Hate to break your bubble, gents, but as hokey as you or I may think it is, most pax enjoy it. Everytime I've been on a flight where the CA made the military service announcement (sometimes in front of the pax), they ate it up.

You don't hear a civilian saying his FO has flown 8 leg days in dog*&&# weather with no AP, no bathroom, at a regional partner airline going into JFK, ATL, and ORD, which is a lot more relevant to Part 121 major airline flying than someone who flew single-pilot F16 sorties in the military.

The difference is the public still respects military pilots. Not airline pilots.

So as for exploits being boasted about by former military pilots??? Let them boast... What's the big deal. At the end of the day... many passengers are not on the edge of their seats nor listening with bated breath, but listening to music or watching TV on their mobile phones or tablets.

These fine men and woman who have sacrificed so much and served so gallantly DO have the right to be proud of their fine service records and relate their daring deeds defending our freedoms that we enjoy today.

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Sure, as long as they aren't throwing their civilian trained FOs under the bus in the process. That is beyond toolish. That is just being an ***.

And, for the record, I fly with plenty of former military guys. They are great guys to fly with and work with. Very very few of them announce it over the PA. The few who do so do it in passing and don't disparage those who haven't served.

Good friend of mine was fishing buddies with Neil Armstrong. You could almost never get Neil to talk about his military service or NASA career. If he did, it was among a very small group of friends...never publicly.

Nuff said.

Carl

Is he still finishing it off with the offer to give the ladies his phone number, that being 1-800-HOT-CAPTAIN?

I kid you not, that's what his P.A. ended with when I was on his flight.

When he flew out to the Ike in 2010, he didn't talk about the moon unless asked but asked us how it was to fly triple cycle combat missions.

Very nice and humble man.

Yes, PLEASE show my post to the SpecOps guys you know--and pass along the thanks for their service that my pax wanted them to have!

After they embarressedly say "You're welcome" or "It is my privilege to serve" (my two normal responses), then please let them know you are too embarrassed to even mention to your pax that you served ...

I never said I needed public thanks ... You must have failed English comprehension at VMI.

The number is 1-888-HOT-CPTN.

I wish someone would call.