------------------------- Notes from America --------------------------  I've been staring at this blank computer screen for about half an hour now, trying to figure out a good way to start this article. It's supposed to be about life in America (that's where I am) as an Air Force Cadet (that's what I am). But, try as I may, I could not come up with a snappy opener. So, I think I'll tell you how I ended up doing this. It all started with an innocent weeks and weeks after I posted the post in comp.sys.amiga.programmer on message, I got a mail from Poland. the internet. I'm pretty sure most By a fellow named Maciej. He told me of you know what that is. I had a I was an incompetent fool too, and problem with opening windows and then apologized for his lousy getting IDCMP messages under C. It English. As far as I was concerned, turns out that this was because I was he knew more English than most of my an incapable idiot, as several of the school mates, indeed he used several responses I got informed me. Anyway, words I had to look up! Well, we  ********************************** strona 2 ************************************ chatted back and forth for a few to West Coast. If I drove north to weeks and then he finally asked if I south, it would take two days, at would write an article for his Amiga least. From what I understand from magazine, IMAZINE. I was flattered Maciej, most of you don't even have and quickly accepted. So, here I am, cars. I used to have two, and I'm being read by you. only 19 years old. But you don't want to know any of Now you think I'm a spoiled rich that! You want to learn about kid. Nope. I bought my first car America and it's Air Force. Well, I after a year of flipping hamburgers can tell you that life in America and at a fast food restaurant and my life in Poland are quite different. parents payed for only half of my For instance, when I go home I have newest car. Cars are definitely to drive 500 miles (about 800 cheaper here than they are in Poland, kilometers). Maciej tells me that but that's because there are so many distance is longer than Poland. It's of them. I've never had a brand new just two states here, a mere hop, car, I always buy them from someone skip and jump. If I wanted to cross else. Used cars as they are called America, it would take nearly four here. Besides, you can't live life days of 100 km/h driving, East Coast without a car in America, everything  ********************************** strona 3 ************************************ is so far apart. result I pursued my dream and ended up a cadet in the Air Force Reserve Let me tell you a little about Officer Training Program (ROTC). myself. I was born in New Jersey, which is on America's East Coast, but ROTC at first was just something only lived there for a few years. to take time, it kept me busy and Most of my childhood was spent in gave me things to do. It became more Ohio, which is in the American than that. Once I entered the ROTC, Midwest. I went through the school I started meeting people who were as before college, which is known as bright, as fast and as smart as me. grade school, very easily. I I was important and had graduated with honors from my High responsibility, people depended on School and was accepted into the and trusted me to get my tasks done University of Maryland, where I now and it felt good. So, I applied for attend school. I'm a mechanical a scholarship. In America higher engineering major, with a minor in education is not payed by the sleeping. Through it all I always government, and it costs a lot to go wanted to fly, even when I was ten I to school. To go here at Maryland drew pictures of airplanes and read costs my family $14,000 a year, I everything on planes I could, as a don't know what the Polish equivalent  ********************************** strona 4 ************************************ is but it sure is a lot of money Services. For example, you all know here. A scholarship will pay your what a CRAY computer is right ? A college costs, so competition is gigantic mainframe with tons of intense to get it. Just a few weeks power. Well, imagine one the size of ago I was awarded a three year your backpack. That's the kind of scholarship by the Air Force, meaning technology that is in our best they cover my college costs for the fighter planes. We've got missiles next three years. In return, I have that can fly through a city street, to serve as an officer for a minimum turn left and hit a target. Our of four years after I graduate. targeting systems can drop a bomb through the chimney on your roof. I hear groans. From talking with That's the kind of equipment we work Maciej I know why you groan. As he with. said, "A professional soldier is someone with no brains." In America, The training isn't that hard this is not true. Some of the best either. Two mornings a week, I get and brightest people go into the up before sunrise to either march, military here. This is because the run, or play team sports. We play best technology and equipment in the things like basketball, volleyball, world is in the American Armed soccer (or football), or a game  ********************************** strona 5 ************************************ called Ultimate Frisbee. We've got a two or three of those PFT's a day, few physical tests we have to pass. with all sorts of physical activity One is called the Physical Fitness in between, every day for a month. Test, or PFT. In it we have to do 7 If you fail any of them, you are pullups, broad jump 80 inches, 45 kicked out of the ROTC program. The situps, 35 pushups and run 600 meters best thing about Field Training is in under two minutes. All completed what is known as Jet Orientation. 15 minutes after start. It isn't as For half an hour, you get to fly a hard as it sounds, nor is it as easy two seat, sub-sonic trainer jet. It as you think. We also have to run only goes a few hundred miles an 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) in under hour, but that's a few hundred faster 12 minutes, which is very easy. Then than most people get to go. I'm we have inspections and such, but looking forward to that, but I have they are easy to pass. no illusions. I'll never fly a fighter jet, or any other jet for I haven't actually done the that matter. I wear glasses, a curse hardest thing in ROTC yet. That is of heredity, and you have to have called Field Training. It's a four perfect vision to go to pilot school. week boot camp in the summer after your second year of college. You do Cadets get to do things that  ********************************** strona 6 ************************************ normal college students only dream that, I'm a pretty good shot. about. Twice a year we fly over the Chesapeake Bay in big C-141 cargo So, you can see the life of a planes, sitting in the cockpit and cadet isn't all that hard. Pretty walking around in the cargo bay. fun actually. It's a good deal Once a year, specially qualified really, because after we graduate we cadets go up in Presidential are guaranteed a job paying $27,000 a helicopters. We fly over Washington year. D.C. at 100 miles an hour and watch as people look up and point at us, But, you ask, how about the life thinking we are the President. We of the normal American college also get firearms training, on 9mm student ? That is a story to itself. Beretta pistols. I really enjoy || || || || \ || / \ || / \||/ \||/ \/ \/  ********************************** strona 7 ************************************  AMIGA Forever ! Michael Rich  * Edycja: Piter *