UPT Week 1

And so it begins!

Here's your "first day of school" picture Mom!

Well, it actually began two weeks ago when our class had its first official meeting at none other than the Flight Doc’s office. We were poked, hearing tested, eye tested, foot printed and then sent on our way with a bag full of sleeping pills.  The pills are known as ground trials, which we were instructed to test now, before we hit the flight line, so we know what works and what doesn’t for future use.  In all I can tell you I slept more that following weekend than I have in a while thanks to the Air Force!

My class is a diverse bunch of awesome individuals.  Most of us are Air Force with at least 10 being USAFA grads. However, we also have 4 Navy guys & 2 Marines, with at least 3 of them being from the Naval Academy, 2 exchange students from Saudi Arabia, 2 Guard pilots and we range anywhere from Lts to Capt in rank. In total we have 26 people, 3 of which are female. As I said before, we’re a diverse bunch.

Our first official day of pilot training was Wednesday the 25^th; however we actually began on Monday (day -1) with death by PowerPoint. It was a typical day of meet and greet briefings with all the base leadership as well as a layout of expectations. Day 0 was supposed to be a similar day, however the Air Force’s AETC commander decided to have a down day in response to the increase in suicides; so we had “Resiliency Day,” which was pretty much another day of briefings and PowerPoint, just about a subject other than UPT. Day 1 took on all the things that were supposed to get accomplished on Day 0, such as pictures in Service Dress for our commanders, more briefings, publications issue and page counts. However, since it was the official start day of training we got to begin our day with a PT test. By the end of the day we had worn 3 different uniforms and were all exhausted! 

Time to hit the books!

 By far the coolest thing about beginning pilot training was getting my helmet, mask, G suit and harness.  I grew up trying on my Dad’s helmet and it’s so cool to now have one of my own! Since the helmet is fitted specifically to our heads we get to keep it, no matter what airplane we end up flying. That’s an awesome souvenir! However, we did get briefed that we’re not allowed to paint or sticker our helmets, so I guess I’ll have to wait to put lightning bolts down the sides until after I graduate =)



We’re currently in the Aerospace Physiology block and have already had our first 2 test in it.  We’ll continue with Aerospace Phys through this week, ending it with a flight in the altitude chamber.  We also had our Fighter Aircrew Conditioning Test (FACT) on Friday which is a test mainly made up of weightlifting different percentages of our body weight.  For men it’s not too difficult; however all the girls had been warned to train for it because you have to pass it if you want to fly fighters. Well after training and a ton of protein shakes, I put that test behind me when I scored in the outstanding category. It was a great way to start the weekend and was a weight lifted off my shoulders… get it?

Last week was very busy and emotionally stressful, and truthfully I don’t think it has set in that I actually have started UPT yet.  I know that there will be good days and bad day, heck I’ve already had them in just this past week.  But I have faith that God will lead me through this journey and use me as an instrument in his plan.  I’m so thankful for all the support that friends and family have provide me with; it truthfully is an amazing blessing to know that there are people out there who are watching and care. The person that I have to thank the most though is my husband. Without Greg I don’t think I could get through this next year.  He already has been an amazing partner and supporter to me and I’m so thankful for him.  

The flowers that I came home to, that my mom and Greg bought for me on my first official day of UPT.  I am truly blessed!

18 Days and Counting

UPT starts in 18 days and it’s about time! Over the last month I have done a lot of soul searching. I took a trip home to California and a trip to Denver with Greg for Christmas and I realized how truly blessed I am. In the past I have often got caught up in the little meaningless things in life, like what he said or she said or what people think.  I realized that that is no way to live and that I have bigger things than that to concentrate on in life. Soon as this realization set in I was able to get a much clearer view of what I wanted in life.  I’m excited to start UPT because it’s what I’ve been dreaming of doing since I was little. I love flying and I know that I’m supposed to be a pilot, but I feel that God has more than just that in his plans for me.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:11-13

Fighter, heavy aircraft or FAIP (first assignment instructor pilot), it’s up to the Lord.  My goal is to do well enough in UPT that when the time comes to decide, that I am able to make the decision and that it isn’t made for me. I am beginning to see that all have their pros. Fighter, well no need to state the obvious. Heavy, I would hope to head back to Cali and be stationed at Travis or shoot for C-21s and fly the bigwigs around in their private jets. And FAIP, I could do what I love to do, teach others how to fly once again (just this time I get to do it in a plane that actually has an engine).  

I have so many great opportunities ahead of me and the next year of my life will put me in the exact spot that I am supposed to be.  All I have to do is do my best.  Sounds cliché but I realize that it’s that easy!  

In other news, here’s a little catch-up on life.  I burned most of my leave in December and headed out to California to see my family and friends before the holidays.  It was good to be home, I got to spend time with a lot of people that I have been missing a lot; but I was also solo on this trip, so I missed Greg and Tazer a lot too.  Greg’s sister Amy flew out to Oklahoma while I flew to Cali. She stayed a few days and then made the drive back to Denver with Greg and Tazer.  Tazer did NOT like the drive; he got sick and shook for most of the 10 hour drive.  I flew out to Denver on the 24^th to spend Christmas with Greg’s family.  It was an eventful first Christmas as a married couple.  We woke up to Tazer throwing up that morning, and then Greg got sick later on in the day.  Poor guys, but overall it was a really nice Christmas and we enjoyed being there a lot. Greg and I drove back to Oklahoma on the 2^nd (Tazer did better but still hated the drive) and started back into our usual routines.  I have the last day of my causal job at the HAWC this week and we have a last minute visitor flying out on Monday to spend the next week here with us… My best friend NICOLE! I’m so excited! I guess we couldn’t get enough of each other when I was home.  It’s perfect because this will be the last bit of free time I’ll have for the next year.  She’s also the person that I can always count on being there when I need to just have a good laugh and get my mind straight for the next big thing in life.  Greg should also be starting the Oklahoma Police Academy sometime this next month so it’s going to be a busy month for the both of us!  I’ll start posting more regularly now that life’s about to start speeding up and getting interesting.  Happy New Year!