We had VTAS in the F-4 when I was a young lootnik. Very cumbersome and almost worthless unless everybody used it. You had to force the ops/supply/maintencance system to make it work, but many wouldn't do it because they were just waiting for the Phantoms to go away.
From my understanding their using the old F-4s (An exceptionally good aircraft, I must say) to train nuggets at Tyndal now. USAF, NAVY, Marine pilot? What was your old squad?Wing? etc.