Leaderboard

I think that's where some of the grief is: the realization that even the very best our Air Force has to offer may not be able to right the ship.

Bunch of haters...give the man a break. He's the best we've had in a long while.

It's long, but I pulled this off of Best Defense, Tom Rick's blog page. I thought it was pretty good stuff: EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE I LEARNED AS A HELICOPTER PILOT IN VIETNAM. 1. Once you are in the fight, it is way too late to wonder if this is a good idea. 2. It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward trees, stumps, rocks, etc. While it may be possible to ward off this natural event some of the time, it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew, always be prevented. It's just what they do. 3. NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy. 4. The engine RPM and the rotor RPM must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew. 5. Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover for you. 6. Decisions made by someone above you in the chain-of-command will seldom be in your best interest. 7. The terms Protective Armor and Helicopter are mutually exclusive. 8. Sometimes, being good and lucky is still is not enough. 9. "Chicken Plates" are not something you order in a restaurant 10. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, you're about to be surprised. 11. Loud, sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention. 12. The BSR (Bang Stare Red) Theory states that the louder the sudden bang in the helicopter, the quicker your eyes will be drawn to the gauges. The longer you stare at the gauges the less time it takes them to move from green to red. 13. No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. So, too, can the ones addressed "To Whom It May Concern." 14. If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need. 15. If you are wearing body armor, they will probably miss that part of you. 16. Happiness is a belt-fed weapon. 17. Having all your body parts intact and functioning at the end of the day beats the alternative. 18. If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone. 19. It is a bad thing to run out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas all at the same time. 20. Hot garrison chow is better than hot C-rations which, in turn, is better than cold C-rations which, in turn, is better than no food at all. All of these, however, are preferable to cold rice balls, even if they do have the little pieces of fish in them. 21. Everybody's a hero...On the ground...In the club...After the fourth drink. 22. A free fire zone has nothing to do with economics. 23. The further you fly into the mountains, the louder those strange engine noises become. 24. Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is better. 25. Being shot hurts and it can ruin your whole day. 26. "Pucker Factor" is the formal name of the equation that states the more hairy the situation is, the more of the seat cushion will be sucked up your ass. It can be expressed in its mathematical formula of S (suction) + H (height above ground ) + I (interest in staying alive) + T ( # of tracers coming your way) 27.The term 'SHIT!' can also be used to denote a situation where high Pucker Factoris being encountered. 28. Thousands of Vietnam Veterans earned medals for bravery every day. A few were even awarded. 29. Running out of pedal, fore or aft cyclic, or collective are all bad ideas. Any combination of these can be deadly. 30. There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the rules. 31. C-4 can make a dull day fun. 32. There is no such thing as a fair fight -- only ones where you win or lose. 33. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. If you lose, you don't care. 34. Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow. What is important is what you are doing -- NOW -- to solve our problem. 35. Always make sure someone has a P-38. Uh, that's a can opener for those of you who aren't military. 36. Prayer may not help...but it can't hurt. 37. Flying is better than walking. Walking is better than running. Running is better than crawling. All of these, however, are better than extraction by Medevac, even if it is technically, a form of flying. 38. If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully come home either. 39. Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. 40. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. Every helicopter flying in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact. If you have not been there and done that you probably will not understand most of these.

Delete this post immediately before someone reads it and thinks it is a great idea..... We'll soon get rid of "Master" Sergeant because Master has racial undertones...and Senior Master might actually offend old people. Chief is already on the chopping block because the "Navaho Navaho Navaho" nation is offended....Greenpeace won't let us use oak leafs anymore because it is a symbol of the earth we destroy with our "bombs and missiles"...the possibilities are endless....

I was living on the edge last night and walked: across 2 roads, from my humble abode half way across the CC, to the BRA and back... without... *gasp... a single reflective belt (not even 1 for my backpack) on. Not 1 fvck was given... and no one was hurt... and no one stopped me.

Sad times but you never talk to any investigative person without a lawyer, especially if you are a person of interest.

I too, was lucky enough to be schooled by dudes that flew Herks/Gunships in Vietnam.

I'm glad there's at least some leaders like Gen Franklin still out there. Roscoe got fucked plain and simple and surprisingly there was a leader who actually had balls to call bullshit. Good on the General for not only doing so, but sticking by his decision despite all the recent uproar.

But he gave a great speech at the academy this one time! He sent a letter out to USAFE fighter pilots! He's going to release a "vector"... eventually!

You might be correct in some instances, but I'm starting to doubt you are in the military.

My QoL when I'm there drops every time I pass the AFCENT Band Practice Faciltiy.

Maybe he was trying to let Commanders be Commanders instead of issuing an order with a one size fits all mentality.

AF Form 847. It's on the cover page of every fucking AFI. For example, AFI 36-2903: AFI 11-202V3:

Proof that fear, sarcasm, and ridicule are effective instructional techniques.

General Franklin's explanation of his decision to overturn the verdict has been posted online. I hope my bosses have this much integrity. Edit: Dude's name.

Maybe it is the Buff driver part of me thinking, but I wish we could just turn NK into a quiet neighborhood and press on.

Dude, you're the man...just picked me up the .308! Too bad it will lost in the gulf right when I get it, but still, great gun at a great price!

But, if a company actually stands tall and walks from said BS state, I am MUCH more likely to support them if given a choice of products. The point about a state that goes that way doesn't care is true, but I will reward such stand up behavior with my purchasing dollars.