Stitch

Yea, that worked out great...

Most true sir, most true. Provided the music keeps playing on the Walkman,reel-to-reel, phone app, whatever... he's freaking unbeatable. But remember what happened when the music stopped? Nothing worse than having to come home not only without a kill, but adding insult to injury; "Code 3 iPod INOP..."

I can see Big Blue’s love of a pure jet but when we go back to a whole new airframe acquisition costs/software problems/where to build the factory, etc… But at least with Super T or AT-6B, airframes with somewhat “proven” track records, you could roll right into operational squadrons from the get-go. It’s sorta like being the wingman settling for the fat chick, sure it’s not the ideal “airframe” for the evening’s sortie, but it is a suitable sub to meet mission needs.

Sure a "new, improved sweeter smelling OV-10X" would be cool. But with costs associated with re-opening that production line/refurbishing old airframes out of the boneyard, perhaps the already in production A-29 Super T with a training pipleine already up and running would be a better choice if this whole pie in the sky pipe dream came true. And I bet unlike the Pred & GH communities, there would be no shortage of volunteers to not just start up the program, but you'd have to drag guys/gals out of it kicking and screaming when its time to move on to other assignments.

Nickel on the grass. RIP Gold Winged brother.

Just add two more motors and go with one of these... More info here... http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Sea_Duck

For the benefit of the slow kid in the room what is "RE"?

Working ARM end of EOR. Four ship of Hogs show up getting ready to do some sort of BFM stuff IAW the printed schedule. First two jets go cold gun. Jet # 3 wants HOT 500; um… OK that’s not what the schedule said but maybe there was a last minute change. Then number four wants a cold gun as well. So I speak up asking WTF? Four gets three on the radio, 3’s face turns bright red and then gets visibly upset when the clue light comes on he made a major goof up. So we go back to three cold up the gun and send the four ship on their merry way. Sortie flow without incident. However, I bet that night in the bar three purchased more than a round or two.

MSL tone INOP in OFF mode...

Oh it'll be less than that, remember that those same guys/gals will get tasked with bay orderly in the dorm (as applicable), building clean up, base details, TCN escort duty overseas, PME, non-vol for honor guard and tagged for numerous bullshit details like parking cars at the base airshow and other stuff that has nothing to do with flying. Meanwhile, their flying skills erode and they have to re-qual when they get back in the box (STS) taking up even more limited flying time I'm sure... And yes, I know young LTs in any flying squadron have similar but very different different but challenges. I just wanted to point out that it won't even be 30 month at best.

Osan.

Never did SERE but the axe comment is spot on. I'm sure there are axe basic, intermediate and advanced courses, woodland cutting tool CBTs and of course periodic axe re-certifications/check rides in order to stay axe current.

Kegarator yes, easy call. However, then there's the messy "what to plug into it (STS)" discussion. The cheap asses will want Bud/Coors/Miller others will wanna go with something along the lines of limited edition IPAs and brews that require citrus garnishes. There will be no way to win that one...

Nailed it!

Was at my 4th base, Nellis, working as a SSgt weapons load crew chief on the then brand new Strike Eagle. Didn't get invited to the "party". Tried to volunteer to go over but was told we were more "valuable" getting crews spun up for deployment. That would be our best contribution to the war effort. Looking back at the big picture now I get that, but was pretty pissed off about it at the time.

I agree! The Catalina had long legs and was good enough to find the Bismark in May 1941 and the Japanese fleet for the Battle of Midway in June of 42. Like Clark said, one of these with Herk motors and a glass cockpit! It'd be badass!

Retired E here Go with tux with maybe your "retired" or highest dec lapel pin. Or be like the Brits and you wear your full rack of mini-medals on the tux (kinda nerdy but legal and seen it done).

Oh it’ll happen, but this is the government we’re talking about. Deals will be made, congressional representatives can boast they’re supporting their districts while being tough on the bad guys. They’ll buy 72 or so zero-time airframes with all the latest electronic goodies. The crews will pick them up fresh off the shelf at the factory and fly em’ straight to the boneyard at DM, not unlike the C-27 deal not too long ago. Or just bulldoze em’ like the T-3 fleet then get .14 cents a pound for the scrap and funnel that money into the F-35 budget.

Agree 100%, for maintainers 12+ hour days are the norm. Don't even ask for time away to go to the gym, CBPO (ahem... MPF), Finance, BX, Class VI, your kid being born, etc... Had my ass handed to me once by my flight chief for letting a dorm guy go to the Post Office prior to a 30+ day TDY to pick up a package that had been there over a month. Couldn't go during "normal" hours; had report to work a good two hours before PO opened, went home well after it's closed. Thank God for the flightline chow hall, such as it was; if it wasn't for that, NONE of dorm rats would have hot meals Mon-Fri.

Spot on. The low give a fuck factor will stay that way until IS or similar group of individuals commit to an on-going campaign of operations with CONUS (God forbid that ever happens). However, once you disrupt Joe Six-pack's daily flow of Dancing with the Stars, TMZ feed via Facebook and Monday Night Football; THEN they'll take notice that all that crap over there affects them here. It's not 1915, you can't ignore problems 'over there' anymore; those two big oceans on each side don't provide the security they once did.

Typical lib thinking. "If I get rid of any even potentially offensive capability the bad guys won't fear me and therefore leave me alone and the whole world will be peaceful land of rainbows and teddy bears. Oh, and then we can funnel all that money into social welfare programs." GMAFB!

Epic sales figures for February's last "real" issue of Playboy to be followed by bankruptcy proceedings in April...

Toast

But he's a maintenance chief, and as long as we meet the 8 hour fix rate and meet minimum FMC requirements he don't give no shit.

Is this for real? Seriously? OMFG I'm SOooooo glad I'm in the check of the month club. UFB. I'm sure the ghosts of the guys who gave everything from the skies over Fortress Europe to the Yalu, Red River Valley and beyond are spinning in their graves over this bullshit! Thank God LeMay, Olds and others haven't lived to see this crap. No wonder the other services make fun of us. Can you see the Marines doing something like this? I think (at least I freaking hope) not.