Where Have All The Fighter Pilots Gone???

Ironically, this was also the subject of a number of discussions at the Reunion last week…

What follows are the words of an individualist (who prefers to remain unidentified) who has set down in writing what a many of us “Old School Guys” have been thinking for a while. Entitled “Where have all the fighter pilots gone?” it is about far more than fighter pilots. It is about leadership and how the homogenizing effect of political correctness in the military (and elsewhere) is causing the number of leaders to dwindle. . Read on….and pardon the non-political correct language….

I received the following from one of my comrades who served with me during the Harvest Reaper/Combat Lancer project –

It makes a lot of sense to me, and I agree with this assessment of one of the areas in which the military has followed the wrong path…

Where Have All The Fighter Pilots Gone? We used to go to the Officers Club or NCO Club Stag Bar on Friday afternoons to drink, smoke and swap lies with our comrades. Think about this when you read the rest of the letter below.

What happened to our Air Force (or Military)?Drinking then became frowned on. Smoking caused cancer and could “harm you.” Stag bars became seen as ‘sexist’. Gradually, our men quit patronizing their clubs because what happened in the club became fodder for a performance report. It was the same thing at the Airman’s Club and the NCO and/or Top 3 clubs.Now we don’t have separate clubs for the ranks. Instead we have something called All Ranks Clubs. Their open to men and women of all ranks….from airman basic to general officer. Still, no one is there. Gee, I wonder why.

The latest brilliant thought out of Washington is that the operators (“pilots?”) flying remote aircraft in combat areas from their duty station in Nevada or Arizona should draw the same combat pay as those real world pilots actually on board a plane in a hostile environment. More politically correct logic? They say that remote vehicle operators are subject to the same stress levels as the combat pilot actually flying in combat. —– REALLY!!!???Now that I’ve primed you a little, read on…

There are many who will agree with these sentiments, but they apply to more than just fighter pilots. Unfortunately, the ones with the guts to speak up or push for what they believe in are beaten down by the “system”.Unfortunately there is a lot of truth in the following text – supposedly, Secretary Gates has a force beating the bushes to learn who wrote this….

Subject: Where Have All The Fighter Pilots Gone?Good Question.

Here is a rant from a retired fighter pilot that is worth reading: It is rumored that our current Secretary of Defense recently asked the question, “Where are all the dynamic leaders of the past?” I can only assume, if that is true, that he was referring to Robin Olds, Jimmy Doolittle, Patton, Ike, Boyington, Nimitz, etc.? Well, I’ve got the answer:They were fired before they made major.Our nation doesn’t want those kinds of leaders anymore.

Squadron commanders don’t run squadrons and Wing commanders don’t run wings. They are managed by higher ranking dildos with other esoteric goals in mind.Can you imagine someone today looking for a LEADER to execute that Doolittle Raid and suggesting that it be given to a dare-devil boozer – his only attributes: he had the respect of his men, an awesome ability to fly, and the organizational skills to put it all together?

If someone told me there was a chance in hell of selecting that man today, I would tell them they were either a liar or dumber than shit.I find it ironic that the Air Force put BG Robin Olds on the cover of the company rag last month. While it made me extremely proud to see his face, he wouldn’t make it across any base in America (or overseas) without ten enlisted folks telling him to zip up his flight suit and shave his mustache off.I have a feeling that his response would be predictable and for that crime he would probably get a trip home and an Article 15.

We have lost the war on rugged individualism and that, unfortunately, is what fighter pilots want to follow; not because they have to but because they respect leaders of that ilk. We’ve all run across that leader that made us proud to follow him because you wanted to be like him and make a difference. The individual who you would drag your testicles through glass for rather than disappoint him.We better wake the hell up! We’re asking our young men and women to go to really shitty places; some with unbearable climates, never have a drink, have little or no contact with the opposite sex, not look at magazines of a suggestive nature of any type, and adhere to ridiculous “regs” that require you to tuck your shirt into your PT uniform on the way to the porta-shitter at night in a dust storm because it’s a uniform.

These people we’re sending to combat are some of the brightest I’ve met but they are looking for a little sanity, which they will only find on the outside if we don’t get a friggin’ clue. You can’t continue asking people to live for months or years at a time acting like nuns and priests. Hell, even they get to have a beer.Who are we afraid of offending? The guys that already hate us enough to strap C-4 to their own bodies and walk into a crowd of us? Think about it.I’m extremely proud of our young men and women who continue to serve. I’m also very in tune with what they are considering for the future and I’ve got news for whoever sits in the White House, Congress, and our so-called military leaders. Much talent has and will continue to hemorrhage from our services, because wanna-be warriors are tired of fighting on two fronts – – one with our enemies, another against our lack of common sense. AMEN!!!

Most of us (old farts) would have been kicked out of the service for what we did back in the day, not only for the partying, but also for the actions we took onstation/in combat without ‘guidance’ from higher… I know for a fact I had more latitude as a JG and LT than most full CDRs have today…

Comments from any other old farts out there???

A Bleg…

Bryan Stow is a San Francisco area paramedic who was attacked after a San Francisco Giants – Los Angeles Dodgers game on March 31. Bryan sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury and remains hospitalized in serious condition. Several fund raisers have been planned to help Bryan’s family defray the costs associated with his hospital stay.

You can find out more about donations by visiting Support For Bryan Stow. You can also donate to [email protected] via PayPal. Go HERE to see more info from the Happy Medic…

h/t TOTWTYTR

The Green Thing, and other comments…

Got this from JP… I grew up on the tail end of this era, and we didn’t have fat kids OR adults; just sayin…

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.” That’s right, they didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But they didn’t have the green thing back her day. In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks. But she’s right. They didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they washed the baby’s diapers because they didn’t have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts – wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right, they didn’t have the green thing back in her day. Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house – not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a screen the size of the state of Wyoming . In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she’s right, they didn’t have the green thing back then. They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But they didn’t have the green thing back then. Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint. But they didn’t have the green thing back then!!!

I was gonna post a long winded diatribe about Chuckie Shumer’s BS comments about fleas, but you know, it’s really NOT worth the effort- He’s tone deaf to reality and any kind of constituency other than the far left wing! He only cares about those that line his pockets, NOT the Amercian people (especially not those that believe in 2A) in my opinion…

Having spent most of the week back amongst my old community for the reunion and centennial of Naval Aviation, I’m truly humbled and proud of the kids (yes KIDS) flying and maintaining those airplanes… We flew the hell out of them, and these kids manage to keep em flying today. Next year the P-3 Orion will have been in service for FIFTY years… Not to bad for a failed airliner that had a propensity for crashing… The only older airplanes are the B-52 and C-130, and I don’t think and of the original C-130s are still flying.

On a shooting note- Caught up with an old friend and his wife at the social last night, she remembered me being a shooter and was asking what gun she should by for self protection. I asked her why, and her hubby (they FINALLY got a shotgun for home defense about 5 years ago) said they BOTH are no longer comfortable going around without being able to defend themselves. Another old friend was there, so I waved him over and he is going to open his safe and take them both to the range and let them try all (and he has a bunch) of his pistols to find something they each like. He’s now an NRA instructor, so I know he’ll do right by them.

I think it is pretty sad statement on our society today that folks like this, who never owned guns and ‘tolerated’ my “obsession” are now looking at arming themselves… And for those going to the Lucky Gunner shoot, check your emails… Just sayin… 🙂

Centennial Retro Paint Jobs…


I was asked via email to put up the retro paint jobs on the P-3’s so here they are…


The P-8 in the previous post is the ‘current’ paint scheme, e.g. haze grey (must have gotten a good deal on ship paint…)

The first is a P-3 painted in the original PBY blue paint (prior to the Black Cats). A bit of a trivia question- Does anybody recognize the number painted on it???

OBTW, this aircraft was painted in Atsugi, Japan; before flying back to the States…
And since I screwed up the order, this the the original P-3A colors. Black lower fuselage, wings, tail, white upper and the first full color insignia on the tail. In this case, VP-6 Blue Sharks from Hawaii…
And lastly, a P-3 painted in the black/white P-2V colors, note no tail insignia…
So… Any guesses on what that number means??? It’s actually pretty famous (or at least famous in the Navy)… 🙂

100 Years or 1911 was a REALLY Good Year…


Naval Aviation has been around for 100 years, starting with young Lt Theodore Ellyson in 1911 learning to fly those new fangled flying machines…


Just like the venerable 1911 pistol, neither one got off to an auspicious start, but both have done pretty well…

Last night I was able to attend the Centennial Reunion of the Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Forces down in Jacksonville, FL. It was quite the event, held in one of the WWII hangars (still in use) with over 500 people at the dinner. The oldest attendee was AOC (Ret.) Carl Creamer, who was an AO3 in the Black Cats and was later shot down and taken prisoner of war, spending three years in Japanese prison camps. There were also 15 Admirals in attendance, including ADM Harvey, Commander of Fleet Forces; VADM Myers, Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific; and various and sundry others…

It was a great time, seeing old friends (including one of my pilots from the Mayaguez Rescue), and an open bar (which ran out about an hour into the dinner, geez you’d think by NOW they’d know Naval Aviators drink like fishes). There were ‘throwback’ P-3s painted in the old styles parked out side, along with a TBM and a Stearman 🙂

The centerpiece(s) were the new P-8 (based on the 737) and a Navy version of the Global Hawk called BAMS. Here are a few pics.
This TBM was actually flown in for the event, and participated in a fly by on Monday.
And since the term “sundown” is being used for the end of service for the P-3 (after 60 years in 2022) I thought this was pretty appropriate- The P-3 framed by the wing of the 737 on the right, and the BAMS on the left.
And a pic of the nose of 954, the second P-8 off the line at Boeing. Note the bumps, bubbles, antennas and lack of windows- This ain’t your standard airliner anymore…
And we ‘celebrated’ the POW table… See below
Here is the speech that was given to go with the setting-

Those who have served and those currently serving the uniformed services of the United States are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice. We are compelled to never forget that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have endured and may still be enduring the agonies of pain, deprivation and internment.
Before we begin our activities this evening, we will pause to recognize our POW’s and MIA’s.
We call your attention to this small table, which occupies a place of dignity and honor near the head table. It is set for one, symbolizing the fact that members of our armed forces are missing from our ranks. They are referred to as POW’s and MIA’s.
We call them comrades.
They are unable to be with their loved ones and families tonight, so we join together to pay our humble tribute to them, and bear witness to their continued absence.
This table, set for one, is small, symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner, alone against his or her suppressors.
The tablecloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intentions to respond to their country’s call to arms.
The single red rose in the vase, signifies the blood they many have shed in sacrifice to ensure the freedom of our beloved United States of America. This rose also reminds us of the family and friends of our missing comrades who keep the faith, while awaiting their return.
The yellow ribbon on the vase represents the yellow ribbons worn on the lapels of the thousands who demand with unyielding determination a proper accounting of our comrades who are not among us tonight.
A slice of lemon on the plate reminds us of their bitter fate.
The salt sprinkled on the plate reminds us of the countless fallen tears of families as they wait.
The glass is inverted – they cannot toast with us this night.
The chair is empty – they are not here.
The candle is reminiscent of the light of hope which lives in our hearts to illuminate their way home, away from their captors, to the open arms of a grateful nation.
Let us pray to the supreme commander that all of our comrades will soon be back within our ranks.
Let us remember and never forget their sacrifices.
May god forever watch over them and protect them and their families.

For those that have actually stuck around to read all this, HERE is a link to the Naval Aviation Centennial Newsletter…

P-3s continue to be active in every theater of operations in the world, actively participating in Iraq/Afghanistan, Japanese relief efforts, the Libya No-Fly zone (VP-5 engaged Libyan Coast Guard vessel Vittoria after it fired indiscriminately at civilian vessels in the port of Misrata with a Maverick and disabled it, forcing the boat to beach), and maritime patrols throughout the oceans of the world.

Another Report from Japan…

Presented for your information… From one of the folks directly involved in the liaison with the JMSDF… It’s not formatting correctly, but you get the idea… Here are five things I would like to say, after 24 days: (1) Japanese discipline and dignity in the face of cruel adversity. It hasn’t been a spotless record, as there have been reports of con-men trying falsely to gather disaster relief contributions for their own use, and some towns/villages up north have formed neighborhood security watches to shoo-away groups of “young strangers”, but the lack of looting, anti-social activities, and general hysteria among the devastated populations of along the Sanriku Coast was been nothing short of amazing, and worthy of great admiration. Two special Japanese words come to mind here: “GAMAN” (patience, endurance, self-control), and “GANBARE” (to try hard, don’t give up). (2) The utter and fearful lethality of a 46-foot Tsunami. Despite intense search and rescue efforts for many days after the disaster, only mere handful of human survivors, and one lucky dog, were rescued from the wreckage and detritus left by the killer waves. If you were able to run away from the tsunami, you lived; if not, you didn’t. Also, the power of a sustained massive surge of water lifted large ships on top of buildings, as if they were toys. (3) Panic shopping is universal. There were times during the initial two weeks, when continued after-shock earthquakes, rolling power black-outs which caused big-time confusion on the commuter trains, the sight of various foreigners running away from the Kanto area, and news of radioactive-iodine in Tokyo’s water supply, all combined to create a feeling of unreality, angst, and mental stress… Which led to runs on gasoline, toilet paper, bottled drinking water, bread, rice, flash-lights, and the other things which frightened people feel they need to obtain and stock-pile in their homes. But compared to the REAL victims, shivering in the cold up north, it was shameful to see those of us, who were actually much safer, act like a bunch of sheep. (4) U.S. Forces in Japan finally got a chance to prove their worth. Under an operation with the simple name “TOMODACHI” (friend), the U.S. military immediately jumped full-bore into search and rescue (SAR) operations. But at the same time, much care was taken to maintain a respectful supporting role to the Japanese Self Defense Forces (JSDF), who mobilized well over 100,000 personnel to go find, save, and provide comfort to their stricken countrymen. Of interest, every time I saw a USMC CH-46 or CH-53 flying-in timely supplies to the desperate survivors, I’m thinking to myself: “Those guys came from MCAS Futenma!” The Okinawa-based 31st MEU, on board USS ESSEX, has also been an active participant in Operation TOMODACHI. I hope (against hope) that the small politicized groups of anti-U.S. Forces critics in Okinawa, and elsewhere, will now finally relent, and find a different cause to crusade about… (5) Finally, Defense Minister Kitazawa flew out today to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS RONALD REAGAN, operating in waters east of central Honshu; and he faced the assembled ship’s crew in the cavernous hangar bay, and delivered the following words, on behalf of his Prime Minister and his country: QUOTE: To All U.S. Military Members and everyone involved in Operation Tomodachi On behalf of the people of Japan, I sincerely express deep appreciation to the tremendous support provided by the U.S. military, the U.S. government, and the American people at the time of Japan’s unprecedented crisis. Immediately after the disaster, USS Ronald Reagan rushed to the Sanriku area. Currently, ground, navy, air, and marine forces, with high pride and passion, are supporting disaster relief efforts at an extraordinary scale. I personally received from President Obama, words of warm and strong pledge of support for Japan. Not only the victims of the disaster hit areas, but also the entire Japanese people are deeply moved and encouraged by the scenes of U.S. military members working hard to support the relief efforts. Both Japan and the United States are true “TOMODACHI” that share basic values such as democracy and respect for human rights. Faced with such a massive disaster, it’s at no time like the present that I feel so strongly about our friendship with the United States. The swift and strong support provided by your country is testament of the enduring bond that the Japan-U.S. Alliance has fostered for over a half a century. Japan, with your continuous cooperation, is determined to launch full-scale efforts to overcome the challenges ahead of us. Again, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all of your tremendous support and friendship. Naoto Kan, Prime Minister of Japan – – – – – – – – – – Please allow me, at the outset, to express my heartfelt appreciation and admiration to each and every U.S. service member that came to the aid of the victims of the March 11 Great Tohoku-Kanto Disaster. The incredible support that you are providing are touching the victims that are still suffering from a feeling of great loss and sorrow. At no time like the present have I felt the United States, our ally, as a reliable partner; and have I felt so proud of our alliance with the United States. The United States Forces has extended assistance to the disaster hit areas in various ways. For instance, you are helping to clean up schools that are covered by mud by the Tsunami, so that the students can come back for the new school year. Your warm help will be cherished and engraved in the hearts and soul of the Japanese people. More than three weeks have passed since the disaster. Our humanitarian and disaster relief efforts are about to transition to a phase to a mid- to long-term activities focused on rehabilitation and reconstruction. It is my sincere wish that those of you who will depart from the relief efforts to assume a new mission, to leave with a feeling of utmost pride, for taking part in a noble operation such as Operation Tomodachi. And for those of you who will continue to provide assistance, I again wish to express my deepest appreciation for your contribution. Disaster can destroy human life and property, but it cannot destroy the human spirit. This is what Ambassador Roos said when he visited the disaster hit elementary school, Watanoha, in Ishinomaki City. The Ambassador’s remark will be long remembered in the history of Japan-U.S. relations as a message that tied the hearts and souls of the survivors and their lost loved ones. In closing, I would like to say that the on going Japan-U.S. joint relief operation in tackling this unprecedented crisis that our country is now facing, will be long remembered in the memories of both the Japanese and American people. I am convinced that our joint efforts today will lead to further deepening of the Japan-U.S. Alliance. Toshimi Kitazawa UNQUOTE 04 April 2011

Dragon Leatherworks Talon Holster Review…

Dennis at Dragon Leatherworks worked with me on a Talon holster for my C&S 1911 and it came in last week. Let me say first off, the work is outstanding!!! All the seams are even, the stiching is excellent with no flaws, and the ‘scollop’ I wanted as a finger guide is in the right place, even though it was only discussed over the phone. Dennis’ attention to detail is excellent, as is the fit and finish. I am looking at this holster as a daily wear, so no fancy work was requested.

Wearing the pistol the last two days has confirmed that it is a bit tight (expected in a new holster), and it rides comfortably without poking me and it also doesn’t poke the seat in the truck (which I consider a plus)!

The draw is smooth (and should loosen up a bit after wearing in), one handed reholster is easy, without having to “hunt” for the holster. In other words, everything I asked for, I got!!!

Another thing I would like to compliment Dennis on is the inclusion of both warranty paperwork AND a safety and usage disclaimer; he takes the time to remind folks of things, like the 4 rules, testing with an UNLOADED gun, etc. Dennis is one of the new young guns on the holster scene, and based on the quality I see here, I’d strongly recommend him for holsters!!! And I tried a couple of pics with it on, but they were reversed/hand was in the picture… etc… sorry…

It’s the "Little" Things…

Had to go to dinner with the boss and a bunch of other PHDs, luckily there were two other retired Navy types, so we weren’t too outnumbered…


But…

After 8 years, I found out my boss actually WAS a Rocket Scientist… That was his first job, building and shooting off rockets for Los Alamos! No wonder he didn’t like my rocket surgery jokes… sigh…

He said, “Mine only blew up if I DESIGNED them to blow up.” Er… um… “designed” them to blow up???

And I thought dinner conversations at blogmeets were bad, but tonight was a new ‘high’ or ‘low’ depending…

Started with WWII discussion based on a new book out about Guadalcanal, segued into a discussion on Guam, the last Japanese war survivor, Korea, MacArthur, Physics, missiles, rocket science, START treaty, back to physics, to the human brain, to artificial intelligence, to autonomy, back to physics, to existentialism, to movies, to the best existential movie (Groundhog Day), to a dissection of the movie from an existential point of view, to Battlestar Gallactica, to guns, to fishing, to hog hunting…

And those are just the ones I remember… sigh…

One more day of meetings, and the red eye back tomorrow night!

So I’ll be commenting more this weekend when I actually have time to sit and read all your blogs. Y’all have a safe weekend!!!

From the pointy end…

Straight from the Seventh Fleet operations off Japan. Received from a friend of a
friend on the Ronald Reagan. The writer is an oceanographer on the RR.


Be proud or our folks; this is what the military does that never makes the news.

All,

Just thought I’d send an update from life today on Reagan. Some of you have seen of this and some haven’t. Its been quite a week. Many challenging times, avoiding radioactive plumes and contamination in the environment both air and water. Sailors here are happy to help in such a trifold disaster but its also been pretty scary at times for us too. I think all the rad we’ve seen is safe low levels but we do hear of high levels now and again.

Since we are a nuclear carrier we have all the requisite devices to measure radiation in the environment and keep the ship safe, however, not sure the chain of command ever considered having to use these devices in a situation quite like this. Literally, our chain of command was the resident experts on things nuclear until task forces started to get set up and organized.

We had a rough time trying to figure out where to go at first but have nestled into an area north of Sendai that saw much damage and is also a safe distance from the reactors at Fukishima.

We found a bunch of people at first, ~ 10-20 landing zones, then the past few days were quieter and today we found Japanese that needed rescued again.

The helos and airplanes go out and look at the country looking for people with cameras and stuff. Japanese are really smart at disaster prepardness. The displaced people that need help write sos on the ground in big fields or drop lots of stones on the ground in an helo pad shape or spell out S O S. Then the helos know there are people nearby that need help so they land and look and bring back supplies. Lots and lots of japanese have been helped in this way. I’m guessing they are without power but yet they inherently know to do this.

When the helos land on the ground the japanese come out and stand in a perfect line and help the helo guys unload all the goodies out of the helo in an assembly line as fast as possible. They have been ever so respectful, patient and humble. They are such an amazing people. Even in this horrible time, they maintain such respectability.

My friend who is a helo pilot told me tonight that as they were taking off after unloading supplies, a man got down on his knees and prayed to the helo guys (like a buddhist praying motion). Other japanese have all waved, clapped, and given many types of thanks to our helo squadrons.

I saw pictures tonight from the helo’s and airplanes. The pictures are amazing. I’ve never been to japan but its so beautiful, the mountain sides are breathtaking and the ocean on the northeast coast is SO BLUE! There is a lot of destruction in the pictures. Towns just wiped out and houses remaining where the water stopped. I also heard the japanese had a lot of water walls to help protect them from tsunamis and this helped in many locations but not all of course. I haven’t had much time to watch the news and all we get is cnn so these pictures today were unique to me.

Today at sea I saw A LOT of trees in the ocean. It looked like a lumber yard, logs and trees everywhere. Many trees have the root systems attached. I swear, I’d bet money that chunks of land lifted up from the seaside with the trees attached because some of the trees stick straight up and down out of the water as if they are solid in ground (but the water depth is 1000-2000′ in those spots. The ocean is littered with connex boxes, I’ve seen soooo much debris out here, I wish we could have blown some of it up so that at least they weren’t hazards to navigation.

There is media from the NYTimes here today so maybe there will be more news about us coming.

The guys on the flight deck have been working so hard, its really cold outside, they have to wear overboots over their boots to protect from contamination and they return back into the skin of the ship through the foc’sle which is now a decontamination station. I’ve heard that line lasts an hour to get through. If your clothes or boots are too high then they take them from you and issue you new stuff. Fibers and clothes hold radiation moreso then hard surfaces and so I think some things like halyards and lines may have to be thrown away. Our ‘lookouts’ have been inside the pilothouse almost this entire time now and believe the island structure has some contamination on it. My forecasters stopped launching weather balloons.

My team has been working so hard and sleeping so little and giving everything they’ve got. The forecasts for the helos are paramount and CAG is definitely concerned for his guys. The captain has told me repeatedly to keep him abreast of the winds and call him anytime when we will be ‘downwind’ from the reactors. There are people making ‘plumes’ models of the air and sea, some are good, some are great, and some are not. Its all very complicated. And the jets, well, they haven’t really been flying so who knows what will happen with them.

Yesterday everyone dontated supplies from their personal stashes. I’m hoping we do that again.

All for now, sorry if this email is kind of choppy just wanted to pass along the latest.


I thought y’all might be interested in a ‘first person’ account, hopefully gives a bit of perspective to balance what the MSM is spouting…

Veteran’s Golf Course…

Fantastic idea, and it’s truly nice to see that people like Jack Nicklaus are supporting it…

And they have made accomodations with the specialized carts, and actually planned the course where it can be used by the folks, including driving on the greens!!!

Outstanding job by all!