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“A Cause Worth Doing” – DoD Roundtable
“A Cause Worth Doing” – DoD Roundtable I have never heard the Afghan people described as resilient and intelligent. I pictured them as tough fighters who over time always managed to make the foreigners leave (ie., the British and Soviet invaders) after a long fight but the guest at today’s Roundtable brought a different perspective. He also described this war as a “cause worth doing”. With 38 years experience as a US Marine (active and civilian), Mr. Dave Clifton, senior advisor, Ministry of Interior, NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan (NTM-A) certainly brings a wealth of experience to his job supervising a team of advisors that coach Afghan leaders on ministerial…
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A Life Changing Moment
We never know where our lives are going to take us! Particularly for our service members and their families! Yep, we never knew when the next orders were going to arrive and where we would be heading till the last possible moment it seemed (we had a couple of PCS orders that arrived within 2 weeks of report date for the next assignment). Growing up I had enjoyed seeing airplanes but this northern Indiana farm and steel worker family’s kid had no idea he would be in the Air Force flying aircraft for 30 years defending this wonderful country. So I was enjoying life with a bit more of a…
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The Afghan Air Force Is On The Move – DoD Roundtable
This morning’s Department of Defense Bloggers Roundtable with Brigadier General David Allvin was interesting for this retired pilot who spent many years involved in training pilots and other crewmembers. Some of that training included flying with numerous international students from Saudi Arabia, Panama and Italy. As a trained test pilot Gen Allvin brings a unique perspective in his new role as the commanding general, NATO Air Training Command, NTM-A/CSTC-A. He outlined the focus of his command as: 1) Expand Operational Capability2) Professionalization of the Air Force through Education and Training3) Improving Command and Control of Afghan Air Force resources The Afghan Air Force (the organizational name was recently confirmed by…
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Coming Back After Being on the Bench for a Bit
Today is a big day for me and the rest of the team for MilitaryAvenue! I am able to return from a short time away due to medical issues. I seriously missed my communication with you our friends on MilitaryAvenue, whether on the site, Facebook or twitter! After being in top health for so many years of flying I never considered the possibility and impact of multiple surgeries, long hospital stays and pain medications. Although, the pain meds have created some great moments of humor for the family, friends and me! Always trying to find a bright spot from a bad thing can be a challenge and I use humor…
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“Thank You” to generations of Veterans, past and present
A commercial ever get to you? What is it about a 30 second clip that can stir the emotions and start the tears flowing? This week I did see a TV commercial from Cedar Point advertising that Active Duty can get in free for Memorial Day weekend. That is something I can whole heartedly appreciate, but it didn’t stir my emotions. (Although I’m thinking this would NOT be a good weekend to visit an Amusement Park. It’s going to be busy and lines will be long… but I digress. I can still appreciate the gift.) But then there is this commercial from American Airlines … It is subliminal and I thought…
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Earth Day – Making Army Boots More Friendly for Our Environment – DoD Roundtable
Earth Day – Making Army Boots More Friendly for Our Environment It was a beautiful day in Michigan on Earth Day this year! Sunny, 70 degrees, the Redbuds were out in full bloom, the air was fresh, grass was green, we have vegetables in the garden coming up and I was talking to Mr. Tad Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health. We were discussing the Army’s Earth Day activities and their “Army Go Green Initiatives”. We were meeting with the DoD Bloggers Roundtable while he was visiting Ft Bragg and he explained that he had just left Butler Elementary School after meeting with…
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Taking Time to Taste some Green
Destination Georgia. Departure Michigan. Expectation sun and fun and warmth and great time with hubs.The destination occurred. Departure was early and accurate. Expectations can change like the weather. Fun with Dale… you betcha! Tennessee was coated with fresh snow. Drivers were jumping with frayed nerves. Rays of sunlight were sparking and flying with clods of snow flying off of car and truck roofs, as if snowballs were being thrown at the anxiety filled folks who’s windshields had refracted sunlight that caused their braking foot to clamp down to the floor. Yet they were able to breath. They made it through curves and turns and we made it to our hotel.…
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USS Normandy Supporting Haitian Relief Efforts – DoD Roundtable
The Department of Defense hosted a Bloggers Roundtable this afternoon to continue the information flow about our efforts to assist the citizens of Haiti! The guests were U.S. Navy Capt. Jeffrey T Griffin, commanding officer of the USS Normandy and U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Hansen, officer-in-charge of HSL 46. “USS Normandy (CG 60), an aegis cruiser, arrived off the coast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 17 to support Operation Unified Response. Immediately upon arrival pilots from Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) (HSL) 46, stationed in Mayport, Fla. Began utilizing the two embarked SH-60B helicopters. So far the “Screaming Seagulls” of HSL 46 have transported personnel both for medical treatment and to…
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The National Museum of the United States Air Force
This weekend we had a great time visiting the USAF Museum at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton OH! We traveled from sunny Michigan to Ohio and picked up three grandsons enroute for a stay in Dayton on Saturday night and a visit to the museum on Sunday morning! The kids had a great time asking questions, looking at airplanes and helicopters and sitting in the cockpits as well! I had a chance to share my enthusiasm about flying with them and they learned a bit about their heritage too as I was able them aircraft I had flown! The museum staff was friendly, helpful and it is open from 9…
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Five Star Onion Gratin
Sharing the kitchen for some can be a problem. Not at our house. Dale steps up to the island counter with pizazz and confidence: even if I have to push and give him a few nudges! His choices in recipes are so interesting. One of his latest “missions to magnificent” was Five Star Onion Gratin. He takes this on as if it were one of his flight plans of yore: mission planning. Exact info is needed, such as: ETA out of the oven, heat conditions (oven temp), Intel – ingredients available and required, crew – do I want to assist in setting the table? Time hack. Yes he is still…
