Thursday, January 11, 2007
An Update to the Air Force Academy Cadet F-15E Incentive Ride Request
Last month I shared with you an email sent from a Major to an Air Force Academy Cadet. The Cadet was cluelessly asking for an incentive ride from the Major's Fighter Squadron, and the Major sent, what most of us felt, was an appropriate response to such a bone-headed request.
According to Tumbleweed, the only guest blogger on this site and the friend who forwarded me the email, something happened to the Major involved.
"I heard from a fairly reliable source that Maj T***** from the 333rd FS did
indeed get in some hot water for an unprofessional response to Cadet
S***** IV. The Commandant of Cadets at USAFA got wind of this incident
and placed a call to the wing commander out at Seymour-Johnson. The ball
rolled downhill and the major got in trouble. The highlight of this fiasco
is that the cadet is getting his F-15E ride.
Amazing what some whining can do huh? Now here's another question. Just
what kind of ride is the cadet going to be getting? Are they gonna put him
through the wringer? Or will it be a straight and level sleep inducer?"
On a professional level I can understand how the Major's words could have been considered a little too harsh. After all the Cadet is still just a kid with his head still up his kiester, so he didn't know any better. What I disagree with is giving this kid a ride. I won't argue that the rides are a blast. I've been lucky and have had a few of my own backseat rides, but this guy doesn't deserve more than a coin and a sorry from the Major.
There are too many more deserving Air Force personnel at the Fighter Squadron that deserve that ride. Have the kid go and load bombs, tear out engines, and fix hydrolics if he wants to earn a ride.
I guess it pays to whine. Looks like we've got a nother winner coming from the Academy in a few years. Oh joy.
But I really wanted a ride. Whaaaaaaaaaa!
posted by El Capitan at 3:05 PM
4 Comments:
said...
I have to agree. The response may have been harsh - but that didn't merit giving this begging cadet his ride.
4:00 PM
Unknown said...
they sure do spoil those academy pukes!
5:31 PM said...
At first glance I thought this whole e-mail and situation was a comedy hoax... but if it is true... good grief!
8:39 AM said...
It is a shame that they rewarded whining, and didn't tell the kid to shut up and take it like a man. The furthur wussification of America and our Armed Forces.
Is this kid sure he wants a ride in a fighter...maybe a C-12 is more his speed. But that would be an insult to C-12 pilots.
If he can get over here to Iraq...we'll give him a ride.