Fighter Pilots Play the Villain

An interesting article at the Air Force Times goes into more detail about a previously discussed “dream job” in the US Air Force: playing the bad guy.  Air Force pilots fly American fighters but train to replicate the threat of potential adversaries.  They then use those skills to “defend their homeland” during major exercises.

(Fighter units frequently use their own assets to simulate an air threat, a technique known as flying “red air.”  However, aggressor units specifically train to precisely replicate foreign tactics for large force scenarios.)

The article indicates, perhaps a little too matter-of-factly, that the US Air Force once had multiple squadrons of Russian-built fighters:

In the days that the U.S. considered the Soviet Union its biggest threat, four squadrons of airmen flew Russian-made MiG-21s or Su-27 fighters to lend authenticity to their job. Read more

Soldiers See Once in a Lifetime Sights

The US Navy used to have a slogan that said, “Join the Navy, see the world.”  While the catch phrase has long since been abandoned, “seeing the world” remains a significant reason that some people join the US military.  Within just a few months of starting their military service, they may be sent to places as widely varied as Europe, Asia, and Africa.  It is true, too, that in this present time many will likely soon see Iraq, Afghanistan, and the surrounding regions.

An Army press release notes the experiences of a group of soldiers who were given the opportunity to see the ruins of Ur in Iraq.  Ur is the historical birthplace of Abraham, Read more

Military Religion Question Answered: Beliefs

The recent Military Religion Question of the Day involved accusations that an Air National Guard Chaplain, LtCol Dan Hornok, was “blatantly proselytizing” in a commentary he published on an Air Force website.  The article and initial commentary can be seen here.

The basic questions were:

  • Was the Chaplain “blatantly proselytizing?”
  • What if the writer had not been a Chaplain?
  • What do the Chaplain’s words—and the critic’s—say about the spiritual environment in the military?

Was the Chaplain “blatantly proselytizing?”

The shortest, most accurate answer: Read more

Pagan Veterans Seek Recognition

While some seem to imply that only Christians associate their religious ideology with their military service, public examples on all sides demonstrate that is not the case.

A Pennsylvania paper recently covered a local story in which a group of pagan veterans are encouraging those with similar beliefs to, in their words, “come out of the broom closet.”  Charles Arnold is the “‘national commander’ of the Pagan Veterans of the United States,” which he formed earlier this year.  He says pagan veterans “number Read more

Merry Christmas from ChristianFighterPilot.com

God and Country will return on 28 December.  In the meantime, we leave you with the words of President Barack Obama, chatting with children during a visit to a Boys and Girls Club in Washington, DC.  Amazingly, at least one person has implied Obama violated the Constitution in making these comments.  The relationship between those in government service, the Constitution, and religion is certainly controversial–and misunderstood–in America today.  Kudos to the President for not shying away from the legitimate discussion of religious beliefs, as well as respecting those of the children.

Have a wonderful celebration of the birth of our Savior.  Merry Christmas.

THE PRESIDENT:  You know, I think that the most important thing is just to remember why we celebrate Christmas.

CHILD:  I know!

THE PRESIDENT:  Do you know?

CHILD:  The birth of baby Jesus.

THE PRESIDENT:  The birth of baby Jesus, Read more

Lawyer: Hasan’s Religious Rights Violated

The lawyer for accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Malik Hasan has said his client’s religious rights have been violated by policies that restrict his freedoms during his confinement in the hospital.

Pretrial restrictions on Hasan [include] a requirement that he speak only in English with visitors or on the phone, unless an Army-approved translator is present…

Attorney John P. Galligan said he learned that police guarding Hasan…cut short a phone conversation Hasan was having with one of his brothers on Friday because Hasan was not speaking in English.

“Police at the hospital refused to let him pray, in Arabic, from the Quran with his brother,” Galligan said. “I think it’s illegal and a violation of his religious rights.”

The article cites “those familiar with” military justice in saying that the restrictions, while potentially non-standard in the civilian sector, would not necessarily be unusual within the military criminal justice system.

Fighter Pilots Fight the Enemy: Boredom, Guilt

Not every fighter pilot gets to “use” their skills.  Like a football player who never goes to the SuperBowl, they train hard and sharpen their skills for the time when they are called upon, but for any of a variety of reasons–whether timing, politics, or just the world environment–they simply “miss” the war.

As noted in Christian Fighter Pilot is not an Oxymoron, no fighter pilot yearns for war, but if war occurs, they desperately want to be there, to do their job, and to do their part to achieve victory.

That said, even in war, there are sometimes slow times.  The Air Force Times notes that November was the second month this year in which zero bombs were dropped in Iraq, even though there were more than 800 close air support missions.  Read more

1 … 534 535 536 537 538 … 608