Fighter Seasoning
12-04-2013, 04:35 AM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,839
Ahhhh, eagerness to deploy: the sign of someone who hasn't been there yet.
Seems appropriate to post this poem that was written by "Heavy" Thompson, an old Vietnam vet Raven FAC (and F-4 pilot) who was one of my T-37 sim instructors at Columbus in the 90s. This was on the wall of his little briefing cubicle and I read it every time I simmed with him. I didn't understand how brilliant it was until I later went to war myself, then followed it up with a trip to AETC as a T-38 IP.
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Jeffrey E. Thompson
Raven 28
Seems appropriate to post this poem that was written by "Heavy" Thompson, an old Vietnam vet Raven FAC (and F-4 pilot) who was one of my T-37 sim instructors at Columbus in the 90s. This was on the wall of his little briefing cubicle and I read it every time I simmed with him. I didn't understand how brilliant it was until I later went to war myself, then followed it up with a trip to AETC as a T-38 IP.
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Jeffrey E. Thompson
Raven 28
Though warriors often do not wish for war, when there is one going on they may often seek it out because it is their job.
I guess I am somewhat the exception to your quote above.
I had deployed a few times, including 'the desert', and volunteered twice more but was denied. It was my job.
12-04-2013, 06:32 AM
#12
Abused Spouse of PBS
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 439
Good poem.
Though warriors often do not wish for war, when there is one going on they may often seek it out because it is their job.
I guess I am somewhat the exception to your quote above.
I had deployed a few times, including 'the desert', and volunteered twice more but was denied. It was my job.
Though warriors often do not wish for war, when there is one going on they may often seek it out because it is their job.
I guess I am somewhat the exception to your quote above.
I had deployed a few times, including 'the desert', and volunteered twice more but was denied. It was my job.
12-04-2013, 07:08 AM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: BE350 PIC
Posts: 624
Plus I wanted my 1000 hour and 100 IKE traps patch, and they cut me off at 880 and 99 traps. Bastards!
12-04-2013, 07:14 AM
#14
Moderate Moderator
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: Curator at Static Display
Posts: 5,681
I knew Heavy Thompson. He said he had flown the Thud before the F-4 (I never heard he was a Raven).
I told him "Heavy, I've heard the Thud was fast on the deck...how fast would it go?"
He said "I've seen 1000 knots INDICATED."
Good God.
I told him "Heavy, I've heard the Thud was fast on the deck...how fast would it go?"
He said "I've seen 1000 knots INDICATED."
Good God.
12-04-2013, 07:19 AM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: BE350 PIC
Posts: 624
And I thought doing 400+ skimming the deck in a T-45 was hauling tail. Dear god.
12-04-2013, 07:34 AM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 767 Captain
Posts: 3,989
"Lead, where are you?"
"South, heading south."
"Say your airspeed."
"1000 knots"
"Can you pull it back a little?"
"Nope"
12-06-2013, 11:48 AM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
I thought being stuck on the ground as a FAC in Gulf 1 was the worst thing that could happen to an aspiring fighter pilot.
When OIF kicked off in 2003, I was in Key West doing DACT as a platform for young F-18E/F guys finishing up the RAG. You'd think drinking beer on Duvall street in paradise would be exactly where you wanted to be, but after 12 years of being combat ready it felt really weird being out of the show.
On the other hand, F-15Cs didn't have a big role in 2003, as the Iraqis buried their jets. Had their been some air to air engagements, what had felt just "weird" would have been excruciatingly painful.
12-08-2013, 06:42 AM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2010
Position: Works too much
Posts: 242
I always viewed my mission like a Doctor views his. No Doc wants people to get hurt or sick...but they inevitably will. When they do, there's no way in **** he'll let someone else fix 'em if he can.
Nobody wants war. But when it happens, I want in...nobody can finish it better than me.
Nobody wants war. But when it happens, I want in...nobody can finish it better than me.
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