View Full Version : 'Friendly-fire' US pilot punished
BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3871949.stm).......
brit bus driver
7th Jul 2004, 07:50
Good to hear, but don't you just love the accuracy of the media....since when did F-16s start carrying co-pilots?!
A US-Canadian inquiry into the incident - the worst "friendly-fire" case in the Afghan campaign - found Maj Schmidt and his co-pilot had decided to bomb their target without waiting for their commander's permission.
(Not being flippant at all, as I was present when the bodies were repatriated to CFB Trenton.)
Replace co-pilot with wingman perhaps? ;)
Fat Dog Mendoza
7th Jul 2004, 17:00
Appears they have got off lightly. a whole months wages!!!
$5,700.
For a former 'top gun' instructor to blame the bombing on the 'fog of war' is criminal. And he has agreed not to fly air forces jets again......big of him
And the mission commander reprimanded for 'leadership failures' and allowed to retire.
It is just trigger happy part time pilots looking for a piece of action.
BEagle
7th Jul 2004, 17:08
"It is just trigger happy part time pilots looking for a piece of action"
That was certainly my perception of some of the ANG F-16 people at A Certain Coalition Airbase. "Hell, your guys have gotta stir us up some action today or the **** ANG'll be going home without having bombed any Eye-Raqis" was one comment I once heard.
:rolleyes:
OFBSLF
7th Jul 2004, 17:10
The pilots reprimand has been released:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1089195338446&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154
Given the scathing nature of the reprimand, I would assume that his days in the US Air Force are numbered.
Pilgrim101
7th Jul 2004, 17:52
War's a $hite of a place to be ain't it ? Can't anyone else imagine a scenario where us Brits might actually start malletting one another in a hot zone (again) ?
I confess to a sneaking, fleeting sympathy for the gung ho pilots though - sure they'll have had, and will still have, some fairly sleepless nights. Quite a burden to bear given the light punishment. :ouch:
WOW! Now that's a reprimand of 5 star order. Thoroughly deserved IMHO. He's finished as a professional aviator - I'm not getting on my high horse, but given the facts, the reprimand is fully warranted.
There is not room for cowboys, even given the 'fog of war'.
No sympathy, except for those that were killed and injured...
Trumpet_trousers
7th Jul 2004, 18:28
...are we to hope that justice will also be seen to be served on the guy(s) that malleted some of our troops in Iraq with A-10's?
Pilgrim101
7th Jul 2004, 19:41
Or the CR1 crew who spanked a Warrior CP in GW1 with a tasty HESH hit ? :E Where will we stop then ? War eh, don't you just hate it when it happens ?
MobiusTrip
7th Jul 2004, 21:09
"Ouch"
That's a high yield bolly - even more humiliating that it's in the public domain. Fine was a bit limp though.
MT
Gainesy
8th Jul 2004, 08:48
I would think that his chances of finding another job (and not just in aviation) are pretty slim.
RatherBeFlying
8th Jul 2004, 15:21
http://www.canoe.ca/Jul8/donato.jpg
© 2004 Andy Donato
Smoketoomuch
8th Jul 2004, 20:35
Is it just me or does that copy of the reprimand not quite have the ring of truth about it? The writing seems a bit informal in my opinion... maybe its just an example of 'divided by a common language'.
Agreed, Smoketoomuch. Any verdict with that collection of colourful and damning adjectives and adverbs would mean instant dismissal over here. But one only has to compare OCRs to see how our and their use of this common language differs.
Raymond Ginardon
8th Jul 2004, 22:49
It's an adjective strength thing (divided by a common ... etc..).
One's performance would be 'Satisfactory' in the UK, but 'Polyoutstanding' in the US. Means the same.
The US guys find copies of Brit 1369's etc to be so amusing because of the grossly understated wording and the apparent harshness (although it got better, albeit less amusing, when it became 'open' reporting).
Ray
West Coast
9th Jul 2004, 23:11
All things considered they both got off a light lighter than they prolly should have.
Argus
10th Jul 2004, 08:42
The reprimand seems perfectly clear to me.
One of the shortcomings of Perfidious Albion is the inability and/or reluctance of many British officers to say what they really mean, especially when dealing with the performance appraisal of subordinates; and looking them in the eye when debriefing them.
It's not rocket science. But plain speaking doesn't endear oneself to the chaps. But a f*ckwit is a f*ckwit, however much you try to dress it up. Likwise, a turkey with a PhD is still a turkey.
It's called 'Plain English"!