SEFEGeorge

I think it was about 10 years ago that I first went to the VA Clinic and applied. Got my ID right away and they're been my medical provider ever since. I didn't actually file a claim with them until this current one. Even when I had insurance through work I still went to the VA, paid a normal co-pay and insurance covered the rest. When I was out of work it was nice that the VA still took care of my medical even without insurance. Still had to pay some but at least it wasn't as much as to a civilian doctor.

After my examination a couple months ago I haven't heard anything yet. I have received the "in progress" letters every so often since I filed the claim. I did receive a "Veterans Health Benefits Handbook" a few weeks ago. Shows me in Group 8. I haven't followed up on it yet though. Maybe my income puts me in this group.

Yes US Herk, war has changed. But still, that doesn't change the way that joy stick jocks are fighting their war involvement. Pretty soon they'll be looking for Purple Hearts because they have blisters on their thumbs, demanding flight duty pay (unless they already receive it), demanding that their chairs be changed out for heated cushiony leather ejection seats so they can eject if their drone crashes then dig out their radios and call for a combat rescue mission. Pretend they're Bat 21 and navigate an actual golf course to the extraction zone. I wonder if drone operators go DNIF or DNIC? Comparing real pilots to drone pilots is like comparing NFL players to Madden 2013 players.

US Herk, I understand what you're saying I just don't agree with it. Didn't the B-2 crews fly long missions from the U.S. to the Middle east to do bombing runs during Gulf 1 and then flew back to the U.S? Or something like that. I just don't think that watching things evolve on a TV screen rise to the level of psychological levels you're saying. Don't the drone pilots have Reliability evaluations like regular pilots or whatever it was I seem to recall?

You have to be in awe of those guys. Taking a land based plane off the deck of a rolling flight deck, in a flying gas truck, flying hundreds of miles at low level across open water, very little defensive armament, bombing the Japanese home island with 2 (?) bombs each, then trying to make China in the dark. I watched the show on the Military Channel and watching them take off even made my pucker factor go up even with me sitting in my chair with a cup of coffee. With Doolittle getting the MOH I sure hops that the rest of the crew members received some kind of award close to the MOH, and not just some Good Conduct medal. Sure would like to say "Thank You" to them all.

Those things are just butt-ugly. Looks like some kid bent a piece of trailer park aluminum siding.

US Herk, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this. But taking this a little further. How about the crew that loaded the first A-bomb on the Enola Gay? Of the people of the Manhattan Project? Comparisons could go on and on. Higher ranking medals like the Purple Heart, etc., should be solely awarded to those who actions were in direct, life-in-danger, situations. Give these quasi-pilots a Commendation Medal, but only for specific events, not just because they "flew" drones.

Ok, story I've told before but. Stationed at Wright-Patterson, 2750th Logistics Sqd, SSgt at time, CC on VC-118As, then began flying as a FM, A43171A, VC-118As then they moved me to flying VT-29B/C/D. Flying passenger runs we wore our blue slacks and light blue shirts, and flight jackets. Kitty Hawk run every morning at 6:30am to Andrews and back. Stopped by BX on way home. A young A1C SP wearing a flight jacket came up to me and asked why I was wearing a SP jacket. Being amused I chuckled a little and asked his to check the tag inside the pocket - Jacket, flying, light weight. I opened my jacket and showed him my wings. Then I asked him where were his wings. Got the "deer in the headlights" look as I walked away shaking my head.

Try this page: http://www.exit161.com/skivvy9/graphics/aircraft/rc130.pdf

Yeah, they get to leave their air-conditioned trailers, drive home in their air-conditioned vehicles, take a hot shower, veg out in front of the TV in their air-conditioned homes with some beers, with their wife and kids, and then get to sleep next to their wives at night. Yeah, some pretty harsh psychological challenges. or flight jackets to SPs.

Damn, having to wind my way through a lot of cobwebs. Windmill taxi start, prop on cuff, best angle to get the prop turning to wind engine up to light-off. Once GB oil pressure gets up it positions the prop accordingly. NTS during decent, etc., prop trying to drive the engine and NTS is increasing blade angle to get a bigger bite and to stop trying to drive the engine instead of the other way around, which could lead to a decoupling. NTS could also drive the prop to a too high of a blade angle and inadvertently send the prop to feather or cause the RPM to stagnate, accel bleed valves to open, etc.

I think you misunderstood. They're just doing the job they're in. Just like mechanics fixing the birds, K-loader drivers, inflight kitchen people, crew bus drivers, etc. Actually flying on a mission, in harms way, is a totally different story. Flying a drone is not much different than a teenager playing on his X-Box or a missile crew launching an ICBM.

Congrats Giz. I'm still waiting on my determination.

Cheers all around! I don't doubt that they might need some kind of recognition. But give me a break. They're doing a job just like the crew chiefs, munitions people, etc. All contributing to the war effort. Why not an Achievement Medal or Commendation Medal? Maybe that wouldn't look as good on the Officer Mess Dress as a "drone metal."

That's an opening for a joke about illegals and low levels/CDS but it might not be PC.

I'm going to take a WAG but no sidewall bars for the sidewall seat backs. Not being a back-ender, it's only a guess.

Casey and Giz, decals applied, along with my new trailer hitch and "Remove Before Flight" streamer.

I think it means "g** damn it."

Including shipping I thing it came to $14. Didn't have to get dressed, and they were delivered to my home. Ahhhh, just love being retired and lazy.

Just received my order for this key chain. About 5" long. Even though the site is more of a rotary engine site (like it cars), it has a number of these items. http://www.rotary13b1.com/c/remove-before-flight.html

i was looking through the Gallery again and came across this picture: What's the contraption on the outer portion of the wings? Almost looks like spray bars or something.

I've never experienced, that god, but in case of a hydraulic failure you can still man-handle the controls. It might take the effort of both pilots and maybe more, to overcome a hydraulic lock, but it can be done, or so I have been told. Flying the old recips was, to me, a lot more "pilot actuated." The fly by wire then was cables and tension regulators, pulleys and bellcranks. Changed many pulleys and bellcranks for bad bearings in RVN. Not always easy but it sure was easier than changing out actuators, dealing with hydraulic lines and leaks, etc.

I mentioned earlier in the thread about a duck-butt trip to Korea in '83 our of the Dorf, with a number of stops along the way. Picture a fully augmented crew, empty bird except for comfort pallet, and some survival gear to kick out in case the C-12 we were escorting went into the water. Stops at Midway, Wake, Iwo Jima, Yokota, then Korea. Picked up some Tac-treasures along the way until Japan. Spent time shopping downtown (?). Ponys I think it was. Set of china, compact battery powered TV, etc., for me. Korea. Boxes and boxes of $5 sneakers, "Members Only" jackets, "Britannia" jeans, etc. Nine crew members, so the "load" was substantial. Should have seen the customs guys when we landed at the Dorf!!! The wife always wanted a black and white pearl ring so I picked one up for her. 75,000 yen I think it was (not sure about USD right now). She was very pleased. Nice homecoming! But should have seen her when she opened the credit card bill. It was listed in Yen. She pretty much went ballistic until I explained to her what the USD cost really was. She settled down. Whew.

Flew those 63 at the Dorf with the 17th, 82-86

Guess that's one of the reasons I disliked the J model. Too damn much digital crap for a combat area aircraft who spends much of it's time "in the weeds." Fighters, strat airlifters, etc., one thing, but tactical airlifters are another.