Leadership at the 'Deid

[Clayton Bigsby]

My roommate, who was maintenance, had gotten ahold of a "contractor" nametape and sewed it on his DCUs...any time he wanted to get away with something, he'd throw that DCU blouse on.

Pretty easy, actually.

[Guest Pan130]

I fly for an airline that does the rotators, so I just wore my ID from them and got a kick when they would card me in the line for a beer or food and I was like "sorry I am a contractor", I was just extending the truth. It was just funny that I was the only contractor at the table while eating, the true contractors where like, who is he????

One Major that remain nameless, that went out and bought Army PT clothes. He said they were more comfortable. I wore those instead of the AF ones.

We even drew up "Guard Waiver" IDs that were going to be used, nobody had the ball$ to try that one.

[ 06. December 2006, 15:16: Message edited by: Pan130 ]

[Guest SpyGadget]

Our family Christmas tree is now safe and in compliance.

[Guest pcoandgo]

Originally posted by SpyGadget:

Our family Christmas tree is now safe and in compliance.

BEST. CHRISTMAS TREE. EVER.

[Scooter14]

SpyGadget,

That's histerical. Thanks for the laugh.

[FourFans]

Darth Load and his combat reflective belt.

[ 07. December 2006, 00:45: Message edited by: FourFans130 ]

[HerkDerka]

Classic.

HD

[Clayton Bigsby]

That has got to be THE best usage of a reflective belt I've ever seen!!!

[FourFans]

Images altered to protect the guilty.

[Guest pcoandgo]

All of the pictures posted RULE! They deserve their own thread to preserve them without being lost in a sea of postings.

[TacAirCoug]

It's not Al Udeid but it might as well be:

Middle East base sets age limit for solo driving

By Bruce Rolfsen

Staff writer

If you’re 23 years old, the Air Force will trust you to drop a bomb or fire a gun.

But at one base, if you’re 23, you haven’t been allowed to drive a car by yourself.

The base, located in the Persian Gulf region, raised the age limit for solo driving to 24 in response to a series of “minor” vehicle incidents, said Master Sgt. Jason Tudor, a spokesman for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. A review of the accidents showed most mishaps involved airmen age 25 and younger who were driving by themselves.

The restriction started Nov. 15 and will last at least through Thursday, when base commanders plan to review the policy, Tudor said.

Under the driving restriction, any airman younger than 24 has had to be accompanied by another airman, of any age or rank. The second airman rides in the front passenger seat and acts as the vehicle’s “safety observer.”

The rules also have required that the two airmen turn off vehicle radios and limit their conversation to the task at hand, creating what base leaders called a “sterile cockpit.”

In a message to airmen, wing commander Col. Greg Kern said he understood the age limit was an inconvenience.

“I realize the rules of engagement will slow down our operations tempo,” Kern said. “I am confident that in the end we will find ourselves in a better position to sustain our mission over the long haul.”

The Air Force operates at several bases in the Middle East, but, due to agreements with the host nations, does not disclose their locations.

How far will the madness go?

[ 07. December 2006, 18:48: Message edited by: TacAirCoug ]

[Guest pcoandgo]

Fah. King. Lougainis.

[Stiffler]

OH..............MY.............GOD.

[Guest FlashEW]

[Guest PilotKD]

Next thing you know, we'll be holding hands crossing the street to the chow hall. Fvcking

[Bergman]

Originally posted by Stiffler:

Whats worse, is there are probably some shoe clerks who will actually obey the "sterile cockpit" like a couple gays.

....yet have absolutely no idea what "sterile cockpit" really means.

Just when you think you've seen it all...this happens. We have become so risk-averse that we've lost our minds.

[Guest CrashCB18]

It'll be like missileers trying to be like flyers with flight suits. Shoeclerks will think they can compare themselves to flying by driving a "sterile cockpit."

Watch out for your next flightline driving training course....they want a sterile cockpit at all traffic intersections and parking lots.

[HerkDerka]

Weak.

HD

[Guest Gainesy]

I hear that the RAF is pulling its tankers from the Died and going back to Bahrain. So there goes your Brit flight suit option.

[ 08. December 2006, 05:39: Message edited by: Gainesy ]

[Guest cbire880]

Originally posted by Bergman:

....yet have absolutely no idea what "sterile cockpit" really means.

Just when you think you've seen it all...this happens. We have become so risk-averse that we've lost our minds.

[M2]

Reminds me of this week's issue of Time...

Story

Cheers! M2

[Guest cbire880]

Wow, great article - odd coincidence with my post. Mismanagement of risk is a major problem today. Its almost career suicide(in the civillian career I have) to point out significant risk items early enough to mitigate them. They'd rather see it all green and then execute someone when the metrics magically go to red overnight.

[Guest BritCabDriver]

Please excuse a Brit poking a bit of fun at you, I'm sure you all have plenty of ammo to come back with if you get offended. This is not about the 'Deid I'm afraid, but that other fine establishment Camp Able Sentry in Macedonia.

It was always a source of amusement to your NATO colleagues to be stood in the queue for the PX at Camp AS (to buy spicy Cheetos and chilli cheese dip, goes so well with a cold one), watching a game of volleyball happen.

Players arrive, all dressed in issue PT kit, wearing helmet, webbing and body armour, carrying M-16 and respirator (this was MACEDONIA ffs not Afghanistan!). First six for each team go on, every one else waits their turn, still wearing helmet, webbing and body armour, carrying M-16 and respirator. First rotation, player to go on takes off helmet, webbing and body armour, puts down M-16 and respirator and goes onto court, player coming off (sweating like a Marine in a spelling test) puts back on helmet, webbing and body armour, picks up M-16 and respirator. 5 minutes later, he takes it all off again to play for 5 minutes, only to put it all on again until his next go, repeat ad nauseum.

Especially as all we had on were shorts and flip flops.

Also, very close by at Bond Steel, in the line in the chow hall, dressing in full flying kit, combat waistcoat, pistol on hip etc, being asked "are you on duty?". "No, I am a British tourist come to sample the delights of an ethnically cleansed Kosovo, and I wear all this for fun". (Actually I didn't say that, I just said "Yes" because I was starving and didn't want to be thrown out, but I wanted to).

Good chow though, compared to our slops.

[ 24. January 2007, 16:19: Message edited by: BritCabDriver ]

[Guest Hydro130]

Yep, all that sounds about right. That's a good point though - deployed hyper-safety stupidity isn't confined just to The Desert.

And I second the call that the grub at Bondsteel is good - we headed over there for lunch one time we were delayed at Lewinsky (LWSK) for minor MX. Most definitely impressive!

The worst uniform/equipment buffoonery I remember from those missions to Lewinsky were the Frogs marshalling aircraft (poorly) in their ridiculously short shorts and boots. Ugh. To their credit though, they always had excellent coffee and baguettes available in their ramp shack.

Cheers, Hydro

[Guest BritCabDriver]

Unless it was one or two of the female Frogs, for who those shorts were surely designed!