VMFA187

We use to have to wear Charlies on every Friday when Amos, a Hornet dude, was the Commandant. That was disappointing. The only way to get out of it was to have your name on the flight schedule for "flight or maintenance related duties" so I made sure that all the pilots were on for a 0730 FOD walk, the lesser of the two evils.

I think you might've confused "significantly" with "slightly." Easy mistake.

When were you at Whiting? I was there March-Sep of '09. And yes, for career fields out of TBS (Infantry, Logistics, Artillery, Intel, etc...) there is a quality spread. The top third of each third tend to get their first choice. Kind of confusing but they don't want all the type A dudes going infantry. Absolutely. No one is getting preferential treatment for being slightly above average. You had to show that the Marine Corps would be losing a really talented guy for the fighter community. The Marine Corps lost an F-35 last WTI due to loss of SA on the tanker. There have also been numerous canopy strikes. That being said I'm aware that Navy and Marine Corps tanking is significantly different. Proud to admit I was always doing the plugging and not vice versa. 😉 I'm not sure what you guys are seeing but we are having issues with FRS/FTU students trying to fly form by being glued to the glass in ATC spread on a 10nm scale TSD transiting to and from the area vice simply looking over his/her shoulder.

Even if close formation flying isn't tactically relevant, it is a vital skill which you have to be able to do when things are going south. There are a lot of hazreps recently in the F-35 community regarding tanker operations likely because of the lack of focus on basic formation flying skills. Regarding the Navy system, you generally start and finish with the same class unless there are extenuating circumstances. Entire classes do get rolled depending on what is happening but they typically stay together. Also, not true regarding a rock star NSS and no jet slots. If that is the case oftentimes that student will get rolled to another class where there is a slot available. Marines do not do a quality spread, unless you know something that I don't. The top guy almost always gets his first choice (unless no one finishes above the NSS jet minimums) and it gets filtered on from there. In Primary you need to be in roughly the top 45% to even qualify to select jets, but generally there are 1-2 slots per classes of 8-12. Typically the top couple guys go jets, then there is one C-130 slot due to desirability, the rest go tilt or helos. In Intermediate/Advanced jets the top Marine generally went Hornets, then the next one or two selected Harriers because they require a 50 NSS (top half) due to the difficulty flying the platform. Then the next two or three guys went Hornets with the bottom feeder selecting Prowlers. Now, with the F-35 ramping up almost everyone selects them so there is no way to weed out the weak swimmer by sending him to the EA-6B. Seems like the top guys are selecting F-35Cs vice F-35Bs however.

Just got an email that I have to schedule my attendance for Extremism Awareness. All classes are 1000 EST and I'm a Reservist so I have to make time during my work week on the West Coast to listen to this treasure.

Just saw some of the screen captures of the text conversations. Read them for yourselves - Sounds like she was a typical attractive, "thirsty" chick and Kinzinger handled himself properly. I wonder if The Left would crucify me for asking my wife to send racier photos but then applaud her for initiating the request by sending an "empowering" photo. https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=Olga+Kambod&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjj9ZyWlrrvAhV0RTABHdjBAHAQ7Al6BAgKEBA&biw=1366&bih=641#imgrc=w90dBKU-el0AuM

I feel like we lose 1% of our F-22 combat capability each time one of these events occurs.

Is it bad I got really excited when I initially thought you were talking about Dodge bringing it back to compete with the C8? Guess I've been out of the fighter game too long.

Quantity has a quality all its own... Partly to blame I think is the inability with the US populace to accept significant losses, hence our reliance upon such technologically advanced capabilities.

If you don't ask it to do too many things, I think three years would be reasonable. Maybe invite some competitors outside of Boeing and Lockheed? Digital Century Series... Or maybe advanced SAMs on subs? With that said, as China nears our capabilities it will become harder and harder to project power across the world. It is probably inevitable that we lose our ability to win halfway around the globe when they are only seeking to apply their power within the range of current tactical fighters. Its unfortunate for us maintaining the status quo, but despite the world "shrinking" due to technology, that is the tyranny of physical distance.

Aren't all flight suits "pregnancy friendly" due to Velcro? At least Belcro, a terrible 18 WSO could attest to that when he got a callsign for being Bingo Velcro...

It's not long before you'll no longer be able to critique someone in a debrief. A buddy of mine taught an early indoc class recently - At the end he asked if there were any questions on the content. No one spoke so he said, "Silence is consent" and excused the class. Three of the flight students reported his comment which has been used throughout my entire career.

Yeah, I'm not a PCA member. I'm scared to think how much it'd cost to get into a 400hp old 911 with a true flat 6...

I hear you. I picked up a really rough, but mechanically sorted '72 on eBay for about $32k. I've spent the past two years repairing the interior, making gauges work, and bonding the RSR panels to the body as well as paint so now it is presentable. Now that I live in southern California its my primary transportation even with a 12 point cage and fixed buckets. Makes it easier adding the miles knowing that a new SBC with 400hp is only a few grand...

I waste hours a week on BaT. Haven't won yet but I make it a point to track every air cooled 911 that gets posted. My water cooled, 930 trans '72 needs a more comfortable stable mate with the back seats so I can drive my wife and daughter around. Driving an older vehicle is just more involved. It's difficult to explain but I'd put it something to the extent of "It's more rewarding to drive something that is more difficult to make perform well even if you're overall not as quick as the dude who has infinite oversight through driver aids."

'They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.'

You'll be at an advantage compared to someone with no or little prior flight time in UPT/Primary. You have experience in the air, flying instruments, and talking on the radio. Once you get to jets (T-38/T-45) it is a wash from someone who selected jets with no flight experience prior to UPT/Primary. With that said, from my experience the dudes who made it to jets and struggled, all had a lot of flight time prior to the military which likely artificially raised their grades in UPT/Primary ultimately allowing them to select jets when they probably shouldn't have.

The only "data" reported is "the share of children with MIS-C requiring intensive care has jumped over the months from 50% to as many as 90%." What percent and total number of children have MIS-C? 1,000,000 is different than 50 or 500. So you're proposing what? Allow the teacher's unions to keep schools closed and further stunt our nation's childrens ability to develop?

Unfortunately this is becoming less so at an alarming rate.

I actually like the render of a WSO-less F-4... But then why not just take the F-8 Super Crusader at that point? Of course that is my Navy/Marine Corps background speaking. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_XF8U-3_Crusader_III The F-4 with canards is interested and reminds me of the F-15 STOL / Active which had baby Hornet tails as canards. Beautiful aircraft. https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/f-15-active-this-frankenstein-fighter-was-better-than-the-eagle/

F-35 doors are not quick. Not interested in Paveway weapons - You have to get way to close to support them. Maybe I'll hop in the sim and test out a high altitude inverted pop attack... 😆 X miles from the target you pull into a 45* climb, roll inverted, target a 2G inverted pull back towards the horizon while simultaneously pickling. Not sure if it'd be enough to pull away from the weapon that you're lofting but it'd hide the doors. Can't wait to start teaching kids this stuff!

I like this one and feel there would be a large advantage to having the intakes on the top of the fuselage especially when countering advanced SAMs. Now how do we get the S/A munitions to release from the top to minimize door swing exposures to SAMs...

"An abnormally high number of people experienced anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention, after receiving a shot of the Moderna vaccine at one San Diego vaccination site, Dr. Erica Pan said in statement Sunday night. While the number was fewer than 10" I read that as just under 10 people had that reaction at a single location that was administering the vaccine.

I'd rather everyone gets less to keep it going as opposed to those who have been responsible and put away savings in 401ks, real estate, etc... get shafted because they were responsible and subsequently lose all their entitlement to SS when they are older to help out others who didn't. Sounds a lot like "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." Why would I contribute to a 401k or invest in other areas if I knew I'd be losing all the money I am forced to contribute only to the benefit of others? ***NOTE*** I wouldn't be here on a Friday evening but since dry January failed last Saturday at the ripe age of nine days, I'm trying not to drink except on Saturdays. Amazing how much extra time you find!

Thanks for this. Hadn't really considered that possibility and typically viewed those events as politically driven. I suppose I'm more of a pessimist when it comes to people's actions and I tend to question their motives as opposed to give the benefit of doubt. I've always seen individuals as inherently self-centered and acting as such, with exceptions for close loved-ones. Suppose their are benefits and drawbacks to each approach...