JarheadBoom

I read something recently about the new wave of piston-driven ARs (sorry, can't remember the source). The writer seemed pretty sure that a piston-driven AR would soon show other wear and manifest other malfunctions, due to the different nature of the force applied to the bolt carrier by the piston. Dunno if I agree, but I've never held a piston-driven AR, much less fired one, so my opinion on it doesn't mean much. <break> Anyone else unable to find WWB in 45ACP at Wallyworld lately? The counter guy at my local store (who, amazingly enough, seemed to have a clue) said they'd only been receiving only 1-2 boxes at a time for a while, and their (Wal-Mart's) distribution center has been out of it for the last 2 weeks. No idea when it would be back in stock. I ended up buying their last box of Remington UMC 230gr FMJ...

I was just recently told that our Finance office has been informed by Ellsworth that the signature on the back of orders (flight or TDY) doesn't mean anything, thus the demands for additional documentation/autographs. Also, judging by the runaround one of our crews is experiencing, apparently the "Variations Authorized" box being checked means nothing anymore either. W T F ????

With all the other ways the Harrier can kill a man, the canopy may have had nothing at all to do with it. We're just gonna have to wait.

2 Went to the rental-range and put 50 rounds of 230gr TMJ Speer Lawman through their XD-45 Tactical (they didn't have a Service in .45). Had 2 FTFs that I'm chalking up to the gun being dirty - damn thing looked like it had been in a firefight. The slide was definitely stiffer than what I remembered from the one I put the deposit on, so I wasn't too concerned about that. Left the range, went straight to the gunshop and bought my XD-45 Service and a generic hard-side case.

Where should I start... I've been in a while, too - been TDY plenty, in both services. There's a difference between Es and Os having beers/drinks/fun as a crew/shop/unit, and an E of any grade calling a three-star fucking General Officer a buddy, AND participating in non-official Ahhh fuckit. My view, as an NCO, on fraternization is obviously very different from most of the responders. I'm out.

- Anything the AF generates that contains the phrase "in order to serve you better".

Thanks for all the words, everyone; I appreciate it. I do realize that a shotty is a better option for HD - in fact, that's what I originally went to the gunshop to look at. BUT... - Pistol is gonna be much easier to keep/conceal in our bedroom (it's a small room; barely enough room for our queen-size bed) than a shotgun. - Pistol is far less intimidating to my wife than a shotgun would be. - My wife is no-kidding interested in shooting a pistol. The long guns... not so much. I'm working on that, but all non-crisis shooting for her is on hold until after she has the baby. - I have a feeling the new Administration will go after hi-cap semiauto pistols (and mags) before pump shotguns, so I figure now's the time to get one. I already waited too long for an AR at a reasonable price - I'm not gonna make that mistake again. Opinion only... Well, after much thought and discussion with the spousal unit, and opinions from some other folks I trust from another forum... it will be an XD New Year, as long as I like it at the range tomorrow.

You're kidding... ...right?

Alright... XD-45 or 1911? Well, I thought I was at the gunshop for a shotgun, but a barely-used 4" XD-45 made it's way into my hand. I like it! However... I haven't shot an XD. $435; 2 mags but no case or holster. In the same display case was a barely-used Springfield Armory 1911 GI. Of course I like it! I have shot 1911s before, and liked it. $535. I put $100 on the XD to hold it until I can get to the rental-range and shoot their XD-45 - the guy at the gunshop said the used XDs he gets go pretty quickly, whereas the 1911s are slower to move these days. I'm a little concerned that the XD is gonna be a little too much for my wife's small hands; I don't think the 1911 would be a problem. Since she's 8 months pregnant, going to the range with me is out. Help me decide, Mister Springfield a.k.a. M2! ****** EVENING UPDATE ******** Wife is telling me not to base my purchase decision on her ability or inability to get a grip on it. I'm thinking I might have to get something for her as well...

Semper Fidelis, Marine. Rest In Peace.

Gotcha. The number is much more believable now. My wife and I are going to build an RV-9 someday... hopefully soon. I've got the Van's practice kit on the way to test my paint scheme. Gotta get the PPL first before getting too far into the build, though. Still trying to talk her into an RV-8......

Sounds like a solid airplane. A quick AD search on the airframe, engine, and prop (what I think is installed, anyway) didn't reveal any big surprises, and, by virtue of the 9/08 annual, the couple big $$$ ones (crankshaft; prop blade overhaul - again, based on what I think is installed) should have been complied with already. Inquire about any damage history, and have a look-see at the airframe, engine, and prop logbooks. Doesn't sound like it's going to be an issue, but if the recent logs look like chickenscratch or preschool writing exercises, think twice. Look to ensure the recent (I'd be comfortable with 10 years back) annual-inspection signoffs for all 3 logs don't have large date gaps. Large, in this case, is defined as more than one month. *** WARNING - Public math in progress *** Am I correct when I read each of the 3 share owners has a $250/month hangar bill, for a $750/month total hangar rent bill? Sucker better have hot women & cold beer on-tap 24/7 for that price.....

Ona lighter note...... A friend in Vancouver, WA sent me thispic of a snowmann he and hi swife built in their frontyard. I like it. *** EDIT *** Hmmmph... This drunk post isn't as bad as my other one. And I got the attachment to work. AND it's the correct pic.

I can't/won't speak for the Army, but as a Marine officer, you will learn to lead troops in ground combat, in the field at TBS, before you go any further in the Corps. If you can't do it, you'll be shown the door. This makes an entirely different kind of warrior than what 95% of the AF thinks of when they hear the word "warrior". Find a Marine OSO (Officer Selection Officer) if you think you've got what it takes.

99.69% of the general public has no clue how much business is conducted by CEO's and other high-level executives when they are traveling on corporate aircraft. There's a reason they've got multiple satphones and 'Net connections in the cabins... and it ain't so Rick Wagoner and his CEO pals can have phonesex with their wives/girlfriends, or play World of Warcraft at FL510. I work (at my civ. job) with a guy who was a mechanic for a big-name corporation's flight department. He said on CONUS trips, the Aircell would be dialed in to the company switchboard almost non-stop (one of his many responsibilities was tracking the Aircell's airtime for the beancounters). On international trips, he (and sometimes another mechanic) would go along as a flying crewchief; they also served as cabin attendants in-flight. He said there'd be times that he'd be asked to go sit in the jumpseat with the pilots for an hour or so while they conducted what amounted to a board meeting via Aircell conference call. It's not all HD movies and endless champagne on a bizjet... And it's hard to accept that my grandkids will still be paying this shit off (and my kid's not even born yet...) because, among other reasons, the automakers spread'em for the UAW at contract-negotiation time for all these years. It's basic business sense to reduce/eliminate costs associated with things that don't produce positive results for a company. I'm no MBA, but I'd say that paying thousands of people (who, BTW, have NOT contributed to any kind of production for the company in years) 95% of their salary & benefits to sit naked in a beanbag chair and eat Cheetos is fucking ridiculous, and a colossal waste of company resources. Yeah, it sucks to lose your job. I know it firsthand; I was "downsized" at a previous civ. employer, along with a half-dozen other mechanics. However, I have zero sympathy for anyone who was on that "jobs bank" gravy train. ZERO.

Don't kid yourself. The vast majority of 'em only see an opportunity to get their names in the media, as a means to make partner and a 6-figure salary.

I've been to a LOT of places lately in the system that are not doing Prime Knight anymore. Reason? "We don't have the manpower for it." Slacker is dead-on with his remarks about billeting, trans, and cabs. His exact scenario has happened to me twice this year...

This is good stuff - most of my stops lately are less than 24hrs... Thaks for the link.

Knowledge of one's place - a trait which is FAR too rare in what I've seen of the United States Air Force in my brief 2 1/2 year AF career. Un-fucking-sat. Goes right back to what I wrote in the "CSAF for a day" thread. Another trait lacking in today's AF - TACT. Un-fucking-sat as well. It is 100% OK (in my book) for an E-5 to correct an O-5, if said O-5 is doing something wrong (choose your own violation - it really doesn't matter). BUT.... it must be done tactfully! A proper salute and a quick-and-quiet "Hey sir/ma'am, check your ________________." will suffice. Been there, done that, was thanked by a Commandant of the Marine Corps once upon a time for keeping him from looking like a shitbird when he stepped off the ramp of my aircraft. And if that O-5 says "Noted." and keeps on doin' what he/she's doin', then you walk away and LEAVE IT THE FUCK ALONE. No public spectacle, no bordering-on-insubordination remarks; quick and quiet. Never in my wildest fucking dreams would I shout across a compound/street/chowhall/whatever at someone, whose rank I did not know, to stop doing something... unless that something was about to cause someone's no-shit injury or death. - Total absence of tact and knowledge-of-place is (in my opinion) the leading cause of ANY enlisted person thinking that they can talk to an officer in some of the ways that have been brought-up in this thread. - The piss-poor leadership, that supports that insubordinate enlisted person, is guilty of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline (using the UCMJ terminology since I feel it applies here). *** These are my opinions. They're worth precisely what you paid for them. Don't flip the fuck out if you don't like them; you're entitled to your own... and if you don't like mine, I probably won't like yours.

I thought NY did not have reciprocity (along with CA, NJ, and most of the Northeast). So even if Burress's Florida CC permit was up-to-date, he wouldn't have been legal to carry anyway... yes? *** EDIT *** Even if Burress's Florida-issued concealed-carry permit was up-to-date, he would NOT be legal to carry concealed in NY state or NYC. Here's a nice map showing states with CC reciprocity agreements with Florida: Go here and click the state your CC permit is issued by. A map similar to the pic above will open in a new window - follow the pretty colors. Red is bad.

I think we're all agreed that 95% of the OPS vs. MX battle ain't the guys & gals on the line or in the shops, bending the wrenches and chasing the bubbles and sparks. It's the "leadership" of the MXS's and MXG's that is the biggest problem. That remaining 5% is the mechs and techs I've seen on the line who are shoeclerks-in-training. Unfortunately, they are out there, and they start young. GOOD LEADERSHIP would "kill them before they breed", but we all know that's the exception, rather than the rule, anymore. How the hell did the thread title get upside-down?? I though it was wormwords at first, too... It's even upside-down in my IE window title bar.

How about Comair 191? Plenty of CRM and Human Factors involved there... The NTSB report - 3+ MB .pdf

In my AFRC SQ, we wear green bags year-round. SQ policy says we wear tan bags only if we're going to the sandbox. Pretty sure it's the same rule for the AMC SQ's as well.

I think the point would be missed by all but the most shoeclerk-y. They'd probably say "Hey, that's a good idea!" Next thing you know, we're ALL in orange construction-worker vests at all times...

FWIW... The show about AF1 I saw on the Discovery Channel not too long ago (I don't know how long the Presidential pilot tour is, but Col Tillman was the pilot, so it was made fairly recently) showed a LtCol at the Nav position on the flight deck, and they made a point of saying the VC-25 has a Nav due to the "unique mission". The show was pretty good, BTW. Much more access to the behind-the-scenes stuff than I would have ever thought they'd allow. Wish I could remember what it was called...