Combat readiness unimportant

MikeD · March 10th, 2005, 21:32

As many of you know, I'm currently up here in Vegas taking part in the first Red Flag exercises of 2005. For those of you that don't know, RF is the penultimate war game simulation for all the US services, as well as foreign air arms. An interesting thing happened today, and is the result of things that have happened the last couple of days. For the last few days, we've been launching/recovering over 70 aircraft for each half-day "war" in the central Nevada bombing ranges. And for the last few days, we've had to hustle back to base and recover the same number of aircraft, due to a NOTAM for the base being closed for Thunderbird practice. When the T-Birds practice, no other aircraft movement is allowed for about 2 hours. No flying, no taxiing, no engines running, no one even on the flightline. So naturally, it's a royal pain in the ass to have to work under/around these conditions. Today, we had numerous problems with one runway being blocked by F-117 drag chutes that were waiting to get cleared, while the other runway got fouled by an F-15 that made a long-field arrestment. So we had to have planes hold, and other s return a little early so as not to "get caught" in the air during the T-Birds practice window. Anyhow, in the debrief following the mission, one of the aircrews complained about how much of a problem having to work around the T-Bird restriction was to the major combat operation going on. We were told point-blank by the RF commander that, so far as the USAF command was concerned, Thunderbird practice time was more important than the major multi-service combat exercise going on at the same time. So in essence, 6 airplanes with ascot-wearing pillots doing loops to music have more importance than 80 combat jets training for full-up war. WTFO? The commander further explained that the issue has been brought up before, but the Commander, Air Combat Command, has in-essence, told the leadership here to "shut up and color".

I suggested the USAF Air Warfare Center (the parent command for aerial combat excellence) here be changed to the USAF Aerial Demonstration Center; since apparently that's where the USAFs priorities lie.

Go freaking figure........

[/rant off]

kellwolf · March 10th, 2005, 21:35

Sounds like that Commander used to wear an ascot. Since when did recruiting (which is essentially what the T-Birds are) become more important than combat training. I mean, I thought the goal of the military was to blow s*&t up, not perform flawless tuck under rolls and inverted tricks.

MikeD · March 10th, 2005, 21:37

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like that Commander used to wear an ascot. Since when did recruiting (which is essentially what the T-Birds are) become more important than combat training. I mean, I thought the goal of the military was to blow s*&t up, not perform flawless tuck under rolls and inverted tricks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good question. I used to think the same thing.

The CO here is (supposedly) just doing what the ACC commander at Langley is directing him to do. Still, he has an obligation to raise the BS flag higher and higher until it's seen.

But that might make becoming a General a little difficult.

kellwolf · March 10th, 2005, 21:38

Ah, military politics. Nice to see that it's no different in the military than anywhere else when you're trying to move up the company ladder.....

Baronman · March 10th, 2005, 22:09

Let's face it, those guys are big pimps...Getting out of your just waxed aircraft with big aviator glasses and an ascot on. You're lucky they let you use the same runway when they're done!!

MikeD · March 10th, 2005, 22:15

[ QUOTE ]
Let's face it, those guys are big pimps...Getting out of your just waxed aircraft with big aviator glasses and an ascot on. You're lucky they let you use the same runway when they're done!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Last year at an airshow, the T-Birds were coming on following the F-117 demo. Our 117 pilot was specifically told to land and remain at the end of the runway, since the T-Bird ground show was going to start, and they didn't want the crowd's attention drawn away to the 117.

The pilot said he didn't get the word, and taxied back anyway, to the picture delight of the crowd..........

shooter13 · March 10th, 2005, 22:26

The argument could be made that the T-birds do enough to help recruiting that it is more important than restricting but not ending your exercises. Just playing devils advocate. I obviously don't know the numbers but that may be how someone justifies it.

MikeD · March 10th, 2005, 22:27

[ QUOTE ]
The argument could be made that the T-birds do enough to help recruiting that it is more important than restricting but not ending your exercises. Just playing devils advocate. I obviously don't know the numbers but that may be how someone justifies it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're probably correct about how the higher ups likely view the matter.

scoobs · March 10th, 2005, 22:56

Slightly off topic.Mike do you plan on staying in the full 20?Also I heard that most of the flight time comes from flying the T-38 not the F-117,is this true.

EricPalmer · March 11th, 2005, 07:48

That is interesting.

I like the USAF, just that I could start a rant on a bunch of things like that. I feel your pain.

What you say there though could be a great letter to a congressman.

USAF is full up on retention, ( a big part of the T-Bird mission is recruiting ) ... so I don't see the problem if they relocated the T-Bird practice somewhere else and put war training ahead of everything else. I like the T-Birds, but if it was up to me, I'd can them. I have more fun watching an ACC F-15 pilot do his demo at an airshow than I do the T-Birds. It's not like USAF will miss recruiting goals for next year ( they won't ).

T-Birds should practice somewhere else.... and like it.

They should practice at the bone yard, so they can be reminded that they aren't currently in a combat unit

and their current billet could be removed at anytime due to other needs.

mtsu_av8er · March 11th, 2005, 08:40

[ QUOTE ]
Still, he has an obligation to raise the BS flag higher and higher until it's seen.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's alot of the problen, MikeD. Folks are so concerned about their career that they are scared to raise the BS flag.

ROFCIBC · March 11th, 2005, 09:12

Mike,

Welcome to the REAL world of the "Thunderbird's Sanctity", as I came to know it. Not just at Nellis but everywhere else.

Years ago they went on a South American tour and the KC10 took them as we had all that room inside. Planned a straight shot down there. But Nooooo! Can't fly "feet wet"! (means over water, out of sight of land and all that). Hmmm....why not? I mean these are real fighting jets, the bomb dropping, gun shooting Fighting Falcon! Just like the ones we been dragging across the pond for years!

Seems the "elite" don't want to do it that way...gotta go over land, waste more gas, time, money, etc etc! Needles to say we of the Tanker Toad persuasion gave them a ration of crap every inch of the way, every time we could!

Then we get there...but we have to hold until they land first, taxi in, and shut down! Neato...can't have the slug support troops get there first...especially a bunch of reserve, long hair and smiling troops!

Fine...we do that. Except the support they usually have thanks to a C141 isn't there! That support is inside the mighty strato bladder! There is NO C141! Ooooops!

So the "elite" cool their heels, sitting in their lawn darts, I think with engines running due to no chocks or some other such thing, while we land and off load some of the support troops!

BTW, we did a 360 overhead in the BWP (Big White Plane) just to piss 'em off!

Gotta love it!

Windchill · March 11th, 2005, 12:06

[ QUOTE ]
I thought the goal of the military was to blow s*&t up

[/ QUOTE ]

"Break things and kill people" was the unofficial phrase bestowed upon me.

USMCmech · March 11th, 2005, 12:45

A det from HMX had a run in with the T-birds.

It seems that both HMX arived after the T-birds had taken the only avialable hanger space.

Our guys landed and taxied in with two VH-60s (no blade fold) and two CH-53s (with blade flold).

The pilot in charge of the Det politely told the T-birds CO that we would need them to tow their planes out and let us have the hanger. Their CO thought our guys had lost our minds.

Of course he told the Jarheads to get lost.

About 30 minutes later the T-birds CO is talking on the phone to the White House Mill Office, and the AF is hooking up tow bars to their birds.

Funny, after all this drama, there seemed to be some sort of problem with the blade fold on the CH-53s, so our helos took up every inch of hanger space.

At least that's how I heard the story.

aloft · March 11th, 2005, 13:17

[ QUOTE ]
The CO here is (supposedly) just doing what the ACC commander at Langley is directing him to do. Still, he has an obligation to raise the BS flag higher and higher until it's seen.

But that might make becoming a General a little difficult.

[/ QUOTE ]

Um, yeah. I'd think that MAJCOM would be where the buck stops, unless you're deployed and attached to a unified command. I can't imagine that going over the head of a MAJCOM commander would go well at all.

EricPalmer · March 11th, 2005, 17:31

Cool ROFCIBC,

Yup, KC-10s are great!

( Barksdale 86-92 )

FlyNavy · March 11th, 2005, 19:06

I always thought those dou**es should stay up at Indian Springs and out of everyones' way!

Oh well, nothing that a 500 kt pass at 200' through Student Gap won't cure!

Icelandair · March 11th, 2005, 19:08

The purpose of the military is to kill people and break things

PaulRix · March 12th, 2005, 00:33

You would think that the T-Birds could practice pretty much anywhere (the USA is a pretty big place).

MikeD · March 13th, 2005, 02:52

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The CO here is (supposedly) just doing what the ACC commander at Langley is directing him to do. Still, he has an obligation to raise the BS flag higher and higher until it's seen.

But that might make becoming a General a little difficult.

[/ QUOTE ]

Um, yeah. I'd think that MAJCOM would be where the buck stops, unless you're deployed and attached to a unified command. I can't imagine that going over the head of a MAJCOM commander would go well at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

Problem is, we've got too many candyass officers in the AF. There's very few combat officers and too many peacetime officers. I delineate the two as such: A combat officer is one that that's just that: a combat leader and worker.....gruff, no BS, cuts the crap and gets the job done. The peacetime officer is the one who's a specialist at schoomizing the defense contractors at the pentagon procrument parties, the one always seeking the good photo op, the one that prefers the mess dress or Class A over the work uniform. Very rarely will the two ever cross. These days, you've got guys talking about "flying combat" in planes like the B-52, which today just slings GPS guided missiles from afar, or worse, in Predators, where the guy is sitting in some control van. It makes me chuckle. Flying combat is what I did over a year ago in the Hog, down and dirty as the only fixed-wing plane left to help in a troops-in-contact fight because the F-16s ran out of fuel a long time ago and left, and the F-15Es are too busy taking a vote between the two guys inside who are arguing over what they see in their sensors to do anything effective for you. So it's you left down low gunning the enemy up close and personal....and it is personal when you see the body parts going in varying directions due to your handiwork. And to that extent, what I did pales in comparison to what helo crews of all services do in combat. They've got the danger factor right up there.

It's high time that the AF figure out that it's mission is to fly and fight, not work the DC cocktail party circuit.

ROFCIBC · March 13th, 2005, 10:07

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I thought the goal of the military was to blow s*&t up

[/ QUOTE ]

"Break things and kill people" was the unofficial phrase bestowed upon me.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the old Strategic Air Command the motto was "Peace is our Profession". To which most crew dogs added,

"War is our Hobby!"

Doug Taylor · March 13th, 2005, 10:57

Where did "preservation of one's precious bodily fluids" factor in?

(It's a reference to "Dr. Strangelove" people!)

ROFCIBC · March 13th, 2005, 11:05

[ QUOTE ]
Where did "preservation of one's precious bodily fluids" factor in?

(It's a reference to "Dr. Strangelove" people!)

[/ QUOTE ]

That was the "key" to the codes that would recall the bombers! But they missed one! Yeahhhaaaaaa!

So there "Colonel Batguano or whatever your name is!" as uttered by Group Commander Mandrake!

"I told you never to call me here!"....

A300Capt · March 13th, 2005, 11:29

Friend of mine here who flew left wing and slot for the Blue Angels in the 90's tells me it's night and day the way the T-Birds and the Blues are treated by their respective branch of the military.

The Blues have a shoe string budget and work out of a mobile home and have to scrounge for parts where as the T-Birds have all the pomp and circumstance and shiny brass of the British elite with spit shine hangar floors and tailored suits.

The Blues always put on a more impressive show IMHO!

MikeD · March 13th, 2005, 11:45

[ QUOTE ]
The Blues always put on a more impressive show IMHO!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll second that. You're not kidding.

March 10th, 2005, 21:32	#1
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	Combat readiness unimportant As many of you know, I'm currently up here in Vegas taking part in the first Red Flag exercises of 2005. For those of you that don't know, RF is the penultimate war game simulation for all the US services, as well as foreign air arms. An interesting thing happened today, and is the result of things that have happened the last couple of days. For the last few days, we've been launching/recovering over 70 aircraft for each half-day "war" in the central Nevada bombing ranges. And for the last few days, we've had to hustle back to base and recover the same number of aircraft, due to a NOTAM for the base being closed for Thunderbird practice. When the T-Birds practice, no other aircraft movement is allowed for about 2 hours. No flying, no taxiing, no engines running, no one even on the flightline. So naturally, it's a royal pain in the ass to have to work under/around these conditions. Today, we had numerous problems with one runway being blocked by F-117 drag chutes that were waiting to get cleared, while the other runway got fouled by an F-15 that made a long-field arrestment. So we had to have planes hold, and other s return a little early so as not to "get caught" in the air during the T-Birds practice window. Anyhow, in the debrief following the mission, one of the aircrews complained about how much of a problem having to work around the T-Bird restriction was to the major combat operation going on. We were told point-blank by the RF commander that, so far as the USAF command was concerned, Thunderbird practice time was more important than the major multi-service combat exercise going on at the same time. So in essence, 6 airplanes with ascot-wearing pillots doing loops to music have more importance than 80 combat jets training for full-up war. WTFO? The commander further explained that the issue has been brought up before, but the Commander, Air Combat Command, has in-essence, told the leadership here to "shut up and color". I suggested the USAF Air Warfare Center (the parent command for aerial combat excellence) here be changed to the USAF Aerial Demonstration Center; since apparently that's where the USAFs priorities lie. Go freaking figure........ [/rant off]

March 10th, 2005, 21:35	#2
kellwolf Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 13,687	Re: Combat readiness unimportant Sounds like that Commander used to wear an ascot. Since when did recruiting (which is essentially what the T-Birds are) become more important than combat training. I mean, I thought the goal of the military was to blow s*&t up, not perform flawless tuck under rolls and inverted tricks.

March 10th, 2005, 21:37	#3
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] Sounds like that Commander used to wear an ascot. Since when did recruiting (which is essentially what the T-Birds are) become more important than combat training. I mean, I thought the goal of the military was to blow s*&t up, not perform flawless tuck under rolls and inverted tricks. [/ QUOTE ] Good question. I used to think the same thing. The CO here is (supposedly) just doing what the ACC commander at Langley is directing him to do. Still, he has an obligation to raise the BS flag higher and higher until it's seen. But that might make becoming a General a little difficult.

March 10th, 2005, 21:38	#4
kellwolf Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 13,687	Re: Combat readiness unimportant Ah, military politics. Nice to see that it's no different in the military than anywhere else when you're trying to move up the company ladder.....

March 10th, 2005, 22:09	#5
Baronman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NEWARK Posts: 1,049	Re: Combat readiness unimportant Let's face it, those guys are big pimps...Getting out of your just waxed aircraft with big aviator glasses and an ascot on. You're lucky they let you use the same runway when they're done!!

March 10th, 2005, 22:15	#6
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] Let's face it, those guys are big pimps...Getting out of your just waxed aircraft with big aviator glasses and an ascot on. You're lucky they let you use the same runway when they're done!! [/ QUOTE ] Last year at an airshow, the T-Birds were coming on following the F-117 demo. Our 117 pilot was specifically told to land and remain at the end of the runway, since the T-Bird ground show was going to start, and they didn't want the crowd's attention drawn away to the 117. The pilot said he didn't get the word, and taxied back anyway, to the picture delight of the crowd..........

March 10th, 2005, 22:26	#7
shooter13 Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: South Carolina Posts: 1,952	Re: Combat readiness unimportant The argument could be made that the T-birds do enough to help recruiting that it is more important than restricting but not ending your exercises. Just playing devils advocate. I obviously don't know the numbers but that may be how someone justifies it.

March 10th, 2005, 22:27	#8
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] The argument could be made that the T-birds do enough to help recruiting that it is more important than restricting but not ending your exercises. Just playing devils advocate. I obviously don't know the numbers but that may be how someone justifies it. [/ QUOTE ] You're probably correct about how the higher ups likely view the matter.

March 10th, 2005, 22:56	#9
scoobs Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Diego Posts: 678	Re: Combat readiness unimportant Slightly off topic.Mike do you plan on staying in the full 20?Also I heard that most of the flight time comes from flying the T-38 not the F-117,is this true.

March 11th, 2005, 07:48	#10
EricPalmer Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Warner Robins Georgia Posts: 84	Re: Combat readiness unimportant That is interesting. I like the USAF, just that I could start a rant on a bunch of things like that. I feel your pain. What you say there though could be a great letter to a congressman. USAF is full up on retention, ( a big part of the T-Bird mission is recruiting ) ... so I don't see the problem if they relocated the T-Bird practice somewhere else and put war training ahead of everything else. I like the T-Birds, but if it was up to me, I'd can them. I have more fun watching an ACC F-15 pilot do his demo at an airshow than I do the T-Birds. It's not like USAF will miss recruiting goals for next year ( they won't ). T-Birds should practice somewhere else.... and like it. They should practice at the bone yard, so they can be reminded that they aren't currently in a combat unit and their current billet could be removed at anytime due to other needs.

March 11th, 2005, 08:40	#11
mtsu_av8er Old Skool Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Utopia Posts: 12,505	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] Still, he has an obligation to raise the BS flag higher and higher until it's seen. [/ QUOTE ] That's alot of the problen, MikeD. Folks are so concerned about their career that they are scared to raise the BS flag.

March 11th, 2005, 09:12	#12
ROFCIBC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bossier City, Louisiana Posts: 591	Re: Combat readiness unimportant Mike, Welcome to the REAL world of the "Thunderbird's Sanctity", as I came to know it. Not just at Nellis but everywhere else. Years ago they went on a South American tour and the KC10 took them as we had all that room inside. Planned a straight shot down there. But Nooooo! Can't fly "feet wet"! (means over water, out of sight of land and all that). Hmmm....why not? I mean these are real fighting jets, the bomb dropping, gun shooting Fighting Falcon! Just like the ones we been dragging across the pond for years! Seems the "elite" don't want to do it that way...gotta go over land, waste more gas, time, money, etc etc! Needles to say we of the Tanker Toad persuasion gave them a ration of crap every inch of the way, every time we could! Then we get there...but we have to hold until they land first, taxi in, and shut down! Neato...can't have the slug support troops get there first...especially a bunch of reserve, long hair and smiling troops! Fine...we do that. Except the support they usually have thanks to a C141 isn't there! That support is inside the mighty strato bladder! There is NO C141! Ooooops! So the "elite" cool their heels, sitting in their lawn darts, I think with engines running due to no chocks or some other such thing, while we land and off load some of the support troops! BTW, we did a 360 overhead in the BWP (Big White Plane) just to piss 'em off! Gotta love it!

March 11th, 2005, 12:06	#13
Windchill Old Skool Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Mid-Atlantic, KMRB Posts: 1,925	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] I thought the goal of the military was to blow s*&t up [/ QUOTE ] "Break things and kill people" was the unofficial phrase bestowed upon me.

March 11th, 2005, 12:45	#14
USMCmech Old Skool Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas TX Posts: 1,623	Re: Combat readiness unimportant A det from HMX had a run in with the T-birds. It seems that both HMX arived after the T-birds had taken the only avialable hanger space. Our guys landed and taxied in with two VH-60s (no blade fold) and two CH-53s (with blade flold). The pilot in charge of the Det politely told the T-birds CO that we would need them to tow their planes out and let us have the hanger. Their CO thought our guys had lost our minds. Of course he told the Jarheads to get lost. About 30 minutes later the T-birds CO is talking on the phone to the White House Mill Office, and the AF is hooking up tow bars to their birds. Funny, after all this drama, there seemed to be some sort of problem with the blade fold on the CH-53s, so our helos took up every inch of hanger space. At least that's how I heard the story.

March 11th, 2005, 13:17	#15
aloft Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Inside your OODA loop Posts: 6,864	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] The CO here is (supposedly) just doing what the ACC commander at Langley is directing him to do. Still, he has an obligation to raise the BS flag higher and higher until it's seen. But that might make becoming a General a little difficult. [/ QUOTE ] Um, yeah. I'd think that MAJCOM would be where the buck stops, unless you're deployed and attached to a unified command. I can't imagine that going over the head of a MAJCOM commander would go well at all.

March 11th, 2005, 17:31	#16
EricPalmer Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Warner Robins Georgia Posts: 84	Re: Combat readiness unimportant Cool ROFCIBC, Yup, KC-10s are great! ( Barksdale 86-92 )

March 11th, 2005, 19:06	#17
FlyNavy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 255	Re: Combat readiness unimportant I always thought those dou**es should stay up at Indian Springs and out of everyones' way! Oh well, nothing that a 500 kt pass at 200' through Student Gap won't cure!

March 11th, 2005, 19:08	#18
Icelandair Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: North Dakota, USA Posts: 247	Re: Combat readiness unimportant The purpose of the military is to kill people and break things

March 12th, 2005, 00:33	#19
PaulRix Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 149	Re: Combat readiness unimportant You would think that the T-Birds could practice pretty much anywhere (the USA is a pretty big place).

March 13th, 2005, 02:52	#20
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] The CO here is (supposedly) just doing what the ACC commander at Langley is directing him to do. Still, he has an obligation to raise the BS flag higher and higher until it's seen. But that might make becoming a General a little difficult. [/ QUOTE ] Um, yeah. I'd think that MAJCOM would be where the buck stops, unless you're deployed and attached to a unified command. I can't imagine that going over the head of a MAJCOM commander would go well at all. [/ QUOTE ] Problem is, we've got too many candyass officers in the AF. There's very few combat officers and too many peacetime officers. I delineate the two as such: A combat officer is one that that's just that: a combat leader and worker.....gruff, no BS, cuts the crap and gets the job done. The peacetime officer is the one who's a specialist at schoomizing the defense contractors at the pentagon procrument parties, the one always seeking the good photo op, the one that prefers the mess dress or Class A over the work uniform. Very rarely will the two ever cross. These days, you've got guys talking about "flying combat" in planes like the B-52, which today just slings GPS guided missiles from afar, or worse, in Predators, where the guy is sitting in some control van. It makes me chuckle. Flying combat is what I did over a year ago in the Hog, down and dirty as the only fixed-wing plane left to help in a troops-in-contact fight because the F-16s ran out of fuel a long time ago and left, and the F-15Es are too busy taking a vote between the two guys inside who are arguing over what they see in their sensors to do anything effective for you. So it's you left down low gunning the enemy up close and personal....and it is personal when you see the body parts going in varying directions due to your handiwork. And to that extent, what I did pales in comparison to what helo crews of all services do in combat. They've got the danger factor right up there. It's high time that the AF figure out that it's mission is to fly and fight, not work the DC cocktail party circuit.

March 13th, 2005, 10:07	#21
ROFCIBC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bossier City, Louisiana Posts: 591	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I thought the goal of the military was to blow s*&t up [/ QUOTE ] "Break things and kill people" was the unofficial phrase bestowed upon me. [/ QUOTE ] In the old Strategic Air Command the motto was "Peace is our Profession". To which most crew dogs added, "War is our Hobby!"

March 13th, 2005, 10:57	#22
Doug Taylor Agent Smith Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: KSDL Posts: 40,589 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Combat readiness unimportant Where did "preservation of one's precious bodily fluids" factor in? (It's a reference to "Dr. Strangelove" people!)

March 13th, 2005, 11:05	#23
ROFCIBC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bossier City, Louisiana Posts: 591	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] Where did "preservation of one's precious bodily fluids" factor in? (It's a reference to "Dr. Strangelove" people!) [/ QUOTE ] That was the "key" to the codes that would recall the bombers! But they missed one! Yeahhhaaaaaa! So there "Colonel Batguano or whatever your name is!" as uttered by Group Commander Mandrake! "I told you never to call me here!"....

March 13th, 2005, 11:29	#24
A300Capt Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Posts: 709	Re: Combat readiness unimportant Friend of mine here who flew left wing and slot for the Blue Angels in the 90's tells me it's night and day the way the T-Birds and the Blues are treated by their respective branch of the military. The Blues have a shoe string budget and work out of a mobile home and have to scrounge for parts where as the T-Birds have all the pomp and circumstance and shiny brass of the British elite with spit shine hangar floors and tailored suits. The Blues always put on a more impressive show IMHO!

March 13th, 2005, 11:45	#25
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	Re: Combat readiness unimportant [ QUOTE ] The Blues always put on a more impressive show IMHO! [/ QUOTE ] I'll second that. You're not kidding.

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