757 Load

Kepp mine in my flight suit sleve pocket. Never know when I will need to open that can of Spaghetti O's in my helmet bag. Got chewed out by a Command Chief in 2004 at Ali Al Salem for calling it the Chow hall. He told me that it was now to be refered to as the DFAC. He told me that the aircrew were not the only ones working hard and the term chow hall was derogatory(sp) and offensive. I told him I meant no disrespect and turned to my crew and said "I'm going to th chow hall. I will see you back at the hooch!" Needless to say he was pissed! My A/C, an old school Lt Col, jumped in and gave the E-9 a little "What for and how it is!" That was the point I knew the real war/operations were over and had been replaced by the Big Blue Bafoonery!

Took this on the 1st of June 2010. A very moving trip.

I would like to know how Nashville managed to hold on to 5 A/C that were BRACed. They are getting a new sim to support their schoolhouse mission. Would it not make sense to move those 5 A/C to Dobbins and continue the schoolhouse there? Put a sim in the empty bay instead of wasting money duplicating the personnel it will require to run another sim. All their international pilots could do their sim at Dobbins then head to Nashville to fly the WC's. Who is going to train Guard/Reserve crews in a few years when active duty has all J models? I would like to be a fly on the wall when these decisions are made. When all is said and done my prediction is that the Guard will train all H model crews for the Guard and Reserves. Once again the Reserves will be left begging for slots to train their crews. Now they will be at the mercy of big brother and the Guard. Not that the Guard is a bad thing. They know how to play the game and flex their muscle when need be. Gotta love em'. Please don't think that I am Guard bashing. Just trying to figure out what is going to happen to the Guard/Reserve training in the next few years. I know the old saying that " If it makes sense then it ain't what the Govt' is going to do." Hope someone can lend some insight. Some crazy times ahead for both Guard and Reserves when it comes to getting our crews trained.