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So, there I was. No shit. Middle of an ORE at Shaw, first of three sorties for the day turning ACT x ACT x RED. I was a brand new CMR #2, all thrust, no vector; I'm a pitbull on a fvcking leash. Brief and ground ops were uneventful, up to the point where PFL (wussy flight lead) calls Ops and tries to cancel due to isolated VCTS. Fvcking FAIPs. Ops recommended he grow a pair so we took off and headed west. After precisely 69% of the vul covered, with a clean picture and most of my missiles expended, the SOF calls on AUX - mushroom cloud overhead; we need to divert to WRB. PFL quibbles, something about it being his turn to cook dinner that night. Those of you who know MatMac are aware: this is no joke. Anyway, Georgia is a state where (up to that point) I had yet to slay so I tactically declared BINGO and reached back with my right hand to make sure my helmet bag contained my trusty mark-1 divert kit: deodorant, toothbrush and a box of rubbers. On vectors to WRB I've got snowplow called up and I wisely aimed for every rainshower I could... On the ground, we talk to TA about turning our jets. Well, I talked to TA. PFL was on the horn with his wife and then PF Chang's ordering food so he didn't get in trouble. Turns out TA will take 3 hrs to turn the 8 jets so we go to the bowling alley to get lunch. This is where the fun starts. It's summertime, so school is out. I spy a group of four lovely ladies (who were looking for heroes) on lanes 6-9. I give PFL a 5-spot and directions to order a burger, then I go anchor by the ladies. Turns out the outgoing blonde is the wing king's daughter and the others are her friends from the nursing program who happen to be visiting during the summer. Shitty food is consumed. Numbers are exchanged. I depart for Base Ops with digits and the hope of a road trip some upcoming weekend. I proceeded to do the most thorough pre-flight inspection of my life. Low and behold, I find an EMS bit ball had popped after landing! Sure, if I had noticed it on my post-flight then maybe they would have had time to send dudes from Shaw to fix it that day. Not likely though. Now, everyone knows that flight through precip is likely to trip one without any real problems, so PFL comes over to survey the situation. He closes the panel and asks what I'm gonna do. I give my best pep talk about how happiness comes in small doses and opportunities to be true heroes are rare. His response: "I know dude, that's why I need to get home. I'm only allowed two TDYs a year, I don't want to burn one in WRB." SQ policy was to divert as two-ships but I sit idly by with a shit-eating grin on my face as 7 jets blast for home and I walk off to the Qs, helmet bag thrown over my shoulder. Aftermath: he told me the lettuce wraps were particularly good at home that night. Me, on the other hand - I got back the following afternoon and was completely spent. 4 nursing students not worth burning one of your allocated TDYs on? For me it was, and all it cost me was a phone call to my neighbors to take care of my dog. Well, that and I did have to replenish one divert kit.

I don’t leave home without my carry weapon. Only exception is if I am going somewhere that has a metal detector or I know I am getting checked. I made the choice a long time ago signs/retarded rules are not going to get me killed. I would rather deal with concealing a firearm illegally/against a establishments rules and saving my family than watching my family be killed. Each to their own, it’s a personal choice, and I know the potential consequences.

You just got SuperWSOwned. The only acceptable solution at this point is harakiri. RIP.

Anything I add would be quibbling.

DUN.... DUN DUN DUN.............DUN DUN DUN...... DUN DUN DUUUUUUNNNNNNNNN............ SUPER DRINK OFF!

I hear what you are saying and I get it, your points are very valid. My first time in real combat was an eye opener, the adrenaline was flowing, things happened fast and with extreme violence, I immediately fell back on training and it saved my life. Most people have no concept how psychological and physiological impacts will shape a fight. In the end, I do not intend to "go up against a determined killer," I sole intent is to protect my family and if I can generate some space and time, even if it is minimal, it may make the difference. To your last comment, I would like to see the facts, if there was no mental illness or other mitigating factor how do we as a society propose to stop this without taking away weapons? Question for another day. Prayers to the victims.

I appendix carry which is comfortable to me except when driving. Then I transfer my XDS to a TexasCustomHolster mounted in each car. If you are handy with a drill, you can mount it yourself (sts). If not, a car upholstery shop can do it in less than an hour. My choice is based on the odds. Most events involve 2-3 rounds fired at less than 3 yards according to an (FBI?) report I read a while back. If it's a firefight, then I'm most likely to have a bad day, but as noted, perhaps I can buy time for the family to escape. Reports from a recent Colorado Wal-Mart shooting showed several CCW carriers pulling, but not engaging since they weren't around the shooter. They got out. This church-shooting scum ran when first engaged. The guys on the French train that confronted the guy with an AK and beat him. So it's not always completely hopeless

One round, properly placed, can make all the difference.

There is no pissing contest. Someone asked how often we carry, some of us responded, no one was/is arguing about anything.

Depends on what it's for. A lot of people claim that a dishonorable is an automatic felony, that depends on a lot of factors and where you decide to live. Of course murder would be unanimous for a felony if adjudged in a court martial with a dishonorable because of what it was for. However Bergdahl was convicted of Military Only Offenses, some states would consider the offense of what he was convicted of and care, some wouldn't. Either way what happens next, unless he waives it, is the discharge is not executed. He still has to wait for possible clemency from the Convening Authority (most likely won't happen), and since the offense were committed before 2013, when the UCMJ changed, the Convening Authority has the authority to disapprove the punitive discharge. While he's waiting for that he'll use any leave that he has, and be paid, until 14-days later when the demotion takes place (or the Convening Authority acts before, which probably won't happen). After his leave is exhausted, he'll be placed in appellate leave status which is a unpaid status. He won't work, but he'll still be eligible for Tricare. He's waiting for the Army Appellate Court (ACCA) to review his case since he was sentenced to a punitive discharge, which takes about a year. If they affirm his conviction he can appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) to hear his case, and possibly overturn what the ACCA and Convening Authority approved. If the CAAF affirm his conviction he can appeal to the Supreme Court via a Write of Certiorari, however the Supreme Court has a history of not wanting to hear a lot of military trials since their decisions could possibly change the Manual for Court Martial/UCMJ, which are written by Congress and the President. A lot the JAG's feel that this was the right decision, as do I. Trump's comments as a candidate were stupid, but not technically Unlawful Command Influence (UCI). However affirming and talking about it the day prior to court martial starting, as the President, was very ignorant. Regardless of how one feels, if a Military Judge has to go on the record and hear and make a decision on the President's comments, that's never a good thing. Of course Trump's comments weren't going to affect the Military Judge, however the fact he considered it during sentencing means it was a mitigating factor for sentencing. And we all know him deserting led to his captivity, however he was still captive for five year in terrible condition. That was also another mitigation factor in sentencing. I think a punitive discharge, no confinement was the right call for a sentence. However Trump's comments are going to create a ton of appellate issues.

Improper application of 10% rule. Go around for another attempt.

I’m sure he will get an Ivy League honorary fellowship or doctorate like the felon he she did.

Lamest divert story ever, bad weather and my jet broke. I think he's just getting bored in his old age.

Long live Midnight Hot. How that was some of the highlights of being up late over there.

Trend item: dudes are afraid to divert, go around, or eject. First step is admitting we have a human factors problem...several years ago I randomly had a bro in the backseat during a sortie (he MND'd, decided back seat was better than queep); a standard shitty wx approach to mins with rain/wet runway and extreme canopy pooling - it was his, "we just passed the 5 board" that made me go around. I was fixated on trying to land and time distortion made me feel like we couldn't possibly be more than 1.5K to 2K down the 10K runway. No good divert and the next try he called my flare off the RALT. Only time in my life I was glad to be in a D-model. Point is, canopy pooling is a real bitch and we have a cultural problem to some extent regarding decisions to divert, go around, or eject. Now that I"m more experienced I feel like it's less of an issue personally (but not totally gone), but I see it fairly strong in the younger guys - it's a thing. Monday morning QB'ing is great and all, but it's better to acknowledge this issue and be proactive in teaching the less experienced to understand when to divert, go around, or eject and more importantly, make them truly feel such actions are the right thing and not looked down upon.

Hey y'all, I was a little more active on here a few years back when applying to guard units but have lurked off & on since then. I live in Houston where, as most are aware, we had some pretty gnarly flooding from Hurricane Harvey. As shitty as the situation has been for so many in the area, it has largely brought out the best in people. My wife and I were lucky enough to be spared from anything serious, but homes just a few blocks away were inundated with floodwater. Watching USCG helicopters snag folks from rooftops just a few streets over was pretty surreal. The other day, I watched a -130 refueling a couple pavehawks directly over my neighborhood. I grew up around AF bases, so seeing aircraft overhead is something I'm pretty used to. Watching them putting in serious work to help save lives was something new entirely. With that said, I'm sure more than a few of you on here have been involved, either directly or indirectly, with rescue, recovery, and aid efforts in response to the storm. On behalf of everyone in Houston and SE Texas, I just wanted to say thanks. If you've ever in the area, let me know and beers are on me.

Ps this number is not good. It's for vehicle ops

Yes, ignore my predictions, and then be blindsided when they come true. This will be a very interesting week. Prepare yourselves or be inundated by the tide of history. The Saudi hardliners have big plans in store for the middle east.