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Protocol in Qatar to arrange base visits for DVs and flags…sounds awesome…

My first question, if the mishap caused such an issue with trusting the platform, why wait all this time to initiate a change?

Word from some folks who saw it last night at the premiere on North Island is that it's pretty good.

My point is that rotary platforms tend to break more often and in much more unique ways than fixed wing platforms. They can also be much more of a pain in the ass to get into an up status. I don’t envy the dets trying to keep the plopters up.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the Osprey breaks on the beach. I’ve never been involved with the C-2 so I can’t directly compare rates but in the AF Ospreys doesn’t have the greatest aircraft availability rates. Plus, from talking to some CV-22 mechs, they aren’t the easiest...

A bicycle and a braided leather belt are usually high on their lists of must-haves.

Are you me??

It’s a numbers game, not necessarily health of the community. Granted, it’s tough to make it to Skipper if the squadrons cease to exist, but how big are the wardrooms? The squadrons may have a ton of dudes in it but squadrons only need a Skipper and XO. Not that I’d base my community decision...

Yup, kids are on spring break so we are road tripping it through Europe.

Yeah. It was a combo with the ladies room.

Was in Switzerland today so I had to take the hour detour to see the museum. Pretty well done, lots of cool history and they really focus on the high points. The old museum used to have virtually every watch they’ve made but this one shows the really cool watches and in a historical timeline...

Don’t underestimate what zippy said. I can honestly say that I didn’t appreciate how the Navy does checkrides till I got into the AF. It’s not necessarily more difficult, it’s just treated differently. I find the AF to be much more formal at checkride time than I ever did in the Navy. Prepare...

I’ve tried finding the applicable code but can’t either, so it makes me wonder if that part is a service specific thing. What does seem true though is to retire with less than 10 years as an officer requires secretary approval, and it’s only waiveable down to 8 years.

I think all versions of Navy 60s had some iteration of deice/anti ice, but I can’t remember ever actually seeing it installed. A lot of times the cables to the slip rings were cut and taped over.

It’ll be interesting to see the secondary market, at least initially. Rumors on some watch forums is they may be going for much more than the sticker price. They won’t be available at every Swatch shop so even though it’s not a limited edition it’s a self-imposed exclusivity,

Since I was previously fixed wing qualified from Navy flight training, the Air Force sent me straight to the tanker schoolhouse. That took a bit over five months but that was a bit long because I went over the holidays and had some weather delays.

I heard similar while I was at USNA. My first fleet skipper sent me a reference that dispelled that notion, the four years at USNA can count towards a federal (GS) retirement, but they are not useable for a military retirement. I was prior-enlisted and my clock stopped while I was at USNA. I'll...

Totally depends on the week you select. There is no way to forecast what those numbers will be, or at least not in the way that it would affect you at selection time. Sometimes there will be zero spots for a certain airframe, sometimes a lot. The only for sure advice I can give is be #1 and you...

One of the best deals out there to get a commission. Don’t know how hard it is to get accepted into but I had a few friends in the program at the same time I was at USNA. Needless to say they were enjoying their college experience much more than I was!

Hell, that argument could be used for everything the Russians are doing!

It is technically feasbile but it's not likely.

Yeah, I've heard of those quirks as well. I don't have the specific references for those cases but the takeaway is that they will retire in the enlisted rank. As for paygrade, the law stipulates that you get the pay for the grade you held, so in your first example he may have been able to...

It’s the high-3 from when you were a Chief.

If you do commission, realize that you have to do at least ten years commissioned to retire as an officer. Otherwise you revert to your highest enlisted grade with corresponding high three pay for retirement. To retire with less than 10 years as an officer you need SECNAV approval. To make it...

Being a red headed step child is the way to go. It lets you find a bunch of niche flying jobs :)

I dunno man, I have both and I prefer the fleece. Warmer, softer, and doesn’t have the annoying ‘swish’ sound when you walk.

I don’t believe these are produced any longer, but I could be wrong. There’s commercial stuff available that is cheaper, but I dare say not as warm!

Can’t imagine the Ukrainians are just gonna sit and wait for that column to get to the city and fan out. The MSRs in that area are choke points and can be fertile hunting grounds for the Ukrainians.

There may be a war going on in Europe (words I’d never thought I’d type) but it’s always a good day for a Speedy. Plus, the lounge in Madrid is pretty nice :)

Reports of former US SOF on the ground in the Ukraine. No way of verifying if true but the pictures I saw, they ‘looked’ the part in terms of gear and weaponry and are reported to have inflicted serious damage to Russian formations. Of course, it could be the Ukrainians that were...

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/26/politics/russian-ukraine-resistance/index.html That’s not the AP article I read but it is pretty similar. It goes into detail about halfway through the reading.

At least according to a tweet from Zelensky from earlier today, the Turks closed the straight to the Russians.

I don’t think he does. This whole thing is fairly similar to the Russia-Georgia conflict from 2008, just on a grander scale. I think that one was what, two weeks long and then a ceasefire was brokered?). I really do think he was overestimating Russian capabilities and and was hoping for a fast...

Logistics is what wins wars. In the buildup Russia only had (at least what appeared on open source) enough log for a short duration conflict. There wasn’t much of a log tail/reachback, especially considering the troop concentrations. We’ll see how that plays out, especially considering the level...

That’s the part that makes me scratch my head when people talk about this. Regardless of one’s opinion on Russia-Ukraine, it baffles me that folks think there’d be action against a NATO state. Article 5 basically directs WW3 at that point. I don’t think even Putin is that dumb.

Is the T-bar still a thing in Jax? I was last there in 2011 but I remember a pretty good stint of drinking and playing dice.

Supposedly the percentage of pilot slots out of USNA is higher than USAFA. I’m trying to actually verify if that’s true. Having seen both sides the airframe choices after flight school vary widely. What you fly after flight school is a crap shoot. Don’t base your choice on that. I will say...

If you have no break in service then tricare will still cover you, regardless of your deers status. DEERS may take some time to catch up, it took me almost a month after I switched from the Navy to the AF for DEERS to reflect correctly. Since you are a reservist, if you do have a break in...

I don’t know their training pipeline, but AF flight surgeons most definitely fly after training. All FS’s, regardless of branch, have minimum monthly hours they are required to log in order to continue receiving flight pay. Depending on the squadron and the individual FS, I’ve seen some only...

Well, I hope them boys on the carrier enjoy eternal river city. I can’t figure out how to upload it here but there’s a video floating around of the mishap, apparently someone was on the fantail/engine test stand area filming flight ops and got it all the way to mishap.

Machinist mate, when I walk I make grunting noises and my hands drag the ground. Perfect fit for a pilot.

Yes, in the Med.

As of a few months ago they were, dudes from my squadron bought jackets from there while in Turkey.

It means you have to do a job that the Navy needs. If you were a tank driver the Navy wouldn’t consider you, as a pilot they will.

I have no info on active Army to active Navy, but if you wanted to go active Army to Navy reserve you'd have to apply to the respective reserve application board. They happen once or twice a year and you could either call the squadron's directly or go through the reserve Wings to get some gouge...

Don’t forget the Looking Glass mission. It did that for years.

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/navy-helicopter-crashes-in-virginia Interesting phrasing, ‘during an emergency landing the momentum carried it into the trees. It’ll be interesting to read the mishap report.

That does seem early, but does a below zone look even really matter? I think I was below zone twice with the way my timing worked out and how the zones shifted around.

I don’t give a shit about the change. Everyone is existence will still just call them ‘NOTAMS’ The context is interesting now. ‘notices to airmen’ meant that me, as the airman, is getting the notice. ‘notice to air missions’ means that the missions are getting the notice. Guess that means...