HEADED TO THE SANDBOX

23 February 2013
Vonore,  TN

 Looks like I will be trading this one, the S-61........

for this one, the UH-1H II Super Huey gunship.  

Well, things change.  Up until this recent break, I have been in Quakertown, PA undergoing training in the Sikorsky 61 helicopter.  The mission was eventually going to be to fly passengers for the State Department in Afghanistan.  While a somewhat dangerous mission, we will always fly with gunship coverage, and that is reassuring.  Now it looks like I will be the gunship coverage.

The S-61T program is apparently fallen victim to the current administration’s “cost cutting measures”.  (I had inserted my political opinion about the government, and this administration’s cost cutting, but in the interest of keeping this a sailing blog and not a politicaI one, I refrained and deleted my comments.)  I did get my S-61 qualification, and I did get to spend 4 months enjoying the Quakertown area, especially the eating establishments.  Dahleen did get to come and visit, and we did a lot of sight-seeing that we probably wouldn't have taken the time to do otherwise.  All in all, it was a good experience.

The end result for me is…..I will now be going directly to Afghanistan to fly the UH-1H II Super Huey gunship, providing escort security for unarmed aircraft and ground convoys ……(along with other missions, if you know what I mean).  I thought I was through with all that tactical stuff when I retired from the military.  Oh well, “never say never”.   

I will be glad to get started, only because the sooner I will get there, the sooner I get back.  The sooner I get back, the sooner we leave on the boat…..when we get the boat.  LOL.

I will be leaving on the 25^th of this month for at least a year….maybe a little longer, depending on how it goes.

Next post......from the Sandbox.