SocialD

Replace hope with expect, and it conveys what most intelligent people knew would happen. Hard to tell if he hoped for American deaths or just knew that this was likely the most expeditious path to peace, knowing that Iran leaders would need to save face. I'm no fan of the anti-American sentiment on college campuses, just not sure this dude actually wished ill will towards Americans.

I'd wager that it was "Attacked." Good face saving move.

Only if you view ALL of it that way, which I do not. I agree that there are plenty of the types you mention, I just question how many of those Afghanis fighting us were only doing so because we had killed their fathers/grandfathers (not to mention Mothers/sisters/siblings) and/or the fact that we were simply occupiers in their land. I can tell you that if you invaded my land, occupied it for decades, killed some of my family, and/or randomly schwacked a neighbor with a hellfire, I'd vow to kill as many of you as I could as well (wolverine style). I'll concede that we may have stopped some attacks on American soil, then again, maybe not. Did we really gain anything by sticking around A-stan after we got OBL? It truly felt like we just played the world largest game of 'next man up," as we killed the top guys, then their replacements, then their replacement, etc... Probably a discussion for another thread, sorry to hijack the thread.

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.

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.

From a different OSINT site, someone captured the Truman Skippers reaction to this incident. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0-JA1ffd5Ms&t=10s&pp=2AEKkAIB

Ya, I can't speak to the needs of the EX, but I have no doubt the whiskeys would be a better option, pretty much for anything. Of course it's not going to compare to the over water Whiskeys, nothing ever will. I wish we could all have the Whiskeys that the NOLA guys have, but wrt overland airspace, it's right up with with many of the ones you listed. It's 60-70 miles wide by about 150-160NM long if you utilize the northern ATCAA. Much of it has low airspace to the surface (few shelfs) and most of it goes to 50k, an over water restricted for bombs (also connects to a land range as well, though not great), with ATCAAs to the west for tankers, etc... It's certainly not perfect, but has fewer restrictions than many of the overland airspace I've used over the years. At it's widest, the BMGR is 50 miles with much of it closer to 40 NM and it's about the same range if not a little less, if you can get it all. If I remember correctly, the north part of the NTTR is 150ish miles and you get to squeeze into the airspace north of the container which is narrower than APN. The Yukon in AK is great, but of course we all get to squeeze into two narrow bands at X altitudes to avoid the airliners... I've only used the Evans/Saline in the Edwards airspace so I can't speak much to that. But unless there are ATCAAs I can't see, even if you get the entire Edwards complex, it's the same length of the complex. I do think, if you get the entire complex, it would be much better becuase of the the width/depth. Holloman restricted are about 130NM N/S. I've never flown there so I'm not sure if there are ATCAAs connecting the restricted to the MOA in the east. If they do, it looks like you're looking at 110NM E/W for a narrow corridor. I'm not saying it's better/worse than any of these, but it's just as big or bigger than some of the places you listed. If you could get them all with no restrictions, then I'd agree that they're all much larger. But when you look at the effective airspace that you can get on the daily, it's right up there. Lets be honest, a vast majority of the squadrons out there, are only flying with themselves daily anyway.

I just flew a trip with one of their previous CC's and he mentioned that Whitmar was working a deal with Trump to get some new iron (he assumed 35s). I was actually surprised they didn't get the 35 instead of either MSN or BTV. MTC has local support and they have the Alpena Complex just 50 NM north, which is one of the largest airspace complexes in the US. Giving it to the BTV and MSN, where the locals have a vocal disdain for the military/noise, with ok airspace, never really made sense. I've flown at both and was shocked at what they have to do to keep the neighbors happy. Of course I was used to have locals stop me because they were upset that we don't fly low/loud enough around their house. Of course that was after they picked up our bill before we could pay for our lunch. Love the red blooded Americans in the Midwest. For a good laugh/cry, google VT Digger F-35, that news outlet really has it out for the 35s.

Not to my knowledge.

Plenty on here have the opportunity to capitalize on this opportunity. The Covid dip was a big help in working toward my "number." This is just another opportunity to take advantage where you can.

This screenshot is an example of how some have the ability to create some insane wealth. Choose wisely.

True, but when were the smartest men going to change course? They've had multiple administrations to do so (including Trump 1.0). Were they just going to keep talking about it, or actually doing something about it? A few more debt ceiling increases? After another 36T in debt? When our economy collapsed under the weight of our own debt? *Insert bench skeleton waiting meme here.* Also, if tariffs don't work, then other countries should have no problem ending them if we agree to end them as well.

Quite frankly, idk either. But doing what we have been doing clearly wasn't working. So do we just keep doing that? My guess is they hope it will bring people to the table. Big gamble, then again, maybe it pays off big. Time will tell, but I'm not going to cry wolf because the market hits the same level we were in last summer. I say that as someone who isn't all that fond of 47. Maybe just cut it off, that seems to have become popular over the last few years.

Maybe some day, those shouting the loudest about what will and what will not work, will actually fix the economic situation we're in. But from where I'm sitting, they've done nothing but 3x our national debt in the last three decades.

Man, the movie Pushing Tin wasn't that far off.

^^^^ the corporate partner. I kid, I kid CH.

The F-4 could just barely eek out 5 G's, so that story checks out.

Niceeee...well minus the sim IP and crashing part. Back a ton...it seems like they went to flight idle and we're never touched again.

Agreed. Pretty sure I could have great conversation over a bourbon with NS...probably learn a few things.

Whatever you all do....panic because the sky is most certainly falling. But seriously, this is why you never budget based on getting premium flying every month. Best to be good with min guarantee, better if you're below that. It's already been a good year so far on reserve, might be a good year to keep riding the reserve train. I'm just excited that I'll be able to drop a bunch of my summer schedule as I have way too many plans this summer. Someone certainly knew that DAL was about to make an announcement. I saw a post on X showing someone massively shorted DAL just before the announcement, then cashed out the next morning. Main millions for a few clicks. It's good to have insider info, especially if you have a few degrees of separation.

Let's not act like either side has the market cornered on "honor," both sides do bullshit that makes their cronies rich. Why do you think one side is so petulant right now...their babies are in danger of being thrown out with the bath water. There would likely be a similar reaction if the roles were reversed, though maybe not to the extent we saw in the Trumps speech this week. The problem with spending cuts is that everyone thinks their program is the lynchpin holding the US together. Cut deep and walk it back as needed. I'm all for looking at cutting tax loopholes that making business owners ultrawealthy, but first lets trim the fat that we've all seen with our own eyes (so clearly there is MUCH more) and stop blowing taxpayer money on bullshit. Also, figure out social security in a way that doesn't force us/future generations to be taxed even more. If that means sunsetting it, so be it, just do it in a way that allows people to plan for it. I'm already expecting to not get anything, or at the very least, a severely reduced benefit.

Oh man, I totally forgot about that. I remember the runners world magazine that had to be removed because of the chick in a sports bra. The magazine was a chicks lol. Apparently fitness isn't in the DOD business model.

That bridgeee not your target.

LEDs are a lot cooler than the kerosene lanterns you guys had to use as landing lights back in the day.

Ya, we've done that nearly every year since I've been here. Just pointing at that AA isn't the only one doing this, so it could just be a slow down for an all hands on deck summer.