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Tudorp

Big guy with a lil' uke..
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I dont like to say "Happy Memorial Day" because of the true nature of this day. This a day to be happy however because we (The USA of us) live a life of freedom because of the alltimate sacrifice our troops and the troops of our allies paid. I celebrate why they gave up what they did. Personally, I also cellibrate freedom of spirit for what Christ gave up for that freedom as well, and that reaches beyond our borders.
 
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Amen! We have a lot to be thankful for!
 
Those who served appreciate your thinking of them Tudorp, thanks.
 
Bumped into my next door neighbor today. He's an 86 year-old WWII vet. His son had come to pick up he and his wife to take them to the national cemetary here. I didn't realize it until I was talking to him but he has two brothers buried there, and he will be joining them in a few years. All three of his parent's boys were serving over seas at the same time - could have been a "saving private Ryan" scenario had things gone poorly. Fortunately, all three of them returned safely. His older brother died a few months ago at ninety. His younger brother died a couple of years ago.

I got lucky, myself. I was in the AF for 12 years but got out months before the first gulf war. I'd intended to make it a career but the AF closed down my career field and wanted me to take a flight-line shop with no training (just "base level OJT" which is AF-speak for "TAC has your backside and doesn't want to release you because they might not get a replacement body"). I would have been responsible for guys working on aircraft without having the benefit of knowing whether they were doing it right or not. Couldn't stomach that so I bailed and more than doubled my total income working in industry. If I'd stayed in I probably would have been deployed in the first gulf war as the outfit I would have been in was sent.

John
 
Bumped into my next door neighbor today. He's an 86 year-old WWII vet. His son had come to pick up he and his wife to take them to the national cemetary here. I didn't realize it until I was talking to him but he has two brothers buried there, and he will be joining them in a few years. All three of his parent's boys were serving over seas at the same time - could have been a "saving private Ryan" scenario had things gone poorly. Fortunately, all three of them returned safely. His older brother died a few months ago at ninety. His younger brother died a couple of years ago.

I got lucky, myself. I was in the AF for 12 years but got out months before the first gulf war. I'd intended to make it a career but the AF closed down my career field and wanted me to take a flight-line shop with no training (just "base level OJT" which is AF-speak for "TAC has your backside and doesn't want to release you because they might not get a replacement body"). I would have been responsible for guys working on aircraft without having the benefit of knowing whether they were doing it right or not. Couldn't stomach that so I bailed and more than doubled my total income working in industry. If I'd stayed in I probably would have been deployed in the first gulf war as the outfit I would have been in was sent.

John

Sounds like my story with the exception of eleminating my career. I left the Air Force just after I got to bomb the hell out of Libia back in the 80s the 1st time. We supported the FB111 (they flew out of Lakenheath England) flying AROUND France to get to them. I was stationed at Hahn AB Germany at the time. Got out, mainly because I got tired of being a Red X supervisor having to sign off safety of flight items that were "supposably" repaired by some numb nut aircraft mechanics. I used to do the work myself, but they wanted me to take more of a supervisor and QA roll training younger Airmen. Used to stress me out having to check and sign off much of their work especially when we got an IFE call, or a call that we lost one of our aircraft. Nerve racking, and I decided I needed to do something much less stressful, were I didn't have to depend on a bunch of snot nosed aircraft mechanic wannabees.. lol..

Really cool about your neighbor. I can sit with those old guys forever listening to their stories.. They are a national treasure we are close to loosing completely.
 
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My son is serving at the moment and on his third tour of duty. We worry about him. He gets out next year in December. He has been in for six years already.

When ya see him again, give him a hug from an old retired vet for me will ya?
 
Very interesting! I got out right before the first gulf war, but actually was on the phone with a recruiter the night we bombed Libya. That incident helped decide to join up. I was in the NG during Desert shield, but never got deployed. I was in the ANG during desert storm, working on the gun on f-16s in the 177th FIG. We were responsible for the Atlantic seaboard, so only a few of our personnel got deployed. Mostly firefighters and a chaplain, I think.

Pippin, thanks for your great magazine, and we will pray for your son tonight at dinner.

Thanks to my fellow vets!

Tom
 
I don't think of memorial day as a religious holiday, but I suppose there are lots of ways to look at it?
 
I despise wars and what it can do to some people. I have seen documentaries, met Jewish people who were in concentration camps, seen art that WWII prisoners had done and read letters of WWI soldiers and I'm sure I'm not even close to imagining all the horrors they have lived.
But, I have great respect for soldiers. My father wasn't a soldier, but a Resistant during WWII - a small resistant, his unit mainly blew up railroad tracks or gave some intel. But one of his friends was in a higher position in Paris. He was caught and tortured (fingernails pulled out, hot horseshoes nailed to his feet etc. and left to die in front of his mother's door). My father lost many friends. He saw the American troups in Paris and ever since had great admiration for the country that helped liberate France from the Nazis. I think one of the happiest days of his life was when he got his American citizenship!
A big thanks to all soldiers, resistants or civilians who try to make the world a better place to live in. I may hate wars, but unfortunately, some have to be fought (like WWII).
 
Sounds like my story with the exception of eleminating my career. I left the Air Force just after I got to bomb the hell out of Libia back in the 80s the 1st time. We supported the FB111 (they flew out of Lakenheath England) flying AROUND France to get to them. I was stationed at Hahn AB Germany at the time. Got out, mainly because I got tired of being a Red X supervisor having to sign off safety of flight items that were "supposably" repaired by some numb nut aircraft mechanics. I used to do the work myself, but they wanted me to take more of a supervisor and QA roll training younger Airmen. Used to stress me out having to check and sign off much of their work especially when we got an IFE call, or a call that we lost one of our aircraft. Nerve racking, and I decided I needed to do something much less stressful, were I didn't have to depend on a bunch of snot nosed aircraft mechanic wannabees.. lol..
Hey Tudorp, while I appreciate and respect your opinion, I take offense to the term "a bunch of snot nosed aircraft mechanic wannabees" and "some numb nut aircraft mechanics". I was a 431X1 back in the day and I've worked on F-4's (RF, D & E models), 116's with the 388th TFW, and my last duty station working on the Blackbirds (SR-71 and U-2 aircraft along with T-38 Talons, KC-135's}. I've been in numerous positions from ground crew member to crew dawg to Flight Chief up to Production Supervisor. Granted there were a few who were all talk but I've had the pleasure of working with some of these "wannabees" and they pulled through for me numerous times. The airmen and NCO's I've worked with had system knowledge as well as the mechanical ability to repair/correct malfunctions and discrepancies. As a supervisor, this was an extremely critical step and I had no problems signing off Red X's because they took the time to explain and show me what was done. This was one reason why we were highly successful during Desert Storm. Our FMC rate was outstanding allowing us to meet our daily mission requirements as well as HHQ missions. I attribute that to the men and women who took pride in what they do to make it happen. As the Pro Super (Line Chief), I was also signing the Exceptional Releases (ER) before flights. The stress factor was there but not as nerve wracking due to the fact I had to review the entire aircraft forms prior to my signature. As far as QA, done that too . . . our job was not to "train" but to ensure proper training was given via task evaluations and follow ups. At my retirement ceremony, I thanked my crew dawgs and the specialists (AMS & FMS support) I worked alongside with. I told them I could never have done anything without their support. It was an honor working with them and would do it again in a heartbeat.
 
Hey Tudorp, while I appreciate and respect your opinion, I take offense to the term "a bunch of snot nosed aircraft mechanic wannabees" and "some numb nut aircraft mechanics". I was a 431X1 back in the day and I've worked on F-4's (RF, D & E models), 116's with the 388th TFW, and my last duty station working on the Blackbirds (SR-71 and U-2 aircraft along with T-38 Talons, KC-135's}. I've been in numerous positions from ground crew member to crew dawg to Flight Chief up to Production Supervisor. Granted there were a few who were all talk but I've had the pleasure of working with some of these "wannabees" and they pulled through for me numerous times. The airmen and NCO's I've worked with had system knowledge as well as the mechanical ability to repair/correct malfunctions and discrepancies. As a supervisor, this was an extremely critical step and I had no problems signing off Red X's because they took the time to explain and show me what was done. This was one reason why we were highly successful during Desert Storm. Our FMC rate was outstanding allowing us to meet our daily mission requirements as well as HHQ missions. I attribute that to the men and women who took pride in what they do to make it happen. As the Pro Super (Line Chief), I was also signing the Exceptional Releases (ER) before flights. The stress factor was there but not as nerve wracking due to the fact I had to review the entire aircraft forms prior to my signature. As far as QA, done that too . . . our job was not to "train" but to ensure proper training was given via task evaluations and follow ups. At my retirement ceremony, I thanked my crew dawgs and the specialists (AMS & FMS support) I worked alongside with. I told them I could never have done anything without their support. It was an honor working with them and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Point taken brother. Yeah, my comment was too "general" and for that I apologize. I never want to underestimate our troops, and we all were those snot nosed wannabees at some point (myself included). I also had some very good technicians in my crew that I counted on. On my last assignment I had several "new troops" come in that were VERY sharp, but just didn't seen to want to "turn a wrench". I am very confident that they ended up being outstanding technicians, because like I said, they were sharp. My problem was really me, and not them. I was "old school" and took my job very seriously, as did they, but just was cut out of different molds. As an aircraft electrician, and coming out of SAC (B-52, KC-135, as well as some of the other old birds), I ended up in TAC (F-16, at that time fairly new). While working in SAC, we would get pretty messy repairing the old birds. I have been covered, and rained on my nasty hot hydrolic fluid during many "redballs", busted knuckles, and allot of blood, sweat and tears in my work in SAC. Some of the new mechanics wouldn't tolerate that type of dedication (at that time) and would whine when they got a blister pulling a generator/CSD package while the other engines were screaming on the next pod. Many of the "new force" coming in were polished, and very sharp, that I would have never taken away from them. But, I just had allot of issues with them with the "mightier than tho" attitudes of some of them, and even being new troops thinking they were above diving in and getting their hands dirty. Those are the kids I had a problem with. One specific gal came into my group that was sharp as a tack, and had quite a bit of college under her belt, and came to me as a SrA (at that time, and E-4, (no star, non NCO)) due to her college credit. At that time, I was an E4 Buck Sgt (with the star and NCO status). Sure I was a young NCO, and just starting into a crew leader position. I had been a Buck Sgt longer than she was in the Air Force, and she tries to pull rank with me one day because I asked her to perform a low status electrical job that new trainees typically had to do. She claimed that us both being E4s, I had NO right to tell her to do such a lowly job (even tho I was her direct supervisor). She wanted one of the high profile jobs I had slated for that day (which at that time, she was not experianced enough to deal with). It was that attitude I had issues with, and I had several of those type on my crew. Again, sharp troops, but they just didn't seem to want to crawl up the latter like many of us older school guys had to do. The "New Force" was simply a culture shock for me, and I would never want to belittle those guys, because again, sharp and it was the "new way". I made the decision that I was simply going to turn the reins over to them and let them carry the torch. Those "new" troops years later, I am sure turned out to be awesome leaders, and had high quality contributions to our new military. I just had to give up my old school ways, and let them take the reins. I am proud of my job in serving, and I am proud of them too as they took our military to the next level, and for that, I applaud them (and you). But, at that time, they were snot nosed wannabees, and today, they ARE the highly skilled profesionals that run our military today. And I am proud of my era, and I am proud of their era too for their work..

I hope that explains it a little better brother.. ;)
 
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Here is a GREATFUL thanks to all of our Veterans!!!!! Thank you for your service and scarifice to our GREAT Nation!!!!
 
I've run across a few who were quite intelligent, didn't wanna do jack and thought they were above all, easily put into place. Book Smart/Tool Dumb . . . I've also encountered my share of rank mongers who always ask the question "What's your DoR?" Those clowns always made me laugh. Yea, I don't like changes, but I kept telling myself it's inevitable. One of the reasons I decided to get out. BTW, I was at Zweibrucken from 75 thru 77 and use to spend a lot of time on the Mosel near Bernkastle, missed the Wine Fests after I left there.

Sorry for going off topic . . .
 
I've run across a few who were quite intelligent, didn't wanna do jack and thought they were above all, easily put into place. Book Smart/Tool Dumb . . . I've also encountered my share of rank mongers who always ask the question "What's your DoR?" Those clowns always made me laugh. Yea, I don't like changes, but I kept telling myself it's inevitable. One of the reasons I decided to get out. BTW, I was at Zweibrucken from 75 thru 77 and use to spend a lot of time on the Mosel near Bernkastle, missed the Wine Fests after I left there.

Sorry for going off topic . . .

Loved Bernkastle (I was stationed at Hahn 83-86). We spend allot of our free time running up and down the Mosel, especially during winefest season.
 
Thought I would share this old picture. This is my graduation picture when I graduated Aircraft System School at what used to be Chanute AFB in Illinois. The old base is long closed down now, and now the main hanger being an Air Force museum. I dedicate my picture to all the troops past and recent that did not ever get to come home..

airfoce.jpg
 
Blue & White tags along with Perma press fatigues . . . dem's da good ol days.
 
Blue & White tags along with Perma press fatigues . . . dem's da good ol days.

Thought ya might get a kick out of that.. lol.. My bootcamp issued fatiques were all cotton, and damn those things were a pain in the rear to keep ironed. Those polyester fatiques were a God send on inspection days, hahhah.. The uniform has come a long way since those days haven't they? lol
 
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