Cap-10

I do believe we are both forth demo teams, I just feel there like the decision was the easy low hanging fruit without a real look at the true results gained in the end. I think I did mention the training aspect, reference my extra 1.69 B coursers we could plus up with. If we want to talk Ops side, take the 300 hours and split evenly between the 4 squadrons (each AMU coughs up a jet and hours for the year) = 75 hours per squadron. The difference between BMC and CMR is 4 sorties/month at a 1.3 ASD = 5.2 hrs a month x 12 = 62.4 hrs per year...so end result is one extra crew COULD be CMR....the real problem is there ain't enought hours/sorties to maintain a normal crew ration of CMR dudes....one CMR crew does not an Ops squadron make. The problem I have with A3 not having a say in TIB is indicative of the larger problem off shops/offices not communicating when dealing with related issues (in this case $$)...same thing happened when the VSP section of AFPC told guys they couldn't be let go due to manning requirements and then then RIF section turned around 4 months later and RIF'd them....that's how assinine decisions are made and I personally feel that cutting the demos is one of them. How about we stop buying flat screen every year with the "extra" money (I know, different pots of money) How about we stop PCS'ing a guy only to PCS him 6 months later just to fill a leadership square (happens all the time). My point is to take the time to make a smart decision that makes a meaningful impact, not a knee jerk reaction that equates to putting a band-aid on a problem that requires a tourniquet. Cheers, Cap-10

During fiscal constraint, everything not involved with or supporting flying (we are the AIR Force) should be cut...TIB and every other band should be gone...If big blue says they need something for morale and recruiting, then demo win hands down over bands. I know seeing jets flying at air shows when I was young made me want to join!! As for the single ship demo's, the hours and jet fuel would be flown at home by the squadron anyway. For those that will say "those hours will increase production", I submit the following: Hours: 35 air shows a year: 2 jets XC x 1.5 out, 1.5 back, and 3 single ship flights on station (practice and two show days). 0.3 normal demo , .5 if there is a heritage flight....that's 7.5 hours for the whole weekend x 35 shows = 269 (262.5 to be exact). Throw in another 15.6 (52 weeks x .3 for home station practices and initial cert flights) and we are talking < 300 hours for the entire team for the entire year. Those 300 hours will get you an extra 1.69 F-15E B coursers in a given year, a 1.8% increase to the 96 noobs the FTU can already produce IF our B courses were maxed out, but they're not (different story/thread)...that's not going to replace the 4 x bro's in my squadron alone that are punching this year...3 of them after their initial ADSC is up. If big blue could collate their feces with regards to FTU pipeline feeding, getting the short notice deployments under control and RIF'ing WSO's when we're are WAY undermanned (some Ops WSO'S are 6 home/6 deployed, non-vol'd), that would have a much more positive effect on manning levels because dudes wouldn't be jumping ship, IMHO. Rental cars and hotels are provided by the airshow, so no cost to mother air force, so that leaves per-diem. F-15E demo has 4 maintainers at the show and 4 aircrew, so 8 total...how many people are in TIB? I also believe TIB stays in billeting if able...even at $16.69/night, that's more than the $0/night that the demo's don't pay. Most of the Mx travel is via mil air, but there is the occasional civilian airline tickets that are bought. If the sticking point is money, I believe TIB is more expensive than a single demo team. If its recruiting, I know 69 people who joined partly because of jets they saw at air shows...can't name one that joined because they saw TIB perform. Cheers, Cap-10 Edit: I spell gooder.

Chinese: Lil' Kitchen, outside the back gate...on Hwy 373. Pizza: CJ's, if I remember correctly it's in the Towne Square shopping plaza on N18th Street...same plaza with the Books a million and the old navy. Cheers, Cap-10

Rainman, Trust me, every Pilot/WSO in the photo knew that an underlying motive of the WG/CC was going above and beyond what was already done even thought he never said it personally....just one of many reasons everyone thought of the whole event as a clown show. Picture aside, it was the largest LFE the base has generated during my entire time here and the flying portion was AWESOME! Cheers, Cap-10

Gunshop question (search function showed responses from 2007), I'm new to handgun ownership so looking for recommendations for a gun-shop around CBM...looing to buy guns and ammo as well as being able to make upgrades to the gun (sights, rails) etc. As far as shooting ranges, I've heard Starkville had a nice club with a yearly membership...any updates? Thanks! Cheers, Cap-10

Anyone use a Springfield XD or XDM for a concealled carry weapon? I see they now have a 3.8" XDm in .45ACP and it sounds interesting. Cheers, Cap-10

Our maintainers are already working weekends anyway, so having the LFE on a Monday or a Friday makes zero difference whether they are going to work on the weekend. FYI, every squadron flew their normal turns (normally 10T8's) the day after the LFE. Cheers, Cap-10

We were told that the Kun was a generation for the picture, but there was zero flying that day....confirm all those vipers took off in one mass launch for a LFE? Cheers, Cap-10

This is olds news! Everyone has knows since back in Dec, just before the ICAS conference.....all the solo's teams except F-22 are cancelled. The screwed up thing is that they are still allowing the demo jets to go to airshows when participating in a Heritage Flight, but they won't fly their single ship profile, so all of the normal XC expenses are still being spent. Cheers, Cap-10

What I failed to mention is that the MXG was in on the evaulation part as well....number of jets crew ready on time, number of spares, etc. They were also being evaluated with a weapons load competition and how the jets that flew in the LFE faired the rest of the flying week. Awards ceremony is this afternoon, rounded out with a combined Ops Group Roll Call. The 335FS "Chiefs" were the last squadron of F-15E's at Bagram and brought home some items from the deployed squadron building...they are dedicating a OEF display what will be a permanant part of the O-Club bar area. Cheers, Cap-10

WTF...I'm not saying to get weapons off the jet in 30 seconds just to so you can say "I was first" but there is also no reason to throw down 16-19 confirmers resulting in weapons of the jet 20 minutes later if 2 dog balls confirmers will do and you can save 6-9 minutes. If I'm the guy on the ground taking effective incoming fires, I want the CAS assets to have a sense of urgency...I know I did when my flights would check in! (before anyone works themselves into a rich lather, I'm not implying any CAS assets are lolly-gagging once they check in). I've flown CAS In both OIF and OEF...responded to lots of TIC's and dropped weapons shortly after checking in...they always want the impact to be accurate, but when you can hear the incoming rounds thru the JTAC's microphone, you know they don't want you take 30 minutes either. Obviously no one wants fast and frat!!! The F-15E community strives for BOT w/in 10 minutes of checking in....I'm sure even 10 minutes seems like an eternity for the ground pounders getting shot at! Turkey Shoot: all crews were getting the same canned scenario's with scripted "mistakes" that the JTAC'S would make to force the aircrew to catch and rectify them...in the event of a tie, assuming there were no JP3-09.3 violations, the tie break went to the crew that finished in the least amount of time. "Danger Close, Don't F#cking Miss" was the sign on the door of the A-10 and F-15E squadron at Bagram...last thing you saw as you stepped out the door to fly...our version of the Notre Dame "Play like a Champion" sign. Cheers, Cap-10

Tell that to the guys getting shot at on the ground. Danger Close, Don't F#cking Miss!!! Cheers, Cap-10

Yes and No... You are right about the WG/CC piece (he's not liked by most in the OG and I am in no way defending him)....everyone scoffed at the idea (including me), especially the picture and figured it was going to be a clown show (there were a at least one round assessed by the WG/CC in jet #1 to a Flight Lead from one of the Ops squaron for screwing up the taxi plan). However, when the WG/CC give you lemons, you expect the Wing Patch to make some sh!t hot lemonade, and as I would expect from any Patch worth their salt, they delivered! From the Ops side, we flew two 30 minute vul's of oppossd SAT with blue and red suppplied by both Ops and FTU squadrons (plus GCI) and accomplished Mission Commander updrades....there was a 2-ship from each squadron that flew CAS with STS JTAC's from Pope (also accomplishing their qual's before going down range)...a 2-ship from each squadron flew un-oppossed SAT via low level (VR-87) with off-range attacks....finally a 4 ship from each squadron with 6x BDU-50's flew BSA at the range but had to plan attacks that weren't in the aircrew aid....they flew 15/25/35 degree attacks. Wing Weapons cames (STS) up with point criteria with awards for best Pilot/WSO in each mission set: SAT had TOT, number of targets destroyed, points lost for getting shot down by Red,etc...Low level guys had TOT and judged against their release parameters compared to their plan...same for the BSA guys....CAS players had points for quickest time from 9-line to impact, etc. Every aircraft regardless of primary mission had an SDB target attack during RTB...had to designate and transfer all DPI's off the HRM...points awarded for accuracy of designations as well as speed....fastest time from first designation to hitting the pickle button....I will tell you it takes a LONG time to designate/transfer 20 DPI's! In the end, whatever the WG/CC's true intentions were, the Ops Group made the best out of the situation and got some awesome training and upgrades amongst all 4 squadrons! Cheers, Cap-10

"This F-15E Strike package and Turkey Shoot honored the excellence and sacrifices of our Wing's past while 'flexing' 4th FW airpower today, sharpening our warfighting spirit and skills as we look toward the future," said Col. Patrick Doherty, 4th FW commander. Toward the end of WWII the greatest challenge in Europe for the 8th Air Force was destroying a Luftwaffe that refused to take to the air. One of the 4th FG's most notorious missions during WWII was also its final major mission. The group's Airmen were tasked to take out the Luftwaffe or German Air Force. In two airfield attacks the group's aviators destroyed 105 enemy aircraft April 16, 1945. During World War II competition began between the 4th and 56th Fighter Groups to see what unit could destroy the most enemy aircraft. The 4th FG finished the war with 1,016 aircraft destroyed and the 56th FG's final tally was 1,006. While supporting the war effort the 4th FG destroyed more enemy aircraft than any group or wing in Air Force history. Today's plan was to destroy at least 1,016 DPI's/red air with 69+1 F-15E's.

https://www.seymourjohnson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123298198 Cheers, Cap-10

I know the Oakdale Drive subdivision is in the Caledonia school district...wondering if there is a school bus that leaves from the subdivision or will we have to drive the kiddo's ourselves? Cheers, Cap-10

The 1288 signed by your SQ/CC and WG/CC is required to get the actual PC package started in CMS. With regards to the concur/non-concur's, each person/office is making their own vote...so the WG/CC is making a recommend for your PC applicaion....he is not agreeing (concur'ing) with the SQ/CC's dis-approval recommendation. Clear as mud? Cheers, Cap-10 (21 days, but who's counting).

jtsmith, I well aware of the design testing (my F-15 has variable ramps and 6-9 internal doors that are constantly changing based on AOA, etc to keep the airflow smooth as in enters the engine)....I am also aware that anything is possible, but LAX flight dispatcher guy was making it sound like airliners were compressor stalling all the time just because they were landing in a crosswind and I was throwing the BS flag and asking him to elaborate on his position (STS). Cheers, Cap-10

Wait...What? You are saying the airliners are so poorly designed, that they would compressor stall becuase of the disturbed airflow into the engine due to the crabbing for the crosswind? Please enlighten us. Cheers, Cap-10

The WG/CC is NOT the approval authority...while he does make a "approve/disapprove" check-mark in CMS, it should really be a "concur/non-concur"....the approval authority is SAF/PC. My PC was approveed (with SQ/CC, WG/CC and Fighter Porch "approvals"). Other dudes in my squadrons have been denied (all with WG/CC and Fighter Porch "disapproving"). Cheers, Cap-10

Our base (F-15E) had 6 people not get picked up....all 6 were flight suit wearers, both Pilots and WSOs.

PLEASE HELP TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND BY CAPT "PISTON" IMLAY!!! Those who wish to pay tribute to Capt Imlay may contribute to a 529 College Endowment Fund set up for his two children. This has been set up through the Red River Fighter Pilots Association (RRVA) and the Air Warrior Courage Foundation (AWCF). Contributions may be sent to the Air Warrior Courage Foundation, P.O. Box 877, Silver Spring, MD 20918. Designate in a note that the contribution is for the Imlay children. To use a credit card. Go to the AWCF home page at www.airwarriorcourage.org. On the Home page is a DONATE button. Click it and it will take you to a page with a GIVE DIRECT button. Click it and fill in the blanks. In the COMMENTS block, put in the name of the Imlay family fund. Cheers, Cap-10

Show of Force (SOF) vs Show of Presence (SOP)...only difference is desired effect. For all we know, the Apache was conducting a SOP of the FOB before departing...don't know, wasn't there. Cheers, Cap-10

Two things: 1) CSO Bonus: There was a follow up message that re-stricted the inital e-mail...basically, it only applies to WSO's (I will not call them a CSO) that winged in FY06 so their initial commitment is up right meow....lots of pissed off WSO's on all other year groups....mother AF says our WSO's are so undermanned that you are not leaving the cockpit for the foreseeable future and guys are getting non-vol'd to go Ops-to-Ops (guys are jiggy with being deployed on a 1-2 dwell for 2 Ops tours in a row), but they didn't feel they were so under-manned to offer the bonus to more people. 2) Don't ever feel like you are "too close to get out"....I'm getting out with 15 years an a line number to Lt Col, but I will be damned if I am going to stay in and get short notice fucked for the next 5.69 years at the expense of my wife and two young kiddo's 6 and under....the growing up years are too precious to be gone all the time....and with more of my buddy's getting tagged for MC-12's / UAV's, Safety investigations / AOC 365's or just being gone 6 months with <12 home, I just don't like what the short term looked like, so I punched....and couldn't be happier with my decision! Cheers, Cap-10

Fuck me sideways....they wrote a 22 (that's right, 22) page CONOP (yes, they actualy put CONOP on the cover page) on playing CRUD!! For their punishement, I am going to throat punch the first shoe I can find on Monday! Cheers, Cap-10