FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma ~ 23 October 2017

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | laurenmarlowe

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma

Vance Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in southern Enid, Oklahoma, about 65 miles north northwest of Oklahoma City. The base is named after local World War II hero and Medal of Honor recipient, Lt Col Leon Robert Vance Jr.

The host unit at Vance is the 71st Flying Training Wing (71 FTW), which is a part of Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

Currently there are 128 buildings and 292 facilities on Vance AFB as of October 2016. Vance is currently replacing the outside runway and several taxiways and recently completed construction of a new Air Traffic Control Tower.

The mission of the 71st Flying Training Wing is to develop professional Airmen, deliver world-class U.S. & Allied pilots and deploy combat-ready warriors. Vance is responsible for training Air Force and allied student pilots for worldwide deployment and Aerospace Expeditionary Force support. The wing reports to Air Education and Training Command.

Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) is divided into three phases that cover 52 weeks. Phase I (preflight) is 24 days long and is split into two units: five hours of ground training, including emergency procedures, aircraft operating limitations, checklist usage and local radio procedures; and 220.9 hours of academic training including aerospace physiology/human factors,T-6 systems, flying fundamentals and introduction to aerodynamics.

Learn More About Vance Air Force Base HERE!!

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT~Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. 

Please remember: The Canteen is a place to honor and entertain our troops. The Canteen is family friendly. Let's have fun!

We pray for your continued strength, to be strong in the face of adversity.

We pray for your safety, that you will return to your families and friends soon.

We pray that your hope, courage, and dignity remain unbroken, so that you may show others the way.

God Bless You All ~ Today, Tomorrow and Always

 

 

[ConorMacNessa]

Sad to say the Garden is not ready for Winter. Fortunately, we still have time - we have not had a freeze yet this year. I'll have to get to it soon - Mrs. MacNessa and I are heading for Amish Country this weekend - Lancaster, PA and environs.

"I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces guarding our country and our way of life.
I am prepared to give my life in their defense."

[2111USMC]

Yes, nice fall.

The wife and I just got back from a short vacation in northern Wisconsin. Great colors, lousy fishing but it was nice to be in the great Northwoods.

Definitely not ready for winter yet.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Mac!!

[left that other site]

It is a little over five hours to my sister’s house in Maine. We visit each other pretty frequently.

It’s a pleasant ride (except for the part that goes RIGHT THROUGH the middle of Boston!)

[Kathy in Alaska]

The Mayor!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Pro!!

[ConorMacNessa]

Welcome To All Who Enter This Canteen, To Our Serving Military, To Our Veterans, To All Military Families, To Our FRiends and To Our Allies!



Missing Man Setting

"The Empty Chair"

By Captain Carroll "Lex" Lefon, USN (RET), on December 21st, 2004

"In the wardroom onboard the aircraft carrier from which I recently debarked was a small, round table, with single chair. No one ever sat there, and the reasons, both for the table being there, and for the fact that the chair was always empty, will tell the reader a little bit about who we are as a culture. The wardroom, of course, is where the officers will dine; morning, noon and evening. It is not only a place to eat – it is also a kind of oasis from the sometimes dreary, often difficult exigencies of the service. A place of social discourse, of momentary relief from the burdens of the day. The only things explicitly forbidden by inviolable tradition in the wardroom are the wearing of a cover or sword by an officer not actually on watch, or conversation which touches upon politics or religion. But aboard ships which observe the custom, another implicit taboo concerns the empty chair: No matter how crowded the room, no matter who is waiting to be seated, that chair is never moved, never taken.

The table is by the main entrance to the wardroom. You will see it when you enter, and you will see it when you leave. It draws your eyes because it is meant to. And because it draws your eyes it draws your thoughts. And though it will be there every day for as long as you are at sea, you will look at it every time and your eyes will momentarily grow distant as you think for a moment. As you quietly give thanks.

AS YOU REMEMBER.

The small, round table is covered with a gold linen tablecloth. A single place setting rests there, of fine bone china. A wineglass stands upon the table, inverted, empty. On the dinner plate is a pinch of salt. On the bread plate is a slice of lemon. Besides the plate lies a bible. There is a small vase with a single red rose upon the table. Around the vase is wound a yellow ribbon. There is the empty chair.

We will remember because over the course of our careers, we will have had the opportunity to enjoy many a formal evening of dinner and dancing in the fine company of those with whom we have the honor to serve, and their lovely ladies. And as the night wears on, our faces will in time become flushed with pleasure of each other’s company, with the exertions on the dance floor, with the effects of our libations. But while the feast is still at its best, order will be called to the room – we will be asked to raise our glasses to the empty table, and we will be asked to remember:

The table is round to show our everlasting concern for those who are missing. The single setting reminds us that every one of them went to their fates alone, that every life was unique.

The tablecloth is gold symbolizing the purity of their motives when they answered the call to duty.

The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and their loved ones who kept the faith.

The yellow ribbon around the vase symbolizes our continued determination to remember them.

The slice of lemon reminds us of the bitterness of their fate.
The salt symbolizes the tears shed by those who loved them.
The bible represents the faith that sustained them.
The glass is inverted — they cannot share in the toast.
The chair is empty — they are not here. They are missing.

And we will remember, and we will raise our glasses to those who went before us, and who gave all that they had for us. And a part of the flush in our faces will pale as we remember that nothing worth having ever came without a cost. We will remember that many of our brothers and sisters have paid that cost in blood. We will remember that the reckoning is not over.

We many of us will settle with our families into our holiday season, our Christmas season for those who celebrate it, content in our fortune and prosperity. We will meet old friends with smiles and laughter. We will meet our members of our family with hugs. We will eat well, and exchange gifts and raise our glasses to the year passed in gratitude, and to the year to come with hope. We will sleep the sleep of the protected, secure in our homes, secure in our homeland.

But for many families, there will be an empty chair at the table this year. A place that is not filled.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER."

Many Thanks To Alfa6 For Finding Capt. Lefon's Chronicle Of "The Empty Chair."

"Träumerei"
Robert Schumann
(Click)

Never Forget The Brave Men And Women Who
Gave Their Lives To Secure Our Freedom!!

[dadfly]

beautiful rural area of ok. drive through quite frequently. got to make time to see a bit of the base next time.

[luvie]

Golly...there should be a loop or something around downtown Boston! Sheesh!

[luvie]

Braummmmmmmmm’s! Peppermint!

I could have had some this weekend, but every time I was close to one, I was already so full. LOL!

[luvie]

....till they all come home.....

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

[The Mayor]

Thank you Kathy, week started OK.... We’ll see how it goes.

[luvie]

Howdy, radu! Hope you had a good day with pretty weather! It started out pretty cool in Ft. Worth, but was 86 when I got here 5 hours later. Ugh!

I think my kitties missed me. They’re both on the bed and that doesn’t happen that often! LOL!

[radu]

Howdy, LUV!

Glad you made it home safe and sound.
Of COURSE the kittehs missed ya. And it’s probably a good bet they’re gonna stay right there on your bed all night. LOL

Not a very pretty day here. Cloudy and chilly since the cold front has come through. Going to be cool all week.

Had to take Shannon to the vet first thing this morning so I didn’t go to bed until after I’d dropped her off to be checked out. She’d picked up the tummy bug that’s been running through the ranks the past week and couldn’t seem to shake it. I’m glad that’s all it was and not something more serious. Just got home from the store - - had to get more jars of baby food for her since she needs bland food for a couple of days.
Dragging a little tonight since I didn’t get enough sleep.

[radu]

Howdy, PRO.

Got here a bit late tonight and missed ya. :-(

Hope your day was a good one.

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

More snow? BRRRRR! I feel for ya.

Gonna be “fun” getting to and from work this week. :-(

[radu]

Howdy do, Conor. *HUGZ*

Sounds like y’all have a nice weekend trip to look forward to.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Have a fun trip...

[PROCON]

Hi radu!

I'm still here barely, LOL.

I'm in a wake-up frenzy.

My usual time for waking up on off days is 5:30, but since I started my part time job and I wake-up at 4:00 AM, I haven't been able to sleep past 4:00 AM even on off days, LOL.

I try to sleep in but my inner alarm clock keeps waking me up early, DANG IT!

Oh well, I'll have to keep training myself or become sleep starved on off days, LOL.

Not much else today, I mowed because of the warmer weather and visited with son and the dog clan.

Hope your day was OK.