IronMike 0 #1 February 8, 2003 My Dad (fromer Navy F-8 Jock in Nam and DFC holder) forwarded me this. It reminds me not to judge people on issues I am not intimately familiar with. Fighter Pilot Perspective Begin with the cream of the crop of young educated men and women, train them as military officers, teach them the skills of flying sophisticated aircraft and select the top percent making them your Fighter Pilots. Now further their skills by years of grueling study, practice, physical conditioning and send them to combat. Take them from their American environment off to war and deprive them of the comforts of warmth, sleep, home cooking, freedom amongst others and give them a mission. Brief them for hours and stick their skinny butts in a fighter at night dressed in flight suit, anti-exposure suit, full body G-suit , high-top boots, gloves, full helmet including visor, neck strap, night vision goggles and strap them in tight with seat belt and shoulder harness. Then add a few extras to clutter the cockpit such as chemical gear, maps, authenticators, side-arm, flash lights, pens, food, piddle packs, hand held GPS, survival gear and a picture of their loved ones. Launch them, alone or in a flock of aircraft to fly numerous boring hours requiring precise timing and coordination with controlling agencies and other aircraft to reach the area of interest. Refuel enroute and maintain vigilant awareness of aircraft control and performance throughout. NOW, start the action by pushing the power up to fighting speed, somewhere around supersonic, selecting and arming the weaponry for the mission, turning off all external lights, tuning your warning gear to defeat any surface to air missiles, air to air attacks, and antiaircraft artillery ground fire. Maneuver the fighter with turns resulting in G loads on your body causing your weight to increase by a factor of nine. Audio monitor information blasting from three to five radios, aircraft warning systems, weapons systems, command and control and if you are lucky communications jamming from the enemy. Search through your HUD(heads up display) for vital targeting information and ignore the streams of tracers lighting the skies or any weather, smoke or chaff that may be distracting. Update coordinates in your computers located under your left arm behind your hip in the dark and by God do not miss one digit. Recheck your authentication authority and release your weapon. Jink hard left and right and remember to activate your chaff, flares and what ever aircraft survival systems will help to avoid losing your 50 million dollar jet. Reverse this procedure to return to home away from home and extensively debrief all aspects of the last twelve hours and ready yourself for another mission. Rest close to your chemical gear and be ready to launch all aircraft at a moments notice for survival. Check the morning news and see your comrades on trial for their lives for possibly making a mistake on one of the thousands of decisions and actions they made during their sortie. Makes you wonder if the folks back home are keeping things in perspective. Jack McDougall (Whamo) retired F16 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #2 February 8, 2003 To people who don't do this type of work,(the vast majority), it all sound like Charlie Brown's teacher talking..WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA. Only those who do work in this field, ( a small minority), realize the complexities of such tasks and appreciate them for what they are worth, be it in the sky or in the bush with a big green tick on your back."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #3 February 8, 2003 I understood every bit of that, makes me respect those guys even more.I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IronMike 0 #4 February 8, 2003 Skydiving has the most extreme mix of US policy viewpoints than any other demographic group. There are lots of skydivers in the military who have pledged to die for our freedoms and, on the other extreme, lots of skydivers that live in tents, smoke pot all day and believe everybody in the world is good, everyting is OK and world peace blah blah. I do see both sides. When NYC Mayor Gulianni returned the 10 million donation from the Saudi Prince after 9-11 because the Prince said we need to re-evaluate mideast policy, I thought Gulianni was way out of line. Diouluge on any issue should always be promoted. For the US th think we are blameless or sinless is rediculous. I support our Military and Bush 100%. I don't always agree with everything but when have you agreed with anyone on 100% of the issues? I skydive everyday and go to the store and buy anything I want cheap because the US version of Capitalism, Democracy, and Industrialism works better than any other system in the world. We have more for our tax dollars, pay less taxes, have more freedoms, more opportunities, and the opportunity to be truly happy than any other country in the world. Dioulauge and asking why is good. Saying Bush is categorically an idiot is not productive. I seriously doubt an idiot could graduate from Yale. He might not be your favorite person, but I don't doubt his, our soldiers, or our our governments patriotism. You are not privvy to all the intelligence. I believe we need military action against Iraq and probablt North Korea. Korea will build nukes. I am convinced they will not use them. I am convinced they will sell them to the highest bidder. Wonder who the target will be? Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #5 February 8, 2003 Yeah, then fly back and put it on a carrier deck. In bad weather. At night. Then go do it again. And again. And again. It never ceases to amaze me that there are people who willingly sign up for such lethal business. A book I read about the Falklands War summed it up. An old Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer was quoted thusly - "Anybody who thinks today's youth are no good...ought to have a look at these lads." To get an idea of what CV ops are like, read "Flight of the Intruder". The story and the characters are unforgettable."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IronMike 0 #6 February 8, 2003 Another great read Chickenhawk http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0140072187/qid=1044684768/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-3665552-1669616?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #7 February 8, 2003 QuoteYou are not privvy to all the intelligence. I believe we need military action against Iraq and probablt North Korea. Korea will build nukes. I am convinced they will not use them. I am convinced they will sell them to the highest bidder. Wonder who the target will be? Mike Mike, Is your post a statement or a reply to a post? I'm confused as to what/who it addresses in this thread."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IronMike 0 #8 February 8, 2003 QuoteMike, Is your post a statement or a reply to a post? I'm confused as to what/who it addresses in this thread. No, it is in' pre-emptive' (pun-intended) response from the liberals. M ike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #9 February 8, 2003 AAAHHHH, Gotcha "It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fool 0 #10 February 8, 2003 Quote Check the morning news and see your comrades on trial for their lives for possibly making a mistake on one of the thousands of decisions and actions they made during their sortie. Makes you wonder if the folks back home are keeping things in perspective. In some cases, others look and see your boys on trial, and think how wrong it is for them to be there and how many other people had to make mistakes to get them there. Where are they? S.E.X. party #1 "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "f*#k, what a ride". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #11 February 8, 2003 I feel the letter was an excellent perspective of "being there in his boots". As far as support, well G.W. is a Skull member("Yale"=smart?) he's at the TOP of the Order of MASONs. The people that are actually calling the shots are the orders I have pledged to obey "one Nation under God, indivisable". "Liberals" do love Freedom, Amen. We should all be willing to fight and die for our freedom as those before did for us. p.s. Big G. Bush was our Pres. from the CIA with a Death touchG.W. was a cheerleader at Yale _______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #12 February 8, 2003 Great post. I just watched Band of Brothers and in one episode the men were around Foy and needing supplies. They tried to air drop supplies in and as the fighters came in to clear the area they ended up shooting at their own guys. You didn't see them on trial did you? We should learn something from our past. This trial of these fighter pilots who dropped on the Canadians is a tragic accident. The loss of life can never be replaced. It is not taken lightly either. But we are involved in a war over there and people are carrying very large noise makers. My hope is that these pilots are found NOT GUILTY of manslaughter (that's what they are being charged with right?) and put back on the line or allowed to retire with an Honorable Discharge. Chris Schindler Grandson of 2 WWII Vets. Sick of people thinking war is clean and sanitary. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
