For you guys on this forum who are in or have served in the military, would you care to share what some of the most rewarding/coolest experiences you have lived through as a result of your military flying?

 

WARNING: The following is too long and too nostalgic (but you asked for it…sort of)

Pilot training at Sheppard with a bunch of Europeans. Duffy’s on Friday nights!

4 years flying Hogs in Europe during the Cold War. Low fly 7 in the UK (Wales). Low fly 7 in Germany (Bavaria). More cross countries than I can count to Scotland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Drinking Pils along the Rhine. Gunsmoke and TLP!

FWIC at Nellis back in the day when it was 4 months long and you could count your busted rides on one hand…and how you flew was more important than the brief/debrief.

Flying demonstrations in the Hog at Santiago Chile, Abbotsford BC, Chicago and about 50 other locations that were absolute blasts!

Switching to the Strike Eagle “late” in my career (not realizing I’d get to fly her for the next 16 years straight!) Operational test at Nellis (best pure flying bar none). Lakenheath for Balkan Ops, Afghanistan right after 9/11, NATO air meet in Norway, and another ton of Euro cross countries.

Day one over Fallujah, low level over Baghdad (Sadr City), Thanksgiving and Christmas at the Deid.

Flying my fini on a beautiful December day to Dare Co range and then a quick circle over Kitty Hawk. Hard to imagine it was 26 years before that I started back at Sheppard! And I was able to stay in the cockpit the whole time (don’t know how I pulled off that miracle.)

Most memorable though were all the incredible guys and gals I was privileged to know and fly with during my time in the service. I consider myself the luckiest man on earth for the career I had!

 

Same as Jethro except:
- NAS Corpus Christi / Kingsville instead of Sheppard AFB
- Pacific tours instead of Europe.
- different aircraft
- and of course getting to spend an entire career in the cockpit

...wait....did I say same?
I certainly miss it.
+100

Btw Jethro - did you know Dean 'Spanky' Lee (former A-10 to F-15E pilot/IP) out of Seymore-Johnson circa 97-02 timeframe?

USMCFLYR

 

Flying with the two most unique squadrons in the world. Ftroop (58th Weather Recon Sq) and Ranch Hand (12th Air Commando Squadron).

Nine hours in "the bag."



Combat formation rapid descend from 3000 to 50 feet and spray on.



Flying along side the finest Aviators, Pilots, Navs and crewmembers in the world - from all services.

 

USMCFLYR,
Knew of him but we were never stationed together. I was at SJ 94-95, 02-06, and 07-10. Where do you know him from?

I was stationed at the Heath with "UG" Lee who I believe is an APC member.
Jethro

 

Spanky and I were instructor pilots together when he was on his USN Exchange tour with the East Coast F/A-18 FRS and he was my neighbor too. Great guy and family. Couldn't believe he was tall enough though to see over the glareshield in the Strike Eagle though
You never know Jethro - we might have met out over the Whiskey Areas a few times with all that time you spent in SJ. I was in MCAS Beaufort SC for those first two tours of yours.

USMCFLYR

 

My best memories are of those times I posted "There I Was" stories on APC, and the Mil vs Civ discussions. Those times made the 19 years thus far all worth it.

 

I know Spanky well, he's out of the cockpit for the first time in over 20 years, made O-6!

 

Congrats to him!
If you are in contact, or have comm with him, please pass on hellos to him.

USMCFLYR

 

The salute from my DI at my AOCS commissioning.

Completing my Fam 13 "safe for solo" flight in primary.

Getting jets after primary.

Being told "you're a qual" getting shot back to shore in flight school.

Getting my wings.

Being told "you're a qual" after my last night trap in the FRS.

The clearing turn after a morning simo launch off the waist cat while my skipper was shot off the bow on a clear (relatively) calm day north of the Arctic Circle.

Breaking at the bow to a "SHIB OK" (eventually outlawed in our air wing).

Being given the keys to an airplane and per diem to go anywhere in the country I wanted provided I could find a student.

Bringing a flight into the 800' carrier break at over 500 KIAS at any airfield that would allow it.

Fly/Lift/Drink/Repeat Air to Air det (especially in NQX).

The puzzlement in my mind when a former Topgun instructor reservist said he enjoyed going to his civilian airline job more than his reserve fighter job when we were on det in NQX.

Understanding what he meant (though not totally agreeing) when I got my airline job.

Fly/Lift/Drink/Repeat Cargo det with the reserves in Sicily.

O Clubs around the world.

Working with the finest people I'll ever know.

The knowledge that no matter how much I miss the good times, there were plenty of not so good times and that my post military QOL has been better than it was on active duty.