thankfully when I got out of there I had the Chief follow shortly afterwards to Cold Lake. Where he threatend to charge me for wearing non issued Long Underwear. When I informed my Sgt that it was the current issued gear and the Chief should go for a walk to the flight line once in awhile to check out his Techs, he chuckled to himself and admitted he hadnt seen some of the new gear himself either.
Amazing what happend in CFSATE, It sounds like things have gone down hill even more since I was there a couple years ago. This time I do not think it is the Recruits fault. I think the COC needs to be retrained in how to do their jobs.
If I offend anyone or anyone wants to dispute what I have said, go ahead. I was there and I seen the disgracefull conduct of the COC. Thank god I had a few friends on the base who realized what was happening and assisted to try and solve the issues at hand, for the most part with out me even knowing, to them who will remain nameless thank you, for the COC who got caught doing things improperly and agaisnt Military Regs, to bad you still have a job.
If you are going to CFSATE, do your job, keep your gear squared away, keep your marks up, if you fall into trouble on your schooling ask for help and take it, the staff will bend over to help you (well the instructrional anyways) and rememeber it isnt what is taught at CFSATE that makes you a good Tech, it is what you deceide to do with that training. Attitude goes a long way, even when the chips seem down which they will there, Carry on and get it done. Never repeat the mistakes you see.
