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SEFEGeorge

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Posts posted by SEFEGeorge

  1. Around here it seems everyone lowers the flag whenever someone dies. It doesn't matter who it is, that is just infuriating.

    In no way should the flag be lowered for Mandela. If you read the true biography of the man he may have done some good but did just as much bad.

    I did not agree with all of George Bush's policies but at least I knew he respected the office and he would do what is needed to protect the US. I don't think if Bush died today Obama would call for the flags to be lowered.

    Two things that really irritate me are those who use the terms Bush Jr and Bush Sr. They are two different people with different middle names. It is just a show of disrespect towards both of them.

    Second is I absoleutly, positively will not believe anything that is printed in Wikipedia. It is a liberal haven for falsehoods.

    If a conservative view is posted that someone doesn't like, it is removed and trash is put in it's place without verification.

    I spent 8 years active duty, left the service for 10 years then 18 years guard and 5 years reserve. While in the guard I did over 3 years of shorts tours include 4 deployments of 18 months all over SW and Central Asia all while holding down a full time job with a wife and two kids. Just because you joined the guard there is no guarantee you won't be in harms way.

    Just my 2 cents.

    The Flag Code lists who, what, when, where, and for when it comes to placing the flag at half-staff. Mandela would be included in the "for" category. Since it's a Code and not a Law, there are no repercussions for those that violate the Code.

    Wikipedia may not be a reliable source for reference material but it's a place to start and it does list the references to research.

    As for Guard and Reserves, they are sorely needed and serve proudly. But I do recall back during Gulf 1 a news report of some people who were sorely complaining about being called up. "I just joined to get college money, etc. I can't go anywhere, I have kids." Guess there's always some bad apples in the bunch. Just like regular members, G&R people have homes and families to support, but with a bigger civy paycheck, and then they join the G&R for the bennies and a few extra bucks. Guess they never figured that they'd ever be called up and actually "have to pay the piper."

  2. I just tried to make the point that by the time Obama graduated high school it was after VN and before the Gulf. When he graduated HS and then collage, there was no Draft. Looks like he probably had a political future in mind.

    Yes Bush, Jr is a vet. And a lot of vets never went to VN or elsewhere. But I think we need to consider that Jr had a political future in mind and Sr probably had a hand in planning the steps Jr needed to take, which included military service.

    I think we all realize that it's getting to the point where there are fewer and fewer politicians that will not have any military service.

    Some seem to forget that Romney is not a vet, or not one that I know of. Looks like after HS he spent 2.5 years as a missionary, in France. So if he had beat Obama we'd still have a president without military service.

    I'm not a complete Obama fan, but let's face it, his presidency is covering some history that has some of the most turmoil in the past few decades. Some seem to forget that Bush 1 and 2 got us involved in the Middle East. Obama just took over and got it all handed to him wrapped in a blood soaked ribbon.

    Many are complaining about Obama and what he's done and trying to do, but I really haven't seen anyone with any better ideas on things. Seems to me that many are for no healthcare, let's just leave things as they are, and let the un-insured fend for themselves. Ok for us vets, we've got the VA, but what about any one else that's not a vet, no healthcare insurance? I can see both sides of the coin in this, but as a nation we take care of our people, young and old alike. I do draw the line at illegals. Send their asses back to their home countries.

  3. Dubbya was assigned to "B" company, he would BE back here when the rest of us left, and he would BE here when we got back. But at least he was in uniform at sometime in his life, not like this thing we have in the White House now.

    So true giz, but Bush was in during the draft era. If he hadn't enlisted in USAF he could very well have been drafted into the army and actually had to do something, go somewhere. Not sure that even daddy could have gotten him out of that without any political repercussions.

    Daddy probably told him he needed some military "background" for future political motives.

  4. I do not recall the Bush/Pope situation, however, loadsmith you just made my point. Bush vs Obama. President Bush loved this Country. Bush held the United States military in the highest regard; in fact served. But my issue is the lowering the Flag for a foreigner. As I said, I do not recall the Bush/Pope incident, but I would have been (and am) just as insulted then as now. There is no reason why our National Flag should be lowered for any foreign entity!

    The Eagle soars above The United States of America!! Not South Africa, nor the Vatican.........

    I regards to Bush serving, I wouldn't exactly call his service as "really serving." Yes he's a veteran, but just not sure about his and his dad's "doings." Don't know why he didn't get assigned to RVN, but maybe it was because of Bush, Sr. I don't particularly like or dislike the guy but:

    In May 1968, Bush was commissioned into the Texas Air National Guard. After two years of active-duty service while training, he was assigned to Houston, flying Convair F-102s with the 147th Reconnaissance Wing out of Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base. Critics, including former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, have alleged that Bush was favorably treated due to his father's political standing as a member of the House of Representatives, citing his selection as a pilot despite his low pilot aptitude test scores and his irregular attendance. In June 2005, the United States Department of Defense released all the records of Bush's Texas Air National Guard service, which remain in its official archives.

    In late 1972 and early 1973, he drilled with the 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard, having moved to Montgomery, Alabama to work on the unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign of Republican Winton M. Blount. In 1972, Bush was suspended from flying for failure to take a scheduled physical exam. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force Reserve on November 21, 1974.

    Taken from Wikipedia. But like I said, he is a veteran.

  5. Evidently a C-130B was modified to JC-130 configuration for use as an ‘airborne satellite retriever’. How was it supposed to work? Did it ever retrieve a falling satellite?

    Some pictures in the gallery showing the rig out ready to capture. Good mission and assignment.

    We flew a lot of training missions using concrete filled bomb casings as the "satellite" that we dropped and then zoomed down making passes at them before catching them. Not sure how much op sec is still involved with this but.....

    Robert,

    The 6594th Test Group was based at Hickam AFB, Hawaii up until the mid-1980's. They flew a combination of JC-130B's & H's & some helicopters. Their motto was "Catch a Falling Star."

    Go to the gallery and look up 3504c.

    Don R.

    If I remember correctly there were 3 JHC-130Hs as catch birds and 9 JC-130Bs. We had 3 HC-130Ps as chopper refuelers. The HH-53s were used if the satellite ended up in the water.

  6. True and if memory serves the fire bottle discharged by default to # 2 engine.It wasen't a happy day if a puddle of agent was discovered under an engine on an early morning pre-flt or any other time for that matter.

    By default the valves had to be configured in a certain position. There are 4 movable 2-position valves, GTC/Engines, LW/RW, 1/2 engines, 3/4 engines. To eng 2 position no valves move just get powered to the position they're in. For #3 only the LW/RW valve moves. If you check the inbd drybay valves on preflight, the small lever is pushed left and springs back to the right, showing the default and proper installation position. The B model was changed to preclude the inadvertent dischaarge of agent without a handle being pulled.

    Pretty simple figure in the dash 1.

  7. I must say that I never forgot the nose pin. My Phase I instructor taught me to put the pin in the back of the co-pilot's seat and grab the streamer when the Before Starting Engines checklist was called. I also put a note at the top of the checklist page that just said GEAR PIN.

  8. The B-36 FE station looks like it could be a nightmare at times. Guess that's why there's 2 FE seats. You notice the oil quantity? 150 gal tanks.

    From my time at WP and being in the Area B hangers (69-70 and 73-75), can't remember all the restore work being done. Do remember a ME-109 that was sitting there uncrated and in parts.

  9. The wife and I like the ScFy channel and most of it's ridiculous movies. They're entertaining, story lines that are WTF, albeit low budget with "acting" that's, well, acting like they're trying to act.

    Anyway, yesterday must have been crocodile day. We watched one called Robo Croc. Anyway, around the 1:30 mark they showed some Hercs. One parked, one taxiing, each with the MAFF red numbers, a 1 and a 2, H models. Then a J model taking off and climbing and turning, then a legacy flight deck while airborne. Back and forth a few times. Bought the only time I perked up and watched. Only saving grace part of the movie.

  10. GACGuy,

    First off, relax no need to shout, were all friends here! Could you provide schematics or T.O. references to support your theory that the discharge switch is always powered? Not saying you're wrong but it does go against all training I have received.

    Ron

    WRONG! Pulling the T-handle does NOT provide power to discharge the fire bottles. Pulling the T-handle does nothing more than actuate the valves on the system to direct the agent to the appropriate engine. It also cuts fuel, bleed air, oil pumps, feathers the prop, etc. as stated above. However, at ANY TIME you can press the agent discharge switch to the 1 or 2 position and the agent will discharge BY DEFAULT to the #2 engine at anytime, provided no T-handles are pulled. If any of the T-handles are pulled, it will discharge to that particular engine or the APU based on valve positions.

    Ok, lets solve this issue. Right from the -1, or at least from the -1 that I have. Good to know that after 27 odd years my memory wasn't too bad.

  11. WRONG! Pulling the T-handle does NOT provide power to discharge the fire bottles. Pulling the T-handle does nothing more than actuate the valves on the system to direct the agent to the appropriate engine. It also cuts fuel, bleed air, oil pumps, feathers the prop, etc. as stated above. However, at ANY TIME you can press the agent discharge switch to the 1 or 2 position and the agent will discharge BY DEFAULT to the #2 engine at anytime, provided no T-handles are pulled. If any of the T-handles are pulled, it will discharge to that particular engine or the APU based on valve positions.

    Think maybe there's a little confusion with this. My understanding, granted from an aging memory.

    1. Pull the T handle.

    2. closes both hydraulic valves to create run-a-round circuit, 1 solenoid operated, 1 motor operated.

    3. closes fuel valves - 2 if I remember correctly, supply and from fuel control.

    4. closes oil valve.

    5. closes bleed air valve.

    6. positions fire directional control valves to that engine. By design FDCV are defaulted to #2 eng. Has to be configured to start somewhere. 1 valve from the bottles (under bottles), 1 valve to select wing (under bottles), 1 valve (inbd dry bays - I always checked the positioning of these with my finger during the -1 preflight - only ever found 1 that was put in backwards) to select engine on that wing.

    7. also energizes the fire agent discharge switch, else the agent could be discharged without a handle even being pulled.

    8. feathers the prop.

    Something about speed sensitive control pops into my head but can't remember why or even if affected.

    Another note: if the 2nd bottle is needed it will be directed to where ever the last T handle was pulled. Thus if a 2nd engine gets shut down without agent discharge and the 2nd bottle is needed on the 1st engine shutdown, you have to reset the T handle for the 1st engine and re-pull it to reset the FDCV.

    1986 was the last year i was on a Herc, so there's 27 years of dust on my brain.

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