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ATIS

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Posts posted by ATIS

    AC-130 AFSOC Questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by ATIS

    CH, has AFSOC always had the rift between strike and mobility?

    Heck, you should have seen the first days of the U-28. I wasn't even in your service and I was stuck in that shit-show with the "White Silver Tornado". Good leadership made all the difference.

    Cheers

    ATIS

    Edit: hair color

    Gun Talk

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    Smith & Wesson Model 3914 LadySmith

    I think I've come to the end of the internet.

    I bought the original stainless steel finished version of this 3d generation S&W, the Model 3913NL last spring and wrote a good report on it some pages back.

    But I don't like silver guns that much. I'm old and set in my ways.

    So discovering a decent deal on the blued/black version, I bought it.

    Same cool looking upward rake on the dust cover. Same slim single-stack grip angle that is as good as a 1911's.

    Same 8+1 capacity, with the first shot necessarily from double-action, the rest single.

    The trigger on this one is better than the 3913's original one. Some pro gunsmith work on the 3913 had fixed that, but this one is good to go upon arrival.

    Aluminum frame, steel slide and it's pretty light weight but not compared to the first generation polymer guns that hit at about the same time and dominate the market now. Therefore, S&W quit making their metal semi-autos for the most part. Used or the rare 'barn-find' NIBs are the sole source of them now.

    The only complaint I've found in on-line research is dudes didn't like having a pistol that had "LadySmith" engraved on it. I don't mind as it's likely to be a range toy/collectable, not a daily carry, but I wouldn't be bothered by the word. Some of my best friends are ladys...

    Good, reliable (500+ so far), modestly-priced semi-auto that would be a good EDC weapon.

    Other than getting rid of my Glock 19 years ago (below in headwork on my part)...getting rid of my "Ladysmith" years before that was a mistake/regret as well. A very well balanced and slim 9mm.

    Cheers

    ATIS

    Good military/aviation books

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Solitary: The Crash, Captivity and Comeback of an Ace Fighter Pilot by Giora Romm.

    You can pick it for ~$13 paperback. While a majority of the book revolves around Mr. Romm's dealings in captivity (flashbacks to SERE class and training guaranteed), the back side of the book expands on his recovery and eventual return to flight (not a walk in the park). The final chapters will thrill any military aviator, and how the 1973 YKW thrust Romm into command/cockpit forcing dealings with his residual demons of captivity.

    A quick and easy read, you won't put it down until it's done.

    Cheers and here's to a great 2015.

    Collin

    Cannon AFB

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    "Surprise cockbags!" I love it. Mirrors something similar that happened downrange...Wing-level Commander (AFSOC) busts into our B-huts while the Command Chief announces "Commander on deck!" Lights turn on, flashlights pointed at faces. Ya know, during crew rest and 24-hour combat ops...thanks Boss...

    Un-######ing-Sat

    • Upvote 1

    Lt Col Wilkerson sexual assault case

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted · Edited by ATIS

    I hope you actually wrote that to them. I don't know if this was presented the same way at my base. I took "Tactical leave" that day. I need to find out...

    Dear SARC at my base:

    At your next presentation to the Wing, are you going to have a PowerPoint slide to retract the previous slide you showed during the SARC Stand-down in which you drug this officer's name through the mud as a sex offender? How are you planning on wording your apology for jumping to conclusions without all of the information, and slandering this officer to 100s of personnel, including enlisted Airmen?

    http://www.sfgate.co...cer-4671899.php

    628x471.jpg

    Yet again, guilty until proven innocent...

    During my Pentagon 2 hour briefing....myself and a LtCol (USMC) both rolled in hot on the Master Chief giving the brief when words to the effect that "this person... guilty of sexual misconduct is an example....". I was in the back sitting next to the 2/3 star and looked straight at him when we both said that he hasn't been convicted of anything (yet)...so why the premature "guilty" verdict now? The LtCol said that "if" he is proven guilty via whichever legal system is used, then you might have a leg to stand on (still in bad taste IMO). I looked at the Admiral and said they just "softly" convicted him without any due process. He just looked at me and shrugged. The whole briefing was misguided in my opinion....all talk about how to handle things after an incident. We know what to do there...there is a process. Get the facts and let the truth tell the story, keep the politics and crap out of it. What really wasn't being talked about was the other side of the kill chain...prevention and defusing situations before they potentially lead to a sexual assault situation. I told the Admiral to take the message back to the larger fish above him that "we will get this taken care of", but there is no easy fix and it's not like flipping a light switch (he actually agreed with that). Time for that second cup of coffee. edit: spelling/grammer.

    Promotion and PRF Information

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I know back in 2003 when I showed up at my Sq the first question my Sq CC asked me as part of my inprocessing "meet the commander" checklist was if my Masters was done and if I had SOS done in correspondence (he didn't have a copy of my surf in front of him)... so this isn't a recent thing, we have a whole generation of folks who don't know any different.

    NAF ATSUGI 1996:

    Check-in sheet shows a block to check off: Skipper and XO, I caught both of them late on my first afternoon. Skipper sits me down with the XO and .....

    "Welcome to the squadron, you must have had good grades to get to Japan, so lets cut to the chase:

    A) Learn your jet and learn the mission, fall behind or don't cut it we send you back to the states

    B) Take care of your troopers

    C) Don't get in "too much" trouble

    D) Don't let your pilot fly you into the back of the boat

    Questions...nope...OK, lets go to the club and meet everyone else"

    Things have changed.

    Promotion and PRF Information

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    A few years ago our Squadron was getting ready to deploy and more than half of the Sq had never deployed before (lots of new Lts). My Sq CC had asked me to have a Q&A with all the first timers after a morning Roll Call because I had been deployed to this location several times. I'm not exaggerating... the first 7 questions were about the testing center, how many days a week could you take SOS tests, was there Wifi in the rooms or did you need to go to the BX area to work on their Masters stuff, etc! Not a single question asking about flying combat missions, typical sorties, standard locations we flew to there, average mission duration or typical duty days. I finally stopped them at the 7th question and said, "You guys know you're going to go fly combat missions in a combat zone, right?!?" I was pissed, but you know what... it wasn't their fault.

    I don't care what rank you are or service you fly for...this is UNSAT. I watched a lot of folks (0-3's mainly) in your service run around between hops getting SOS and stuff like that done. There were a lot of "old salts" in the new squadron that were good sticks and "forward leaners" (meaning they wanted results and to prove the platform like I did)... and they passed down their knowledge on the younger aviators very well. I don't think it's like that anymore.

    ATIS

    Decline of Baseops.net (aka The Wrath of PYB/Mods gone wild)

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted · Edited by ATIS

    Is it this guy? http://projects.mili...cipientid=43254 Caveat: I do not know PYB or the guy listed in this DFC citation. Information was found by a simple Google search. I don't know if they are the same person.

    Call me a little "off the mark here"...but I would pin this same award write up on multiple USAF guys and gals I flew with in the early days of the unit I was associated with.

    • Upvote 1

    Drone Pilots: We Don’t Get No Respect

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by ATIS

    From the article: "It showed that he had participated in missions that contributed to the deaths of 1,626 people."

    "Contributed" is a key word IMO. I "contributed" to ending the Cold War, and the effort in OIE/OEF (and from the looks of it about to re-contribute again)...doesn't mean I put a spot down on somebody/something and drove-in a kinetic action or won the war single handed. Go forward and witness shit that happens to our folks and bystanders, opens your eyes to reality a lot more than an EO/IR picture. Welcome to the Fog of War shipmate, nobody likes it and it comes back to visit us in our dreams and life...but we don't talk to the press about it for publicity.

    Pilot Life and raising a family

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by ATIS

    My advice? Don't get married until after 30.

    Hey Art: Lot of advice on this thread, but this little nugget is something I would highly recommend. If you want a family life that survives the long haul, consider what 2020 says. I've seen too many marriages crumble in my 21+ years in the service, and most of that happened in flight training, the RAG, or during initial tours with a squadron (read: things before the age of 30). It's a game of odds, and while some folks win and have success in that area right out of the gate, they are very very few. My first crashed and burned at age 29. I recovered and after a period of getting my head out of my ass and really learning about myself (and having a shit ton of fun with some Hurlburt friends starting up a squadron)...I have never been happier after I met and married four years ago, with absolutely no doubt about the long haul. Early in this career path is much easier as a single ship having fun, and then settling in. Just some advice.

    Navy Jet Attrite to ANG? AF Reserves?

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted

    Hang tough AIM2013. Helo's/MPA may be an option, but could be a challenge depending on the demand signal of each community (that is if you still want to fly). 'Bolter' hit on a major point, try to have the command in your corner no matter what. They won't be if you cut the strings and slack. If you truly bust your balls and make the attempt, they should see that, which should assist in whatever transition you make (in our out of the Navy). While probably not your first preference, I knew NFO's (in all communities) that DQ'd at the boat (either in the training command or at the RAG), and came back to still serve. Our squadron MO DQ'd in A-4's at the boat, came back as a NFO...same with one of my RAG instructors. It's an option (WSO/ECMO/E-2 Mole/MPA). Fly safe

    Apparently having "good hands" no longer matters....

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by ATIS

    Whisky/Bourbon PIREP (I'm assuming this is something USAF and USN can agree/share stories about): OBAN 14 and Gentleman's Jack NTS (Not Too Shabby). Johnnie Walker Blue Label and some others...just too much peat for me. End of the night, just settled on straight Jameson 18 (just amazing how smooth it is with little/no bite). Now back to the topic of good "hands". Always have your whisky in one hand, and a small glass of water in the other to cleanse the palette. Have great Memorial Day weekend all...I'm fading to black to watch and read.

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