Posted on 03/04/2003 7:05:28 AM PST by Oreo Kookey
CRAF Program, A retired airline pilot classmate passed this along to me. I thought you would enjoy reading it. This is another example of a story that should be making the news, but for some reason our news media doesn’t think it is what the people should see. Regards, Joe This will make you a bit misty-eyed, but also very proud.
For those of you who don't know about the CRAF program....when the US gov't goes into a military conflict (major one) and they need aircraft to transport troops, they take over some aircraft from US Airlines. I believe they are now using 7 AA wide body aircraft to take troops first to Frankfurt, then on to the Middle East. These flights are flown by our pilots and flight attendants and it is strictly on a volunteer basis. They had so many people sign up. The following email was written by an AA flight attendant who was fortunate enough to work a CRAF flight. I have to admit I am a little envious that I am not in a position to be a volunteer. Not only am I not currently internationally qualified, but, it would be selfish of me to contemplate this kind of journey while leaving my children and husband at home. Having said that, this email brought me a few tears. My wish is that every single soldier comes home safely. Heidi
Dear Friends:
I have just returned from doing a small part in our efforts against world conflict. Just got home early from Frankfurt after having picked up a planeload of troops in Alexandria LA and taking them one leg of their trip....onward. They had just gotten word 24 hours earlier that full alert was "on" and they were getting ready to be transported.
We arrived in Alexandria on the military airfield in our 777, and the busses were waiting. The troops started to appear from the busses and they were all dressed in their desert uniforms. They looked so clean! Everything was new, including the weapons. Every soldier had a big gun, and some had knives hanging off their belts, too. They were young.
We were told that all weapons were unloaded, and that all the ammo was in the belly. Upon arrival at their destination, they would be given ammo, and they were on full alert and active duty as of the moment of landing at their destination. They had camel packs on their backs, too, and we were told that each soldier had 2 liters of water in those. Each soldier was also given 3 K ration packages to get them through the journey. (We feed and watered them with a good meal and lots of soft drinks, too.)
First class was filled with the rank, and also some very young men and women. We figured it out fast...they had won a prize...and another right guess....they were all sharpshooters. Business class was filled with the best of the sharpshooters, too. Even though all got the same food and the same service, these soldiers were thrilled to be in a big seat on an airliner, and they kidded each other about getting to sit in the better cabins. Camaraderie filled the air in every cabin and there was lots of intermingling as they explored who got what, and how wonderful it was to be transported on an airliner with a crew and service! I never heard so many people say m'am in my life. They treated us with respect, and boy, we treated them that way, too. We couldn't do enough for them. "No," was not in our vocabulary! If we had it...they got it. Without exception, all the crew felt the same way.
We all felt that it was a great honor to be able to participate in getting these troops over there. Some of the flight crew had to step into the lavs and cry occasionally. I had a lump in my throat the entire flight. I was proud to be part of this....so proud!
We stepped over guns, we served cokes, we listened to stories, we served a meal, and then the soldiers took over. They got out in the aisle in their desert uniforms and passed out water and candy. They seemed to get a charge out of taking over from us, and maybe they had an ulterior motive, too, because those guys got every crumb of extra food that we had. They were young men and they were hungry!
I could go on and on about some of the stories I heard, but I will just close by saying that when we landed, we all had tears. A few of the guys passed out the door with, "would you mind kissing me, m'am?" My response was, "You bet I'll kiss you." I put lots of lipstick on lots of cheeks, and the guys just grinned.
The pride in country and uniform is overwhelming in a situation like this. I remember my Dad, the three wars he fought in, the pride with which he wore his uniform, his patriotism, his absolute belief that the United States was worth giving your life for, and that he survived it all.
God Bless America. I am so grateful to have been able to do something....anything...for our boys and girls, too. Lets hope against all hope that every single one of them comes home to their families.
www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/craf.htm
I'd also appreciate it if someone would tell me how to post an active link. Sorry, you'll have to copy and paste this one.
OK
Michael
pings for the rest of you and pass it on.
Some feminist will, no doubt, see this as a brazen act of male sexism.
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