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The US Air Force Academy has purchased new training aircraft to replace those it has leased for more than a decade. USAFA has not purchased a training fleet since the ill-fated T-3A Firefly killed 3 cadets and 3 officers from 1995 to 1997.
The Cirrus T-53A is a single engine propeller driven aircraft and will be used in USAFA’s flight training program. The T-53 acquisition will run $6.1M for the fleet of 25. The local article also notes the aircraft is equipped with a whole-aircraft parachute.
The aircraft will be evaluated by test pilots from Edwards Air Force base before its use as a cadet trainer.
A Naval aviator reportedly ejected from his T-45 Goshawk in southern Texas. The T-45 normally carries two, but the pilot was flying solo.
As with every other mishap, the Navy will investigate and a report will be available some months from now.
Newly promoted Chaplain (Col) Jeffrey Houston was awarded the Bronze Star in a ceremony by MajGen David Perkins, commanding general of US Division North in Iraq. General Perkins did not mince words in lauding the value of Houston or Chaplains in general:
“While we may have the best gear in the world and the best training in the world, the thing that makes us special is the people,” said Perkins. “Chaplains, specifically people like Jeff, give us inner strength. That is what he has done for me, and that is what he has done throughout his military career.”
Military Chaplains serve in a unique — and essential — role within the US armed forces. Regrettably, their value is most often noticed in their absence.
(As an aside, last year General Perkins had the pleasure of a meeting with Michael Weinstein — which resulted in Weinstein saying “see you in court.” Naturally, the threat was empty.)
A picture on the US military’s DoD Live website recently highlighted a fascinating, if often misconstrued, photo of flight:
The caption:
An F/A-18C Hornet…breaks the sound barrier Read more
A US military news release documents the story of US Navy Chaplain (LT) James Ragain, currently deployed to Afghanistan. While much of the article covers the standard mantras of Chaplains and their roles, Ragain’s story demonstrates the strengths of having a military Chaplain integrated with a combat unit:
“He’s probably the greatest secret weapon I have here in my squadron,” said Marine Corps Lt. Col. Clarence Harper, the squadron’s commanding officer. “The way he goes about building religious Read more
The following email recently took a turn around the “religious complaint” circuit:
From: [ ] LtCol USAF AETC 58 OG/CD
To: 58 SOW All PersonnelSubject: 58 SOW Bible Study: Every Wed, 1200-1300 in the TRS Auditorium
You are invited to a weekly 58 SOW Bible Study on Wednesdays, from 1200-1300, in the 58 TRS Auditorium-a Chaplain-sponsored event. If you are interested, read below for more details: Read more
An Air Force public affairs article described an officer’s deployment in support of mortuary affairs at Dover, a somber and honorable duty.
The article inadvertently touched on another historical tradition of the US Air Force (or, more accurately, the US Army Air Forces). The author published a photo of her grandfather with his A-20 Havoc in World War II:
A close up Read more