Leaderboard

Motion detector on the door ops checks good.

LWS that pinpoints where it's coming from and shines a more powerful laser back.

Yes, yes...and then after the Wing all call/CGO development brief the Wing Commander could be barely contain himself...he drew a deep excited breath in as he looked around at his Squadron Commanders, smirked at the Group CC, high fived his execs, chest bumped the Vice, shrugged and said, "APRIL FOOLS!!" At first they laughed uncomfortably, and then the laughter grew and then...hush...they all gave each other that look that reads, "ohhh yea, I feel F'in SHARP in these ABUs today!" --- Of course I'm only kidding and do hope Gen Welsh is moving in this direction, but reading into what the Wing CC/bossman said, there could be a simple yes or no answer to these things...combat experience (yes or no)...IP time...(yes or no). More true is, Wing Executive Combat Experience SouthWasian Vacation or IP time earned while flying with a General (and another proficient IP to do all that pilot stuff). The other stuff...no change from previous boards. I'd say your Wing Executive Pilot Officer's number one push from the Wing CC still outweighs IP time. His/her previous two executive jobs prior to getting close to the wing commander were where he or she earned was given strats based on nothing deploying tough deployments/mission execution but being willing to work in an environment where the weapon system is never discussed and making crap solid edits to you and your buddies OPRs only advances his/her PRF further. Strats...#1 strats, generally go to the Execs...and these mean a lot to a board member...often less more than being a Leader/Pilot and taking care of people as a Flight Commander. It's as easy as this...the current organizational mindset is that at some point in your life you've got to ask yourself a question and then give a retire as a flying lt col/major/MSgt career answer. The Question: Are you an Officer or a Pilot? And for me, that's what's wrong with the Air Force--for me, that question is based on an organizational paradigm bred by folks who have worked in the halls of a five sided building for the last ten years hoping for a combat staff deployment to enhance their combat resume. Well, shoe clerks...I have news for you, we recognize that WE are the solution. We've learned to say NO, that question sucks...I'm a leader. The warrior mindset that the air force needs going forward has already been born. The scream of the twin towers crash were our mother's birthpains. We spent the last ten years of our Laconic youth surfing on an ocean of fuel over Baghdad Babylon and Alexandria Kandahar--a storm of steel riding in from the west on a tidal wave of fuel. We've called down lightning from the mouth's of eagles, and taken parts of men to Europe to be raised like Lazarus. These and other lessons--like the look of children who won't forget the loss of their father or forget their father's time away from home--have taught enough of us that before any containers get checked we need to go to the bathroom, puke up the koolaid, look ourselves in the mirror and realize you aren't an officer or a pilot, you're YOU and by God if you aren't a LEADER it's time to find another J.O.B. to do. We are leaders first--in or out of the flight suit; in or out of the cockpit; not caring who gets the credit for mission results and pushing forward because we won't fail the dude/chick on our wing...we've learned that LEADERSHIP...in the primal, substitution/sacrifice, servant, fall on a grenade to save your men sense of the word is who we are. And no matter how many different schemes the shoe clerks come up with or how many stones the pentagonal freemasons build into our career pyramids, the collective memory of a generation will be carried forward--much the same way it was for Leonidas Gen Welsh, so if he can do anything to turn the tide, all the better. But I know, much as he does, that the best is yet to come...just hold the gap, the immortal politicians are making a run at us now. You want to get promoted be a leader: be so good at your primary, secondary and additional job (whatever you do) that dudes under you and above you ask you the hard questions and verify information with you, only do things you WANT to do and then be extremely good at them, be such a good person to everyone you come in contact with that they want to be around you again because they know how good of an influence you are on them, most importantly SERVE others. After you get those fundamentals down, then go about the business of asking yourself the hard questions...do I care enough about the future of my country to put aside my hatred of what I am about to do in order to remain relevant in this climate. And yes, though it hurts me to say it...that might mean being an exec or doing a masters degree...do something to be given a DP. Finally, don't ever think you've earned it or are better than your bros...luck and timing make up about 69% of everything related to promotion. /rant

Wait a minute, so God's prototype is allergic to peanuts? Seems odd. "Are you trying to tell me Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?"

Good thing the motor's slow, too, or he would've eaten two layers...

Then why did I spend so much time in MOPP 4 at Kunsan?

A great read... A Mother's Journey to Bearing Arms

And you can't spell "Spoo" without "poo"... I don't know what that means, but after a lengthy bar debrief with Dingle and Butcher, I'm feeling pretty good,... and that seems pretty funny.

And 'Howdy!' to Texas!

Could be worse, I heard they have conjugal visits. Sicko. For the record, you can't spell funeral without fun either.

thats awesome - but you full well know, its one person that can make the loudest scream to some senator/congres(wo)man and get everything changed

HOLY. SHIT.

There is no choice ... you are fed a pro-biotic, piss warm soup that looks like pale snot 3 meals a day. Watch the first Matrix ... it's a lot like that stuff. But during basic there is usually the 2-week period where they only allow peanuts, gluten, milk, and shelfish to weed out the weak swimmers.

Look Broham, you are missing the point. You do not have an allergy unless the AF says you do. So, right now you do not have an allergy and do not care for the taste of peanuts. Repeat this five times in the mirror, watch top gun twice, and you'll be on your way.

I'm no grey beard, but the last time I heard about any "back in the day" activities involving a broomstick, I was in Limnadia...

Hi everyone, this is my first post on a great forum, I'm a military aviation photographer in the UK and specialize in taking photos of low level aircraft, particularly in the Mach Loop or as you guys call it "the Roundabout". In fact in June last year I was fortunate enough to fly through the loop myself in an RAF Hawk so know just how the experience is first hand. Since 2008 I have photographed over 20 different F-15s out of Lakenheath flying through these valleys and have taken some awesome photos so I though I'd post them on here in the hope that some of the aircrews may recognise themselves - if you do then drop me a pm and I'll send over some high res copies. And if you are stationed at Lakenheath at the moment then maybe, perhaps maybe, you would be kind enough to perhaps arange a "photoshoot" in the Roundabout sometime - pm me if this is of interest to you. I would love to also hear any stories that you have of flying the Roundabout and also the "Stonehenge" tour (Stonehenge, Lands End I believe). From an enthusiasts point of view, to hear an American voice come on freq 278.000 gets the pulse racing, and then to hear the unmistakable noise and then the shadow of an approaching F-15 before finally trying to get the photo that will make the trip worthwhile. Over to you guys - and thanks from the UK... Alex