<p>I just stumbled across this year’s USAFA Contrails on Ebay. It’ll be interesting to see how high the bidding goes. Aren’t these supposed to be under fairly tight security? Do they change from year to year?</p>
<p>Not tight security, but they are very special. Contrails has everythin that the fourth class cadet is required to know during their time @ USAFA. Contrails is given to teh cadets at the start of their fourth class year, and must be carried around with them at all times. Usually Contrails is given to people as a momento but also for knowledge. Usually they do not get out into the public very often, but it is not terribly surprising that one is on EBAY. They do indeed change from year to year, so depending on how old the copy is, is how relevant it will be to your cadet. The most effectivce editions would be from 2000 and later. These will have most of the information that they need to know. The more updated the version is the better</p>
<p>For anyone that is wondering whether they should try to find contrails or study anything before they get here, don't. It's not worth it. You won't know what you'll need to know, and if you do know anything and display that knowledge while your classmates are clueless, you will face the wrath of the cadre.</p>
<p>and most cadets keep them at elast through graduation because upperclassmen still need to review the stuff that the 4 digs are learning. also, although ppl hate them now, i've heard that its great for memories later on in life</p>
<p>Yes, I guy who works fro me was class of 80 something. He still has his contrails book and wouldn't give it up for the world! BTW, he quit after 4-dig year when he mistakenly thought his GPA would be too low to earn a pilot slot. He regrets that decision to this day. It kills him -- even though things turned out fine for him. He always wondered what could have been when he saw where his classmates ended up. Kind of sad. (Many with lower GPAs were able to fly when they graduated and he had plenty of time to improve academically too)</p>
<p>EBAY UPDATE:</p>
<p>The Contrails bidding is now OVER $200! Now I'm REALLY curious what's in that little book!</p>
<p>OMG why is contrails being put on a pedestal like that... every cadet will get one when they get to the academy anyways, and the cadre has already told us plenty of times that memorizing information beforehand is a BAD idea. When I was there for orientation I looked over my host's contrails and it was just a ton of information.</p>
<p>thats just ridiculous. one why someone would get rid of it, and two, who would pay that much for it?</p>
<p>Wow! 200 bucks for contrails...and I know some people who wanted to burn theirs, lol.</p>
<p>dang... what happens if you lose yours while your at usafa im curious, can you buy a replacement? </p>
<p>now that i think about it.... can you just buy as much as you want to sell on ebay when you graduate? or is it strictly one issued per basic/cadet?</p>
<p>so it turns out, i kno the kid who's doing it. he outprocessed from my squad a couple weeks ago. and he some how got ahold of an extra contrails, so he isn't even selling his.</p>
<p>there's also service coats, overcoats, raincoat, if anyone wants to waste some money</p>
<p>I don't think anyone actually loses theres but my host had two because her first one was in horrible shape so they just gave her a second one. So I assume if you actually do lose it, they will give you another one, but then again...I really have no idea. :-P</p>
<p>So I just looked up the Contrails on Ebay. This is what the seller had to say:
"I will be in contact with the winner within 24 hours of the End of Auction...and will have another Contrails up sometime shortly after...please E-mail me for any question!"</p>
<p>.....how many does this guy have??</p>
<p>you are supposed to have to buy them again, but they aren't $200. and don't know how many he has. but if you look at the bidding, it seems kind of off at least to me.</p>
<p>Eagle,
Wouldn't be one of the knowledge test cadets would he?</p>
<p>no he wasn't. he had other honor hits, but not the k-test scandal, no</p>
<p>He's also a falcon preppie from Valley Forge...</p>
<p>he told us he only has two. he had gotten them from the AOG a couple days before he left</p>
<p>Hmmm, well his third one is now up for sale and up to 51.00. I wonder how he's getting these?</p>