Day Twenty Nine

Okay, now it's just getting silly. I know the Air Force needs to have us here for six weeks, and Lord knows I am thrilled to get paid - but why can't they actually fill our time effectively?

Today we went to Shaw Air Force Base, home of the 20th Fighter Wing, the largest combat F-16 wing in the country. We left at 0815 and arrived in time for our 0900 brief. Too bad our presenter didn't. So at 1000, we left for our briefing by the Assistant Wing Commander... but he was in a meeting until 1040. So he did his presentation in 20 minutes. That means we had two hours for lunch.

Most people went to a Thai kiosk - I brought a tuna packet with me. As we walked towards the food area, it seems I was walking with a Southern Baptist and Ch Hamel (a Catholic priest). Suddenly, a guy behind me - a Presbyterian - said, "I need to get away from this group - between them, there's no sex, no pig, and no drinking. It may be contagious!"

At 1300, we met again with the Asst Wing Commander, and we proceeded to the only highlight of the day. He took us to the weapons loading training hanger. That's where the troops learn how to load ammunition under the wings of and F-16. The hanger had two F-16s and every type of munition the F-16 carries. It was pretty awesome, especially considering that every few minutes another F-16 would tear down the runway a few hundred yards away.

The class in front of an F-16. From left to right: Kent Smaciarz, Ron Faith (best name for a chaplain EVER), me, Courtland Pitt, Countess Cooper, Matt Zimmerman, Micah Baker, Brian Honett, Trendce Hudson, Kenneth Tidwell, Tara Dixon, Ryan Williams, Seth Still, Matt Nansel, Scott Wilson. (Kneeling) Robert Tilley, Ioan Dumitrascu, Jose Martinez.

At 1400 we went to the base clothing store to fill in our uniforms - and then left. We were home by 1500. Another well-spent day.