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Not under the ROE we had at the end...unless you really like watching ANA/ANP get rolled by the Taliban and being unable to do anything about it. I was specifically referencing camaraderie. Sense of mission accomplishment just wasn't there for this guy. The flying was cool and I did some cool stuff for sure, I'll never discount that. It's just that none of that was used on any of our deployments....[bad] luck of the draw I suppose. Up to a point, I believe that was true. Toward the end, I couldn't help but think we were now just killing (or not) the product of our own doing. The proverbial self licking ice cream cone.

I don’t think we need very many tabV harden shelters like we have in Europe here in the United States. But pretty much every valuable airplane to include tankers and high dollar transport should be in enclosed building. Drones can fly into open doors or into hail, sheds or sun sheds. This is such an obvious precaution to take. I doubt anything like that will ever happen instead will be laser and microwave energy, directed weapons that built by one of the big contractors for a few million per unit and we can only afford one per base that’s the most likely outcome of what we can learn from this Ukrainian Pearl Harbor

China at it again!

Affordable? Our MIC is not interested in affordable!

Honestly, it was a goal to make it to retirement. Fortunately, I had fantastic assignments and pretty much got to go where I wanted, even ended up with a pretty sweet gig as an exchange officer with the Canadians despite it being non-flying. My most rewarding job was also the most challenging and exhausting, I loved the people and the Herk mission, but I was burnt out and ready to move on. Yes, the grass is greener with the airlines, but it's a different shade if you catch my drift. I definitely don't regret staying in for 20 years.

Considering that these types of drones have relatively small payloads, we don't need to build shelters hardened against 500lb bombs. An enclosure that guarantees relatively low levels of protection and standoff would probably render FPV attacks mostly ineffective...and might actually be affordable.

They didn't have bazooka microphones in my time so no, I didn't talk $hit....I was an angel.

Dude, you played football at Miami right? You never talked $hit? At least he didn't murder a teammate. 🤨

I stayed 21 years because people were great and mission was awesome; I wouldn’t have stayed if we weren’t at war. Although the war was managed poorly and much was wasted, we were killing terrible people and I’m convinced my 20s and 30s were spent doing tasks worth my best efforts. That’s very cool and rare in life.

That phenomena is real. Happens at a different point for everyone, but it usually happens.

Was never an argument. The contrast between camaraderie and sense of mission accomplishment was my point. Of course the airlines are a better QOL for a family/raising kids long term, no denying that.

If you told me I can go do gunships in Afghanistan tomorrow I would.. and I'd do it for free.

Yep. Turning point for me was when leading started to feel more like coaching. I love to see the young guys and gals grow. And then there is the whole service thing - at some point, this country will get into a big one again, and I desperately want us to win. With all that said, I got back from my last deployment, looked my growing family in the eyes, and submitted my retirement request. It has been an amazing ride, but my family needs me at home for awhile.

Sanders 6 months ago for the practical, recommend. They were booking up pretty far out, I would recommend getting on the books sooner rather than later. Did the CTP on my own about year and half ago at Delta, it was a good experience, did the test on base. You can book a package deal through Sanders to knock it all out at once. FAA test while not hard, has a lot of questions, get a study software and set aside a bunch of time.

No one was ever making that argument. The airlines allow me to be a better husband and a better father. I can provide more and be around for more than the military ever allowed. It's not even close. I will never have to say goodbye to my kids for 6-12 months, or watch the birth of the next one on Skype. I absolutely enjoyed the shit out of my military career, even with the rather disruptive ending, but it's not even remotely questionable that my family is better off with an airline pilot rather than a military pilot at the helm. It's a young man's game.

This right here fellas........just remember the almighty dollar/drug that is the airline career will NEVER compare to what we have accomplished in a 30+yr mil career which is why a preponderance of us still serve

Yeah, we're rooting for the Razorbacks.

Also got mine at Sanders years ago and would recommend Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Got mine at Sanders about 6 years ago. Would recommend.

Crazy tournament so far. Happy my Vols moved on to Supers, but a very tough test ahead of them. Not much faith they will repeat their Natty from last year. But they are fun to watch. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Thread Revival! Looking at getting my ATP here in the next 6 to 9 months. I've looked into Mil2ATP and Sanders Aviation. I'm looking to see if anyone has any other East Coast recommendations, or any gouge on the above locations. Thanks for the help!

Love the perspectives here and thankful for all you guys who continue to serve. For a different perspective, career part-time Guard guy here. I stuck around becuase I enjoyed the flying, the people, and it was fun...up until it wasn't. Glad I served, but I didn't have the same experience as many above. It seemed every time we found ourselves on a deployment, we did absolutely nothing. The worst being my last trip to Afghanistan (over a decade after my first trip lol) a few months before the pullout. We had an EA (and his JAG), over 1,000 NM away, who had puppet/hand up your ass close control. They also no appetite to do anything but watch the ANA/ANP get rolled. It truly was a demoralizing trip for the entire squadron and really showed that we had no intention of ever winning this 20+ year quagmire. Also, I'm happy to no longer have to fight self imposed road block after road block just to do the mission. Though it may not sound like it, I'm not bitter, but there is a sour taste in my mouth. Thankfully all that is far outweighed by the lifelong friends/experiences from my 22 years in service...the pension will be nice when the time comes as well. I would say I miss the camaraderie, but we all live within a few miles of each other, which is very close to base. As I type this I hear 2nd go coming back into the pattern and one dude just rocked our house (likely driveway check by a pilot who lives across the street from me). There isn't a week that goes by that I'm not having coffee and/or beers with an old squadron mate. This morning, I carpooled with a squadron mate who is a FO on my jet, and we flew a quick day turn for Delta. In a few weeks there are 20+ of us current/former squadron mates going on a 3 day golf outing up in western Michigan. I 100% would miss the camaraderie if we didn't have this dynamic. The airlines just can't compare...it's a job that I love only because I work very little and make lots of money. I need that to make up for all the years of lost time with family.

Not normally a baseball fan but the regionals were full of drama this year with the #1 and #2 schools both getting knocked out in the first round of Regionals. Also some drama with some of the Florida schools: 1. FSU made it to the Super Regionals but not without the star pitcher caught on film telling a Mississipp State layer to “Sit down… sit the FUCK DOWN. lil inbred bitch.” How nice. 2. Next up Was U of Florida and their lunatic coach Kevin O’Sullivan who had an absolute meltdown when his game was delay one hour. The University justifiably forced him to apologize and karma hit him twice with the Gators knocked out in the Regionals when they were expected to make the trip to Omaha ContentStudio_video.mp4 ContentStudio_video(1).mp4

When I was at Florida State I took a class on the Vietnam War. One requirement was you had to interview someone who had taken part in some form or fashion. I interviewed a retired Marine who had flown Hueys in the defense of Khe Sahn. He did pretty well and won himself an award or two. When be presented at the awards by a General he was asked what his plans were. He informed the General he had intended to become a civilian. "Very well." Later, after the ceremony the aide came to him and said "The General wants you to stay in, what will it take?" He responded, "Send me to Pensacola, give me a transition and let me fly the F-4." He told me, laughing - "Biggest mistake of my life. I had never been around a more competitive group. I ate two hot dogs, someone had to eat five. I had a six pack of beer, someone had to down a 12 or 18 pack. I just could never win with any of those guys. It was amazing flying the airplane, but I was just in the wrong place. Everything these guys did was just so over-the-top."

My exit plan was made, confirmed with the fam, and then a few things happened. The 95th Flying Badgers were moving to Pope and the AF gave me a school slot. It turned out well enough as the financial crisis happened a little later and airlines took a beating. But if Wall St hadn't fucked shit up and BRAC/Big Blue hadn't forced the 95th out of Milwaukee, I'd have been doing weekends in a Herc, M-F in a 737, and drinking great WI beer everyday.