Exchange tours?
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Exchange tours
In the mid 50s at West Malling there was a guy, one Johnny Hind on 25 Sqn who was selected for a fighter exchange tour with the "you-alls". Some of the happiness must have worn off when he found out it was on F-86Ds - at Manston just down the road!! By the mid 60s the RAF exchange officer in Alaska couldn't fly if the F-102s were carrying nukes, which with the advent of Cuba was most of the time. Exchange promptly switched to C-130s (thanks very much). I had the usual thing about "no forn" but it didn't really have much effect. Although the rare trip to Viet Nam was a no-no, I was allowed to participate in some of the flights into Amchitka (Aleutions) for the underground nuke trials as standby evacuation if anything went wrong.
I found the tour was great but difficult to get through the USAF culture on occasions. If one tried to point out an area where we maybe did something more practically, they would listen politely and then say "We do it this way - because that's what it says in the book!"
I found the tour was great but difficult to get through the USAF culture on occasions. If one tried to point out an area where we maybe did something more practically, they would listen politely and then say "We do it this way - because that's what it says in the book!"
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Real Slim,
Yeh, what a guy - John caused me so much grief when I regularly staggered home after several of his infamous 'Beam & Sevens'! Socially, he was light years ahead of his predecessor.
Sad to tell, he died a couple of years ago - heart gave out I believe.
FJJP
Yeh, what a guy - John caused me so much grief when I regularly staggered home after several of his infamous 'Beam & Sevens'! Socially, he was light years ahead of his predecessor.
Sad to tell, he died a couple of years ago - heart gave out I believe.
FJJP
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Secret No Foreign!!
I'm currently on exchange with the US Navy, responsible for writing all the maritime helicopter (SH/MH-60 series) tactics manuals. The big joke here is that the manuals are all classified NOFORN (No foreign!) so technically I'm not allowed to to look at the books I oversee or practice the tactics in them because I don't know what is in them because I'm not allowed to read them even though I've written them. Makes the job a tad interesting!!
I remember that Vulcan mate - he was famous for dropping a B-52's worth of ordnance on some SE asian jungle when his navigator misheard the callsign - some 30 minutes before scheduled drop time. And no-one ever complained!
The spam exchange officers on the Vicker FunBus used to have a secret brief to eachother when they arrived - "Tell the Brits that the embassy don't let us go to the Malvinas!".
Until one of them actually asked the embassy - whereupon the ruse was rumbled and from then on they too wasted many hours watching cr@p videos in the 1312 Flt facility at Base Aerea Gringo. Unless, that is, some tit like Daisy organised SLJs for them!
The spam exchange officers on the Vicker FunBus used to have a secret brief to eachother when they arrived - "Tell the Brits that the embassy don't let us go to the Malvinas!".
Until one of them actually asked the embassy - whereupon the ruse was rumbled and from then on they too wasted many hours watching cr@p videos in the 1312 Flt facility at Base Aerea Gringo. Unless, that is, some tit like Daisy organised SLJs for them!
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A first rate mate who worked in the Enbassy in Washington tells the story of a Brit sen. off. working in the Pentagon. He received a file maked 'NOFORN' by mistake. He took it to his boss and said that he had obviously been sent it in error. A full bird colonel was clearing his desk 20 mins later...
Spams are paranoid about security and are excessive in their zeal to enforce it and punishing those who bust the rules.
Spams are paranoid about security and are excessive in their zeal to enforce it and punishing those who bust the rules.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
During the Cod War with Iceland in the late 70s permission was sought and granted for colonials, RAAF, RCAF, to fly the sorties in the mighty hunter. I do not remember if the USN nav was cleared too.
All however were cleared for nuclear ops - B57s.
Curiously I once had to brief a USN P3 sqn on nuclear ops, using their oplans, as their organisatin had not seen fit to brief the mere aircrew. OTOH the Brit crews conducted regular practice exercises.
All however were cleared for nuclear ops - B57s.
Curiously I once had to brief a USN P3 sqn on nuclear ops, using their oplans, as their organisatin had not seen fit to brief the mere aircrew. OTOH the Brit crews conducted regular practice exercises.
Join Date: Aug 2002
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On a current exchange tour with the USMC I run into the Secret No Foreign thing all the time. They put it on everything as a matter of course, because that is what everyone else does. However, the only brief I have ever been asked to leave was the one where my CO was briefing the other pilots about what I could and could n't see. Apparently I am not allowed to know what I am not allowed to know about - if you follow my drift!!
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Luke Exchange
While at Luke AFB in the seventies, staffed many ops SSS (Staff Summary Sheets) which when returned were marked up with NOFORN XX Classification. Told my boss I couldn't followup on the red line comments, he didn't buy it! Made an honorary USAF Officer for the duration. Staffing was intense with the blue slips chasing you relentlessly for closure. Follow-on postings to COS and Tyndall merely reinforced the honorary status. You learn what to hear and see and what to forget!
Good times!
Good times!
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Hitherto June 77, we had exchange SNCO's in the US system - the last 2 were Sgt Alan Mills and FS Pete Bree (acoustics operators). Some Senate members were never happy with non officer people working with military nuclear things. Allegedly the change was based on Hull no's. When the LA Class was introduced, Hull No (6**?) the exchange stopped due to a Senate motion - hence, NOFORN!
In truth, an aggressive US submarine quietening programme was introduced, and our lads had access to it, so they wanted them out
Pontious - Yes - USN exchange officers were not allowed on Cod War sorties in the event we had to emergency divert to Keflavik (a US Base) which might have caused a diplomatic incident! Ha!
In the mean time we were wired up for the NDB 550, but only if they said yes!
In truth, an aggressive US submarine quietening programme was introduced, and our lads had access to it, so they wanted them out
Pontious - Yes - USN exchange officers were not allowed on Cod War sorties in the event we had to emergency divert to Keflavik (a US Base) which might have caused a diplomatic incident! Ha!
In the mean time we were wired up for the NDB 550, but only if they said yes!
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Due to Spam rules, we've seen off the F3 exchange crews in recent years as they're not allowed to see parameters of certain missiles we've bought. Even though most of them used the same rocket on ther own nations jets. Doh
Ray.
Ray.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Buoy 15, yes, you remind me.
One day we were in the TSC when a briefing was due. As we were making the place untidy we were shooed into a room at the back of the ops room.
In there were all the mission replay computers. One of the aforementioned USN exchange SNCOs started to browse. An American came in, said we weren't supposed to look at the computers then, as we seemed to know what we were doing we might as well carry on.
Later we met one of the crews in the Brass Nut. They were looking out for murder. After X-hours on task, 30 minutes to go, the target was approaching CPA on their barrier. The relief P3 came on task and proceeded to 'top' every buoy in the barrier. Their timing was immaculate. They CPAd at the same time as the target.
And for those that dont figure the TLAs, sorry.
One day we were in the TSC when a briefing was due. As we were making the place untidy we were shooed into a room at the back of the ops room.
In there were all the mission replay computers. One of the aforementioned USN exchange SNCOs started to browse. An American came in, said we weren't supposed to look at the computers then, as we seemed to know what we were doing we might as well carry on.
Later we met one of the crews in the Brass Nut. They were looking out for murder. After X-hours on task, 30 minutes to go, the target was approaching CPA on their barrier. The relief P3 came on task and proceeded to 'top' every buoy in the barrier. Their timing was immaculate. They CPAd at the same time as the target.
And for those that dont figure the TLAs, sorry.
