Fresh off accusations the US military forces its young, impressionable troops to pray in formation, an entire formation of US Marines did so in front of nearly 75,000 football fans.
Marines perform their version of ‘Tebowing’ before the Broncos-Jets game on Nov. 17. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)
Actually, they’re Tebowing. Then again, Tebowing is praying, by definition. And they’re in uniform. These Marines must be Read more
General Mark Welsh is currently the commanding General of US Air Forces in Europe. (He previously sent out a message on the problem of retaining fighter pilots.) General Welsh is also a former Commandant of Cadets at USAFA, as well as an A-10 and F-16 fighter pilot.
On November 1st he visited USAFA and delivered an inspirational message to the cadets: You’ll make a difference. Be ready. One particularly salient quote:
Leadership is a gift. Its given by those who follow.
But you have to be worthy of it. The men and women Read more
The Air Force Times reports on the Air Force investigation into the June crash of an F-16C out of Nellis AFB, Nevada. Capt Eric Ziegler was killed in the mishap.
Investigators found no maintenance problems or other issues that could have caused the accident.
Ziegler apparently experienced a G-LOC, or G-induced loss of consciousness. He blacked out and did not recover prior to impacting the ground.
The report had an interesting comment that reflects on the fighter pilot culture: Read more
US Army BrigGen Rhonda Cornum is the director of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program. She also embodies the values of her own program:
The CSF program focuses on the ability to bounce back from stress or trauma, something she utilized after her experience in the Gulf War…
Cornum flew over the Iraqi desert with her crew in a Black Hawk helicopter Feb. 27, during the fourth day of the U.S. ground assault…
Her crew was responding to the downing of F-16 pilot Capt Bill Andrews, who was shot down over Iraq. Their helicopter took fire before getting there and crashed. Five of her crewmates were killed; she was wounded and taken Read more
In a somewhat unusual turn of events, the co-pilot (and lone survivor) of a 2010 Coast Guard helicopter crash has been charged with two counts of negligent homicide and other UCMJ violations.
[Lt. Lance] Leone was one of two pilots flying the MH-60 Jayhawk, which crashed off La Push. The crash killed all three other passengers on board.
In addition to the negligent homicide charges, Leone faces two counts of dereliction of duty and destruction of government property, Kip Wadlow, a Coast Guard spokesman, said.
The helicopter flew into power lines Read more
According to the Air Force Times, the Air Force has reported that a manned QF-4 crash in July was caused by a flight control malfunction. A stab actuator disconnected and caused an uncommanded, and uncontrollable, pitch up.
The article notes the $2.4 million Read more
According to various (and official) sources, the Iraqi government has begun the process of purchasing F-16s to stand up a new capability in its fledgling Air Force.
Iraq has signed an estimated $3 billion deal to buy 18 fighter jets from the United States, officials said Tuesday, in a measure aimed at protecting its air space alone after years of relying on help from American pilots.
Though the planes won’t arrive in country for some time, Iraqi pilots are reportedly already being trained in the US: Read more
According to the New York Times, the Obama administration has decided against allowing Taiwan to purchase new F-16C/Ds, but it will allow them to purchase the material to upgrade their existing fleet of F-16A/Bs. Some have called this “buckling to pressure from China,” which generally criticizes military support for what it considers a breakaway state.
“If the reports are true,” Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, said in a written statement on Friday, “today’s capitulation to Communist Read more