Studying for TSgt...dying a little more each day.

[stangaholic280]

Anyone else preparing to test this cycle? I got very lucky with a test date of March 19th so I'm trying to make the best of it.

I'm also preparing to take the GRE so my current study cycle is PDG Gold M,W,F for 3 hours and then studying for GRE T,Th 3 hours. Weekends off.

This'll be my first shot at Tech and I have only 1 medal (3 pts) towards this test so the odds are against me.


Anyways, post up your testing frustrations and thoughts! :beer:

 

[Beerdog80]

Shepherd eh? I was just there yesterday ironically. Looked like a decent place.

I would take last years cut off score for your AFSC too ballpark what you will need to make on the SKT/PFE tests to get selected. Do you max your EPR points?

 

[usafimj]

I'm in the same boat. Got a test date of Feb 29th which is coming up quick. This will be my 3rd time testing. 1st time I was in Korea and well you can think of what happened. 2nd time I FUBARD my alarm clock and well you can guess what happened. So this year I'm studying pretty hard and hoping to make it. My cutoff last year was around 302. So I set my score for 310. To make the 310 I need 62's on both test. But thats on the high side. Anything better than 62s and I SHOULD be fine.

Stats: 8yrs TIS, 3.5yrs TIG, Max EPR points, 2 decs for 2 points.


A lot of the stuff I read in the PDG makes me want to club baby seals. I mean seriously why the **** do I need to know this stuff. I'll never use the information for anything.

 

[Beerdog80]

just typical AF crap. Jack of all trades but master of none mentality.

 

[JetmechF16]

At least you guys have a shot at making it. In the Guard I have to wait for an E6 slot to open up first before I can even board for it, none on the horizon right now. That is for DSG slots, they keep downgrading our AGR slots from E6 and E7 to E5 because they think our enlisted structure is too top heavy. I'll probably finish my Bachelors and apply for a pilot slot before I find an open E6 position.

8 years TIS, 4 years TIG.

 

[usafimj]

yea it sucks for guys in the guard/reserve. I knew this one staff who was an ART when I was stationed in OKC. I was there for about 5yrs when he sewed on Tech. Not sure how long he had it before I got there.

 

[stangaholic280]

Do you max your EPR points?

just typical AF crap. Jack of all trades but master of none mentality.

Care to elaborate? I'm really not sure what made you say this so I assume you're just trolling.

At least you guys have a shot at making it. In the Guard I have to wait for an E6 slot to open up first before I can even board for it, none on the horizon right now. That is for DSG slots, they keep downgrading our AGR slots from E6 and E7 to E5 because they think our enlisted structure is too top heavy. I'll probably finish my Bachelors and apply for a pilot slot before I find an open E6 position.

8 years TIS, 4 years TIG.

Do it! I finish my degree this year. That is the reason I'm taking the GRE....am I applying for the MSC (Medical Service Corp) in Sept. With any luck I'll have 2Lt on before I even get to sew on Tech lol.

 

[Marc]

Keep in the books. TSgt is the hardest stripe to make. Even though you don't have a lot of points in Decorations, you can make it up with TIS and TIG. How long you been in?

Nothing comes easy. Promotion rates are not that bad right now. When I made SSgt it was 9.8% and TSgt was 11.2%. Those were tough times. I can see you doing it as long as you study hard and you have good EPRs.

 

[usafimj]

Stangaholic what he means jack of all trades but master of none means that you have a book of information that you're supposed to memorize and use but the only time you see this info is in your WAPS test. 99% of the info in the PDG you won't need. A lot of that info won't make you a better leader. Sure it'll help when the time comes but how often have you seen the info being used. IMO I think a lot of this info isn't needed until you become a SNCO. At the NCO rank you're just there to take the beatings. If anything comes up most of the times its the MSgt or above taking care of the issue. I can go on but you kinda see where I'm going with this. Rant off.

 

[Marc]

^^^ Hell thats no different than getting Bachelor's Degrees in any given subject. Half that crap, most people won't use in their profession.

But, I hear you. Who the hell needs to know about all the history? I used to hate all that History stuff.

 

[usafimj]

Chief you know what I'm talking about. Not trying to be the guy that doesn't give a **** about the AF. Awww ****. I stated my opinion and I look like a dirtbag now

 

[Marc]

Your fine. I know where you are coming from. Remember, I was in those same damn books for 20 years. When I made Chief, it gave me pleasure to throw all those books in the trash.

 

[Beerdog80]

Care to elaborate? I'm really not sure what made you say this so I assume you're just trolling.

No trolling brother, you misunderstood. What I mean is, the AF seems more concerned with us knowing a bit of everything which often comes at the expense of your own AFSC responsibilities.

 

[stangaholic280]

Keep in the books. TSgt is the hardest stripe to make. Even though you don't have a lot of points in Decorations, you can make it up with TIS and TIG. How long you been in?

Nothing comes easy. Promotion rates are not that bad right now. When I made SSgt it was 9.8% and TSgt was 11.2%. Those were tough times. I can see you doing it as long as you study hard and you have good EPRs.

TIS: 5 years, 10 months.


I was talking to my wife about it and I created a theory that TSgt just looks like the hardest rank to make because at that point people are used to be handed rank and SSgt is 40% lol. So it's like hitting a brick wall with TSgt if you don't prepared, the 20ish% rate is going to wake up a lot of people. After that...people realize, oh shit I actually have to do something to make rank and begin studying for E7+.

That's my theory on why TSgt appears to be the hardest rank to make. :beer:

Stangaholic what he means jack of all trades but master of none means that you have a book of information that you're supposed to memorize and use but the only time you see this info is in your WAPS test. 99% of the info in the PDG you won't need. A lot of that info won't make you a better leader. Sure it'll help when the time comes but how often have you seen the info being used. IMO I think a lot of this info isn't needed until you become a SNCO. At the NCO rank you're just there to take the beatings. If anything comes up most of the times its the MSgt or above taking care of the issue. I can go on but you kinda see where I'm going with this. Rant off.

No trolling brother, you misunderstood. What I mean is, the AF seems more concerned with us knowing a bit of everything which often comes at the expense of your own AFSC responsibilities.

Ah, I can see where you guys are coming from. At the same time, I'm a firm believe in knowledge is power. Sure, you may not use the information in the PDG everyday, but a lot of the information in there could be useful in given situations: Customs and Courtesies, Dress and Appearance, Enlisted Eval System, Leadership....etc etc.

It's a lot like ADLS stuff lol, useless in the real world 95% of the time, but there may come a time someday when you might pull something from it.

My wife is an O-2 and she said that she wished she knew all of the stuff in the PDG going through COT, BOMO, and just for being a new officer to the air force. She found that one of the best ways she was able to earn respect from her troops was through her knowledge of her job. If only she could've combined that with knowledge of the AF. I am applying for my commission this year, so I'm trying to be ahead of the game. :rolling:

Anyways, I'll get off the AF bandwagon lol. I do agree with ya'll that the AF has many many priorities is the wrong place, but at the same time, I don't think the PDG is one of the biggest ones. oke::beer:

 

[stangaholic280]

^^^ Hell thats no different than getting Bachelor's Degrees in any given subject. Half that crap, most people won't use in their profession.

But, I hear you. Who the hell needs to know about all the history? I used to hate all that History stuff.

Hahaha, half? Probably more like 90%. I am applying to the MSC (Medical Service Corp) this year and if I become a readiness or logistics officer I probably won't use squat from my Healthcare Admin degree.

I agree with you on the history, but some of the tidbits are neat. I won the John Levitow award in ALS and it was neat to know who the heck he was lol.

That's mostly the stuff that interests me if stuff I can apply to real life, such as our gym being named the Pitzenberger or bases being named after people such as Scott AFB.

I'm probably a little on the nerdy side though lol. :beer:

 

[usafimj]

stangaholic you aren't on the nerdy side. History is always a good thing. It will tell you where you came from and what you will be coming from. That knowledge is great but again IMO when are you going to use it. Not until you reach the SNCO rank from what I've seen in my 8yrs in.

 

[stangaholic280]

stangaholic you aren't on the nerdy side. History is always a good thing. It will tell you where you came from and what you will be coming from. That knowledge is great but again IMO when are you going to use it. Not until you reach the SNCO rank from what I've seen in my 8yrs in.

Yep, day to day, rarely.

I'm gonna beast the hell outta those other 2Lt's in COT though! :rockon::rockon::rockon:

 

[usafimj]

My motto is give'em hell. Can't say shit to you

 

[motorider228]

Good luck fellas! I just made Staff out of cycle last month, and I sew on in June. It was my first time testing so I didn't know what to expect, but it boggles my mind now that I have taken that test when a lot of people can't make Staff. I studied probably 6 hours total, made it by 18 points. I only had 17 points combined TIS/TIG, full EPR points and no decs. I need to really get in the books for whan I test for Tech, I won't have TIS/TIG to help me out.

Also, I enjoy the history in the PDG. I think there is a ton of very useful information in that book, but I think much of it is irrelevant for Staffs and Techs.

 

[Beerdog80]

Thats because the AF gives out Staff (currently at least) as a retention tool for first term airmen.

Not saying thats the case with you but you pointed out the problem with the testing for first SrA testers. If you have got all "5" rating EPR's you are pretty much got it made.

Take your current score and see how that stacks up against TSgt to ballpark what work you need to do.