Fehrenbach Thread

[FlyingBull]

A Lt Col and F-15E pilot has been kicked out of the Air Force after 18 years of service because he is gay:

https://www.military.com/news/article/af-bo...-being-gay.html

I know it is the law, but couldn't they have at least given him early retirement or something? It's likely they will have to give him retirement benefits/reinstatement anyway after the law is changed sometime between now and the midterm elections.

ETA: Anyone else get a creepy feeling about the OSI spending time, money, and manpower looking into people's sex lives?

[Steve Davies]

Seems grossly unfair, and is at the very least not the way to thank a man who has put everything on the line in defence of his country.

[war007afa]

Agreed. Spend less time on looking into who is chowing who's hog and spend more time on who is selling MIL-spec NVGs on Craigslist and how they got them in the first place.

Another question: if DADT goes away, what happens to dudes like this? Clearly his being gay wasn't affecting the way that he did his job. I'm sure the JTAC on his mission was worried about which issue of Playgirl the dude has under his mattress back at the hooch.

Send your spears my way (STS). I ain't skeered. Let any man who is willing to die for his country or kill for his country stand next to me in battle. Let any man who actually has have my support. This is bullshit and should definitely be ammunition for the DADT fight. This shit is getting a little old already...

[Wolf424]

ETA: Anyone else get a creepy feeling about the OSI spending time, money, and manpower looking into people's sex lives?

I wonder how OSI found out. Doesn't sound like he walked into the squadron bar one Friday and yelled out "I love dudes" if only a few people knew about it.

[Steve Davies]

I wonder how OSI found out. Doesn't sound like he walked into the squadron bar one Friday and yelled out "I love dudes" if only a few people knew about it.

He references 'the accusation' as having taken place in May. Sounds like somebody tipped OSI off.

[slacker]

How did he violate DADT? Doesn't sound like he "told" anyone.

[FlyingBull]

I guess whoever the 'tipster' is deserves the douche bag of the year award.

Wait...isn't investigating "asking"?

[WheelzUp]

Seems grossly unfair, and is at the very least not the way to thank a man who has put everything on the line in defence of his country.

No doubt there is more to this story. I have heard rumors from Strike Eagle guys I work with in my current assignment, but I won't speculate. He probablly got what he deserved though.

Wheelz

[M2]

How did he violate DADT? Doesn't sound like he "told" anyone.

Exactly. That is the "don't ask" portion of "don't ask, don't tell."

The "authorities" are not allowed to pursue gays; so either he "told," or there is something else going on here...

My money is on the latter.

[Steve Davies]

Exactly. That is the "don't ask" portion of "don't ask, don't tell."

The "authorities" are not allowed to pursue gays; so either he "told," or there is something else going on here...

My money is on the latter.

It sounds as though there must be more to the story.

However, the accusations were made in May, and the discharge was notified in September, so why did it take OSI so long to reach a conclusion?

I noted that he never once confirms he is gay and the TV anchor never once says that he is gay.

[Guest MegaPieBoy]

Does this kind of thing always happen with Eagle pilots?

[StoleIt]

Does this kind of thing always happen with Eagle pilots?

It's just perpetuating the stereotype at this point.

But seriously...yea there has to be another side to this coin. And very very gay of the Air Force to not give him two more years for retirement...dude served 18 years honorably (atleast appears so). And he wasn't knocking down the closet if no-one else in his base, or even the unit, knew he was homosexual.

[Hacker]

Does this kind of thing always happen with Eagle pilots?

Easy, there. Ferenbach is a WSO.

[FlyingBull]

Hacker, the Military.com story says pilot. But I'm obviously not in the Strike Eagle community and it wouldn't be shocking that a reporter doesn't know the difference between a WSO and a Pilot.

[Vetter]

Hacker, the Military.com story says pilot. But I'm obviously not in the Strike Eagle community and it wouldn't be shocking that a reporter doesn't know the difference between a WSO and a Pilot.

Ohhh, he's a WSO...totally makes sense now! Just playin'...

Gotta be more to the story!

[Toro]

I know this individual and this is a complete shock to me. He is the epitome of a fighter pilot (I don't care if he's a WSO) and anybody who knows him will probably feel the same way.

For all of you who cringe at serving next to a homosexual, let this be a lesson to you. I have flown with him and partied in the bar with him. I had absolutely no idea, as I'm sure did any of the other bros who have served in his 18 years of service.

Before you light the torches to condemn homosexuals outright, realize that it may be the guy right next to you. It is reality for me.

[Steve Davies]

This does not make an ounce of difference, but for the sake of clarification, is he a retread? The photos of him in the jet show him sitting in the front of it...

[Hacker]

This does not make an ounce of difference, but for the sake of clarification, is he a retread? The photos of him in the jet show him sitting in the front of it...

There is *a* photo at 0+37 into the video that shows him sitting in the front seat of something, but it is not a Strike Eagle.

Looks like it could be a Corsair, and judging by the patches he's wearing, it's probably at the NAS Pensacola Museum.

[Young Crow]

For all of you who cringe at serving next to a homosexual, let this be a lesson to you. I have flown with him and partied in the bar with him. I had absolutely no idea, as I'm sure did any of the other bros who have served in his 18 years of service.

I think a lot of people would be surprised at the number of homosexual crewdogs out there.

I for one say, who cares? As long as you pull your weight, I really don't care who or what you do in your spare time. In fact, I don't think the whole gay thing is shameful at all. On the other hand, I'm pretty ashamed at the number of USAF Officers who play World of Warcraft.

[brickhistory]

No dog in the fight, however, "18 years of service" is listed.

So, if the guy was gay when he commissioned, he was before DADT. So he knowingly accepted a commission under false pretenses. Remember the "with no mental reservations" clause in the oath?

Or, if he 'switched' sometime after 1993 when DADT became DoD policy, then, as mentioned, there is more to the story I would think.

And, I'm sorry, it's funny that it's in the (Strike) Eagle community.

Not for the guy personally, but for the stereotype.

[NUKE]

This guy was one of my instructors at Pcola and I'd definetely say I never knew anything about him being gay.

The pics are him sitting in the front seat of a bird in the Pensacola Museum.

[Young Crow]

So, if the guy was gay when he commissioned, he was before DADT. So he knowingly accepted a commission under false pretenses. Remember the "with no mental reservations" clause in the oath?

I know what you're saying here, but...

In WWII, when folks lied about their age to serve their country, it was heroic.

Now, if you withhold information about your PERSONAL life to serve your country, we must find you and destroy you.

[brickhistory]

I know what you're saying here, but...

In WWII, when folks lied about their age to serve their country, it was heroic.

Now, if you withhold information about your PERSONAL life to serve your country, we must find you and destroy you.

And, if those underage were found out, they were discharged from the service.

IF the guy knowingly broke the law as it then existed before 1993, then I'm not very sympathetic to his plight. He made a choice to join the military knowing what the rules were. To cry foul later is sour grapes.

Him appearing on the Rachel Maddow show smacks of something political and not about this guy's specific plight.

I don't know him. Some here do and vouch for him. I take their word regarding him. Sucks to be him.

I have no doubt there is more to the story, however.

As there is to our favorite Jill Metzger, but that never seems to get the light of day by Big Blue.

I'm not a fan of the hypocrisy in the individual or the institution.

Edited May 20, 2009 by brickhistory

[Guest Hueypilot812]

After watching the video, I think this guy was deployed to the Deid when I was there in 2003...he was always in the O Club bar (when they had one). I had ZERO idea he was gay, in fact I thought the opposite, because the two female pilots in our unit absolutely loved this guy and he was always hanging out with them...

In any case, I don't get hyper about the gay in the military thing, because we had a female who was gay in the LA Guard and she was one of the few people in our unit that actually did any work.

[slacker]

On the other hand, I'm pretty ashamed at the number of USAF Officers who play World of Warcraft.

2.

I'm sure there is more to the story. This reeks of a political set-up to change DADT.

I think it is absolutely ridiculous that this guy couldn't be "shelfed" for 2 more years to get his 20. He sounds like a good guy and a competent aviator. I would hate to see a life of service flushed because he likes dudes. Apparently, before someone either asked or he told, no one knew or it wasn't a problem.

Well, he could always join the Navy...(rimshot) I keed, I keed...(not really)

as long as a dude has a hard-on for killing the enemies of the United States he can stand and fight next to me.

I've noticed you reference erections a few times in your recent posts- please don't tell, and we won't ask. And a dude with a hard-on can stand right next to you and fight, that's fine.