[SittingElf]

Greetings and Salutations!....

I'm a 59 year old Professional Helicopter Pilot, and from the day I was born at the Ft. Benning hospital where my dad was a Basic Training Company Commander, I have had an ID (CAC) card of one color or another. Yellow, Green, Red, and back to yellow!

Spent most of my youth growing up back and forth in Japan, where my father was a DIA spook, and culminated his career as the Commander of the 500th MI Group, running HUMINT ops throughout Asia. Returning to the USA, I graduated High School in 1973, a year early, and at the ridiculously tender age of 17 years and 20 days, I reported to Ft. Ord for basic training. (I even remember my company....B-3-1!)

Finishing that, I was off to Ft. Sam for 91B school, and had my first interactions with SF; those who were in the 300F1 course. Boy, did I WANT that! Age was the problem, so off to Tripler AMC in Hawaii where I got involved in the Saigon Evac ops.

EOD Phase 1 followed at Redstone, and after $$ cuts, I was sent back to med field and ended up with the 498th Med Co (Air Amb) at Benning. Some of you old farts who misjudged your landings at Fryer Field may have had the pleasure of my tender loving care! (For you 18D's, we were the first to "experiment" with inflatable splints). Got a lot of experience with neonates doing MAST missions, and was in one of the first EMT III courses that preceded Paramedic designations.

Got tired of looking into the cockpit as a passenger, and applied for WOC Flight School. Upon graduation, I was held at Rucker for the Cobra course, which became my primary aircraft. (Went from "saving" lives, to actively "taking" lives... and OH MAN>>>> do I LOVE blowing shit up!).
Next to 503rd CAB in Hanau Germany for three years where I loved REFORGERS; participated in the 4-day marches in Netherlands each year, and completed the 100km/24hr Death March in Belgium two years in a row. Fun Fun!

Ft Ord next where I was in 7th ID, but attached to CDEC doing REALLY fun R&D and testing stuff, traveling all over the country from Yuma to Washington. Included the OH58-D, initial Apache configurations, the cancelled LHX, and other non-flying equipment tests. Left active duty and remained IRR until just a few years ago.

Flew in the Gulf of Mexico for a number of years for the oil companies, and had the distinct pleasure of the company of my favorite co-pilot...one of your alumni as well as the 160th's. Great friend...(That would by YOU, Vandy...if you're here on the site!)

Recruited out of the Gulf by Blackwater Aviation, where I spent the next five years; the last two as the Chief Pilot after the aviation side became AAR Airlift. Resigned when my Active Duty Air Force Wife returned from Bagram Deployment and was unexpectedly assigned to Germany as the Air Evac Chief Nurse. (I had to go to A'stan regularly to fly with my guys and show the company colors, but I told people that I was probably the ONLY American who was willingly going to the country in the hope of getting "lucky"!)

Now flying heavy helicopters on a month-on, month-off rotation in Boko Haram's playground. (Nigeria), and otherwise being a "camp-follower". Wife is a lock for O-6 next month, so we're probably still in for another 3-5 years. Sucks being away, but I get to spend a lot of time with my 8 YO son who just received his first rifle and started learning the fine points of safety and marksmanship on his birthday.

While I never had the opportunity to challenge the Q course, I have nonetheless had the honor of being a small spoke in the wheel in support. I have FLOWN you, flown WITH you, air-dropped TO you, rescued you, treated you, and covered you, but I'm still second-tier COMPARED to you! Lots of respect FOR you.

Damn glad to BE here! Cheers!