Goodfellow is where my tech school is gonna be and I was wondering if the base is any good.(does it suck?)

What service, what job, and how old are you?

It will be as good as you care to make it.

Norm

Goodfellow is in San Angelo, TX, 90 miles south of Abiline, TX which is where Dyess AFB is (home of a B1-B bomber wing). I was stationed at Goodfellow 2 times as student and once six years as an instructor in the Cryptologic Linguist part of the Cryptologic Training center there. I begged to get back over seas before peace broke out and almost didn't make it. It has staff and trainees from all services for enlisted and officers in various intelligence/crypto fields. You must be a spook of some sort, some kind of electronic gear or something like that. Virtually all training there is at the secret codeword level and above.  The base has been almost totally rebuilt since the late 80s, so it's in very nice shape. Dorm rooms (baracks to the grunts among you) are generally larger than you'd find in Army or other service bases. The facilities, such as gym, exchange, commisary,  are not big, but equipped well and the base exchange can get you what they don't stock. The air strip is no longer functional. They built a part of the base billeting office in the middle of it. San Angelo is a college town. It has one of the best small college football teams in the US quite regularly. The people of San Angelo are  friendly and appreciate the folks at the base. If you're married, off base housing is fairly plentiful. Any other questions?

service: USAFR
job: Intel Apprentice (AFSC 1N031)
age: 18

I was there over 10 years ago. The training is very mentally demanding and has a high washout rate.

The facilities, food and living conditions were excellent. All four branches of services send their intel geeks there, and it was a real shock to go from the screaming Drill Sergeants of Army Basic to "Goodbuddy."

The college women and nightlife were suprisingly vigorous for a small town in West Texas, and you are only 3-5 hours from San Antonio, Austin and the border...It was a good time for an 18 year old.

How high??

I spent 6 months there in 1996 in imagery analyst training.  We dealt with the intel analysts on a social basis.  You’ll be fine.

Too bad you are 18.  The Air Force is known for being a bunch of alcohol Nazis.  Being under 21 will limit your social life, so you will have to get creative.  I wouldn’t do any drinking on base.  You are better off finding some friends from the college, and partying with them.

As far as the academics, the course you are doing isn’t that hard.  The harder stuff is the linguist training.  They have a pretty good wash-out rate and suicide rate.  The intel analyst training is nothing like that.

THE WATER SUCKS!  San Angelo is the only place I have been to that has water so bad it will ruin the taste of a Coke at McDonalds.

Since you are starting out single, please stay that way.  Whatever you do, don’t get married.  You will probably be lonely at first, but don’t make the mistake that others will and get married to solve loneliness.

Stay away from the Marines in the fire school.

Thanks for the advice. I don't think alcohol is gonna be a problem since I don't drink. All it will cause me is problems and get me in trouble.

Thanks!

I’m glad to see that you are a basically responsible person.  However, the lifestyle of the organization that you just joined is probably significantly different than what you are used to.  I am not talking about the militaristic part.  I am talking about the reality that training bases, and specifically that one, are little more than drunken fuck fests.  Madeline Albright could get laid at Goodfellow.  The social life of the active duty military is based on alcohol and sex.  If you don’t drink yet, that makes it easier for you, since being 18 in the military sucks.  That will not last forever.  Just don’t get caught doing anything that will get you in trouble.

As an example, when I left, a couple of stupid 18 year old E-1 chicks thought it would be wise to drink off base.  They were correct in that.  They also thought it would be funny to ham it up for the home video someone was making at the party.  Of course, the powers that be got hold of the video.  Unbelievably, the Air Force threw them out.  In my book, stupid stuff like that results in doing push-ups until you can’t write your name.  The Air Force is a bit more petty.

Good atitude. Bust the books and you will
never regret it.

Sounds kinda like Temptation Island....
Thanks for the heads up!!

i am in San Angelo right now!  However, I am not military, I am going to Angelo State University.  The water will give you the runs here, so be carful.

One last question, will I have access to the internet? What kind of connection? and can I bring my own computer to the base?

I remember MCAS Goodbuddy... (ok .. so we changed the name to suit us ... and had a Gunboat on the Concho...) back in '76 ... getting my 2622 (or was it 2629? no I got that up in Devens... and the 2622 in Pensacola..) on a shipover ... anyhow ... Zentners and Zentners Daughters .. two of the most finest steak establishments ( and Texans are particular about there steak & sizing ..)when I was there ... but the liquor stores were all out at the edge of the county ...
Ted...

Was there in '89, and again in '90-'91 for advanced schools.  I can still remember running on the old runways...  had to hate the headwind!   Nice base, and the area has some of the best steaks, bar-b-q, and Mexican food I have found.  You gotta make at least one run for the border.  

btt
Anyone know the answer?

btt