Time off for training? Or time off to race? No to the first and maybe to the second. You'll have to present you case in a manner that will cause your C.O. to pause and reflect.

Rotsa ruck!

simply put, no.

Time off to race. I can see no time to train with basic, but tech school should leave me time to train a bit for it? Maybe not tons of time. Im just talkin about a weekend off to race or something.

No time to train in basic is true. You may theoretically have time to train during tech school, but keep in mind that your workload will go through the roof. It's not just the hours that you can see on paper (sleep, class, eat, etc) but the intangibles such as time to prep your uniform, time to study etc. Generally that will start eating into those hours of sleep that you will be desperately craving at that point and so how much benefit you can gain from sacrificing sleep training is questionable. You don't want to hurt your long term goal (ie the national guard) for a short term one such as a good time in an upcoming race.

Hopefully your time in basic and tech school will include enough PT to maintain a fitness base, and then with any luck you can focus on your training and racing once school is complete. You may find that during tech school you can sort out your schedule sufficiently to fit in some training during the week and a race on the weekend (subject to your Skipper's approval) but I would look at that as a possiblity rather than a certainty.

Good Luck!

Wanderer

Unless you're racing in an event which gives your CO reason to brag (i.e. going to the Olympic trials), don't get your hopes up. You won't get time off from basic training or tech school unless it's an emergency. Period. Your time is THEIR time, not YOUR time. In addition to the all-day schooling, you'll likely have mandatory PT after going to class and "duty" days & weekends.

You might get some odd looks from your classmates when you get back from your 5 mile "warmup" run to do the 1.5 mile run test.

Gook luck!!

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king of the road says you move too slow
KING OF THE ROAD SAYS YOU MOVE TOO SLOW

You may be able to get leave for the race on a not to interfere with class basis. I'd plan on at best being able to fly out Friday afternoon/evening and finding someway to get back for class 1st thing Monday AM.

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"Knowledge is good" - Emil Faber

I agree, no time basic, and tech school it depends. I'm an airborne comm guy in active AF and when I was in tech school I had plenty of time outside of school and after duty day details. You have to manage your time well. As far as bring a bike to work out on I don't think that they will allow them inside your dorm room in tech school. You might be able to work something out with the MTL's (AF techschool leaders), to keep a bike in the storage or something, but I wouldn't count on it. In tech school you will have early morning formations, 4:30ish and then go to school (this is how my techschool was), get lunch (lunch is time to eat and eet only) and then go back to class until 3-4pm. After 4 we had a formation for PT (cal and running) at 4:30 for about an hour. After that our time was ours. You could go to the gym, but whatever you needed at the BX and study. As far as the Air Force giving you time off, I don't know how it works for the ANG. For us active duty folks if we qualify for a race that needs qualification (ie nationals/worlds/Kona) then you can write to the sports program manager at Lackland AFB and request time and money to race. For example I'm trying to race at the US military championship in San Deigo. If I get a spot then the AF will give me what is called permisive TDY (which is free leave not charged to my leave balance) and pay my airfare and lodging. If I qualify for Military worlds (held in sweden next year) they will do the same deal. In fact a captain at my station is in Kona and got free leave, airfare, lodging, and race entry. I know that there are reservists that qualify for some of this so I would definately look into for the ANG. If you want PM me and I will try to get you the email for the sports manager.

PS: You already have an leg up on some of the recruits if you shave your legs. You can apply that same technique for when you have to shave your socks for inspections in BMT. Have fun, -Andrew




Edit: comm guy tech is in MI, I missed that in your original post. That might change (because of Katrina) the base is FUBAR. But if that's where you end up when I was there there were two pools (one indoor one out), and two nice gyms. But from the pictures that I've seen from that base, post Katrina, I doubt much of a pool or gym is functional.

I seriously doubt that they will let your fly anywhere. If you have a week-end off and the race is near your tech school then maybe. But there are "phases" (i forgot how long each one is). I think phase one is 2-4 weeks in which time you cannot leave base. Phase two lasts goes to about 2 months and you can leave base, but have to be back at 10pm at night. And phase 3 where you can be gone on weekends 24/7 and 12am on week nights.

Will they give me time off to do this?

I'd say probably not. You're pretty much stuck in Basic, obviously, and you won't have time to train during that time. (And the Basic PT is not going to be anywhere near what you need for an IM.) During comm school, you might be able to get in your training during your off hours, if you're incredibly dedicated, and if you don't mind getting by on four hours of sleep each night during the week. But I doubt you'd get permission to travel back to Wisconsin for a weekend. I think there might even be a certain radius you're not allowed to travel outside of while in school.

Of course, my experience is with Navy comm school. Maybe the Air Force is more lax. ;)

Good luck!

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

Not gonna happen if you are in training, even if you could take leave you wouldnt have enough time to acrue any to take.



Billy

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Nine out of Ten Scientists agree that
Out of Ten Scientists
One will disagree with the other Nine

There is the possibility of going "in the hole" with your leave, but that is usually only for a family emergency. Better start thinking creative =]

Good pt, guess it's been too long since I've been through school

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"Knowledge is good" - Emil Faber

That's actually kind of a tough school. I had to go to one of the Army commo schools. Boring. Go ahead- ask me to make any kind of antennae: Expedient half-rhombic, slant wire, blah, blah.....

In general when I was in school I just did the school and that was it. It was relatively demanding. Sometimes the guys and I would go shopping on post or get ice cream. A big day was going into town to go to Ranger Joes.

Good luck in your school, and thank you for serving on our behalf. I appreciate it as does the rest of the free world.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Hell no. And don't join my Air Force thinking it's a part-time job.

-kd

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kestrel driver


DonorsChoose.org (!!!)
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Oh and don't forget there is a war on and don't bitch if you have to go. Military=guns=war. To the first answer, no, no and no.

I don't see why they wouldn't let him go. It's the Air Force after all. What could possibly be involved in basic training? Remedial chair sitting? Coffee drinking and donut eating 101? Golf Course Management? I'm sure he won't be too busy. ;-)

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

Phfff...No one said it is a part time job, and yes your #1 priority is the AF, and yes we are at war so you duty comes before whatever else you have planned in your free time. But, you are AF (ANG) and AF looks out for AF (at least my experience, maybe not for K. Driver from the way it sounds).


But like people have been saying, Basic and Tech training are very different from the operational side.

I work at an Army 'initial' training base and I would say no to them allowing you to leave training for a race. Here, if you miss more than 2 days of training (regardless of reason, emergency, sick or whatever) you run the risk of being recycled and repeat the training.

On behalf of an officer student, I once asked permission for him to be absent from training to compete in IMLP (he was seconds away from qualifying for Kona at a previous race and was going to another to try again)....I thought FOR SURE they would grant him the time off and be excited that he was taking this endeavor - you know the whole hooah PT thing. Not even close, they could have cared less and I was disappointed. But that is the way it is.

I think it is probably the same training mentality whether it is officer or enlisted, Army, AF, Navy - active or reserves. When you are in initial training, your life is not your own.

If it is a formal tech school, I rather doubt they will let you go. You can always ask, but I would be ready for a "no" answer.

Spot

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___________________________________________________
Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.

I know but how could you get in enough training around all the "stuff".

 Hey everyone thanks for the comments. If i go in i plan on making ironman secondary to the military commitment. There are always other years for tri's. I was just curious as to whether or not i could possibly do both.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

*SNORT*

*LOL* x 10n!

In quiet circles, I refer to my Air Force as the 'Chair Farce.' Nonetheless, I can locate a BB in a haystack on the other side of the world without leaving my desk without flinching.

- kd

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kestrel driver


DonorsChoose.org (!!!)
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Lots of ANG types are being called to AD these days: flyboys, comm-types, SF-types, ARTs (Air Reserve Technicians: those who are civilian a certain percentage of their time while still in uniform), med/dental personnel - the list is endless. And to top that off, ANG'rs are being sent to places where normally they would not (fill in your most unwanted locale here).

- kd

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kestrel driver


DonorsChoose.org (!!!)
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