Leaderboard

21 years ago. https://skytrailer.nl/memorial/capt-eric-b-das/ https://skytrailer.nl/memorial/lt-col-william-r-watkins-iii/

Gen Austin Miller made the call, although Biden & Blinken put him in a box: they imposed a troop cap which made staffing BAF along with the embassy/HKIA impossible. Then Blinken said we cannot withdraw from the embassy due to optics, ergo BAF must close. And because they were unimaginative and underestimated the enemy, they assumed GIRoA could hold out until 2022. Miller pushed back but ultimately saluted and executed. He should have resigned instead. McKenzie, the COCOM/CC, took command from Miller (meaning the COCOM absorbed what had been its own 4 star command, you can imagine how butter smooth that COMREL change was) in July of 21 I believe, after BAF was handed over and when the assault on the outskirts of Kabul began in earnest. He failed to take any bold action although several of us were sending very clear recommendations and security warnings. By early August it was an insane situation: the Taliban was moving openly in large formations massing artillery and supplies as close as Maiden Shar and all ANA checkpoints on Highway 1 had fallen. Camp Commando had fallen. We were going Winchester and not slowing them down; our own FIRES process was complicated by surrendering ANA personnel and enemy use of their (our) equipment /uniforms. The AAF ran out of munitions and ceased flight operations. I landed in HKIA after one sortie and stated clearly: we must initiate the NEO now. The front office for the 2 star in Kabul (senior US Officer in country) told me “not possible, the Turks won’t allow it.” The Turks were running HKIA at the time. 3 days later the Turks were burning all their papers and excess equipment as they ran to their own aircraft to escape the fall. A lot to digest from the experience. My biggest surprise has been that absolutely no one higher wants to hear about it. There was no AAR, no hot wash, no internal mil attempt to investigate and figure out where it broke down. Just sweep it all under the rug, too embarrassing. The AF history guys did a quick report, although it was mainly focused on the 2.5 week mobility surge and they didn’t even know my unit existed. My AAR is now in their secret addendum, but the document is shortsighted by exclusively focusing on the evacuation rather than how the hell we allowed July-Aug to ever occur. Without any accountability and with the same idiots in charge, we should unfortunately expect another epic strategic humiliation.

It was an intentional gear up landing, Randolph has no red line, daddy chill.

Let's just be happy it's not a strategic asset this time (ie: B-2 runway departure, B-1 ILS scrape, etc). The AF really needs to get back to basics with the OPSEC from the nonners. MX or OPs gets warned about taking pics of the flight line/incidents. Everyone else? Not so much.

Depends on what she looks like.

pounding a tweet just sounds right pounding a texan not so much

I wonder if they can get a rubber mallet out and get it flying again by 2nd go like a Tweet.

The airfield or aircrew seemingly rated it a '5', seeing how the 5-board is upright, nearby

God forbid something happen to Biden, this cackling idiot would be in charge. Snapinsta.app_video_10000000_1459885318258555_514539122477196139_n.mp4

Well, as everyone probably knows by now, the U-2 is being divested. The entire thing has been a public affairs disaster on how to release the information. Still, there is very little going out, and I'll avoid crossing any lines. Needless to say, the capabilities the U-2 has and that are ready for prime-time are pretty significant. Oh well... someone thinks the money is better spent elsewhere. The last interviewee was hired in January. Could there be an extension in the U-2's future? I think so... for reasons I won't discuss. Unlikely, yes. But you just never know. Hail Dragons...

Out of respect for Munch and his family I won't elaborate, but it was from natural causes. Great person, father, husband, leader and Weapons Officer. The world (and Air Force) is a lesser place without him in it. To Munch...

Of course it's on the amn/nco page within minutes. I hope they find and absolutely crucify the source. Gawking at aircraft mishaps and posting pics for clout should be an immediate discharge