Annapolis Mids on Recon Abscond with Souvenirs

According to the Navy Times, Naval Academy midshipmen (cadets) went on a little scavenger hunt aboard the decommissioned USS Saratoga while they were on “summer cruise.”

On June 13, four Naval Academy midshipmen snuck aboard the decommissioned carrier…

And that’s when they decided to take things, according to academy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. William Marks. Gauges. A gyrocompass. Display dials.

“From what we can tell, they were overzealous about collecting cool things from a former aircraft carrier,” Marks said Monday. The mids took their appropriated souvenirs back to their yard patrol craft, where they were caught by the officer-in-charge of the YP.

The event is described as a “recon,” or “stunt.”  The Air Force Academy has similar “spirit missions.”  While all the service academies have rules against “stealing,” it is not uncommon — in fact, its sometimes encouraged — to appropriate or Read more

US Military Buddhists Gather in Iraq

While many understand that Christian US military chapel services occur in locations throughout the world, some may not realize that a variety of minority faiths are represented as well.

This announcement from Balad highlights the Buddhist services beginning this month.  In other locations, “earth based,” Hindu, and even atheist services are held to support the needs of local servicemembers.

The US military is made up of those of many faiths, and those faiths are practiced even within the military around the world.

Via the Buddhist Military Sangha and ArmyChaplaincy.com.

Group Provides Holiday Supplies for US Troops

The US military generally does an admirable job of supporting the religious exercise of its members.  That’s not to say it doesn’t use (or need) a little help sometimes.

Like external groups of other faiths, the Aleph Institute is organizing shipments of faith-based supplies to Jewish members of the US military around the world.  As announced at Jews in Green,

They are offering to ship Prayer Books & Ritual Materials for the High Holidays and Sukkot FREE OF CHARGE to active duty military Read more

General Robin Olds: Fighter Pilot, “Hero, Legacy”

The 7th Air Force historian, Howard Halvorsen, wrote an interesting article on Robin Olds, perhaps America’s most famous fighter pilot and eventual commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, heritage of the current wing at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea.

This historian is hardly the first to declare Robin Olds as the greatest aerial warrior and leader in American history.

When learning about his life, it is as if our creator was making the perfect Airman. He was a triple ace who had ideas about tactical air power that were as big as his physique. He was a missionary constantly arguing – not always tactfully – for better fighters, better pilot training, new tactics and the like.

Many people — even the historian author of the article — consider Robin Olds to be the consummate, if not the “first,” fighter pilot.  Halvorsen notes, though, that Read more

Top 10 Missionary Aviation Tips

Missionary aviation is a unique environment in which to operate, leading to the Top 10 Aviation Tips, brought to you by Mission Aviation Fellowship:

10: Always let your ducks go to the restroom before boarding.
…I ended up loading my Cessna 206 with 60 ducks that were in several cages. As I was closing up the cargo doors, one of the ducks relieved himself through the slats in the cage, dousing my pants. The flight was only 24 minutes long, but that was the smelliest 24 minutes of flight time I can remember. I flew with my head up in the air vent the whole time. – Mike Brown

9: Make sure your pig Read more

Navy Islamic Helo Pilot on Celebrating Ramadan

US Navy Lt Haji “Omar” Shareef, a helicopter pilot, was interviewed recently on his ability to adhere to the religious tenets of Ramadan while being a military pilot.  (Video below the fold.)

While he says Muslims can largely do their duties, he notes they do ask for accommodations such as not doing physical training during the day, since they cannot drink water between sunrise and sunset.

On his part, as a pilot, he “puts himself on Read more

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