Tag Archives: Tradition

The Air Force Academy and Air Guitars

A lot of people don’t realize that some of the military academies’ displays of “spirit” aren’t entirely spontaneous or voluntary.  While many enjoy going to their college’s football games, for example, the military academies are probably among the few institutions that require their student body to attend such games (and in uniform).  Even the pushups that follow a touchdown in a service academy game are technically required (of the freshman class).

(When military members are essentially forced to participate in what seems to be a voluntary event, they refer to it as being “volun-told.”)  Such displays are Read more

USAFA Pagan Circle has Christian History

A blog by a USAFA cadet reaffirms prior comments that the new pagan circle at the US Air Force Academy is in an area frequented for other purposes, and even has a unique spiritual history.

The area is collectively referred to as the “LZ,” and the clearing has been used–for years–as a station on the hill for which to conduct “training” for fourth class cadets.  The author of Wonderings and Wanderings has a post on the 14th of January that says his squadron used the LZ for training–3 days before the “cross incident” occurred (which, incidentally, was also a long weekend).  At the time, no one knew Read more

Air Force Times: Prayer Should be Private

The Air Force Times has editorialized that

Before the Air Force can move past its reputation for religious intolerance, it must do one more thing: Eliminate prayers from official events.

Beginning an editorial with such a statement certainly reveals the tone.  After all, while the Air Force has been accused of intolerance by vocal critics, no institutional intolerance has ever been substantiated, and there is no public indication that intolerance is a valid “reputation” of the Air Force.

The editorial also treats a fairly complex issue rather whimsically.  The simple and unexplained demand that the Air Force “eliminate prayers from official events,” after all, would have prevented a Chaplain from praying at the nationally-televised memorial service at Fort Hood attended by the President.  Read more

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

Fighter Pilot Defends his Manliness

Paul “Skid” Woodford is a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and F-15 fighter pilot.  As recorded on his blog, he recently experienced a questionably “manly” event that reminded him of a story that is, truthfully, still a longstanding urban legend within the fighter community (particularly between the F-15 and F-16 communities, which sometimes have a “friendly” rivalry).  The story he tells is still well-known, despite the fact that Woodford retired more than 10 years ago, and the story he recounts is nearly 30 years old.

The reference to LtCol Woodford’s site does not equate to an endorsement of his views (interesting though they are).  He uses the “warrior vernacular,” so be warned about language on the site.  Woodford is also a self-described atheist and tends to “lean left.”

If nothing else, his site is proof that contrary to popular belief, the US military–and even the fighter pilot community–is not homogenous.  The US military is composed of men and women who represent all kinds of ideologies, as is the American culture from which they come.

Air Force Leaders Send Holiday Greetings

As noted at the Air Force website, the top 3 US Air Force leaders distributed their 2009 holiday season greetings.  They asked Airmen to “reflect on our blessings,” and expressed gratitude for deployed Airmen and fellow servicemembers serving in war.  The leaders also specifically asked Air Force families to “reach out” to the familes of deployed servicemembers and single Airmen, and

welcome them into your holiday celebrations, in the spirit of giving and support that makes our greater Air Force family so special.

Ultimately, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy successfully transmitted a neutral note of goodwill for anything that happens to be going on during this specific time of year:

In all of the joyous ways that this holiday season is celebrated, we wish you and yours the very best–during this special time, and througout the New Year.

While admirably non-exclusive, the message is almost meaningless Read more

NORAD Exercise Reveals Typical Challenges

It is common knowledge that the Air Force and White House were roundly criticized for the Air Force One flyover in New York, a faux paus that ended the political career of the leader of the White House Military Office.  Since then, the military has made a point of announcing significant exercises and events that might attract the attention of the public, particularly those that involve aircraft.

Unfortunately, such announcements risk exposing the unpredictability of scheduling events that involve military aircraft.  For example, Read more

Military Aviation, God Willing

Stars and Stripes penchant for finding religion in a story continues with its headline “Wing and a prayer.”  The title is evidently a reference to the Islamic “cultural view” cited in the article:

The members of the air corps are “the cream of the cream of the crop” when it comes to the Afghan army, Rennell said. Still, an “inshallah” (God willing) mind-set dominates the ranks, a cultural view that clashes with the strict protocols required for operating highly technical aircraft.

While insha’allah is traditionally compared with the Southern Baptist “Lord willin’,” others have considered it more a statement of realism or fatalism.  In what may be an urban legend based on stereotype, stories have been told about Islamic pilots Read more

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