BONE Co-driver

Standing by 9-line

I'm currently in the community and have been so since around 04ish. I haven't heard anything that would lead me to believe that we're going away any time soon. We're getting new Sniper pods, SB-15 upgrade, IBS, etc. Although, the decisions are WELL above the Wing level. I've been surprised before...time will tell.

I had a current CFI that was going to expire 31 Oct so I didn't have to take the test. Not a bad deal!

Update. Just completed the Mil-comp deal yesterday. The process couldn't have been easier. All that the BHM FSDO needed was a copy of my Form 8, valid DL, and filled out 8710 (civilian application for rating) and I left with CFI, CFI-I, and MEI.

OUTSTANDING!!!

There is more to this than what was released to the press. Wait for the safety investigation results.

Unless I am reading your post wrong, DGar is not a "combat zone." You don't get the tax break until you pass the N 10 line. It is in the middle of nowhere, but I would take a deployment there over the Died anyday. $.50 beer...life was good!!!

Max AB during low level or at T/O 290,000 - 325,000 lbs/hr. Normal flight is between 16,000 - 22,000 lbs/hr depending on GW.

B-1 nose art Here are some cool B-1 nose art pictures...some have been renamed, however. (ie. GA and KS guard units)

Former DO for the 740 MS at Minot. Lt Col Rodney Holder (Rod Holder) Great guy, but how can you not laugh?

Wildfire Forces Evacuation in New Mexico FLOYD, N.M. (AP) -- A wind-driven grass fire sparked Wednesday on a military bombing range in eastern New Mexico destroyed two buildings, charred 27,000 acres and forced dozens of people to evacuate this small farming community. After clearing out the residents, authorities blocked the highways heading to Floyd and discouraged people from trying to return to their homes. Residents were taken to area churches for the night. The blaze started on the Melrose Bombing Range to the north and west of Floyd. The town was evacuated early in the afternoon as wind gusted to more than 30 mph. Firefighters got a break when the sun went down and the wind died down. "Right now, we're putting out hot spots and there are no structures that are in immediate danger," Portales Police Capt. Lonnie Berry said. "As long as the wind cooperates, we'll be OK." Dan Ware, spokesman for the state Forestry Division, said the fire burned two structures, but he didn't know whether they were homes or outbuildings. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries. Officials from Cannon Air Force Base and the Roosevelt County Sheriff's Department said the cause of the fire remained under investigation. Base spokesman Capt. Andre Kok said it wasn't known if military operations might have sparked the blaze. The Melrose Bombing Range, 22 miles west of Cannon Air Force Base, is used as a training site for military pilots. Floyd, with about 78 residents, is located just west of the Texas line in east-central New Mexico. Winston Berry, youth minister at the First Baptist Church of Portales, said residents were relocated there. "We will get beds and things brought in and people can sleep in the fellowship hall," he said. "If we need to, we'll feed them breakfast tomorrow."

Max AB low level...around 290000+ per hour. High level cruise heavy weight (300000 lbs or more) about 22000 per hour, light (less than 300000 lbs) about 18000 per hour. Full fuel load is about 205000lbs, however, for training missions we take off with between 150000 and 175000lbs.

You ever consider flying a Spec Ops aircraft...helos maybe. Seems like you could get the best of both worlds that way. For what it's worth, I am a prior Army "gun". Not SOF, but still a gun. I don't regret any choice I made...being enlisted Army or an AF pilot. Both jobs are/were very rewarding! Good luck

I know a couple of guys from Laughlin about 2 years ago that completed SERE before UPT. Actually, I think there may be another guy there now that did that. It doesn't hurt to ask.

610 GS @ 500AGL during low level. In the sim we "practice" once in a while landing with the wings stuck full aft...final approach and touch down in the 260 KIAS range.

I knew a guy at XL about a year ago that was on the Wings of Blue team at the zoo and he jumped in UPT quite a few times. It may have been a unique case, however.

We do have a-a radar...just no a-a weapons. We use the a-a radar to find the tanker at night or in weather, follow the flight lead in certain formations, and watch for thunderstorms...oh, and to make the crew chief glow during ground ops.

Maybe on the Viper, but on the B-1 of the areas where radar is either emitted or received absolutlely cannot be painted...ie the nose cone, wing glove, tail cone, etc. [ 19. August 2005, 00:06: Message edited by: BONE Co-driver ]

Radar emitters are not painted...the color depends on what material is used to make it.

Awesome!!

Same for the B-1. We actually have 2 rudders. Under normal flight the computer controls the lower rudder for coordinated flight. The only time that I have seen us even touch the rudder is for taxi ops, engine out flight/approaches, and crosswind landings. Other than that, our feet are flat on the floor.

Although missile guys are authorized "missile duty pay" which is basically TDY pay, they don't receive it. They get the same base pay as every other officer. They used to get a Masters completely paid for, but rumor has it that somewhere along the way someone had to ask why they got that and after the powers that be looked into it, they stopped really the only good deal that the missle career field had. Lesson here is don't ask about what doesn't need to be fixed! lol

I think giving countries that we know have nukes a second thought before using a nuke against us of any other country is a good enough reason to have the missiles, to me at least. You are right, we can do alot with the technology we have today, however, countries like China and North Korea who have nukes need to be watched. Most if not all of their missiles are liquid fueled and take about 30-45 minutes to get lauch ready. We can't get a bomber or fighter there quick enough to stop the launch. They also know that if we did send a bomber or fighter to try to stop them there is the possibility that they could intercept it before we got to the target. Not much of a deterrence there. Now, if they know that we have the ability to vaporize anything in a 25 mile radius anywhere in their country in less than 30 minutes and they have NO possibility of stopping it definately gives them second thoughts. Good Lord, I sound like a recruiter for the missile guys! Sorry. I am proud of what I did while I was a missileer, but I am VERY glad to by flying now...office has a much better view!

Tyler, Yes, that is driving. You can take the Amtrac, but it is still going to take 8 hours to get there and then you will have no transportation...you will have to either rent a car or take a cab. Never been to Murphys, however. Actually, I have never heard of it. We will not be able to go there since we no longer are stationed at Minot, but I will let my sister know...she lives in Plymouth. There are deployments for space and missile guys. They will deploy to the command centers as a space advisor to the commander. You will have to be at least a captain before you can deploy and there are not many opportunities to go. In a community where most everyones OPR look exactly alike you will look for anything to make yourself stand out from the rest so the deployments are difficult to get since everyone wants them and at least in Minot we were only getting 3 or 4 per year. As for getting to UPT, it depends on your wing. I tried 3 times before I was selected. The powers that be would not let me meet the UPT board until I had fulfilled my ADSC to Space Command first. Once I finished that it still almost took an act of congress for my application to leave base. I was very lucky to have an AWESOME SQ/CC who fought extremely hard for me. I am convinced that if it wasn't for him I would not be where I am today.

I didn't say that it was bad on your family, unless they don't like the small town thing. I can't speak for the other 2 missile bases, but Minot is not really that bad. It is a very small town, but there is plenty to do. In about 4 hours you can be in Fargo and in about 8 you can be in the twin cities area. The only time you are in the missile field is when you are pulling alert. Like I said earlier, you are really only "working" for about 2 to 3 hours per alert (average) and the rest of the time you are either studying EWO, working on a Masters, sleeping, watching tv, or playing a game (PS2 or Xbox). As far as getting space over missiles, it depends. Over the last 5 years or so if you already have an interm TS clearance you will be going to missiles first due to the extremely long TS investigation process. After your tour as a missileer you can go space pretty easy unless you want to go to the schoolhouse or you were in OSS which pretty much means that the schoolhouse is a done deal since you would already be an instructor. Here are the missile bases: Minot, ND Malmstrom, MT, Vandenberg AFB, CA and F.E. Warren, WY Space: Colorado Springs, Vandenberg AFB, Cheyenne Mountain, Peterson, Patrick AFB, a couple of bases in Alaska, Thule, Greenland and the lucky few go to the Space Observatory in Honolulu, HI. There are quite a few other smaller locations that you could go to in addition to these, however. It is not a bad life, but not what I wanted to do. I do know many, however, who love Space Command.