C-130 Rick Perry: He flew the world before politics

Reporter News- Abilene ^ | April 23, 2011 | Sarah Kleiner Varble

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Rank: Retired as a captain

Hometown: Haskell

Crew job: C-130 aircraft commander

Served in the Air Force: 1972 to 1977

Dyess AFB tour: March 4, 1974, to Feb. 28, 1977

His story: Way back before he was governor of Texas, Rick Perry had two choices as a young member of the Air Force.

He could either follow his dream and work toward becoming an instructor pilot in the sleek T-38, or he could fly the hulking C-130, planes that affectionately were referred to as "trash haulers" by Perry and his cohorts.

"It was one of the great adventures of my life," Perry said. "I had a fairly pedestrian life until I was 23 years old."

Perry could count on one hand the number of trips he had taken out of his home state by the time he graduated from Texas A&M University, but everything changed when he joined the Air Force.

Flying C-130s, Perry lived in Germany and Saudi Arabia. He flew in Central and South America, North Africa and all over Europe.

"I saw all of these different types of governments and I made the connections to how the people acted and looked, and it became abundantly clear to me that, at that particular point in time, that America was this very unique place and that our form of democracy was very rare," Perry said. " ... That was the greatest gift I received from my years of being in the military, and they really shaped my outlook on the rest of my life."

Perry retired from the Air Force in 1977 — but not without one last adventure.....

[snip]

[altura]

I would vote for Perry and I would also vote for Bush again were he allowed to run.

You cheapen yourself by your remarks about Bush which put you firmly alongside of Obama and the liberals and media.

You may not have agreed with everything Bush did but he’s a great man and was a good president.

[ken in texas]

Most likely a goof by the writer. Normally 20 years service is required unless something like a medical retirement is involved.

In my case, after 6 years active duty, I resigned my commission and underwent voluntary separation, but still have some family members that say I "retired" from the AF.

[Terry Mross]

I thank him for his service. I’d much rather have a president who served in the military than one who “served” in the ghettos of Chicago.

When an article is written I don’t want to see it slanted in anyway. If this had been about a liberal lots of people would be asking this question:

How did he “RETIRE” after serving only 4 years?

Is the writer not aware that you don’t “retire” after only one hitch? Did Perry receive some kind of medical discharge?

Now, I’m getting old and my brain doesn’t work 100% so maybe it was explained and I didn’t see it.

[corbe]

Doesn't look so BORING from the Air. Feel in Love with the B52 while there. Climbed and crawled all over it. That fascination has followed me my whole life.

For a previous poster mentioning IMPACT, I also remember Buffalo Gap...That was fun...

[jpsb]

Bush was one of the worst presidents of my life time and I have seen a lot of terrible presidents, LBJ, Nixon, Jimmy and Bush 2. Sorry I call them like I see them, there would not be an Obama in office today had there not been a Bush in office yesterday. I give LBJ worst ever and the rest tied for second place. Obama will definitely change my ranking but he is still in office so I'll leave rating him for another day.

[Kickass Conservative]

Human Beings are Animals, does that mean all Animals are Human Beings?

I think your original point was that the Media will compare Rick Perry to Bush simply because they were both Governor's of Texas at some point in time.

I would hope we at FR would judge the Candidates by their stated positions rather than guilt by association, which is implied by your post that being a Texan is an automatic dis-qualifier for POTUS.

I am not a big Perry fan, but I am an ardent Antiobamunist.
I would vote for my Dog, who is an Animal BTW, over the current rabble rouser posing as our Commander In Chief.

[ansel12]

I love C-130s by the way, they are the best to jump out of, the experience is much more physical and engaging than from the C-141 jet and helicopters.

[antisocial]

I have a friend that flew with Perry. He was the navigator. He said that Perry was a pretty good guy although a bit arrogant.

[Palter]

No dount a typo from the writer.

5 years is the standard service time to pay back your ROTC or Academy time for the Military. Most writers have no idea how the military works.

[ansel12]

I don’t despise George W because I am able to compare him to the truly destructive presidents, and more incompetent Presidents, JFK , Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, HW Bush, Clinton, Obama. As bad as Bush was he beats all of those losers.

[353FMG]

With all the photoshopping geniuses on FR you think they would have gotten the colors right.

[jpsb]

"I think your original point was that the Media will compare Rick Perry to Bush simply because they were both Governor's of Texas at some point in time."

That is a absolute given. The media will hog tie Perry to Bush. "Bush's Lieutenant Governor Rick Perry.", "Bushs under study Rick Perry", "Bush's hand picked man, Rick Perry","After Bush is the country ready for another Texan President?"

By the time the media is done you will think Bush is running again. I will support Perry but yall better be ready for the slime machine to paint Perry another Bush. Because I guarantee they will.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

42 Years ago!

Remember when we were young and fit!

A nice looking West Texas boy a couple of years away from graduation.

19-year-old Rick Perry 1969 TX A&M Yearbook, Aggieland --- (Barack Obama was 8 years old)

Perry attended Texas A&M University, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and one of A&M's five yell leaders (a popular Texas A&M tradition analogous to male cheerleaders). He interned with the Southwestern Company during the summer time as a door-to-door book salesman where he honed his communication skills. Perry graduated in 1972 with a degree in animal science. While at Texas A&M University Perry successfully completed a static line parachute jump at Ags Over Texas (a United States Parachute Association dropzone), the dropzone that was then in operation at Coulter Field (KCFD) in Bryan, Texas, just north of Texas A&M (in College Station, Texas).

Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force, completed pilot training and flew C-130 tactical airlift in the United States, the Middle East, and Europe until 1977. He left the Air Force with the rank of captain, returned to Texas and went into business farming cotton with his father.

In 1982, Perry married Anita Thigpen, his childhood sweetheart whom he had known since elementary school. They have two children, Griffin and Sydney. Source

[deport]

With all the photoshopping geniuses on FR you think they would have gotten the colors right.

---

This is from a newspaper source and I’m sure it was colorized either by them or the family at some point.

[katana]

Just to be fair, Bush was trained on and flew a supersonic interceptor that was one of the most dangerous and difficult to fly that we’ve ever had in our arsenal. A “Widow Maker” F-102. And he volunteered to go active service in Viet Nam and was turned down as the aircraft he was qualified on had no role to play in anything much short of a Soviet nuclear bomber attack (the kind that was anticipated coming from airfields in Cuba and directed at the cities of Texas and the Gulf coast). In comparison, Perry piloted a big, lumbering four engine transport. Not to disparage Perry’s service at all, but I hate to see someone swallow Dan Rather’s crap that Bush’s was not a genuine pilot and somehow did not serve.

[Portcall24]

Let an event such as 9/11 happen to the current administration and let’s see how well they handle it. I have always said Bush will be recorded as an above average President in the years to come.

[353FMG]

>If we re-elect the current commie-in-chief, America will disappear and there will never be another chance to have such a wonderful place again.<

.
I’m afraid that we crossed the point of no return long before 0 started taking regular dumps in the White Hut.

[jpsb]

I joined the USMC in 69, do you know how had it was to get into the national guard in 69? Impossible unless someone pulled strings for you. All able bodied men were more then welcome in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard or Marines in 1969.

When ever I try to defend conservative values I get Bush throw in my face. That man did more damage to US conservatism then anyone I know since Nixon.

[ansel12]

I joined the USMC in 69, do you know how had it was to get into the national guard in 69? Impossible unless someone pulled strings for you.

You already tried your safe job BS, and now you want to go through the whole discredited Dan Rather trip again, since you have been here since 1999, why don't you just direct us to the many threads where you have already proven Dan Rather's claims true ?

[Kickass Conservative]

Just imagine if the Media consisted of “Journalists”, and I use the term lightly, who were 95% Conservatives rather than 95% Liberals like they are today.

We might have a chance if that were the case.

This is going to be a very interesting Election season. If Palin jumps in, heads will explode. LOL