Take an Air Traffic Controler, run them through survival school, jump school and few other high intensity trainings, slap 100 pounds of radio and basic radar gear (or so they said), drop them on the front line, so they can guide planes and choppers directly into the required area.
Biloxi is home to one of the USAF ATC schools, the FGCs did their ATC training right after their survival school. So they all arrived scrawny and shaved, ready to bust anybodies chops.
Biloxi, MS grows their cockroaches big. Just the right size for a FGC to prove their manlyness by eating one.
Regular ATC students said the first fews of class were always "interesting" as the FGC settled in.
Pilots are cool, you just have to slap their egos down every once in a while. If they get really uppity, well... "I'm sorry Captain. Had to down check you aircraft." "No I didn't realize it was the last day of the month and you are just 2 hours short of your required flight time."
I went through radar school at Biloxi back in '73...I remember the cockroaches. I retired out of Shaw AFB, SC last March and they had even bigger cockroaches. I HATE cockroaches! Ground controllers are cool. I've got a lot of respect for anyone on the ground. I've got a younger brother on the ground with a tactical airlift control element in the sandbox now. Fighter pilots, on the other hand...I guess I'm biased, I started out in Stategic Air Command. SAC required a certain mature standard of conduct for its air crews. Then again, SAC air crews usually included enlisted personnel. Most fighter pilots I knew treated enlisted folks with contempt. Not all fighter pilots mind you, just enough to give 'em a bad name. This usually applied State-side, overseas people were so much tighter. I met cretins in other career fields too, but as you can guess, fighter pilots were a particula bother. At Shaw AFB we had some of the first female fighter pilots. They proved that they were equal to their male counter-parts. That is, that you didn't have to have a prick to be a prick, you just had to be a fighter pilot. Were you a crew chief? How long have you been out? I miss some of the folks I worked with, especially the young people. I do not miss the chicken shit.
Spent lots of time with various ground and air crews though.
I was also stationed in NORAD, where the officiers outnumber the enlisted. Lots of fighter jocks getting their cross skills built up so they could be promoted. Lots of jockying around for position and power.
I've got several stories from that era of my life.
I think the power plays irritated me more that the immature behavior. You expect kids to fool around (although you'd also expect them to be held acountable for their behavior) but to seeing their seniors conducting soap opera politics is just disgusting. I once saw two 0-6s almost literally come to blows (they had to be physically separated) in the middle of a staff meeting over who was going to get the designated parking spot of a departing staff member.
Nah, it wasn't sanity, it was stupidity that got the Capt slapped down.
Lets see if I can make this brief.
I was one of many presenters for the weekly grand briefing for the General.
Process was simple. Those about to present sat at the table, those on deck stood around the edge of the room, those later in the field lined up in the hallway. My place in line was near the beginning, so I would arrive early, get my overheads to the AV guy and sit down with my reports. My turn comes around, I present, answer any Qs from the General or others and leave.
One day, I'm settling in and get a tap on the shoulder. Look up "Yes, Sir?" "Get up Airman, I want to sit." "Sir, I'm number 5." "I don't care, get out of the seat." I may have been a smartass, but I'm not stupid. "Yes, Sir." "By the way, grab me a coffee." I stand up gathering my stuff.
The General walks in.
"Airman, why are you leaving?" Before I could answer, the Captain jumps in (bless his stupid soul.) "I told him to move." "He's an early presenter, he needs to be seated. So why don't you get coffee for the table. *Including* the Airman."
I don't like coffee, but damn I enjoyed that cup.
I liked that General, he was Cool and Sharp. But those are other stories.
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momijizukamori and
no subject
Date: 5 Mar 2002 13:16 (UTC)I knew more then a few Skippy's.
Though we did have fun getting all the fresh from survival school Forward Air Controler to eat bugs in Biloxi, MS.
no subject
Date: 5 Mar 2002 15:59 (UTC)Re:
Date: 5 Mar 2002 16:09 (UTC)Take an Air Traffic Controler, run them through survival school, jump school and few other high intensity trainings, slap 100 pounds of radio and basic radar gear (or so they said), drop them on the front line, so they can guide planes and choppers directly into the required area.
Biloxi is home to one of the USAF ATC schools, the FGCs did their ATC training right after their survival school. So they all arrived scrawny and shaved, ready to bust anybodies chops.
Biloxi, MS grows their cockroaches big. Just the right size for a FGC to prove their manlyness by eating one.
Regular ATC students said the first fews of class were always "interesting" as the FGC settled in.
Pilots are cool, you just have to slap their egos down every once in a while. If they get really uppity, well... "I'm sorry Captain. Had to down check you aircraft." "No I didn't realize it was the last day of the month and you are just 2 hours short of your required flight time."
Re:
Date: 5 Mar 2002 17:29 (UTC)Ground controllers are cool. I've got a lot of respect for anyone on the ground. I've got a younger brother on the ground with a tactical airlift control element in the sandbox now.
Fighter pilots, on the other hand...I guess I'm biased, I started out in Stategic Air Command. SAC required a certain mature standard of conduct for its air crews. Then again, SAC air crews usually included enlisted personnel. Most fighter pilots I knew treated enlisted folks with contempt. Not all fighter pilots mind you, just enough to give 'em a bad name. This usually applied State-side, overseas people were so much tighter. I met cretins in other career fields too, but as you can guess, fighter pilots were a particula bother. At Shaw AFB we had some of the first female fighter pilots. They proved that they were equal to their male counter-parts. That is, that you didn't have to have a prick to be a prick, you just had to be a fighter pilot.
Were you a crew chief? How long have you been out? I miss some of the folks I worked with, especially the young people. I do not miss the chicken shit.
Re:
Date: 6 Mar 2002 13:05 (UTC)Spent lots of time with various ground and air crews though.
I was also stationed in NORAD, where the officiers outnumber the enlisted. Lots of fighter jocks getting their cross skills built up so they could be promoted. Lots of jockying around for position and power.
I've got several stories from that era of my life.
Re:
Date: 6 Mar 2002 15:03 (UTC)Re:
Date: 6 Mar 2002 15:41 (UTC)I was the cause for the 4-star in command of NORAD to slap down a Captain once.
Re:
Date: 6 Mar 2002 16:27 (UTC)Yeah, sometimes it takes a 4-star to insert some sanity into a situation.
Re:
Date: 6 Mar 2002 16:48 (UTC)Lets see if I can make this brief.
I was one of many presenters for the weekly grand briefing for the General.
Process was simple. Those about to present sat at the table, those on deck stood around the edge of the room, those later in the field lined up in the hallway. My place in line was near the beginning, so I would arrive early, get my overheads to the AV guy and sit down with my reports. My turn comes around, I present, answer any Qs from the General or others and leave.
One day, I'm settling in and get a tap on the shoulder. Look up "Yes, Sir?" "Get up Airman, I want to sit." "Sir, I'm number 5." "I don't care, get out of the seat." I may have been a smartass, but I'm not stupid. "Yes, Sir." "By the way, grab me a coffee." I stand up gathering my stuff.
The General walks in.
"Airman, why are you leaving?" Before I could answer, the Captain jumps in (bless his stupid soul.) "I told him to move." "He's an early presenter, he needs to be seated. So why don't you get coffee for the table. *Including* the Airman."
I don't like coffee, but damn I enjoyed that cup.
I liked that General, he was Cool and Sharp. But those are other stories.
Re:
Date: 6 Mar 2002 17:16 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Mar 2002 15:58 (UTC)no subject