Any military aviators on here?

Pugs said:
It was always hit and miss. My whole RAG class hit it after we were in the fleet. However, after "soft wings' in VT-86 I got a chance to go to El Centro and fly back seat in TA-4's with instructors who were taking studs out on their first bombing hops (when asked "who wants to" my hand was up vey quickly despite August in El Centro!). Some of those students went right from their bombing get to SERE and then back to Beeville to finish up. Weird.
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One of my last PARs as a controller was a TA-4 out of El Centro. Actually talked to the Marine student pilot in base ops afterwards. He was honored to get to fly the A-4 while most of his class got T-45s. Great plane.
 
Velocity173 said:
One of my last PARs as a controller was a TA-4 out of El Centro. Actually talked to the Marine student pilot in base ops afterwards. He was honored to get to fly the A-4 while most of his class got T-45s. Great plane.
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It was truly one of those great planes that you never forget your time in.
 
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hindsight2020 said:
*bites tongue and skips the jarhead joke* I keed I keed! :D Semper fi!
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lol! Well I’ve worked with officers from all the branches and I can say hands down, the best officers that have the total package are the Marines. The one thing I always admired about the Marines is their attention to detail and an unwavering drive to be the best. I honestly can’t say that I observed that in the Army. Some great officers but nothing like I witnessed in the Marines. In the Marines excellence is the norm, in the Army, it’s the exception (special ops).

Old friend of mine summed up his Army Aviator experience perfectly. He got out after his 6 year obligation because he was sick of all the non combat BS training and lack of leadership (back bone). Upon his ETS, he was to get I believe an Army Com for his service. Not only did he get his award in the mail after ETS, his citation was screwed up completely. “For meritorious service as a food service warrant officer...” How in the **** can S1 screw that up that bad. A guy who was a stand out pilot, put his a$$ on the line in Iraq and they send him an Army Com for a fricking cook! Unbelievable but that lack of attention to detail is what I experienced in most of my 12 years in.
 
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Good book that highlights the challenges of being a Marine Officer. If you get a chance, rent Generation Kill as well. Starts off slow but gives an excellent portrayal of what it’s like to be in a confusing war and having to make split second decisions under extreme pressure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Bullet_Away
 
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Pugs said:
It was always hit and miss. My whole RAG class hit it after we were in the fleet. However, after "soft wings' in VT-86 I got a chance to go to El Centro and fly back seat in TA-4's with instructors who were taking studs out on their first bombing hops (when asked "who wants to" my hand was up vey quickly despite August in El Centro!). Some of those students went right from their bombing get to SERE and then back to Beeville to finish up. Weird.
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Yeah they sent us a message asking for volunteers for SERE and it took me about 15 seconds to say yes haha. Just glad to actually start some training.
 
Velocity173 said:
lol! Well I’ve worked with officers from all the branches and I can say hands down, the best officers that have the total package are the Marines.
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I have to say the guys I worked with in the Navy were as a group the smartest most honorable hardest working people I've ever been associated with. It was an honor to serve with them.
 
Pugs said:
It was truly one of those great planes that you never forget your time in.
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The times I remember most vividly are when it wasn't acting like a great plane. ;)

Nauga,
wedged in the trunk
 
nauga said:
The times I remember most vividly are when it wasn't acting like a great plane. ;)

Nauga,
wedged in the trunk
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It’s not the Scooter’s fault!:D
 
nauga said:
The times I remember most vividly are when it wasn't acting like a great plane. ;)

Nauga,
wedged in the trunk
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Nothing like an asymmetric slat departure that bounces your head off the canopy as you pitch at the merge. :D There's a reason the slats were pinned up for the Blues.
 
Pugs said:
Nothing like an asymmetric slat departure that bounces your head off the canopy as you pitch at the merge. :D There's a reason the slats were pinned up for the Blues.
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Well, all but #7. ;)
 
keep at it bud. It's been one seriously protracted training flow, but def worth it. And congrats on tracking strike. Don't eff up and that Hornet is all but yours. Seriously envy you right now. Best flying days of your life right now and in the next 4, from where I sit. :thumbsup:
 
Awesome. Not only the best flying days, but the best of times with good friends. I recently reconnected with my Beeville Schmucks, brought back many good memories of flight training. And we are headed off for a week of vacation with my JO squadron mates and their wives (one of whom wears stars now) where we will talk about our adult children, all of whom call each other cousins and stay in touch. You never think your time is the good old days, until they are.

Fight to fly, fly to fight, fight to win.
 
I have three friends who connect early in our careers and one mid way through...130 years of Army Aviation service between us...our gatherings are to this day are truly epic...best therapy ever...we are now talking about our grandkids but always reflect first to our absent companions...there is that aspect that I never see in the civilian world and hard to explain...to the sound of the guns...
 
Warlock said:
I have three friends who connect early in our careers and one mid way through...130 years of Army Aviation service between us...our gatherings are to this day are truly epic...best therapy ever...we are now talking about our grandkids but always reflect first to our absent companions...there is that aspect that I never see in the civilian world and hard to explain...to the sound of the guns...
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Had a couple of old Army buds up in my area for a funeral back in January. Hadn’t seen them in 10 years. We went to Longhorns for dinner. Drank too much, told far too many flying stories and stayed way too long. They had to kick us out at closing time. :)

Its amazing how you can go years without seeing your military aviator bros and you pick up right where you left off. The connection that exists can’t be nailed down to one thing. It’s about great flying, close calls, hardships and partying. I don’t want to go back to that life again but I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.

Enjoy the ride @calberto!
 
@calberto I take it you’re tracked for either F-18, AV-8 or F-35. Do you already know which, or is there a “wish list” you fill out at Meridian and find out later? We called it Order of Merit List in the Army. OML ranking (grades) determined aircraft selection.
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
That's what she teaches. It's the trainer for the F18 right?
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Yes, sort of. The 45 is the "strike track" trainer for the second half of pilot training. After T-45, students get their wings then go on to train in their fleet jet (F-35 or F-18's) at the school house for their jet. So the T-45 is like the USAF's T-38 in that you have to fly that to end up in a fighter but you are still in pilot training when you are flying them (and could end up in something besides a fighter).
 
EvilEagle said:
Yes, sort of. The 45 is the "strike track" trainer for the second half of pilot training. After T-45, students get their wings then go on to train in their fleet jet (F-35 or F-18's) at the school house for their jet. So the T-45 is like the USAF's T-38 in that you have to fly that to end up in a fighter but you are still in pilot training when you are flying them (and could end up in something besides a fighter).
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Ok. She used to fly F18s off of carriers. Now she is commander of a T-45C squad at Meridian.
 
Velocity173 said:
@calberto I take it you’re tracked for either F-18, AV-8 or F-35. Do you already know which, or is there a “wish list” you fill out at Meridian and find out later? We called it Order of Merit List in the Army. OML ranking (grades) determined aircraft selection.
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I'll get a preference list, but almost everyone is going F-35B right now. Some guys are still getting Harrier or 18's though. To my understanding, most of those guys will convert to the 35 also.
 
calberto said:
I'll get a preference list, but almost everyone is going F-35B right now. Some guys are still getting Harrier or 18's though. To my understanding, most of those guys will convert to the 35 also.
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Awesome man. Actually heard a Marine F-35 on the radio with JAX Center a few days ago. “Swede” call sign from VMFAT-501. I used to work them on approach / GCA a long time ago when they (VMFA-451) had F-18s.

Beaufort is a neat little town if you get stationed there. Tons of old Civil War history. Tons of Marine Corps aviation history as well. Not trashy either like you see outside the gates of major bases.
 
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