Originally Posted by
rickair7777
I miss all kinds of crap I did in the mil... doesn't mean I'd want to do it again today
Yeah. Combat flying is for the young. I was once a 40 something IP giving a young WO1 training in a combat AO. I hadn’t had a day off in 13 days. Needed the CE to help me out of the cockpit, help me out of my chicken plate and give me another 800 mg Motrin for my back. We were supposed to be off the next day and I was looking forward to sleeping in, watching some DVDs while sipping some “mouth wash”. While I’m debriefing the S-2 the WO-1 comes in from turning in our secure gear at ops. He’s all excited. We’re on the mission board for the next day. Flight lead. The CO and flight surgeon are behind him. I almost started crying. I knew what was coming. Some kind of song and dance from the CO and flight surgeon how they needed me to fly, flight surgeon would give me another extension, and I would do it.
Do I regret doing it? No. Was it a great experience? Yup. Would I sign up to do it again? Nope.