Resources for other people
Dec. 15th, 2006 04:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hackthis_archiveI was going to write a whole pornographic piece of jerk off material where John Sheppard met Nathan Petrelli, because hey, Nathan was (possibly) in the military and I am nothing if not interested in getting him laid. However, even the most fervent fanatic can be deterred by that lovely thing called research, because if you're gonna do it, chances are you want to do it right. Except doing it right involved running smack into the wall called the United States Air Force and how I had zero idea how the whole juggernaut worked.
Leaders of industry easy peasy; entertainment, like the back of my hand; the military? Um, no.
So, like any nerd trying to get a clue, I started off at everybody's favorite site: Wikipedia where I found this awesome (damn you,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rageprufrock) article entitled Air Education and Training Command for the USAF, which is pretty much a guide to the USAF education system -- and by education I mean everything from basic training to Air University, which is their higher education system, but probably not like you're thinking.
And silly me thought that was enough, but thenserialkarma, who may be the best beta ever in terms of thoroughness said, "Oh, hey, read these too!" which then introduced me to agentotter's Guide to Writing about Rank and Marines So You Sound like You Have a Clue* and smittywing's This is How You Roll in the Military, And No it's Not Like College, so Please Stop Thinking it Is*, which were both fascinating to read.
It was about this time that I realized a) Holy shit, this is like a whole other universe and b) yeah the story was going to have to be kicked to the curb, or completely revamped, but I was not dismayed, because I then spent the rest of my afternoon reading Surviving Basic Air Force Training which is a 4-part series about, you know, surviving Air Force training.
And I would have to say that more than any other piece of material, this brought to me the reality of the Air Force. 'Dorms' not 'barracks', 'TI's not 'XO's, 'airmen' not 'cadets', 'yes, sir' not 'sir, yes sir' because sir sandwiches are frowned upon. So while being informative as hell, it also cracked me the fuck up, because I bet in your job you don't get shit like this:
//T.I.s are also notoriously hard-of-hearing. No matter how loud you say "Yes Sir!," or "No Ma'am!" your T.I. will probably politely ask you to speak up. Because of their hearing problem, the T.I. will probably assume that you are similarly inflicted and will make a special effort to speak loudly -- right next to your ear. Moving, or showing any evidence of discomfort is considered to be impolite and will be commented upon (loudly).
Before long, it will dawn on you that somewhere between the welcome center and your dormitory, someone stole your first name. You'll probably never hear your first name throughout your entire time in Basic.//
I digress. I put this post together not really for me, but for anybody else who might be considering tackling the Air Force, or the Marines or anybody in uniform (lyra_sena). Think of it like a wee resource guide for anybody who might want it, and if you have other links feel free to put them in the comments. I probably won't get much use out of this, but hopefully somebody else will.
*Titles were paraphrased by me
Leaders of industry easy peasy; entertainment, like the back of my hand; the military? Um, no.
So, like any nerd trying to get a clue, I started off at everybody's favorite site: Wikipedia where I found this awesome (damn you,
rageprufrock) article entitled Air Education and Training Command for the USAF, which is pretty much a guide to the USAF education system -- and by education I mean everything from basic training to Air University, which is their higher education system, but probably not like you're thinking. And silly me thought that was enough, but then
serialkarma, who may be the best beta ever in terms of thoroughness said, "Oh, hey, read these too!" which then introduced me to agentotter's Guide to Writing about Rank and Marines So You Sound like You Have a Clue* and smittywing's This is How You Roll in the Military, And No it's Not Like College, so Please Stop Thinking it Is*, which were both fascinating to read. It was about this time that I realized a) Holy shit, this is like a whole other universe and b) yeah the story was going to have to be kicked to the curb, or completely revamped, but I was not dismayed, because I then spent the rest of my afternoon reading Surviving Basic Air Force Training which is a 4-part series about, you know, surviving Air Force training.
And I would have to say that more than any other piece of material, this brought to me the reality of the Air Force. 'Dorms' not 'barracks', 'TI's not 'XO's, 'airmen' not 'cadets', 'yes, sir' not 'sir, yes sir' because sir sandwiches are frowned upon. So while being informative as hell, it also cracked me the fuck up, because I bet in your job you don't get shit like this:
//T.I.s are also notoriously hard-of-hearing. No matter how loud you say "Yes Sir!," or "No Ma'am!" your T.I. will probably politely ask you to speak up. Because of their hearing problem, the T.I. will probably assume that you are similarly inflicted and will make a special effort to speak loudly -- right next to your ear. Moving, or showing any evidence of discomfort is considered to be impolite and will be commented upon (loudly).
Before long, it will dawn on you that somewhere between the welcome center and your dormitory, someone stole your first name. You'll probably never hear your first name throughout your entire time in Basic.//
I digress. I put this post together not really for me, but for anybody else who might be considering tackling the Air Force, or the Marines or anybody in uniform (
lyra_sena). Think of it like a wee resource guide for anybody who might want it, and if you have other links feel free to put them in the comments. I probably won't get much use out of this, but hopefully somebody else will.*Titles were paraphrased by me
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:35 am (UTC)Dude, you know I never considered that since I didn't actually see the ad. Could be, could be. *pauses* God, was he a JAG or something? (I am so talking out my ass). I mean I know he was an Assitant District Attorney, but for war crimes wouldn't he have to work with the Feebles?
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Date: 2006-12-16 01:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 04:40 am (UTC)'Cause, you know, Rwanda has all that water around it.
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Date: 2007-01-30 01:55 am (UTC)(And I feel I must explain, as I respond to all your comments, that I just went to a wine and cheese tasting class and had mucho wine, so that's why all the CAPS.)
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Date: 2007-01-30 02:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-30 02:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 04:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 04:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:51 am (UTC)It's so very NICE.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:06 am (UTC)Already this is MADE OF AWESOME.
...If some seasonal music would help you write, come find it in my lj.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:55 am (UTC)...is it working?
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:11 am (UTC)Military.com is a good place to get some basics about the Navy, and goarmy.com has similar information for the Army. I believe wikipedia and about.com both have articles on all the U. S. branches.
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Date: 2006-12-16 01:19 am (UTC)This afternoon I learned all kinds of things that never even occured me with regards to have different each branch is; I have an all new respect for the armed services. I can see you beaming with pride over here.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 02:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:15 am (UTC)And you know, later, bleeding heart Peter went to a Samantha Powers lecture and made big brother read America and the Age of Genocide.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:48 am (UTC)Actually, now I'm leaning toward Hahvad *g*, because I'm betting Daddy Petrelli totally saw himself as a Joseph Kennedy type. Yale for the societies - and also it's CIA/military connection, but now it's too much of a liberal cesspool for our old school New York boy. Princeton for its Eating Clubs - you know Nathan would have DROOLED over those, its lawn parties, Old Nassau, and its incredibly incestuous marriage rate - something like 75% interrmarriage. Not shocking that half the people I know there went as double legacies.
But Harvard is Kennedys, Jews and Communists before it was popular. They're also losing to Yale in the presidential race (Clinton and both Bushes are Eli boys), and Nathan's so politically minded... :)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 03:16 am (UTC)good news: you're correct that Nathan served in the military.
bad news: the picture in his office that gave rise to this bit of canon has him in a Naval Officer's uniform.
Hope I didn't ruin hours of research into USAF conduct and courtesy. At least you have your pick of over hundred gay navy jokes. *lol*
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Date: 2006-12-18 11:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 03:17 am (UTC)you are *hilarious*
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Date: 2006-12-18 11:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 08:05 pm (UTC)Anyway, in the event that I ever write Nathanfic (ha, yeah right) I will definitely come back and read this stuff. Thank you!
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Date: 2006-12-18 11:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-20 11:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-30 08:29 am (UTC)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvPIqBBtcVA