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Skitzo, we live in a world that has checkrides, and those checkrides have to be guarded by SEFEs with red pens. Who's gonna do it? You? You, BQZip01? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for downgrades, and you curse the FORM 8. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Alarm Red's downgrade, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves useless careers. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at CGO meetings, you want me giving that checkride, you need me giving that checkride. We use words like how many feet off altitude, how many knots off airspeed. We use these words as the backbone of a life being tactically useless. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who steps and starts engines under the blanket of the checkrides I give, and then questions the manner in which I ask general knowledge questions. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a Master Question File, and run as fast as you can from the weapons officer. Either way, I don't give a damn what Q-1 no downgrade you think you are entitled to.

Rainman, that reminds me of my first AOS movement in the Viper. Somewhere over the Pacific (maybe near Shemya, I can't remember) while flying as #4 eastbound from the ROK to AK, I did this: "1, 4." "Go, 4." "Can anyone tell me what this sound is?" (Then I keyed the mic while tapping my coin against the metal frame on my mask.) "1, negative." "2, negative." "3, negative." "It's the sound of my coin hitting my mask. Can anyone else do that, or am I the only one who didn't put my coin in the travel pod?" "1, negative." "2, negative." "3, negative." "Beers." If only I didn't fall off the boom next time around...

This may take the cake - I got married in the base chapel, and most of the folks there were from the squadron. After the vows and kiss the bride yada yada, we're walking down the aisle towards the door as husband and wife and some wiseass throws an RMO out into the aisle...and another...and another...and another. My left hand was holding my new bride, but my right hand went straight into my pocket to my own RMO, threw it on the ground, and walked out. Let's see a fucking shoe clerk do that.

Considering an Enlisted Aviators have the MOH (Levitow) and -135 Boom Operators have been around since 1956, I'd say we're entitled to wear leather jackets just like everyone else. Now please pass your tail number.

Is it possible he was referring to the USS Oklahoma City? It was in Japan for all of the '70s. Not a battleship, but I'll try to give someone the benefit of the doubt before calling them out.

I say, not likely. He hasn't the balls for it, and may not want to do it anyway. If EADS creates enough jobs in the US, then Obama can stop the Boeing sale, and give it to EADS. After all, aren't the French our biggest ally? Don't count out any weird and bizarre scenario when it comes to current political decision making. FM