MKopack

It's a couple of weeks past now (and I'm beginning to sober up) and I'm happy to be able to report that Lucky Devils and Forgotten 1000 had a successful Las Vegas reunion - nineteen years after the Gulf War. From countless pitchers and drinks at TGI Friday's at the hotel/casino, to golfing on Friday morning, walking 'The Strip', and then out to Nellis on Friday evening for a shot(s) of Weed at the USAF "Fighter" (sorry, old habits die hard) Weapons School bar, and a meet-and-greet / pre-airshow party / full contact crud game hosted by the Nellis O-Club (followed by a repeat performance at the Friday's bar.) Saturday morning was bright, windy and cool as we were off to Nellis' Aviation Nation airshow, and a great photo opportunity over at one of our old birds, F-16C 86-0315 (44 missions in Desert Storm - thanks MR for bringing her out!) and after the show it was back to the hotel and a quick turn for our Reunion Dinner. (Followed by another trip over to Friday's, where, by this point, they knew us all pretty well...) I'd never been to a reunion before, of any kind, and didn't really know what to expect. We had everyone attending from crew chiefs who separated as Buck Sgt's (yeah, that's me), to several still on active-duty, to our then Wing King (Retired Col.) flying squadron commander (Retired Lt Gen.) to several current base and wing commanders - and an Ambassador thrown in for good measure. It was an incredible weekend filled with great times and even better people. Way beyond anything I would have expected. What's next? Stay tuned for 2011! The Lucky Devils and Forgotten 1000 in the Gulf War Mike Kopack Some of the gang over at the jet. 'Orville' in front of 0315. 'Jed' and 'MR' in front of the first 614th marked 16, since 1991. (I've had those stickers in the closet for a long time...) Once again, a 16, marked as the 401st TFW, for the first time in nearly 20 years... Pilots and maintainers - nineteen years later.

Unfortunately the message is too long to post to the Facebook page - but here's a link that's not: http://www.lucky-devils.net/reflectivebelts.html Hope you don't mind.

We had a SVS CO pull the same thing at the beginning of Desert Storm. As I recall they put up a sign cutting back to two meals a day with an MRE for the others because of their 'additional combat duties'. I happened to be in the Rec Center where the Wing King tracked the SVS boss down, and said - loudly and in no uncertian terms, right out in front of everyone - "Your additional duties are as the overflow morgue, and I haven't seen any dead people around here." He made it pretty clear that any hours that he had people working - pilots breifing at 3am, mechanics on the flightline, or SP's patrolling the fence - that there would be food available for them. The sign dissaperaed and there was. It's the MISSION that matters!

Exactly - that is the PERFECT letter that explains the importance of this thread, and a message that needs to be spread.

...and more...

The problem is these issues seem to compound exponentially without any sanity checks in place - and there simply don't seem to be any common sense checks in place of any kind. Sure, while it would be difficult - at best - to find anyone who supports both the enforcement and the PT shirt and disco belt policies themselves entirely, they're not difficult to comply with. But unchecked, where do they go from here? I'm still having a difficult time wrapping my head around why our people are wearing PT gear off duty anyway? Yeah, I know - to present a more uniform appearance, etc... Great, to what point? If every new 'rotation' brings even a single new CO, DO or Chief with a 'new idea' to a Commander who decides it's easier to just say 'Go', than to fight a bureaucracy that is growing even larger than he could control if he wanted to, where will we be in five years? I hate to imagine. Today it's tucking your shirt in, tomorrow could it be something that really could affect the mission? Are you willing to bet that once that time comes then someone will make a stand?

Damned right. Crew chiefs in Qatar (of all places...) after work, Desert Storm 1991.

Over 250 new members just today. First pic from the Moody website, the second, with a quick edit...

Good call, CA. Done.

Although my own reflective belt has been put away for years, I'll happily support the cause and join. Would the internet equivalent of 'zapping' a transient aircraft be posting links to the "I Hate Reflective Belts" page on the Air Force's own Facebook page?

Perhaps follow the lead of Moody AFB's website and wear your belt like this? (http://www.moody.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/090421-F-8364J-004.jpg) The worst part of this lack of leadership - officer, enlisted, command, everybody - is that all the junior people who are participating in this trainwreck, are those who are going to be making the rules in the future. Without real leadership, it only gets worse. The Air Force has always been known, in general, as the one service who had always put its people first, treating people well - or at least like adults. That's a big reason that I, and I'd assume a lot of other people ended up there. It seems that with the growing number of joint bases, were racing to lower ourselves to, hell, I say it, to the Army's level, rather than setting an example of how military life can be. Here's a reflective belt that wearer that we can ALL support...

"Airman, I'm going to place you under arrest under the charges of 'poor choice of footwear'."

The Lady Endures by 2nd Lt. Kidron B. Vestal Chief of Public Affairs, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing 10/19/2009 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The year was 1968. The Tet Offensive began in Vietnam. Simon & Garfunkel premiered the soundtrack to The Graduate. Martin Luther King 'had a dream.' The U.S. Air Force had a vision. The plane known as the U-2 Dragon Lady, Aircraft No. 068-0337, came on board to offer strategic, aerial capabilities equal to none. She exceeded her 25,000th hour of flight Oct. 18, 2009, in a mission out of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia. America's premier, high-altitude intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance plane is the second U-2 to reach this milestone. Aircraft No. 068-0329 clocked a quarter of 100,000 hours Apr. 4, 2009, also of the 380th AEW. These two are the first of 33 U-2 airframes worldwide to achieve this feat. The plane, with a wingspan of 105 feet, is maintained by military members and civilian contractors. Many elements come together on this piece of equipment, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Superintendents help oversee the maintenance operations of their dedicated crew chiefs, and assistant dedicated crew chiefs, who care for the plane as though she were their own. "Every day, they come to work knowing they are responsible for the most critical high-altitude intelligence asset in the world, and they are dedicated to ensuring every mission is delivered on time and ready for the fight," said Capt. Vaughan Whited, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron officer-in-charge. This celebrated plane has overcome much in its 41 years. Over the course of Aircraft No. 0337's life, she has bellied in three times, each requiring a major overhaul. Captain Whited said, "The technicians and contractors continue to synergize their best maintenance practices in order to ensure she keeps flying strong." The plane's design is accommodating for the ISR mission, not necessarily for an ease in maintenance. This makes No. 0337's achievement even more remarkable. Tech. Sgt. Dave Wright, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron expeditor, says the airframe is more labor-intensive than others, given its age and the changes in technology over time. When designed, some things were not considered, he said. "Most aircraft have access panels and a hydraulic system that is easily accessible. The U-2 does not," said Sergeant Wright. While this might appear as a blunder, there may be a good explanation. Col. Ricky R. Murphy, 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander, said, "The U-2 is unique in that to maximize combat capability, there's no redundancy in the primary systems on the aircraft...as to minimize weight and maximize loiter time over the area of operations." There are various platforms of ISR systems, with cameras that capture the broadest, most in-depth imagery of anything out there, said Captain Whited. Because of their maintenance, the systems are, "Consistently reliable every time," said Colonel Murphy. Ten thousand five-hundred feet of Kodak film is used on the weapon system, in addition to digital and satellite documentation. Artistry for this airframe is not limited to such imagery, however. Staff Sgt.'s Jason A. Ortiz and Michael L. McVey, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, sketched with chalk symbolic designs on the airframe, prior to the flight. Consistency was a highlight of the day, echoed by Chief Master Sgt.'s William K. Renner and David E. McGuigan, 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron (Chief McGuigan, Group). "Looking at it long-term shows you how you have consistent maintenance practices over time," said both gentlemen near-simultaneously. Four decades of 'getting it right' led us to Oct. 18, 2009. Success did not come by accident. Every factor for attention is considered, even for the operator. Given the aerial elements that the pilot will face at 70,000 feet, Lt. Col. Robert B. Wehner, 380th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, received pure oxygen for one whole hour prior to flight. Thus, his pre-flight inspection was executed by another pilot, as is the practice for every U-2 mission. "There is a huge amount of trust there for a pilot, between the maintainers and other pilots," said Captain Whited. Even with the layered workload, he continued, "Many have said the U-2 is the most demanding and rewarding aircraft anyone could fly." The Dragon Lady was once assigned to the CIA, and flew special operations worldwide. After a reassignment to the Air Force, the U-2 was present for every major allied contingency to date. She is used for diverse missions as well, including the mapping of wildfires in California and providing oversight to the Counter Drug War in Panama years back. Over the years, the wingspan grew, the cockpit was upgraded, and the engine became more fuel-efficient. Other than that, the plane is the same as it was when embraced by the Air Force. For the pilot who flew the Dragon Lady into its honored status, Colonel Wehner said, "If that airplane feels as good as I do, I guess that's a good thing for both being 41 years old." The men and women of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing support Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. SOUTHWEST ASIA—Lt. Col. Robert B. Wehner, 380th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, piloted the U-2 Dragon Lady in a milestone mission Oct. 18, 2009. Aircraft No. 068-0337 clocked its 25,000th hour of flight, after 41 years of faithful Air Force service. Maintainers of the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron honored the pilot with an engraved commemoration. (U.S. Air Force Photo by 2nd Lt. Kidron B. Vestal)

I agree with Marco. There were times when the specialists were back in the shop and I was out in the wind/rain/snow/heat/etc. that I might have second guessed my choice for a minute, and you'll do plenty of aircraft washes, lubes, tire changes (that probably won't be the highlight of your week) but it's YOUR jet, you coordinate everything that happens with it. It's more than being a 'quicky lube' guy, I did everything from changing engines between "go's", to replacing wings, to running engines, to 'live' ABDR (how the hell are we going to fix that?!?), to saluting pilots as they pulled out of chocks on a combat sortie - hoping that you'd see them home in a couple of hours. I never had the opportunity to fly in my jet and can't even imagine what it would be like to do it for a living, but of the jobs on the flightline, there isn't another that I'd choose. Mike

Excellent - I met him YEARS ago when he was with the Eagle Demo team. Had no idea that he was even still in... Mike

It's one thing to read the posts, but to actually see the regulations makes the situation seem even more asinine. Too many "Commanders" and no, or at least not enough, "Leaders". The 'Deid, it seems the whole Air Force needs a real Leader - not a career-minded polititian - but someone, like I mentioned a page before, who realizes that it's the mission that matters and would be willing to "let their mustache grow out" and set an example of what is really important. But what the hell do I know. I'm just an old crew chief. The worst part is that it wasn't always like that in Qatar. This is the first commander ever deployed to Doha (seen wearing the typical off-duty 'uniform' of the day, having lunch "in" our initial chow hall). Jed Nelson - 'Forgotten 1000' won't soon forget the man they proudly called their 'boss'. Jed started his career flying Phantoms in Vietnam and ended up flying 16's in Iraq. He ran our base with the attitude that, in general, if regulations didn't specifically forbid it - and it made sense to do - it was fair game (and if they did forbid it, it was at least open to debate...) Just once did our SVS commander try to pull some REMF crap and we were all there when he performed an immediate 'attitude adjustment' on the Captain. It was good to see just how well a unit could run when everyone's only goal was the Mission. I agree with HU&W, why would anyone iron a 'floppy' hat?!?

From f-16.net: Searches of Korean War casualty lists also show no evidence of the personnel losses at Kunsan, Osan - or any other allied airbase during the war.

Tailcode trivia: When I was about 14, my Dad and I visited a base as photographers, and caught this "unusually" marked F-4D. Where were we?(No Google won't help you, it'll only show that "XT" was the code carried by Phantoms of the 558th TFS at Cam Ranh Bay from '65-70, and I'm not that old... and they probably didn't have a lot of 14 year olds in to shoot photos.) Answer below - We were in Burlington with the Vermont ANG, who was just transitioning from the EB-57 to the Phantom. When we asked about the 'unusual' XT, rather than VT, marks, the old crew chief shook his head and muttered something about "not being able to find good help these days". He told us that when they sent the jet to paint, they told them to "paint it just like this" (pointing to the T.O.) and that's how it rolled out - with the XT that was shown in the AFTO 1-1-4... Mike

Sixty-six pages in, and each of these posts is still hard to believe. Here's what the 'Deid needs: "WWRD" What would Robin do? I'll bet you it wouldn't be reflective belts... Artwork, signed "Mason '67", from the Robin Olds Estate auction, and now proudly up on my wall.

A message from my friend Scott:

"My God man, where's his reflective belt?" ...I was going to edit one into the pic, but couldn't bring myself put another picture into the thread. Gay2 Mike

I'll bet that was an epic party. I concur with B52gator, there are no words... "Don't ask don't tell, man. Don't ask don't tell." Mike

No expert here, by any means, but wouldn't F-16's to Guam put them a long way (for an F-16) from 'the threat'? We kept 16's at Torrejon in Spain up until '91 which put us into a fairly heavy rotation cycle just to train, and a relatively long deployment (for a 'forward deployed unit') if we were needed in a hurry. Mike

What? A TV, so you can watch beer? Or a really cool "Pilot's Watch" so you can experience beer in real life! Famous pilots like Raptor Demo pilots "Zeke" and "Max", and ALL of the current USAF Thunderbirds and USN Blue Angels can't be wrong! They ALL have wrists, and some of them probably wear watches! Now YOU can too! REMEMBER - Chicks dig guys with Pilot's Watches!!! Famous pilot endorsements for the "Pilot's Watch" are not in fact endorsements at all. While the pilots named might in fact own, and even wear watches, they may not be of the exact same style and/or function of the "Pilot's Watch" pictured above. Offer not valid in Utah and in all ZIP code areas that end with the number "7". Common side effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, drowsiness, dizziness - although it is the manufacturers opinion that you probably suffered from these symptoms long before you began wearing the "Pilot's Watch" and are probably already searching out some 'fly-by-night' lawyer to begin some sort of get-rich-quick legal scheme. The comment "Chicks dig guys with Pilot's Watches!!!" is at very best a generalization, at worst, an outright fabrication, much like comb overs and big gold medallions. Please wear your "Pilot's Watch" responsibly and remember that wearing a "Pilot's Watch" by itself does not does not give you the ability, or the legal authorization to fly an airplane. So there. ..ok, I'm done now...let's just blame it on the beer. Mike