Rivas

 So the other day, another person came in to the print shop. I hadn't seen this person since about 2006/2007, when she was stationed at Lakenheath, and briefly came to my location on TDY orders. That was over 15 years ago, but similar to Davann, it took me a moment to recognize Jaime. She was speaking with my boss regarding a chalk-holder that she could use at home, since she had a chalk board that she used to plan her meals on for the entire week. She said it was the only bit of sanity that kept her kids from constantly asking what was for dinner.

Jaime was at Kunsan originally from 2004 - 2005, and was part of the flying community there. She understood that fighter pilots are the de facto "golden children" of the Air Force, and they pretty much get away with murder...and in some cases sexual assault, but that's a different post altogether. She knew that these dick-swinging jet jockeys love to drink hard and party hard, as a means of blowing off steam from flying around and almost getting their asses blown off. She took that approach, instead of the Dudley Do-Right, little Miss Polly Pureheart mentality that invaded Kunsan in the early 2000's, ruining an otherwise good assignment. She didn't recognize me at first either.

"Weren't you at Osan?" I asked her. "Kunsan" she replied, and that's when I confirmed who she was. We started talking, and began to bring back old memories. I told her how I came here straight from Kunsan, and except for my last assignment at Geilenkirchen, I've been here the entire time. She said that she's heard that the powers that be had really clamped down on that assignment, assuring me that it wasn't all just in my head. I originally told her how I still have a beef with the base commander who was there at the time, and how Big Air Force killed the Wolf Pack on his watch, which prompted that reply from her. We both acknowledged that there's no way in today's politically correct Air Force that anyone could get away with the ribald drinking and debauchery that used to go on there. She wrapped it up by acknowledging that so much time has passed, yet it all seemed just like yesterday.

As for 2006, I bumped into her at the old Ramstein BX. She was with someone, and we recognized one another instantly. I would've given her a hug then, as a fellow Kunsan survivor to another, but it seemed out of place and possibly awkward. I had completely forgotten about this until just now.

Ramstein has a way of happening to me. I've bumped into so many different people from the different places that I've been to in the military, as they are all coming to get stationed here, or are just here passing through. It's become less and less as more people I know have separated, retired, or have passed on (Randy), but it's interesting that I've encountered another person from my time in Korea. 

In the end, it will all be forgotten, like it never happened to begin with, and that's perhaps the greatest tragedy of it all.

Top Gun Maverick

I went to see the Top Gun Maverick movie at the kino yesterday. As it turns out, it was the last day it was showing there, and I had timed it just right. I was reluctant to see this sequel to the original Top Gun, since it was the original movie that got me interested in the military, and made me choose to join the Air Force. I know, how does a movie about Navy aviators encourage me to joint the Air Force? Who knows, but it did.

I was originally against the idea, since I hate military films in general. They capture little if any realism as to how the military truly is. My experiences in the Air Force, especially the flying community, showed me how much a difference it is - a day and night difference. Pilots, especially fighter pilots, behave as if they can do no wrong, and are often times shielded from their irresponsible decisions that many other people, especially enlisted, would feel the full brunt, and for things far less. However, something in me decided to go reluctantly see the film. I figured I would give it a fair try, and if I left the movie theater with my intelligence insulted, then there was nothing to be upset about.

I was actually pleasantly surprised at how I enjoyed the film. Top Gun Maverick feels more like a love letter to the original film, and while it retains some of the original sentiment, feels more grounded and realistic, than portraying military aviators as being larger than life and untouchable. "Maverick" is a seasoned O-6 who has been somewhat a rogue pilot for the majority of his career, and despite having a track record that would put most of his peers to shame, he hasn't made it to the flag officer ranks (admiral). He works as a test pilot of sorts, but wrecks the plane he's working on, by pushing it past its limits. That's how he ends up at in San Diego, at Top Gun.

He teaches other Top Gun graduates how to improve their flying techniques, since they've been tasked for a top secret mission. They have to take out a nuclear enrichment complex which is underground, since the enemy is threatening nearby friendly forces. WHO the enemy is isn't clearly defined, and is left up to the imagination. All that is known is that it's going to be a nearly impossible bombing run, and they have to go through a zig-zag canyon in order to avoid enemy SAMs. It feels just like a mission out of the Ace Combat series.

You discover that Goose's son, Rooster, is a Top Gun graduate, and that he's upset with Maverick for red-lining his orders to the Naval Academy. Maverick had done so out of a promise to his mom, so that Rooster wouldn't suffer a similar fate that his dad did in the original. While Maverick never tells Rooster this, he offers other reasons.

They get the green light to go ahead with the mission, Rooster is Maverick's wingman, only he chickens out during the canyon run. He finds his courage, steps up as Maverick's wingman, only to get Maverick shot down. Rooster later comes to his rescue, also gets shot down, and they're both behind enemy lines. As it turns out, there's an F-14 Tomcat at the nearby enemy air base, that wasn't destroyed by the Tomahawk missile attack. Maverick and Rooster luckily get inside the aged relic, take off, only to face to enemy stealth aircraft. Maverick shoots one down, but has to rely on one of the cocky pilots - Hangman, to come save the day. Maverick and Rooster nose-land the F-14 on the carrier, and all is well.

While the movie didn't cock-stroke and otherwise ego massage the fighter pilot community like the first one did, there was hints of it. It didn't feel like that was the main focus this time around, which I guess made it more palatable. I left the movie theater somewhat entertained in the end.

Before I left to see the film, I brought out a book that I've had for ages - The Cutting Edge, by CJ "Heater" Heatley. (Image taken from the internet - my copy is in much better shape than this one). This book was originally published in 1986, and retailed for $100 at the time. Wow! It was a collection of photos that CJ Heatley had taken aboard his time on an aircraft carrier, to better illustrate a "day in the life of" the naval aviation community. This book had released shortly after Top Gun had premiered, and a friend of mine had a copy of it. I hung on to every page, looking at it for hours, when I borrowed it. There was no way I could afford such a book at the time. Luckily for me, years later in the early 90's, I found a copy for sale - $19.99. I believe it was the book store on base at RAF Bentwaters. I had always wanted a copy, so I picked it up. In retrospect I'm glad I did. So many memories and nostalgia surfaced as I opened the book again. I was reminded of my sophomore year at Pat Henry, and all the excitement that surrounded that summer at the time. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed the film? The San Diego scenes in the movie were great, adding to the nostalgia.

I wrapped up the evening by playing Rogue Aces on the Playstation 4. There was a trophy that I've been trying to earn, where you have to score at least 10 points in Survival mode without firing any bullets from your airplane. What it requires is for you to bunny hop from enemy plane to enemy play 5 different times, in order to get the trophy to pop. The name of the trophy, interestingly enough, is named "Maverick". It's interesting how little things like that appear, seemingly "coincidental".

I also decided to end things on a good note by scrolling on Facebook before going to bed. It turns out that yesterday was also Tom Cruise's birthday - 3 July. So I unknowingly saw his new movie on his birthday, adding to the over $1 Billion in ticket sales this movie has earned. The great part about the film is that there was no virtue signaling, no woke message or lecture - just simply an escape from everyday life and entertainment. This should send those assholes in Hollywood a loud a clear message what the public truly wants, if they're going to spend $15.00 to see a movie. Here's hoping they will learn and make more films that don't suck in the future.

Heh.