Air Force Academy Welfare Pilots

[MachBuffet]

I apoligize for my rant.

My post was at 0355 after a lot of Gin and Tonics and I got a little out of hand. I got out of the military pretty much because it disgusted me. Peoples lives are nothing more than action figures on a map, pushed around by politicians and generals. I just could not stomach it any more. Sorry to those of you that wear your service so proudly and blatantly on your flight bag, I chose not to. My service made me slightly left of center and cynical about almost any intervention I see my government take part of. I am a free thinker and I analyze situations before I believe what is fed to me from Fox or headline news. I am passionate about aviation. I do however not like the militarization of the airline world that I get my paycheck from. I fly a CIVIL registered airliner for a CIVILIAN passenger airline. It does not have air force gray nor European theater camouflage paint on the outside but yet a major percentage of the people I share the cockpit with act like it does. It is not a mission, it is a leg from a-b with humans in the back that get airsick if not flown around by a competent, smooth-handed aviator. My union and training department are pretty much run by former this-or-thats that seem to not be happy until there is a directive on which side of my leg my goods are supposed to hang on when I sit. About the allure of airshows around the world... Yep they are fun, I like them also. I don't, however, when I amongst my fellow aviator peers bore them with stories about back in the day. It amazes me that another pilot thinks I care to hear about his scary time in an airplane once. Please get to know your audience before you assume they are awed by your talent, it is embarrassing. Again, sorry for the rant, I wanted to delete it and end the misery it would bring me but the edit button disappeared.

 

[ivauir]

My post was at 0355 after a lot of Gin and Tonics and I got a little out of hand. ...A good drink for malaria infested jungles.. Again, sorry for the rant, I wanted to delete it and end the misery it would bring me but the edit button disappeared.

Thanks for your service ... I'm sorry it wasn't a better experience. Many of us ex-military flyers also "enjoyed" careers that where not what the recruiter described. I can talk flying all day, but if we shared a cockpit I'd love to know about that tank ... or (even better) we could talk music.

 

[capt. megadeth]

I have zero problems with vets, I have problems with people who wear it on their shirt and demand you kiss their feet because they "risked their life for your freedom" nonsense.

I've never run into ANY person from the service that acted like they wanted me to kiss their feet. The only thing I noticed from a few military pilots is that some wonder "why" UPS hasn't called them after they had their application in for 2 weeks. It's kind of funny. But anyways......

Carry on....

 

[capt. megadeth]

Peoples lives are nothing more than action figures on a map, pushed around by politicians and generals.

Well, I have to agree with this. It's so sad to see all the pictures of KIDS that got killed in Iraq. I would like to see Bush send his little girls over that but you know that won't ever happen.

 

[dojetdriver]

Well, I have to agree with this. It's so sad to see all the pictures of KIDS that got killed in Iraq. I would like to see Bush send his little girls over that but you know that won't ever happen.

Or, the other side of the political fence that admantly states that they support the troops.

 

[Phaedrus]

My service made me slightly left of center and cynical about almost any intervention I see my government take part of. I am a free thinker and I analyze situations before I believe what is fed to me from Fox or headline news

Mach: Thanks for your, ahem, clarification of your previous post. You show honor in truthfully explaining your position.
I'm sure your experience in the military was much different (read-harder) than mine but we both came out with some sympathetic positions. I am slightly right of center (whatever that means...I'm conservative in most areas, libertarian in others), a free thinking analyst, and don't believe anything the media says unless there is a way to verify it or study all aspects of it to determine motive. See? The very fact that we can think about things will invariably lead us to different conclusions. While we disagree on some things, we agree on others, and I respect your positions and how you developed them.
But I have to tell you about the time I was inverted at 600 knots and the Master Warning came on......

 

[big_al]

I've never run into ANY person from the service that acted like they wanted me to kiss their feet. The only thing I noticed from a few military pilots is that some wonder "why" UPS hasn't called them after they had their application in for 2 weeks. It's kind of funny. But anyways......

Carry on....

really? then why continue to say post after post "we risked our lives to PROTECT YOU and FREEDOM!"

Im sorry but that is just complete and utter feel-good nonsense. WWII was the last time brave men risked their lives for actual freedom. So far people have done nothing but attack what they believe my views are, and regurgitate Cold War Propaganda of OMG THE COMMIES ARE TRYING TO TAKE OVER

 

[Say Again Over]

Again, sorry for the rant, I wanted to delete it and end the misery it would bring me but the edit button disappeared. by MachBuffet

Ditto, thanks for your service, and all the other Vets on this forum! Amen.

 

[Scrapdog]

I've never run into ANY person from the service that acted like they wanted me to kiss their feet. The only thing I noticed from a few military pilots is that some wonder "why" UPS hasn't called them after they had their application in for 2 weeks. It's kind of funny. But anyways......

Carry on....

Mega - I know you want to kiss my feet.

BTW - I've had my app in to UPS for 3.6 hours...I'm a fighter guy...why haven't they called me yet? Mega, please check into this - and while you're at it, could you get me another bag of peanuts and some ginger ale?

Oops, sorry - I keep forgetting you're not an F/A.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Mega - I know you want to kiss my feet.

BTW - I've had my app in to UPS for 3.6 hours...I'm a fighter guy...why haven't they called me yet? Mega, please check into this - and while you're at it, could you get me another bag of peanuts and some ginger ale?

Oops, sorry - I keep forgetting you're not an F/A.

I'll think about it if you have cute feet. Tee heee


I'll get you a swift kick up your a$$ sugarlips!

 

[Deuce130]

My post was at 0355 after a lot of Gin and Tonics and I got a little out of hand.

Thanks for your service, and thanks for your apology. Now, go f*ck yourself.

 

[GlobeIII]

Duece130..AMEN BROTHER!

Sorry for the thread creep...feel free to ignore but I would like to opine. I never really post to these threads...but this one got me thinking, with all the "wisdom" that has been put forth so far. Most of us as commercial pilots take a great deal of responsibility for the folks in the back whose LIVES depend on our airmanship. I however, have also been in countless situations where my "cargo" in the back has been fellow brothers and sisters whose LIVES no longer require us bringing them back to terra firma. They are our brother and sisters who would like one last favor....to bring them home with HONOR for the ultimate sacrifice they have made. Every time I see that flag draped coffin in the back, I know that it could be my friend, my basketball teammate, the kid we joked on in class, or my brother or sister...and I am filled with a immense sense of duty, to bring him or her home with the honor they deserve. It is those times I reflect upon when I am faced with the petty desires of my "Future Airline Career". Sorry If I was a Academy/AFROTC/OTS welfare dude, I am PROUD!

 

[Andy]

As far as AFA, I don't know why anyone would want to go there. Sure it's free but by going to an institution you miss out on the fun of college. I enlisted in the guard and got all my college and flying paid for and still ended up in the same place as them. Good on them for making it in and sticking with it at the academy. But no way would I have put up with all the bull sh!t for four years. College was just way to much fun for me. I enjoyed good looking girls and partying too much, which is reflected in my gpa!

Most of the guys in my UPT class are academy and almost all of them say they glad they went to the AFA but if they had it to do over again, they would have went to a regular college. They are also very jealous of the guard guys.....hahahaha j/k!

I wasn't a stellar cadet at the zoo; my GPA & MPA were in the 2.5 range. But I had been enlisted before entering the zoo and knew exactly what I was getting myself into. At the time, graduating from the zoo and being pilot qual'd guaranteed a UPT slot. I always kept that in mind while I struggled to survive there.
Would I do it all over again? As long as there was a guaranteed UPT slot, in a heartbeat. I felt the exact same way the day I graduated back in '86.

I agree with you on the girl thing - I met a girl up in Denver right after my doolie year and spent just about every weekend with her during my 3 degree, 2 degree, and firstie years. ... that might explain my less than stellar GPA. That girl ended up being ex-wife #1.
There were certainly more than a couple of young minds that got warped at the zoo by the high workload and isolation from society. Fortunately, most recovered by the time they put their butter bars in the drawer.

Jealous of the Guard guys? More like envious. I wish that I had been smart enough to take that path. Still, absolutely zero regrets for my time at the zoo.

 

[Andy]

That's just something you say when you're bitter about getting a 135 out of UPT..............

Freaking fighter guys! :angryfire (jk) Yeah, there's more than a grain of truth in that statement. When you spent most of your life dreaming of being Captain America flying a fighter, it's a hard pill to swallow.

The blow to my ego was softened by the fact that we had 23 graduate out of 54 who started in my UPT class (87-08 Enid by the Sea).
By the time that assignment night rolled around, it was completely obvious to me that I'd be flying something with 4 or 8 engines. I chose to put the KC-135 as number one and proceeded to rank the KC-135 bases that I wanted to be stationed at; my number one priority was T-38 ACE. I ended up logging more hours flying T-38 ACE than the KC-135 before volunteering for a T-38 IP assignment.

 

[Malter1]

Freaking fighter guys! :angryfire (jk) Yeah, there's more than a grain of truth in that statement. When you spent most of your life dreaming of being Captain America flying a fighter, it's a hard pill to swallow.

The blow to my ego was softened by the fact that we had 23 graduate out of 54 who started in my UPT class (87-08 Enid by the Sea).
By the time that assignment night rolled around, it was completely obvious to me that I'd be flying something with 4 or 8 engines. I chose to put the KC-135 as number one and proceeded to rank the KC-135 bases that I wanted to be stationed at; my number one priority was T-38 ACE. I ended up logging more hours flying T-38 ACE than the KC-135 before volunteering for a T-38 IP assignment.

My comment was most certainly said in jest. Every pilot knows that where and what you end up flying is 75% luck and timing. The other quarter is 90% mental ! (to paraphrase Yogi)