Chairman Does 'Check Ride' in Super Hornet

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

NAVAL AIR STATION LEMOORE, Calif., Oct. 21, 2003 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff suited up and took over the backseat of the Navy's newest fighter-bomber here Oct. 20.

Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, who has more than 4,000 hours flying various Air Force high-performance aircraft, checked out the capabilities of the FA-18E Super Hornet. He flew with VFA-122, a Fleet Replacement Squadron at the central California base.

A Navy pilot helps Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hook in before a familiarization ride aboard a Navy FA-18E Super Hornet at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., Oct. 20. Photo by Jim Garamone
(Click photo for screen-resolution image); high-resolution image available.

Myers, who flew 600 combat hours over Vietnam in F-4 Phantom IIs, flew with Navy Lt. John "Ping" Turner, a veteran of actions over Iraq.

The chairman flew as part of a two-plane mission. The aircraft went to the R2508 Training Complex over Death Valley and adjacent locations. It was Myers' first time in the Super Hornet.

Lemoore officials said the mission entailed refueling from an FA-18F tanker aircraft and then conducting basic flight maneuvers. Turner said the chairman took the stick for much of the mission.

Afterwards, Myers spoke to sailors and Marines at the Lemoore dining facility. He re-enlisted three sailors and presented an award to another. He thanked the service members for their service and answered their questions.

The Super Hornet first entered the fleet in late 1999. It has performed well in actions over Afghanistan and Iraq.

The chairman's final West Coast stop was scheduled Oct. 21 at Fort Lewis, Wash., to examine another new U.S. military capability – the Army's Stryker infantry carrier vehicle. A Fort Lewis Stryker unit – the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division – is scheduled to deploy to Iraq in November.

~~~

	Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, third from left, poses for a photo with the ground crew and fellow pilot Navy Lt. John Turner after completing a familiarization flight aboard an FA-18 E Super Hornet at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., Oct. 20. Photo by Jim Garamone ~~~

	Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers gets fitted up for a familiarization ride aboard an FA-18E Super Hornet at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., Oct. 20. Photo by Jim Garamone ~~~

	Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers rides in the back seat of an FA-18E Super Hornet during a familiarization ride at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif. Photo by Jim Garamone ~~~

Myers, who flew 600 combat hours over Vietnam in F-4 Phantom IIs, flew with Navy Lt. John "Ping" Turner, a veteran of actions over Iraq....It was Myers' first time in the Super Hornet.

~~~
Gen. Myers checking out the equipment on his West Coast tour.

Final stop today in Fort Lewis, Wash., to examine another new U.S. military capability – the Army's ~~stinker~~ Stryker infantry carrier vehicle - scheduled to deploy to Iraq in November.
~~~

If you want on or off my Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

I wonder if you would like to add this site to your many links. My computer skills are minimal, but this site is so good I have to try to share it. It has so much history of what the American Forces had to deal with after the defeat of Germany. It has many lessons and parallels for today's brave forces in Iraq.

Note: It was not disbanded until 1952.

http://www.geocities.com/usconstabulary/index.html#top%201

United States Constabulary
Official Home Page

U.S. ARMY
OF OCCUPATION
1946 - GERMANY AND AUSTRIA - 1952
"We Served with Honor and Pride"

During W.W.II, Germany was destroyed.
Following the end of the war the people of Germany had no leadership, no law or order, and there were many displaced persons. The country was in desperate need of help. The United States Constabulary along with the 1st Infantry Division formed the deterrent to Communism in Germany and Austria. These were our first "Cold War Warriors". These soldiers performed many of the functions that the German and Austrian governments could not perform.
The United States Constabulary was phased out in December 1952 having accomplished its mission. It had been truly one of the elite forces of the U. S. Army and lived up to its motto,
"Mobility, Vigilance, Justice".

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