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Advance word on a soon to be released book: "Fighter Group," by Jay Stout. ("Guinness" is a retired USMC F-4/F-18 pilot, but don't hold that against him...) It is about the 352d Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, ETO. I was asked to review and provide a "blurb" for the back cover so I was given an advance (galley proof) copy. Outstanding read, good flying, accurate descriptions of all the personalities inherent in any unit. From the square-jawed All American to the d-bag that nobody liked, especially when he got liquored up, to the crew chiefs, to the intel dudes. A lot of WWII stuff is kinda formulaic. I thought this was different. He also gets some material from the German side of various fights, so it is interesting to see both sides of an engagement and the war. I'm buying a copy when it's released.

I did 11 years in the area until receiving my pardon from the governor a few months ago... AVOID the Maryland side of the river for living. Crime, taxes on everything, general asspain all are way higher there than in Virginia. If you are going to be there as a single, Rosslyn, would be my recommendation. Falls Church would be next. This is based on your list, there are other areas that are good depending on your circumstances/budget, etc.

A lawyer and a thick skin. Separate accounts now. The other financial suggestions above are good as well. Don't forget about any insurance policies that have a cash value that she could access. Mentioned above, but the crossing of "bidness" and emotion has to be avoided otherwise it WILL cost you more and as well as hurt just as much. Unfortunately, the other party is no longer your friend and partner. At best it's an adversary, at worst it's an enemy. Sounds like you are trying to keep it the former and I commend you for that, but do not allow softness when it comes to negotiating. This is now strictly a business transaction. Don't try to tough this out by yourself. Way too many have been down this road and will be glad to have you avoid the landmines they found out the hard way. Talk to them and/or other friends that she doesn't have a connection to. Support and someone to pour a beer and say, "That sucks," is much better than the stoic, don't say nothin' to nobody route. Get a lawyer ASAP. You are too close to the situation to think of all the angles and all the details. Hire an objective professional to do that for you. 99.69% it will be cheaper in the long run for the lawyer to run this than for you to try and have your USAF job. In that case, chances are neither the divorce or your job gets done well. Best of luck.

Nice report. How about the size of the grip? With a .45, my thought would be that if you can't get all fingers on it, it will be awkward/uncomfortable to shoot? That's my complaint about a PPK or the Taurus PT series. With the shorter clip, I have to curl my pinkie under it and I don't much care for that. Is it big enough and if not, does or will Springfield make an extended magazine?

Looking forward to the XDs report. Will get it and/or the M&P Shield as soon as I'm legal again. M&P fits my hand, but .45 is way nicer than 9mm.

Walther P-1 (Or A Long Strange Trip) I finally got to shoot this today. Back in January, Bud's was running a special on these as surplus for, I think, $399, so I ordered one. My alibi was I was moving from northern Virginia in late February to Omaha, Nebraska, but as Bud's had a great reputation on-line and with me for fast service, I figured no problem. Wrong as usual. A sub-contractor was actually running this with Bud's marketing for them. Ordered, then an auto-delay of several weeks as soon as "submit" was hit. Crap... Fortunately, my FFL (hat tip to Dominion Arms in Manassas if the mods will allow a plug) agreed to hold the gun until I could get back to move my family when school was out in June. Meanwhile, I moved to Nebraska. Virginia is a very gun owner friendly state. This new one, surprisingly to me, not so much. There's a purchase permit required before you can even buy a gun which is a $5.00 gouge to get some bucks, but ok. After that, the state is ok with it. Omaha, however, is down right anti-gun. They require a new resident to register all guns with the police department (right, I'll get right on that...) and the gun license can't be used until you do register the newly purchased gun with the PD. The solution, of course, is not to buy within the city limits. A way around all this BS, strangely enough, is to obtain a CCW, which I am doing. Wait six months as a new resident, take a class, shoot, fill out way too many forms, and bam!, the purchase permit and the registration is moot. Of course, in the meantime, I can't exercise my 2d Amendment right for six months. I thank my friends across the Missouri River for stashing my firearms until I complete the hoops. Now on to this review. The pistol with one clip arrived in a cardboard box, wrapped in some wax paper inside a plastic bag. It came with one magazine of 8 round capacity. The standard grips are black plastic/bakelite. I replaced 'em with after-market wood grips as the photo shows. The guns were sold surplus, so the luck of the draw existed. I, for once, got lucky. If mine had ever been issued, I would be surprised. Not a mark, scratch, or slightest bit of wear to be found. Mine was stamped "4/80" meaning it was manufactured in April, 1980. I have never seen a firearm as completely, utterly dry and unlubed as this one. After dissembly, not the slightest trace of oil/grease/gunk could be found. The barrel was pristine and clean. Lubed and checked, it was time to shoot. The P1 is an aluminum descendant of the steel-framed P38 and is the same thing with lighter metal. This is a big gun. As big as a Government model 1911 but in a 9mm flavor. That size soaked up recoil magnificently. There was basicially none. I imagine a steel-frame version would barely buck at all. The workmanship and fit of the gun is really, really good. Nothing loose, nothing rattled, no rough edges. If I got the history right, the P38 was the first successful double-action semi-auto pistol. The slide is open-top like the Beretta M9 which I think borrowed heavily from this way back when. The double-action trigger is heavy. As in cranky lawnmower rope pull heavy. There's no "accidently" pulling the trigger on this with the hammer down. In single action, it is great. A light (for a service pistol) clean, crisp break. No creep at all. The design seemed to be idiot-proof. Like the trigger, the magazine release is not something you are going to manipulate accidently. It's a small slide-like switch at the bottom butt of the grip. Hard/impossible to do one-handed, but clever in placement and design, it only took a few magazines to get used to it. The sights are big. A white dot on the front with a smallish white horizontal line between the two sides of the large rear sight. Kinda Heinie-like, but not exactly. I'd rather just go without it, but it's already painted on, so no worries. The gun was accurate. I put 150 rounds (by the way, this is an older design so no "modern" +P or hotter loads) at a B-27 target at 25 feet. All but 2 flyaways were in the 9 ring and most in the upper 10 ring. Most were untimed, placed shots with only a few magazines used on rapid fire and/or double-action. Accuracy suffered accordingly during those. Don't know what the problem was, but at first the slide wouldn't lock back when a clip was empty. As the morning progressed, it did. Break in the springs and/or magazines? One problem that really is an issue is this got hot. At 100 rounds, the frame was hot. The wraparound wood grips helped as I imagine the side-covering only plastic grips would allow the frame in the grip to transfer that heat to my palm. At 120 rounds, the trigger was hot. By the end, it was painful and raising a blister so it was time to call it a day with this one. Take down is pretty standard; drop the magazine, slide to the rear, rotate the takedown lever down, slide forward, barrel out of the slide, and there you go. There are is a small spring on each side of the slide instead of the one in the center as in most semi-autos. Of course, since the barrel is sticking out there on its own and not inside the slide where the recoil spring can push against the mechanism, this was Walther's early 1940s way of solving the problem. One of the reasons why +P ammo is frowned upon. That and the frame isn't going to stand up to the higher pressures over a lifetime as it wasn't designed for them either. This gun does have the "hex screw" in the frame which was a way to increase frame strengh, but still, just don't do it. So, for a historical service weapon, I'm happy with it. It's well-made, it's in great shape, it shoots great and it makes the 5th Walther in my cabinet. The standard issue of the German Army and most police forces until replaced in the 1990s and later, it proved it's longevity and reliability. It would never be my "go to" gun for anything other than the range, but I like it and recommend it for the right price and in the right condition.

"GCI, great call..."

https://dailycaller.c...ce-forgot-guns/ Our guys may try to be cheap with their overseas rentals, but I don't think they forget the guns.

Good on Military Times for obtaining this unbelievably redacted report. Whether via a FOIA or other means, good job. The prevailing theory, from my tedious read, seems to be that this was a fcuk-up by Kryg mob/criminals. A couple of casino security goons got fired because of a white chick working in the casino. They wanted to get even, knew the chick hung out at the mall, grabbed Metzger by mistake. Lots of holes in that even admitted in the various forms/reports. Kryg police/MVD don't buy it. But the "sightings" of Metzger in various other places on other times look like locals basically saying any white woman was Metzger - one example was some white woman working at an orphanage jogged. When showed a picture of Metzger, it was a positive ID. Riiight... OSI found the "real" white woman, no match at all. Lots of inconsentancies in her story, lots of "I dunno" responses. Unexplained phone calls to/from her cell phone to local Kryg numbers. Google searches of maps/streets in the city she was abducted and the one she was recovered in. These searches were prior to the event. Could be a coincidence... Lots of odd USAF behavior - a temporary retirement? No medal for such a heroine (oh, and no BJ aspect. Seems it was a "push up contest" with one of her captors. WTFO?) when a Bronze Star is given to a finance NCO? I'd think this is Big Blue awarding the first(?) Silver Star to a chick material if true. Instead, it's "don't talk about it." Something still stinks. Hope I'm still alive when the records are declassified eventually.

4 June 1942 - The Battle of Midway. As decisive a turning point as existed in WWII except for dropping the two atomic bombs.

And yet the situation (USAF-wide not just on RPAs) continues to deteriorate. Hmmm, kool-aid or defensive, either way, it isn't getting fixed. There's some folks in charge who are letting it happen/encouraging it by not stopping buffoonery.

First, to the retired "other ranks" ProSuper: "No packets of coffee creamer or sugar?" Standards must be slipping. Not only did the groundskeepers strap us in, but while they were kneeling, they often buffed the totally unnecessary jump boots I wore. Then a hot beverage was offered with a downward cast eye. Second, to those complaining about poor A/Rs, or other substandard control. That does suck. You'd think with the great numbers of training sorties, multitudinous assets available to provide said controller training, and an ability to not constantly rush Lts through said training, that the control provided would be better. As to making a separate ABM forum, I'd be agin it. Might as well keep the potshots here in public since it's very good training for AOR experience. No convenient interflight freq or even within the confines of a multi-body cockpit to keep those public displays of buffoonery in-house needed. Nope, keep it out there for all to see and hear. I always wondered at Air Force policy to assign, usually, the not at the top of their class pilots to E-3s and E-8s. I read and hear so much about the value and money invested in training a pilot and how that should be the prime consideration for so many career things, that the same logic should apply to a $250B+ airframe vs. most single seaters. Relatively speaking, we've got lots of F-16s, et al, but not so much when it comes to E-3s or E-8s. Why not the best in the most expensive? Finally, as to the opening poster's request for info, I am waaaay too long in the tooth and too far gone from anything approaching current, useful gouge to be of help except for offering one piece of advice. Think ahead of the radar. Remember, the picture you are seeing is 6+ seconds old (depending on system). Add in the second or two it will take you to assimilate the picture and transmit that, and you are behind the curve if you simply give that now old picture. A "merge" on your scope means it already happened. Calling the receiver turn at exactly when your display shows it means you are late with the call. Know the capabilites of your assets, know those of the adversary, remember that the 3-D picture keeps changing and is 6+ seconds ahead of what your are seeing. That little orange dot/pixel (E-3 symbology) is actually already somewhere else doing something else. Be a mission hound. Offer to take any control opportunity, anytime. Don't let aasshats get you down. Learn from those you can, ignore the tools. Just call me capt obvious on most of these...

https://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/washington-secrets/2012/05/obamas-bin-laden-leaks-angered-military/622606 Emphasis added.

Helluva negotiating tactic: do it our way or we will attack you. So, the U.S. either caves or goes to war potentially? (I don't think this, but that's the obvious inference.) So much for that vaunted "reset." Separate but related, their comments that they thought they could "work" with Obama following his re-election and had "concerns" about Romney isn't exactly the kind of endorsement I'd want if I voted for the same guy to stay.

Actually, it's become more a "guideline" really.

I am not defending him. If, as noted above, he did it on a "public" website representing himself as a Marine, then he accepts the consequences. Or gets out of the Corps, whatever was his goal. I am commenting on the blurring (well, duh Cap'n Obvious!) between what is private and what is public.

Brave new world territory... My understanding is the Marine had it on his private Facebook (I don't do such so I don't the correct terms/settings) and was "outed" by one of his "friends." Is it then free speech since he wasn't in uniform and didn't intend to say it publicly? Obviously, the USMC saw it differently. Where is the line between public disclosure and privacy? Not just for this jarhead, but for a lot of other things in our world? Lots of changes and new thinking to be done. Not a cosmic observation, but scary nonetheless. But, as a practical matter, don't post such sh1t on-line. Or take pictures and post them.

Yep. The Thunder .45 is my prime cold-weather CCW. Great value for the money; has been utterly reliable, change the springs about every 1,000 - 1,500 rounds, keep it clean and lubed. It's heavy being all steel but not unbearably so. That mass helps soak up some of the recoil from the .45. It shoots well, the grip is good, and it's accurate if I do my part. And why this over some version of the 1911? I want the double action option for the first shot if ever needed. I'm pretty sure my lizard brain will be the only thing working should a bad situation arise, and even though I practice with it regularly, just pull the trigger is something I think I could manage. It's nothing fancy; comes in a cardboard box, two magazinzes (spares readily available). Parts, like the springs I mentioned above, can be a little PITA to get since there's only one importer and sometimes they run out and literally have to wait until the boat from Argentina arrives so the delay can be inconvenient. I like it a lot. All the above written, I am going to check out the new S&W and Springfields from the recent posts. More $$S than the Bersa however.

Bonus for using the word "strumpets."

Bandwagon... Smith & Wesson just introduced (12 Apr) a single stack M&P, dubbed the M&P Shield. .40 or 9mm with a 3" barrel and listing as .98" wide. Me likey the trend - Walther PPS (am still saving for it), the Springfield from M2's post, now this M&P skinny. Decisions, decisions... (Oh, and finish establishing residency in my new state of Nebraska. Midwest, but strangely liberal-ish regarding gun laws.)

The Mayans must on to something regarding the end of the world -- I agree with nsplayer on something. Stupid, mostly likely hammered, college students doing something selfish and not thinking about what they were doing. I'm shocked. Other than poor taste and not having a clue, what crime did they perform? They painted a rock that is often painted. The Sgt's volunteering to serve and, unfortunately, her ultimate sacrifice is obviously worth more than earning frat cool points, but they expressed themselves. I rather think that's one of the liberties that military service upholds. And this frat recognized they fcuked up and publicly apologized. That's better than some of those in our government have done when denigrating our military folks. Murtha, et al.

And those CC's are what AFSC mainly? Same ones who are responsible for chiefing, procurement fiascos, personnel buffoonery, etc, etc, etc. Or could it be the man behind the AFSC and not the AFSC that determines quality of character? Nah...

Don't expect or look for the dog treat from the outside community. Look for it within and develop it from within. Make it where you "don't talk about Fight Club." Look at the number of GOs wearing spwings/cyber/missile badges compared to just a generation past. Not to mention a "Space Command" and a "Cyber Command." Don't worry about others and their debrief if they aren't in your fight. It just rewards them and makes you look needy. You don't need the validation of the "cool kids." F'in' stop the Chinese/Russians/international crooks from taking down our systems without them having to anything that requires a "boom," yet would be devestating to our way of life - financial, power grids, etc. And have the way to do it to them if turns ugly and/or we decide to get serious about this sh1t. And put some frickin' lasers on sharks already...

Last line from the article: Now that's funny right there. Fabulous.

Well, thanks, Buzz Killington. Why bring up inconvenient points? I mean "Combat Everything" in USAFE wasn't a massive demo of such was it?